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April 2001 Shore ReportAPRIL 2001 f: Shorewood Endorses Phosphorus � �r� rtiliz r U T .H E It INSIDE Trail Talk ......... . Pet Policy ............ 2 Arbor Day 2 Early Shorewood ....... 3 Building Permits ....... 3 Senior Corner ......... 3 Recycling News........ 3 Shorewood Map ....... 4 Road Restrictions ...... 4 Lawn Care ........ Insert W HAT'S ONE OF the best and most economical things you can do to improve the water quality in lakes, streams and wetlands? Use lawn fertilizers that do not contain phosphorus. Look for a zero as the middle number in the fertilizers you buy. Why? Because phosphorus is naturally abundant in soils throughout Minnesota, and in the metropolitan area in particular. Excess phosphorus runs off and ends up in ditches, storm sewers, wetlands, streams, and lakes. Most bags of lawn fertilizer, especially those manufactured for the nationwide market, have several pounds of phosphorus in them. The Shorewood City Council is vitally interested in improving water quality. It is supporting legislation that would place strong limitations on the use and the sale of lawn fertilizers containing phosphorus. For years, most efforts have been focused on consumer education, with the hope that informed consumers will make appropriate choices; however, not much consumer demand has developed for phosphorus -free fertilizers. By,iE miting the sale of such phosphorus fertilizers, it is expected that phosphorus -free fertilizers will be on retailers' shelves, and the use of phosphorus will decli ne dramatically. Remember when the federal government banned the use of phosphates in detergents 30 years ago? It's the same idea for fertilizers. Please refer to the insert in this month's issue of the Shore Report for further tips and information on phosphorus and phosphorus -free fertilizers. Board of Review Spring Clean-up Reminder Planned for May P ROPERTY OWNERS SHOULD have / ARK YOUR CALENDAR and think received their property valuation 1V1 Spring! The Annual notices in the mail. If you have Shorewood Spring Clean-up will be questions about your valuation, you .. on Saturday, May 19. This event should contact the City Assessor at offers a combination of curbside (952) 249 -4640, or the Hennepin County pickup of yard waste, brush and small Assessor's office at (612) 348 -3046. If you household rubbish, and a limited drop -off are not satisfied following your discussion site for larger items to be disposed of, such with the assessor, you may appeal to the Local as tires and appliances. Specific details will Board of Review, scheduled on Monday, April be provided in the May issue of the Shore 16, 7 p.m. at Shorewood City Hall. Report. ONE OPENING REMAINS ON THE SHOREWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION. THIS VOLUNTEER POSITION IS FOR A THRF,E -YEAR TERM. THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETS APPROXIMATELY TWO TIMES EACH MONTH AT CITY HALL. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS VOLUNTEER POSITION, PLEASE CONTACT CITY HALL AT (952) 474 -3236. SHOREWOOD EVENTS 4/3 "o Planning Commission Meeting O 4/9 0 City Council Meeting 1 4/10 7:30 Park Commission Meeting 5 4/13 0 8 4/16 7:00 Board of Review CL 0 7:00 Planning Commission Meeting 16 4/23 7:00 v 20 4/24 5:45 LCEC Meeting 24 w 26 Arbor Day Tree Planting 28 0 30 o> w O T .H E It INSIDE Trail Talk ......... . Pet Policy ............ 2 Arbor Day 2 Early Shorewood ....... 3 Building Permits ....... 3 Senior Corner ......... 3 Recycling News........ 3 Shorewood Map ....... 4 Road Restrictions ...... 4 Lawn Care ........ Insert W HAT'S ONE OF the best and most economical things you can do to improve the water quality in lakes, streams and wetlands? Use lawn fertilizers that do not contain phosphorus. Look for a zero as the middle number in the fertilizers you buy. Why? Because phosphorus is naturally abundant in soils throughout Minnesota, and in the metropolitan area in particular. Excess phosphorus runs off and ends up in ditches, storm sewers, wetlands, streams, and lakes. Most bags of lawn fertilizer, especially those manufactured for the nationwide market, have several pounds of phosphorus in them. The Shorewood City Council is vitally interested in improving water quality. It is supporting legislation that would place strong limitations on the use and the sale of lawn fertilizers containing phosphorus. For years, most efforts have been focused on consumer