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August 1999 Shore Report. GUS , D L_j v Planning Commission Meeting O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 sr, 8/9 0 City Council Meeting 8 9 1, 1D 11 12 13 14 8/10 o> Park Commission Meeting w 8/17 7:00 Planning Commission Meeting 15 16 1 7 18 19 20 21 O THE ti Firs Department Review Committee to its Phase d'N MAY 25 OF THIS YEAR A SPECIAL FIRE DEPARTMENT RE- VIEW COMMITTEE made its final report to the five cities served by the Excelsior Fire Department. Shorewood, Tonka Bay, Deephaven, Greenwood, and Excelsior have been served by the Department for well over one hundred years. The Committee was formed initially in part to assure each city con - tinuance of the highest quality fire and emergency medical re- sponse services possible into the next century. The Committee found in comparing our department with other similar departments, that we operate on a very cost - effective ba- sis. The Committee also found that there are several issues that should be addressed to keep the Department "top notch." The Committee recommendations are summarized on page 3. l>13E Trail Talk ............. 2 Communications Corner. 2 Biting Dogs ........... 2 Cat Containment ....... 2 Scouts Add Color to City. 3. Early Shorewood ....... 3 Senior Corner ......... 3 Council on Cable. ..... 3 Open House Meetings on Comprehensive Plan. . . . 4 Help Wanted There is still Opportunity to serve on the LAND CONSERVATION / ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE. Please submit a letter of interest to City Hall by August 14 at 4:30 P.m. Call 474-3236 if you have questions, i'4 �. , .'".. " it • i •'' � � �' HEN MOST OF US hear the day's weather forecast our thoughts are directed to dressing for maximum comfort, keeping the kids warm at the bus stop, or turning on the air conditioner. The impulse of Shorewood's new Liquor Operations Manager is to turn the weather forecast into a sales prediction and anticipate inventory needs. Don Swandby has that kind of instinct which only comes with years of retail experience and a professional knowledge of wine and spirits. Twenty -plus years ago Don began as a part - time employee at a north Metro liquor store where he learned the retail business and be- came assistant manager. That experience led him to California to seek more specific knowl- edge of wines and vineyards. Don found him- self in Beverly Hills where he eventually be- came manager of a store and wine consultant to the stars. Through a "manager exchange program," Don had the opportunity to spend two years in England and Europe working at vineyards and attending the Academy of Wines and Spirits where he also managed to earn a 4 -year degree in half the normal time. Fortunately, Don has always desired to live in the Lake Minnetonka area, which brings him to our neck of the woods. Don's management skills and extensive knowledge of the wine and liquor industry make him an ideal candidate to oversee the City's liquor operations. His focus is on building a knowledgeable staff — people who can actually advise customers on choosing the right wine, not just ring the cash register and give correct change. Next time you need assistance with a special selection or information about wine or spirits, stop by one of the City's three liquor stores. If Don is there, he's happy to help and to share what he knows about wine and spirits. The City thanks Bill Josephson for his 15 years of service as part-time Operations Man- ager. Bill's assistance in the transition to this full -time position has been much appreciated! SSHO REWOOD EVENT 8/3 7:00 Planning Commission Meeting 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8/9 7:00 City Council Meeting 8 9 1, 1D 11 12 13 14 8/10 7:30 Park Commission Meeting 8/17 7:00 Planning Commission Meeting 15 16 1 7 18 19 20 21 8/23 7:00 City Council Meeting < 22 23 24 2.5 26 27 28 8/31 5 -7:30 Comprehensive Plan Open House 29 30 31 Underlining indicates cablecast of Council meetings —see schedule on page 3. Communications Corner City Seeks Your Thoughts on Changes to the Tobacco Ordinance T he Shorewood City Council will consider adoption of an ordinance re- garding the sale and possession of tobacco products and licensing re- quirements at their regular meeting to be held August 23, 1999. A copy of the draft ordinance is available for review at City Hall or on our web site. Poten- tial retailers of tobacco products have received notice. The draft ordinance also establishes an annual licensing fee to cover the cost of licensing, inspections, and enforcement. This fee would be comparable to other cities in Hennepin County and other counties in Minnesota. The State law does not impose a specific penalty for violations by minors for the purchase, use or possession of tobacco products. Rather the law re- quires licensing authorities to consult with interested educators, parents, chil- dren and representatives of the court system to develop appropriate penalties. Possible penalties include: ♦ requiring minor to attend tobacco -free education programs; ♦ participation in a court diversion program; or ♦ notification of minor's school and/or parent or guardian. Any written comments by retailers or the general public should be received by Noon, August 16. Testimony will also be taken during the meeting on Au- gust 23. The City is particularly interested in what parents feel is an appropri- ate penalty. Please contact us with comments or questions. Send a Letter: City of Shorewood 5755 Country Club Road Shorewood, MN 55331 