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May 2003 Shore Report0 W pmm� UZ nir: ZZ �I I I it INSIDE Senior Corner......... . County Road 19 ............. Recycling News ............. 2 Planning Notes .............3 Dog Ordinance ............. 3 Park/TraiITalk ............... 4 Spring Clean Up ......... 516 Early Shorewood............ 7 Council Activities ........... 7 Beat Buckthorn ............. 7 Perfect Yard ................. 7 Shorewood Map.. . ......... 8 MAY 2003 Smithtown Road Rehabilitation to Proceed without Pedestrian Space O N MARCH 28, the City Council decided to go ahead with the rehabilitation of Smithtown Road west of the County Road 19 /Country Club Road intersection this year. The design will include 11- foot -wide travel lanes, a four - foot -wide shoulder on the south side of the roadway, a two- foot -wide shoulder on the north side of the roadway, and drain tile along the edge of the pavement. The City will be able to use funds from its Municipal State Aid (MSA) System account with MnDOT, which are derived from gas taxes. As the project went through the planning process, the Park Commission gained public comment as to the interest in placing a pedestrian way along Smithtown Road. It recommended to the City Council that a five - foot -wide pedestrian space be installed along the north side of Smithtown Road from the Southwest LRT Regional Trail west to the City's border with Victoria. Several properties extend to the edge of Smithtown Road, and there is no public right -of -way in which to put the pedestrian facility. To be financially feasible, owners of properties would need to make their land along the roadway available for use. The Council subsequently learned that nearly all of these property owners were unwilling to make their land available. For a variety of reasons stated by councilmembers during the meeting, the Council decided not to install the pedestrian space. The City anticipates that contracts for the Smithtown Road roadway rehabilitation project can be awarded in the June /July timeframe. ICJ Public Safety Faci I ites Underway BASE H CONSTRUCTION is underway P for the combined Excelsior Fire r - � District (EFD) West Station /South Lake Minnetonka Police Department ( SLMPD) Station. Contracts totaling :, approximately $6.25 million were awarded in late March. Phase I' ` construction included excavation, concrete foundations and retaining walls, and site utilities. Generally favorable weather helped progress on Phase I tremendously, and also helped Photo by Bonnie Burton to keep the construction site and County Road 19 relatively clean. Phase II construction includes everything else for the building. The Up C i ty EFD and SLMPD expect to start moving into I - t new facilities in December. Funding of the project was designed to attain low overall financing costs. This strategy included two bond issues for the West facility -- $7.9 million last September, and $2.4 million this year. Due to pending legislation (the Governor's tax bill), the process needed to be accelerated this spring. Public Safety Continued page 3 :0 ;ij� i,i!�g{ n;�r;is� ar tir!eetir�c� 5illu }COL i dY -C i P/ ci 7:00 City Council Meeting i2? G?,Q Sports Organization Meeting See pg. fOr COUncil Cable Schedule. 1 tiny Mio rtes and Agendas are ai uYuble after ` they are approved on the City Web .site, tuv✓w.ci.shorein:ood.rr,tr:us. THE SHORE REPORT /May 2003 Where to Put Those Plastic Bags T HE CITY HAS RECEIVED a number of phone calls from residents about where they can recycle the plastic grocery bags they have been saving now that i many local stores are , not collecting them. . `N After some research, we have found that there is still a large market available for these bags. The company that was previously collecting the bags and shipping them to a plastic lumber manufacturer is no longer able to collect the bags, so local stores stopped accepting them. One major retailer is in discussions with a manufacturer, but customer demand will have a major impact on whether or not retailers will again accept the bags for recycling. To contact the following retailers who previously collected the bags: • Cub Foods /SuperValu: (952) 828- 4007, ask for Community Relations, or http://www.supervalu. com and click on contact. • Rainbow Foods /Fleming: Call (952) 945 -2900 or contact your store manager. • Kohl's: Call (262) 703 -7000 and ask for Community Relations, or http:// www kohls. com and click on "contact us ". • Byerly's: Contact your store manager or http://www.byerlys.com