education, with the hope that informed consumers will make appropriate choices; however, not much consumer demand has developed for phosphorus -free fertilizers. By,iE miting the sale of such phosphorus fertilizers, it is expected that phosphorus -free fertilizers will be on retailers' shelves, and the use of phosphorus will decli ne dramatically. Remember when the federal government banned the use of phosphates in detergents 30 years ago? It's the same idea for fertilizers. Please refer to the insert in this month's issue of the Shore Report for further tips and information on phosphorus and phosphorus -free fertilizers. Board of Review Spring Clean-up Reminder Planned for May P ROPERTY OWNERS SHOULD have / ARK YOUR CALENDAR and think received their property valuation 1V1 Spring! The Annual notices in the mail. If you have Shorewood Spring Clean-up will be questions about your valuation, you .. on Saturday, May 19. This event should contact the City Assessor at offers a combination of curbside (952) 249 -4640, or the Hennepin County pickup of yard waste, brush and small Assessor's office at (612) 348 -3046. If you household rubbish, and a limited drop -off are not satisfied following your discussion site for larger items to be disposed of, such with the assessor, you may appeal to the Local as tires and appliances. Specific details will Board of Review, scheduled on Monday, April be provided in the May issue of the Shore 16, 7 p.m. at Shorewood City Hall. Report. ONE OPENING REMAINS ON THE SHOREWOOD PLANNING COMMISSION. THIS VOLUNTEER POSITION IS FOR A THRF,E -YEAR TERM. THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETS APPROXIMATELY TWO TIMES EACH MONTH AT CITY HALL. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS VOLUNTEER POSITION, PLEASE CONTACT CITY HALL AT (952) 474 -3236. SHOREWOOD EVENTS 4/3 7:00 Planning Commission Meeting W 4/9 7:00 City Council Meeting 1 4/10 7:30 Park Commission Meeting 5 4/13 HOLIDAY -City Offices Close at Noon 8 4/16 7:00 Board of Review CL 4/17 7:00 Planning Commission Meeting 16 4/23 7:00 City Council Meeting 20 4/24 5:45 LCEC Meeting 24 4/28 26 Arbor Day Tree Planting 28 c M T W T F 1 2 3 4 5 _6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 ? 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Underlining indicates cablecast of Council meetings —see schedule on page 2. Co rn awnications Corner Trail ( nd Park) Talk Gardens Bloom Again Keeping You Informed S TAYING IN TOUCH with City Hall has never been easier! Not only do you have the Shore Report mailed monthly to your home, you also have access to Shorewood's Web site and to Shoreline, our telephone information line. The Web site includes the latest information available for the residents of Shorewood. Adding a bookmark so you can keep up with the changes and new information being added to the site is a great idea! Check out the Web site at www.ci.shorewood.mn.us For residents not yet comfortable with the computer world, we continue to update and maintain our 24 -hour telephone information line, Shoreline. Call (952) 474 -3236, ext. l to leave a message, or dial ext. 2 for the information line. Any suggestions regarding inl you would like to see on the Shorewood Web site or listed in the Shoreline or the Shore Report can be prat on the Shoreline information line, or contact City gall. Help Your Pet Remain Everyone's Friend HEN THE WEATHER Warms up everyone wants to get outside and soak in some sun and fresh air! This includes man's best friend! Dog owners should remember a few rules that can help keep their pet in the good graces of those" around them: • Dogs in Shorewood must have a license and the tag must be securely attached around the dog's neck at all times during the license period. Contact City Hall if you need a dog license. • The person in custody of any pet is responsible for cleaning up any feces of the animal and disposing of it in a sanitary manner. "Mutt Mitt" dispensers are provided along the LRT trail near the Eureka Road intersection and at the Freeman Park entrance. Always carry your own plastic bag on walks. • Dogs must be under restraint either by leash or chain, or be within ten feet of the person having custody of it and be obedient to the command of that person. h • Barking continuously over a five- minute period of time with one- minute or less lapse of time between each animal noise during the five - minute period is considered a nuisance and should be controlled by the person taking care