OR Call: 612 - 474 -3236 OR E -mail: cityhall @ci.shorewood.mn.us OR Fax: 612- 474 -0128 - -- r t `n r ,:dogs Who Bite and the Peaces That Secure Them T he Shorewood City Council was recently asked to address the is- sue of dog containment in cases of dogs with a history of biting. The problem arises where such dogs are confined in a one -way contain- ment system, which controls only the animal wearing a radio receiver on its collar —and it's not always guaranteed to work for that. Also, this type of fencing which is commonly known as "invisible," does not pro- vide protection from intruders for that confined animal, nor does it pro- tect persons or animals that may wander within the fence boundaries. The Council has discussed the problem of dogs with a biting his- tory and considered possible remedies such as: ♦ Informing residents of the limited safety of electronic fence sys- tems ♦ Reminding owners of biting dogs about their liability risk ♦ Looking at a change to the current pet ordinance to include spe- cific requirements for biting dogs Given the fact that State Statute 347.50 -54 already requires that a dangerous dog or potentially dangerous dog be securely confined in a proper enclosure, an ordinance at the local level may be redundant. At this point, the City wishes to make residents aware of the limitations of the underground, electronic fencing, especially for confining an ag- gressive dog and for ensuring the safety of any person or animal that enters a "fenced" area. Also, owners of dogs with a biting history are obligated by State Statute to contain such dogs in a solid enclosure. THE SHORE REPORT/AUGUST 1999 2 Trail (and Park) Talk T he Park Commission has again met with residents along Vine Hill and Covington Roads to review trail plans and ask for feedback. There are some design details being discussed, but the overall response from neighbors has been very positive. The Commission has au- thorized staff to order feasibility studies and a survey for the project and hopes to put it out for bids in the next 4 to 6 months. The Commission continues to work on questions and trail design options for a segment along Smithtown Road from the crossing of the LRT trail going west to the Victoria border. The City hopes to address drainage issues, street conditions and safety concerns in the course of the design process, while also working with the needs of residents who live adjacent to Smithtown Road. All of these consid- erations will take more time than hoped, but the Commission considers this trail segment to have equal importance be- cause of the strong citizen interest. , In the past, the Commission has heard requests for trails from residents on En- chanted .Island. They planned a neighbor- hood walk for July 24 for the purpose of familiarizing themselves with the unique character of the islands. Meanwhile, the Commission has asked the Council to approve a concept plan for the multi -use building for Freeman Park and to take a leadership role in building a skate park for area youth. The City Council has joined the Commission in their past two meetings and brainstormed together some ways to bring all of these projects along. I n response to a recent request, the City Council considered whether an ordinance govern- ing cats and requiring them to be licensed should be adopted. They decided to monitor the situation for a six month period, after which they would revisit the issue to see if an ordinance is warranted. Currently the City Code does not require cats to be licensed or contained indoors. Because of this, our Animal Control Officer cannot pick up stray cats. Periodically the City receives complaints about cats causing damage to property or being a nuisance. Cat owners are urged to be responsible pet owners by keeping their cats indoors as much as possible. Also, it's a good idea to have them wear a collar and identification so the cat can be returned if captured. Early Shod Minnetonka Reminiscences by George Day (1845 -1937) Reprinted courtesy of the Excelsior -Lake Minnetonka Historical Society Maple Trees Yielded Sugar for Pioneers I n the old days nearly every claim had a "sugar bLlS>)" frbml'which the yearly supply of 5,weet was obtained. Maple sugar was used exclusively. Sometimes a little white. sugar was kept for com- pany —this by people, more forehanded than the averages It was nothing uncommon for girls and boys to walk to school sometimes two miles through the snow, with the thermometer thirty or forty degrees be- low zero. What would the girls of today [1918] do under such circumstances? As soon as they were competent the girls taught school during the summer months. And such wages! I remember the first school my sister taught. She received the princely salary of $8.00 a month and "boarded around." It was a three- months school and she came home proud and happy with $24.00. As I look back to the early days, it saddens me to think how few are left of those friends and neighbors who bravely assumed the task of creating homes in the wilderness, who, undaunted by the odds against them, accomplished their dream of independence at the cost of toil and privation. City Council meetings can be seen on Cable Channel at the following times: July 26 Meeting Friday, August 6 at 1:30 P.M. August 9 Meeting Tuesday, August 10 at 5:30 P.M. Friday, August 20 at 1:30 P.M. August 23 Meeting Tuesday, August 24 at 5:30 P.M. The Word o�i Doggy-Do is OMIT °a to clean up after yclur dog & )on't let your dog run loose out- . side of its own yard, Fire Deparment Review Committee