and click on "contact us ". For complete information on this issue, go to http: / /www.recycleminnesota.orgl plasticbags. htm. Q Senior ' Corner Call the Southshore Senior Center at (952) 474 -7635 to register or for information: May 2, Health Fair, 9:30 am -Noon. This event is cosponsored by the Southshore Center and Excelsior Nursing Home and will include screenings, educational speakers, resource information, equipment displays, prizes, refreshments, and more. No charge. Flyers are available at the Center with a complete list of programs and speakers. May 7, Microsoft Word for Beginners, I pm. The cost is $4. Call the Center to register. May 12, Shorewood Day at the Southshore Center, Noon. The event is part of the Celebrate our Communities series. Area residents, city council and city staff are invited to the Center for lunch. This is an opportunity to thank the city for their support of the Center and to hear an update of events taking place in Shorewood. To make a reservation call the Center. May 14, Joy of Learning Workshop, 9 am to 1:30 pm. This Discover U event will fea- ture sessions in music, literature and philosophy. Stew Thomley and Monica Ferris, local authors will be featured speakers. A lunch with gourmet soups, specialty breads, cheeses and dessert will also be included. The cost for the day is $12, and the deadline is May 7. May 16, The Shining Stars Parry, Noon. This event honors area seniors over the age of 85. Please let the Center know if there is someone from the cities of Shorewood, Green- wood, Deephaven, Tonka Bay or Excelsior who should be included on the invitation list. Entertainment by David Allen will follow the luncheon. The Southshore Center is located at 5735 Country Club Road, Shorewood. The office is open daily from 8:30 AM to 4 Pm.. Noon lunches are served on Monday, Tuesday and Friday. A complete list of ,senior activities is in the Southshore Times newsletter. For information on programs, transportation, and senior issues, or to be added to the newsletter mailing list, call (952) 474 -7635. Recycling News Holiday Notice D UE TO THE MAY 27 Memorial Day Holiday, recycling pick up will be one day later than usual. Mainland residents' recycling will be picked up on Thursday, May 30. Island pick up will be Friday, May 31. Items should be placed curbside by 7 AM.` County Road 19 Intersection Project EPLACEMENT OF the unique JLXjntersection of County Road 19, Smithtown Road, and Country Club Road is one of the City Council's top priorities. Based on the latest status report from Hennepin County, it looks like most of the construction work will take place in 2004. Traffic safety will be further affected late this year when the West Fire /Police Station opens. Hennepin County plans to have new but temporary traffic controls in place at the intersection prior to the opening of the new public safety facilities. Most of the delays have been due to factors on the Tonka Bay side of the intersection. The new owners of the former Smithtown Crossing shopping center have requested revisions for access to their property, and to the chocolate store to the east. The Tonka Bay City Council wants to be assured that the final design is business - friendly. The time needed for the resulting redesign process will make it unlikely that significant construction will occur this year. Hennepin County and the City of Tonka Bay continue to negotiate on the value that the County will pay the City for its liquor store property. The Shorewood and Tonka Bay City Councils must approve the final layout design before Hennepin County can proceed with the project. Hennepin County will also need to reprogram its capital improvement budget regarding this project. www.ci.shorewood.mn.us 2 For Dog Owners public areas `° in Shorewood. The new ordinance, effective May 1, includes the following new rules: Restraint A dog is under restraint if it is on the premises of the person harboring or keeping the dog, or if the dog is with the person having custody of it and is effectively restrained provided that: a. while it is on any public trail, sidewalk, the Southwest LRT Regional trail, or along any public right -of -way (e.g. along roadways and streets) it is on a leash no greater than six feet in length; and b. while it is in any City park, it is on aleash. Dog Waste Device The person having custody of the dog must have in their possession a device for removal of dog feces when in or on City parks, trails, sidewalks, public rights -of- way, and the Southwest Regional LRT trail. The