of the dog. Although you love and trust your pet, there are many people around you who might not share your warm regard for animals. By following the few rules listed above, your pet can be your best friend and a friend to those around you. City Council incetin,{;s can be seen € n Cable Channel S tit the f'ollo4 times: 'larch 26 Meeting Tuesday. April 3 at 5:30 P.M. Friday, April 6 at 1:30 P.m. April 9 Meeting Tuesday. April 17 at 5:30 P.m. Friday, April 20 at 1:30 P.M. If You Need Help If you are faced with an animal control issue, you can direct complaints, inquiries and requests to: • Orono Police Department (952) 249 -4700 or • Shorewood City ?;tall (952) 474 -3236 After business hours contact Dispatch at (763) 525 -6210 or 911. Ask for an animal control officer or law enforcement officer to call you or to come to your home. M ANY of os ARE eager to greet the warm weather of spring by digging into our garden beds and beginning the transformation of winter's hard gray ground to summer's beautiful colors. Thanks to many generous Shorewood gardeners, the City gardens will not be left out! The Adopt -a- Garden program started two years ago in Shorewood has been an overwhelming success! Last year the gardeners had such a great time, most have agreed to come back and adopt their gardens again this year! Silverwood Park is still available and in need of volunteers. Adoption responsibilities include planting, weeding, litter pickup and general garden maintenance. A small stipend is provided to assist volunteers with plant purchases and other costs associated with the garden. For more information contact City Hall at (952) 474 -3236. Thanks to the 2001 Volunteers When you admire the gardens of Shorewood this summer, please remember to thank the following volunteers: City Hall Nancy Stebbins Freeman Park Diane Agnew Lucinda Kircher Manor Park South Shore Gardeners I3 South Shore Center Karen Newberg Community Events Celebrate Arbor Day ATIONAL ARBOR DAY is Friday, April 27. Each year, the City Council establishes a community day of observance to celebrate the beauty and valuable qualities of trees. The Shorewood Park Commission will sponsor the planting of a tree on April 28. Residents are encouraged to join the City and plant a new tree on that day. THE SHORE REPORT /APRIL 2001 2 early z >hot 0 UR WINTER THIS year has been a long, snowy one- -more like the kind we expect in Minnesota. Before we think we're getting more than our share of the white stuff, here are "highlights" of a winter nearly 50 years ago, as published in "Happenings Around Excelsior" by Ellen Wilson Meyer. "(The winter of 1952) was a great time for the Winter Carnival with the year's snowfall ten inches above normal ... There were skating and skiing races, a dog derby, and the parade down Water Street (in Excelsior) ... As in other years, the coronation of the Carnival queen took place at evening festivities beside the high school's skating rink ... 46 "(On March 22) it was still snowing. An impressive 14 inches of the white stuff fell during the day, bringing the winter's total to 78.3 inches." So, in grand Minnesota tradition, snow wasn't a problem - -it was an excuse for winter fun. But that's not to say our own spring days that are finally arriving won't be appreciated! RecVchng News. Order Your Compost Bin by 4120 oME COMPOST BINS are available to Shorewood residents through Hennepin County Environmental Services. The bins, valued at $69, cost residents only $15 l�k and can be purchased through April 20. c Order forms for the �r bins are available on the Shorewood Web page or } at City Hall. A bin is on display at City Hall. The bins can be picked up between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., Saturday, May 19 at Shorewood's Public Works Facility. Delivery service may be available for an additional $5. For more information, contact Hennepin County, (612) 348 -4919, or the City of Shorewood, (952) 474 -3236. H ome Improvement Season is Dare W ITH SPRING COMES the need or desire to repair or remodel some household structures. Many of these projects require a building permit from the City. This requirement is for your protection and safety and provides " the Building <,.. and Planning Departments ><< with an under 120 square feet, on grade patio: and driveways, do not require a permi but are controlled by regulations. Pleasu contact City Hall if you plan this type o' improvement so we can help you understand the requirements. If