Recommendations (from page 1) ♦ We are at the far end of two para- medic response service areas which of- ten results in poor response times from the Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC). The Cities should work to- gether to attempt to improve HCMC re- sponse times. Secondly we need to keep local personnel well trained and equipped first responders. ♦ The Fire Department Review Commit- tees should continue its work through the end of the year to consider the following: • The needs of the entire service area should be considered above the needs of each individual city. • Rather than contracting with the City of Excelsior for service the cities should consider a united governing and owner- ship structure (such as a joint effort like the South Lake Police Department) which might better assure a common vision and jointly address department needs. • Begin studying alternatives for refurbish- ing or replacing the current inadequate fire station. • Consider full-time professional management for our volunteer paid, on -call department. • Educate citizens on needs of the department. • Initiate a program to recruit and retain paid, on -call firefighters and to assure adequate response to daytime and rescue calls. Each of the five cities have accepted the initial report and have indicated they will continue to participate in an effort to address these recommendations. Com- mittee deliberations will begin in August. ome Shorewood scouts and their siblings met at the Public Works garage on July 14 to work on a creative community service project. Now, thanks to Girl Scout Troop #170, the City has "designer" trash cans at Freeman and Badger Parks. The artists turned 15 plain green cans from something functional into fun and fes- tive. Thanks to all who helped! Pictured left to right: (Seated) Marit Lizee and Jessica Zerby; (Standing) Tracy Lizee, Anne Undis, Hannah Krutsch, Emma Kelsey, Amy Carlson. (Back) Co- leader Theresa Zerby Not pictured: Adam Zerby, Willie Kelsey, Katie Arnst and Co- leader Ingrid Schaff. Call the Southshore Center at 474 -7635 for information on these August events and the many other opportunities for seniors. Event Date Time Cost AAA Driving Class August 11& 12 1:00 P.M. $16.50 Dance, Dance, Dance August 13 1:00 P.M. $3 Picnic at Como Park August 16 10:00 A.M. $6 Birthday Party for July /August August 20 N OON $4 Lake Minnetonka Boat Ride August 23 Noon $10 The Southshore Center is located at 5735 Country Club Road and open daily from 8:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Noon lunches are served on Monday, Tuesday and Friday. 3 THE SHORE DEPORT (AUGUST 1999 0 . ". The following items are on the August 3 Planning Commission Agenda: 1 A public hearing is scheduled at 7:00 P.M. to consider a conditional use permit for a multi- purpose building in Freeman Park. The proposed building would be located near the northwesterly corner of the existing parking lot near the softball and soccer fields. The building would serve a variety of uses, such as picnic pavil- ion, winter warming house, concessions stand, and storage. 2 The Excelsior Covenant Church, located at 19955 Excelsior Blvd. would like to build a 28' x 28' garage on their property. A public hearing will be held at 7:15 P.M. to consider a conditional use permit for this request. 3 The owner of property located at 26245 Birch Bluff Road would like to build a sec- ond detached garage on his property. The resulting total accessory space will exceed 1200 sq. ft. and will require a conditional use permit. A public hearing will be held at 7:30 P.M. 4 A new house is being proposed on a lot located at 4300 Enchanted Drive. The lot is substandard in size for the zoning district it is located in and will require a conditional use permit before a building permit can be approved. A front yard set- back variance is also being requested. A public hearing is scheduled for 7:45 P.M. 5 An unbuildable parcel of land located on Christmas Lake contains a dock which violates the City's Zoning Code (vacant land may not have accessory structures). The owners of the property are requesting the City to amend the Zoning Code text so that the dock may remain on the lot. The property is located in the 5800 block of Christmas Lake Road. A public hearing is scheduled for 8:00 P.M. T he Shorewood Planning Commis - sion has set dates for open house meetings to review the updated Compre- hensive Plan. Those dates are: ♦ Tuesday, August 31 ♦ Thursday, September 2 ♦ Wednesday, September 8 Each of the meetings will take place at City Hall from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. A Public Hearing is tentatively sched- uled for Tuesday, September 21. More information about the Compre- hensive Plan and the meetings will be included in the September issue of the SHORE REPORT. Plan to attend an pe use! CITY OF SHOREWOOD, 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD SIHO E'' +'OOD, MN 55331 (612)474.3235 ® FAX (612)474.0128 Monday - Friday 0:00 A.M. to 4.30 P.M. w Council Members Woody Love, Mayor James O. Hurm Newsletter EdNtor: Connie Bastyr DELIVER TO: THE SHORE REPORT / AUGUST 1999 BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #128 EXCELSIOR, MN 55331 Tfh:s newsletter is printed on recycled paper. Kristi Stover John Garfunkel ' ! Christine Lizde Scott Zerby bd t 5 Administrator James O. Hurm Newsletter EdNtor: Connie Bastyr DELIVER TO: THE SHORE REPORT / AUGUST 1999 BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #128 EXCELSIOR, MN 55331 Tfh:s newsletter is printed on recycled paper.