person having custody of the dog is responsible for disposing of the dog feces in a sanitary manner. Cj annually in "subsidies" to support the regional transit authority. In past years, several communities have chosen to "opt out" of the Metro Transit system and develop their own systems, including Chanhassen, Eden Prairie, Plymouth, Maple Grove, Burnsville, and Apple Valley. State law provides limited opportunities for cities to opt out. In 2000, the legislature granted Minnetonka and Shorewood the one -time option to opt out of the regional system. That option must be exercised by June 30, 2003. By opting out, essentially a city would be provided by the State with a rebate of a portion of the payments that it now contributes to regional mass transit. Those funds cannot be used for any other purposes besides mass transit. Within very tight constraints, the City is allowed to develop or purchase replacement services. Minnetonka essentially chose to use its opt -out authority as a lever to negotiate for additional transit services from Metro Transit. The opt out opportunity for Shorewood is much less attractive than it might initially appear. Even under the most limited forms of an opt out, a large amount of administrative overhead would be required. Further, it is unclear what additional mass transit needs Shorewood has. Virtually all residents are commuters who own their own cars and their children have convenient access to public school transportation. Moreover, does Shorewood really want to run its Public Safety Continued from page I The bond sale must be closed by April 30 in order for them to retain their "special levy" status. The bonds were sold on April 16, with an average interest rate of 4.68 %. When the 2002 and 2003 bond issues are combined, they result in an average interest rate of 5.04% for the $10.3 million West facility. The interest cost over the life of the bonds is slightly lower than the projections made in April 2002 when the five South Lake Minnetonka cities decided to go ahead with the projectZ 3 THE SHORE REPORT /MAY 2003 Planning Commission Notes Mass Transit In Shorewood T HE CITY OF SHOREWOOD receives relatively little value for the dollars that its residents pay for the operation of mass transit within the Twin Cities. That fact seems indisputable. What is less clear is what Shorewood should do about the situation. Current!-y, Shorewood receives mass transit service through three sources: 1) Express bus service. This service makes pickups in several South Lake suburbs before proceeding to downtown Minneapolis. It operates weekdays at peak commuting times. 2) Local bus service. This service is operated by Senior Community Services. It provides limited stops during the weekday only within Shorewood, Excelsior, and Minnetonka. 3) Dial -a -Ride. This service is also operated by Senior Community Services. With advance reservations required, it picks up passengers within Shorewood and takes them to destinations within the City and also Deephaven, Excelsior, Navarre, and Tonka Bay during the morning and early afternoon. Through some rather arcane calculations, the Metropolitan Council estimates that Shorewood residents paid roughly $465,000 to support mass transit in the metro area in 2001. Conversely, it generously estimates that the "value" of services provided to Shorewood equals $150,000 per year. Thus, each Shorewood resident pays about $30 own transit system? Highly unlikely. However, other independent systems have shown no interest in hooking up with Shorewood. Whether a threat by Shorewood to opt out might bring certain additional services or facilities from Metro Transit is problematic, given Shorewood's size and the difficult economic times. 1_9 Jeff Bailey Planning Commission www.ci.shorewood.mn.us T HE SHOREWOOD CITY Council approved changes to the existing Dog Ordinance, as recommended by the Park Commission. These changes were made to ` ^` create a safer and cleaner`;! -' environment in or on specific public areas `° in Shorewood. The new ordinance, effective May 1, includes the following new rules: Restraint A dog is under restraint if it is on the premises of the person harboring or keeping the dog, or if the dog is with the person having custody of it and is effectively restrained provided that: a. while it is on any public trail, sidewalk, the Southwest LRT Regional trail, or along any public right -of -way (e.g. along roadways and streets) it is on a leash no greater than six feet in length; and b. while it is in any City park, it is on