you have questions about the building permit process, or if you ar£- unsure about whether or not your projec requires a permit, please contact Cit_ Hall (474 -3236) before you start. Y opportunity ,.. to inspect u M projects for safety and compliance with City The City of Shorewood requires ordinances and building codes. building permits for: For all home improvement projects, it is a good idea to get information on • structural ch<unRe Shorewood's City Code requirements - . retaining wall over 4' high first. Listed in the shaded box to the right . reroofing is a partial list of projects requiring a . siding building permit. • plumbing State law requires contractors to have • heating a license for most residential • new additions construction projects. As the • decks homeowner, you should make sure your ° yard sheds over 120 square feet contractor has obtained the proper ' pools /hot rubs over 36" deep: /1500 gat. pen Before you pay a contractor for ' fences a job, be sure you have a receipt of the For a complete list of items requiring final inspection made by the building ` Building Pe rmits in the City of inspector and that any corrections are Shorewood, contact Citv Hall. complete and have passed areinspection. Some projects, such as yard sheds April Events at the Center Spring Craft and Bake Sale —Spring craft items and baked goods will be on sale Friday, April 6, 9 a.m, to 1 p.m. Refreshments available and a quilt will be raffled. The Third Annual Attic Sale is April 19 -21. Donations welcome. Call (952) 474- 7635 for donation or drop -off information. A Grilled Pork Chop Dinner is on Sunday, April 29, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Shorewood Center. Tickets available at the door. Free Tax Aide Service offered to seniors by trained volunteers on Monday mornings. Call the Center to make a reservation. The >Southshure Center publishes a monthly newsletter listing these activities and much more! Copies can be picked up at the Center, or call 474 -7635 to have one mailed to you. 3 THE SHORE_ REPORT / APRI L 2001 The Care ana t�e:eatng o f Y o: u.. S A s spring lawn care season approaches, it's an important time to remember lake care as well. Algae and noxious weeds thrive on your lawn's leftovers —so overfeeding, especially with the nutrient phosphorus, is harmful to our lakes and streams. Also, improper application of lawn care products such as leaving spills on the driveway and street —or applying products just before a hard rain, must be avoided to keep unwanted materials from entering the water supply. In your spring yard clean -up and lawn care activities please avoid sweeping sand, leaves, twigs, animal waste and lawn care chemicals into the street. These materials also contain phosphorus and will wash into storm drains and travel directly to streams, ponds and lakes. !Fbr Clarification .. What if you don't live near a lake? Runoff of excess lawn care products occurs as a result of rain and lawn sprinkling. Residue is washed over land and/or through storm sewers to streams, lakes and rivers. We all have a responsibility to do our part. 'sometimes zero is a good thing. Think of those numbers on the fertilizer bag as the Nutrition Facts for your lawn's diet. Just as you look for the lowest value in areas such as fat grams or calories on your food labels, your target number for that middle digit on the fertilizer label is "0," indicating no addition of phosphors. Make a change at the "grass roots" level. Many retailers and lawn service providers already offer zero - phosphorus fertilizers. The more they hear from consumers requesting these products, the sooner they will work to meet the demand for a healthier approach to lawn care. Ask for it. They will make it available. L ittle things you can do will help a lot. As you work to make your lawn green, please help to keep our lakes blue. M� � 3 r � S �Ia� This is a publication of the Citd of Shorewood., April 2001 a a: This number refers to nitrogen which is the i€ - redient that makes grass green and thick. Over - application of nitrogen is not beneficial to your lawn or the environment, (Example of the nutrition labels on all fertilizer bags) I ARA - 0 - 5 In Minnesota, soil is ,rich in this naturally occurring element, phosphorus. Excess goes down the drain and to lakes and streams. This is where you want to see a "zero ". The two outer figures are for demonstration. purposes and may not represent the best balance for your lawn's needs. Talk