aleash. Dog Waste Device The person having custody of the dog must have in their possession a device for removal of dog feces when in or on City parks, trails, sidewalks, public rights -of- way, and the Southwest Regional LRT trail. The person having custody of the dog is responsible for disposing of the dog feces in a sanitary manner. Cj annually in "subsidies" to support the regional transit authority. In past years, several communities have chosen to "opt out" of the Metro Transit system and develop their own systems, including Chanhassen, Eden Prairie, Plymouth, Maple Grove, Burnsville, and Apple Valley. State law provides limited opportunities for cities to opt out. In 2000, the legislature granted Minnetonka and Shorewood the one -time option to opt out of the regional system. That option must be exercised by June 30, 2003. By opting out, essentially a city would be provided by the State with a rebate of a portion of the payments that it now contributes to regional mass transit. Those funds cannot be used for any other purposes besides mass transit. Within very tight constraints, the City is allowed to develop or purchase replacement services. Minnetonka essentially chose to use its opt -out authority as a lever to negotiate for additional transit services from Metro Transit. The opt out opportunity for Shorewood is much less attractive than it might initially appear. Even under the most limited forms of an opt out, a large amount of administrative overhead would be required. Further, it is unclear what additional mass transit needs Shorewood has. Virtually all residents are commuters who own their own cars and their children have convenient access to public school transportation. Moreover, does Shorewood really want to run its Public Safety Continued from page I The bond sale must be closed by April 30 in order for them to retain their "special levy" status. The bonds were sold on April 16, with an average interest rate of 4.68 %. When the 2002 and 2003 bond issues are combined, they result in an average interest rate of 5.04% for the $10.3 million West facility. The interest cost over the life of the bonds is slightly lower than the projections made in April 2002 when the five South Lake Minnetonka cities decided to go ahead with the projectZ 3 THE SHORE REPORT /MAY 2003 Planning Commission Notes Mass Transit In Shorewood T HE CITY OF SHOREWOOD receives relatively little value for the dollars that its residents pay for the operation of mass transit within the Twin Cities. That fact seems indisputable. What is less clear is what Shorewood should do about the situation. Current!-y, Shorewood receives mass transit service through three sources: 1) Express bus service. This service makes pickups in several South Lake suburbs before proceeding to downtown Minneapolis. It operates weekdays at peak commuting times. 2) Local bus service. This service is operated by Senior Community Services. It provides limited stops during the weekday only within Shorewood, Excelsior, and Minnetonka. 3) Dial -a -Ride. This service is also operated by Senior Community Services. With advance reservations required, it picks up passengers within Shorewood and takes them to destinations within the City and also Deephaven, Excelsior, Navarre, and Tonka Bay during the morning and early afternoon. Through some rather arcane calculations, the Metropolitan Council estimates that Shorewood residents paid roughly $465,000 to support mass transit in the metro area in 2001. Conversely, it generously estimates that the "value" of services provided to Shorewood equals $150,000 per year. Thus, each Shorewood resident pays about $30 own transit system? Highly unlikely. However, other independent systems have shown no interest in hooking up with Shorewood. Whether a threat by Shorewood to opt out might bring certain additional services or facilities from Metro Transit is problematic, given Shorewood's size and the difficult economic times. 1_9 Jeff Bailey Planning Commission www.ci.shorewood.mn.us THE SHORF REPORT /May 2003 Park/Trail Talk ARKS ARE DEVELOPED with the intention of benefiting as many residents as possible. When South Shore Community Park (aka the ` "Skate Park ") was opened in 2000, it was with the knowledge that a significant number of youth were not being served by the City's existing team -°° oriented facilities. The skate park was designed - >... by kids, for kids, and has primarily served younger riders. ° Two of those riders are Willie Kelsey and Photo by Pat Arnst Nick Beduhn. Both boys are students at Minnewashta Elementary and enjoy the individual challenge of skateboarding. The boys were so intent on their sport that they needed almost daily rides to the Skate Park. Willie's parents quickly realized skateboarding is a terrific way for him to put his physical energy to good use, but they acknowledge that time constraints kept them from driving him to the park as much as he wanted. They also found Willie and his friends building ramps out of ;v W . , . .''