with your supplier. v ijestions and. Answers If phosphorus poses a threat to lakes and wetlands, why is it in fertilizers in the first place? n I n some parts of the country, soils need additional phosphorus to sustain healthy A plant development —this is not true for most of Minnesota. According to studies by Hennepin Parks, the soil in much of our county has high to very high levels of phos- phorus. Unfortunately, most fertilizer companies do not customize their products by region. A soil test will determine your yard's specific nutritional needs, so you can avoid unnecessary feeding of your lawn and the spaces beyond. Why is this information provided by the City and what is its interest in fertilizer and my lawn? T he City of Shorewood, along with Local watershed districts and the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District, are promoting the use of phosphorus -free fertilizer to protect the health and beauty of our wet- lands, ponds, lakes and streams. How can I learn more about healthy lawn man- agement? F or a free lawn care guide and fact sheet, call the Department of Agriculture at (65 1) 297 -7279. If you have lawn or garden questions, call the Master Gardener Hotline through the U of M at (612) 374 -8433. Soil test kits are available by calling (612) 374- 8400. The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District offers informa- tion on all of these topics, (952) 471 -0590. E r Your Convenience. x We called retailers within our local area and found some who carr3 low phosphorus fertilizers. Though we cannot offer an inclusive listing, the following suppliers have told us that they will stock phosphorus -free fertilizers; Excelsior Ace Hardware - Tonk Bay 5615 Manitou Rd. - 952.474.6814 Garden Patch - Excelsior 23443 Smithtown Rd- 952.474.1551 Shorewood Nursery - Shorewood 23505 Smithtown Road - 952.474.2637 otassium is added to strengthen the turf, giving it resil- ience to fight disease, drought, and every- day wear and tear. A soil test can deter- mine the level of potassium your lawn really needs. Shorewood True value - Shorewood Shorewood Village Center - 952.474.2571 Commercial lawn services are now required to apply only phosphorus - free products in Shorewood. it is still a good idea to verify with your provider that this is what: they are using, Excelsior.Area Chamber of Commerce Historic Excelsior - On The Shores Of Lake Minnetonka Serving Excelsior, Greenwood, Shorewood & Tonka Bay Past President: To: The Residents of Shorewood Karen Coldwell Banker k From: The Excelsior Area Chamber of Commerce Burnet Realty Linda Murrell, Executive Director ExeeutiveDireet °r' Date: March 8, 2001 Linda Murrell Re: Fourth of July 2001 Board Members: concert for the "floating public" and we'll definitely order big fireworks! In Phil Hallin It may look wintry and cold outside but inside the Excelsior Area Chamber Pr Sh erburne Dale Sh of Ce it feels and looks like summer. Everywhere there are signs of Commerc ? The Color Center the April 19 Chamber Night at the Old Log Theater, the 3 Annual secretar - Treasurer: Excelsior Boat Show (May 5/6), and, my personal favorite, the Lake Brian Burdick Minnetonka Fourth of July Celebration. Hour Glass Cleaners Past President: If you attended last year's Fourth of July events at the Excelsior Commons, Karen Coldwell Banker k you'll know why we're thinking "summer" now. Not 90 days after the last Burnet Realty big bang on July 4 2000, the 30- member Fourth of July Committee voted Charlie Benson unanimously to bring back the incredible 7 member Minnesota Orchestra. Driskill's at We believe that Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) will again simulcast the Shorewood village concert for the "floating public" and we'll definitely order big fireworks! In Phil Hallin addition, the Chamber will host the 25 annual Firecracker IOK Race, the Community Member Kids' Parade, the Sand Castle Building Contest, the Kids' Fishing David Lawrance Contest and the Teen Bands Concert. Throw in a bunch of excellent food Para suer Cruis concessions, sunny skies and a light breeze to blow the bugs away and you have yourself one perfect Fourth of July! Beth Maloney Maynard's But how do we pay for all of this? Glad you asked! The fundraising has Peter Mason Smithtown Crossing already begun. Proceeds from the Excelsior Boat Show and the Chamber Night at the Old Log Theater will be earmarked for the Fourth. We've Ann Nye Excelsior Bay Books y Greenwood Tonka