. .. r : ;;�> ;> anything they could get their hands on pails, boards and pipes. So, they commissioned a k f Minneapolis company to build a ramp that sits nicely in their driveway, and because of its ° r professional design, is quiet and neighborhood f friendly. The ramp is used by Willie, Nick and their friends in the neighborhood "every single ' day ", says Willie's mom, Ingrid Schaff. Pat Arnst Photo by Pat Arnst Park Commission Chair Picnic Shelters Available T HE CITY OF SHOREWOOD has three picnic shelters and three multi -use buildings available for use at City parks. The picnic shelters, located at Freeman and Manor parks, can be reserved for a small fee by calling City Hall, (952) 474 -3236. The multi -use buildings are located at Freeman, Manor and Badger parks. These buildings can be reserved the same way. K' Council on Cable City Council meetings are broadcast on Cable Channel 8 at: April 28 Meeting FRIDAY, MAY 2 AT 1:30 PM TUESDAY, MAY 6 AT 9:30 AM THURSDAY, MAY H AT 9:30 PM May 12 Meeting WEDNESDAY, MAY 14 AT 1:30 PM TUESDAY, MAY 20 AT 9:30 PM THURSDAY, MAY 22 AT 9:30 AM May 27 Meeting WEDNESDAY, MAY 28 AT 5:30 PM FRIDAY, MAY 30 AT 1:30 I'M Crescent Beach Opens June 7 RESCENT BEACH WILL be officially open Saturday, June 7 through Sunday, August 24. The beach is maintained by the City of Shorewood in cooperation with the City of Tonka Bay. Minnetonka Community Education Services (MCES) coordinates lifeguard staffing for this location. For more information about lessons or lifeguard scheduling, call MCES at (952) 401- 5094. New Freeman Bleachers HE BLEACHERS AT Freeman Park Fields 1, 2, and 3 have been retrofitted to comply with new State safety standards. The materials and labor were generously donated by South Tonka Baseball. Eddy Station Concession T HE PARK COMMISSION made a proposal to the City Council for operation concept of the Eddy Station Concession Stand this sports season. Minnetonka Girls Softball Association has agreed to provide volunteers for Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Tonka United SoccerAssociation has also been solicited to participate on Monday and Thursday nights. The partnership of these organizations with the city will assure that operation is open as a park amenity to the teams, their parents and families, during peak hours. Q New Ballpark Management T HE SPORTS SEASON IS in full swing. This is the first season where the scheduling is being managed under contract with Community Rec Resources. Representatives from each of the sports organizations have participated in an introductory session and have been working actively with Community Rec Resources to schedule field time and other events. Pave ttAe Wav to Better P T HE SHOREWOOD PARKS Foundation continues to sell personalized bricks to help pay for Eddie Station at Freeman Park and to raise money for other area park improvements. The Buy -A -Brick program allows individuals, organizations and businesses to purchase an engraved brick for placement in a patio area designed to be next to the Eddie Station picnic shelter and concession facility in Freeman Park. Preliminary designs of the patio area are on display at City Hall. Anyone who enjoys park facilities in Shorewood is encouraged to purchase a brick. This is one way we can generate additional revenue to support our park system. For a brochure about the Buy -A -Brick program, or if you have questions, please call City Hall at (65 1) 251 -5669. You may also download the brochure from a link on the City Web site, wwwci.shorewood.mn.us. E. www.ci.shorewood.mn.us THE SHORE REPORT /MAY 2003 Spring Clean Up 2003: Saturday, May 17 Before participating in the 2003 Spring Clean -Up, please read pages S and 6 thoroughly! T HE ANNUAL S HOREWOOD S PRING CLEAN UP will offer a combination of curbside pick up of yard waste, brush and small household rubbish, plus a limited drop -off site for larger items to be disposed of, such as tires and appliances. It is important to note that there will not be a Goodwill Industries collection trailer at the Public Works facility. Other