alrea a pproached the cities of Excelsior Shorewood Bay and Deephaven to help us with public safety and grounds - related Terry n Fam American Family e A host of local corporations have signed on to help s l� P � P onsor the p Insurance fireworks and Orchestra. Still, we need more help We need your help. If we could ask every person who attends the Fourth of July Celebration to contribute just $1 "at the door," we'd be able to pay for the fireworks and most of the Orchestra in a skinnv minute. Because the Commons doesn't P.O. Box 32 • Excelsior, Minnesota 55331 • Phone: 952 - 474 -6461 Excelsior Area Chamber of Commerce Page 2 have "a door," we're asking residents of our South Lake Minnetonka communities to make their $ 1 contributions now. If you can contribute to the Fourth of July Celebration, please write a check or money order today o The Excelsior Area Chamber of Commerce. List "4th of July 2001" on the memo portion of your check. Then mail your contributions for the Lake Minnetonka Fourth of July 2001 to: Excelsior Area Chamber of Commerce P. O. Box 32 Excelsior MN 55331 (The Chamber will provide a receipt at your request.) We also need volunteers for this grand event... for just a few hours on the 4` Volunteering is a great way to meet your fellow Lake Minnetonkans. Call committee chair Michael Bothof, Lifetime Chiropractic, at 952 -470- 9962 if you can help us. Thank you, Shorewood, for your support of all the Chamber's events. We hope to see you this summer on and around the lake. Fourth of July 2001 Committ Event Chair: Michael Bothof, Lifetime Chiropractic Boat Show Co- chairs: Joe Mueller, MN Inboard Water Sports Chris Butler, Performance Marine Old Log Night Chair: Bryan Litsey, South Lake Minnetonka Police Brian Burdick, Hour Glass Cleaners Firecracker Race: Lynn Johnson, Excelsior resident/City Council Concessions: Connie Frederick, Gifted Baskets Kids' Fishing Contest: Matt Masloski, Lifetime Chiropractic Children's Parade: Troy &Kelly Knewston, Knewtson Family Chiropractic Sand Castle Contest: Nick Ruehl, Karen Williams: TSP One, Inc. Children's Games: Pat and Linda Kittler Teen Bands Bud Boberg, Family & Friends Grounds: Mike Maloney- Excelsior School District/Comm. Ed.: Dan Kuzlik, Minnetonka Community Services City Liaisons: Excelsior: Charlie Thomson, City Council Shorewood: Chris Lizee, City Council; Mayor W. Love Tonka Bay: Mayor Doug Keller, Greenwood: (to be determined ), Deephaven: (to be determined), Barge: Bill Niecum, Minnetonka Portable Dredging Water Patrol: Woody Love Public Safety: Bryan Litsey, Chief, South Lake Minnetonka Police Fire /Medical: Kellie Murphy, Excelsior Fire District Wh at's Happening in the City? 6 ;ate, s ki, ...� _..� .f r W Smtilv AIR • �'" The following item is on the April 3 Planning Commission Agenda: The property owner at 27190 Edgewood Road would like to build aII addition to their existing detached garage. The total square footage of the combined proposed addition and the existing garage will exceed the 1200 square feet of accessory space permitted by City Code. The applicant is requesting a conditional use permit to additional accessory space. A public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. w cc i d c Spring Watermain Flushing Dates Tree Trimmer License C REWS FROM M UNITECH, the City's utility system service, will be performing MBERWOOD, INC., (952) 472 - their yearly spring watermain flushing during the following time frames: A 3431, has been • Amesbury & Woodhaven April 16 -20 added to the list of Tree • Boulder Bridge, Shorewood Oaks & Badger April 23 -May 4 Trimmers licensed to • Waterford SE May 7 -18 work in the City for the year 2001. See the Dates may vary due to weather. This process causes household water to become February Shore Report, discolored for a short time. Residents should avoid doing laundry of light - colored or contact the City for a complete list items for a day or two until the water looks clear again. of licensed Tree Trimmers. CITY OF SHOREWO D 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD SHOREWOOD, MN 55331 (952)474.3236 M FAX (95 )474 0128 Monday - Friday 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 p.m. Council Members Woody Lave, Mayor Jolts Garfunkel Christine Lizde Scott Zerby Laura Turgeon DF,LIVER TO: PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #128 EXCELSIOR, MN 55331 Newsletter Editorz Julie Moore H 'w. This newsietter is printed on recycled paper. THE SHORE REPORT/ APRIL 2001