ideas for "recycling" usable items are shown below. Curbside Pick Up Service Begins at 7 Ann T HE CURBSIDE PICK UP will be conducted beginning on Saturday, May 17 at 7 AM. Items to be disposed of must be curbside by that time. It may take more than one day to service the entire City, so please leave items out through Sunday evening if they are not picked up on Saturday. It is very important that only items small enough to be handled by one person are placed curbside. Larger items (see list *) must be brought to the Public Works facility for drop-off. Materials that may be placed curbside include: o� .R V I I I I I I i I I i I I • Brush, cut in four -foot lengths, bundled and tied • Grass clippings and leaves in bags not to exceed 50 pounds per bag • Bagged wood chips • General household rubbish, including small furniture items • Carpet, 6' or less, no more than 12" in diameter, and tied with twine (no wire) • Dismantled swing sets (8' in length or less) Items NotAccepted. • Construction debris (lumber, blocks, cement, sheetrock, cabinets, doors, railroad ties, etc.) • Lawn mowers or small engines • Pressure tanks • Household hazardous waste (see page 6) The cost of the curbside pick up will be prorated to all residents of Shorewood and will appear on the second quarter utility billing. IMPORTANT: If your curbside items are out by 7 AM on Saturday, but not picked up by Sunday night, please call City Hall at (952) 474 -3236 before noon on Monday. Special One Day Drop Off For Larger Items* O N SATURDAY, MAY 17 ONLY, residents may bring larger items to the Public Works facility, 24200 Smithtown Rd. (east of the Smithtown Crossing Plaza on County Road 19) between the hours of 8 AM and 4 PM. Residents using this service will be required to show proof of residency. The following items will be accepted for a fee: • Appliances, including water heaters .........................$10 • Air conditioners /water softeners ... ............................$20 • Mattresses and rolled carpets or padding .................$10 • Large furniture items .................... ............................$15 • Automobile tires .......................... .............................$5 • Truck tires without rims ................ ............................$13 • Auto batteries (no dry cell) ............................No charge • Bagged leaves and bundled branches less than 2" thick and 6' long......... No charge www. ci. shorewood. mn.us THE SHORE REPORT /May 2003 Disposal of Household Hazardous Waste H ENNEPIN C OUNTY E NVIRONMENTAL S ERVICES has two year -round locations for disposal of household hazardous waste. They are: South Hennepin Recycling & Problem Waste Drop Off Center at 1400 W. 96th St., Bloomington, and Hennepin County Transfer Station & Recycling Center at 8100 Jefferson Highway, Brooklyn Park. The 24 -hour INFOLine, (612) 348 -6500, has complete information and directions. Hennepin County also offers local collection sites in various locations during the year. These items are accepted: • Adhesives (petroleum based) • Aerosols (with or without product) • Auto wastes (fuel, additives, fluids, waxes, etc.) • Household batteries • Cleaning solvents and drain cleaners • Consumer electronics (TVs, radios, VCRs ...) • Driveway sealers • Flammable liquids • Fluorescent and HID lamps • Rechargeable appliances • Vehicle lead -acid batteries (cars, boats, etc.) • Paint and lead -based paint chips • Paint thinners and solvents • Pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, etc.) • Photographic and hobby chemicals • Wood preservatives Items not accepted at the mobile collection sites include: • Appliances • Asbestos • Business generated wastes • Compressed gas cylinders & tanks • Explosives • Garbage & Recyelables • Medical or infectious wastes • Motor oil. & oil filters • Radioactive waste (e.g., smoke detectors) Call Hennepin County Department of Environmen- tal Services at (612) 348-3 777 from 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday for a more complete list of what is accepted and what is not. i Household Hazardous Waste 'Collection Events Thursday, May 15 -- Saturday, May 17 9 ant to 4 Pin N1innetonka Cite Ball lc:c ,�etna Parking Lot 14600 Nli n nelo o ka Blvd, ThtirsdaNl, June t2 — Satirrd aN�. �ltine 14 9 arrr to 4 pin u St. Lonis Park Sr. High School (w t':arking l.,ot;) 6426 NN" 33"' Street Items listed to the right are also collected at these locations. Call Hennepin Comity at (612) 348 - 6500 or Visit their NN" b site at hiji- : i� /l�li " �3.�SeI�FIC' df1. N11/ 7. 14.�'�ei1d%!�T°)i7kI2C'6tt17�% laorisehOld�Spr•irtl; EIleiafs.lrtxiri for more ltt#ornta- tion. Horne Disposal Befortr brie . grog items to the esents, check. tire lists below to sce if they Can b e handled safelN at horne. Flush with lots of esater- dorm Your sink or toilet, but not in septic tank Systems: • toilet cleaner a • disinfectant • disinfectant cleaner with bleach* • cleaner with ammonia ' {Dever mix products containing bleach with those cmittsaining aninionia. A toxic gas can form! I Dry completely, remove lids and place in the trash; • sr71a11 amounts oaf late,. paint • latex caaull:, glaze & spackle • ernply containers • _putty, grout • cosmetics • aerosol cans (empty only www.ci.shorewooa'.mn.us 6 THE SHORE REPORT/ MAY 2003 Council Activities The Perfect Yard Since the last Shore Report the City Council: • Approved the concept for the Eddy Station Concession Stand, including the use of sports organization volunteers to staff the concession stand, a contract for concessions services, and the purchase of concessions equipment. • Accepted the Land Conservation and Environment Committee (LCEC) Final Report. • Discussed the impact the State's proposed legislation will have on the City's budget, and determined to hold additional Budget Work Sessions to continue discussions on this issue. • Approved an agreement for lifeguard aervices at Crescent Beach. • Approved an agreement for architectural design services for Shorewood Liquor Store #2 (Shorewood Village Shopping Center) Also see individual articles in this issue of the Shore Report for Council action on the dog ordinance, discussions on Smithtown Road, and discussions on the County Road 19 Intersection Project. ,I] I T'S FINALLY THE TIME of year when you are able to get out in the yard and start digging in the dirt—this year is the year you can finally get everything to grow! Often times we fertilize our gardens and lawns without really knowing what they need, then we hope for the best. Results using this method tend to be weak. To find out exactly what your lawn or garden area needs to make it look its best, you should have your soil tested so you can add only what it needs. This is especially important for areas that you might be changing from lawn to garden, or buckthorn to lawn. To test your lawn: • Call the Minnesota Extension Service at (612) 374 -8400. Early Shorewood T HE ISLANDS THAT are a part of Shorewood are still somewhat of a mystery. There is minimal information available about the history of the islands. One island that we have information on is Shady Island, accessible by bridge from Mound. In 1877, the island was home to University Camp. Many visitors from prestigious universities throughout the County were guests on the island. In July of 1877, professors and students studying nature were guests. A bath house, swing and croquette grounds for visitors were erected. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Studebaker were the hosts, attending to the needs of guests. Mr. George Avery, a resident of the island, furnished fresh bread, poultry, vegetables and ice for guests to the island. U • Tell them you want to have your soil tested. • Collect the soil sample with the kit they send you and mail it with your test payment ($12.50). • The extension service will analyze your soil and provide a report to help you make an informed decision on what nutrients your lawn actually needs. Residents should also remember to purchase yard fertilizer with Zero Phosphorus (the middle number of the three numbers on the fertilizer bag). Phosphorus is what adds to the green in local lakes! d Beat Buckthorn:The Ultimate Challenge F YOU LIVE IN SHOREWOOD, you probably know what Buckthorn is —that small, shrubby tree growing in just about every open wooded area. The black berries on this non - native plant are poisonous, and provide the seed that spreads this weedy nuisance in woodlands. In 1999, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture added European or common buckthorn and glossy buckthorn to the restricted noxious weeds list. The sale, transportation, or movement of this plant is prohibited statewide. These invasive plants spread rapidly and are replacing native species throughout the state. If you see buckthorn seedlings, you are encouraged to pull them. When young, they can be easily pulled up, and they grow very quickly, so the sooner you attack the plant the better! This method is generally effective with plants up to 3/8" in diameter. Pulling up the plant is more easily accomplished when the soil is wet. With large quantities of Buckthorn, or larger diameters, cutting the stumps and then painting the open wound with the herbicide glyphosate (e.g. RoundUpTM) is found to be effective. You need to use a form of herbicide with 25% or higher amount of glyphosate. This is usually available only at farm and landscape supply stores. Read the label to make sure the product you purchase has the adequate concentration. The best time to use the cut /treat method to rid your area of buckthorn is when the trees are completely leafed out and the temperature is above 32 °F. The herbicide must be applied within 24 hours of cutting. If you use an herbicide, make sure you follow instructions on the bottle carefully to prevent personal or environmental injury. It is always preferable to use a non - chemical method of removal when possible, so if you can get rid of buckthorn while it is young it is desirable. A soil test of the cleared area is helpful prior to replanting. For additional information on buckthorn and buckthorn removal see the University of Minnesota Extension Service Web site, http://www.extension.umn.edu/l*nfo- u/environment1BD516.htm1, or call the Info -line, (612) 624 -2200. Finally, before digging and pulling up buckthorn, be sure to make a quick call to Gopher State One -Call (651 -454- 0002) to make sure there are no buried cables in the area you are working. ,r www.ci.shorewood.mn.us CITY OF SHORI 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD Map Descriptions The following items are on the May 6 Planning Commission Agenda: PRESORTED STANDARD U.S.POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #128 EXCELSIOR,MN 55331 1 The property owner of 27100 Edgewood Road would like to build an attached garage and add to the second story of his house for which he needs a setback variance to the side yard. A public hearing is schedule for 7:00 P.M. The owners of three different properties propose additional garage space. In each case the total combined accessory space will exceed the 1200 square feet permitted by City Code. The applicants are requesting conditional use permits to allow the additional accessory space. Public hearings are scheduled for properties 2, 3 and 4 as follows: 2 5330 Howard's Point Road - 7:10 P.M. 3 26045 Birch Bluff Road - 7:20 P.M. 4 23735 Gillette Curve - 7:30 P.M. 5 The owners of adjacent properties located at 5965 and 5985 Chaska Road request approval of a subdivision/combination to adjust their common lot line 5 feet to the south. A public hearing is not required. 6 The property owner of 20025 Manor Road requests approval of a simple subdivision to create one building site for a single - family residential home. A public hearing is not required. Planning Commission meeting minutes are available on the City Web site, www.shorewood.mn.us. THE SHORE REPORT /MAY 2003 SHO E OOD, MN 55 4 N f 331 ( 952 'e. 236 FAX (9 128 J j C x Monday - Friday 8 MIA to 4 Pm O E O en a O 4 M .0 (V N T 7z fa Council Members M a (Doody Love, Mayor w John Garfunkel . V Christine Liz6e ° V • Laura Turgeon o E o Scott Zerby uJ Newsletter Editor; Julie Moore > This neu•setter is printed on recycled paper. Map Descriptions The following items are on the May 6 Planning Commission Agenda: PRESORTED STANDARD U.S.POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #128 EXCELSIOR,MN 55331 1 The property owner of 27100 Edgewood Road would like to build an attached garage and add to the second story of his house for which he needs a setback variance to the side yard. A public hearing is schedule for 7:00 P.M. The owners of three different properties propose additional garage space. In each case the total combined accessory space will exceed the 1200 square feet permitted by City Code. The applicants are requesting conditional use permits to allow the additional accessory space. Public hearings are scheduled for properties 2, 3 and 4 as follows: 2 5330 Howard's Point Road - 7:10 P.M. 3 26045 Birch Bluff Road - 7:20 P.M. 4 23735 Gillette Curve - 7:30 P.M. 5 The owners of adjacent properties located at 5965 and 5985 Chaska Road request approval of a subdivision/combination to adjust their common lot line 5 feet to the south. A public hearing is not required. 6 The property owner of 20025 Manor Road requests approval of a simple subdivision to create one building site for a single - family residential home. A public hearing is not required. Planning Commission meeting minutes are available on the City Web site, www.shorewood.mn.us. THE SHORE REPORT /MAY 2003