Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2nd Q 13 City of Oak Tree City USA Second Quarter Inside this issue: Reserve a City Park Shelter Are you thinking about having a get-together or a family reunion? The Brekke, Garbage and 2 Recycling Info Cover, Valley View, and Autumn Hills Park shelter buildings can be reserved free of charge for your event. The Autumn Hills Park Shelter does require a refundable $100 deposit. Display your 2 House numbers Brekke Park is located on Omar Avenue south of the former St. Croix Mall (now An- dersen Corporation). The park has a covered shelter building with restrooms as Parking pads and 3 well as a tot lot, baseball diamonds, playground equipment, and barbeque grills. Firewood storage This park also features Oak Park Height's disc golf course. Service Line 3 Valley View Park is located on Osgood Avenue at the edge of the city limits. This Warranty Program park has a covered shelter building, picnic areas, play-grounds and a beautiful pas- sive park area with trails, a prairie restoration area and wetlands. Utility Bill 4 Information Autumn Hills Park is located at 5697 Norwich Parkway off of 58th Street adjacent to the Arborist 5 Boutwells Landing campus. The park contains News meandering trails, trail access parking, and playground equipment. It has a 2,000+ Washington County 6 square foot shelter, which includes a covered Environmental Info " " gathering area with a small kitchen/serving area, men's and women's restrooms, and a water fountain. Notes from 8 � ' Public Works You may use the City's online reservation form to reserve either the Brekke Park or St. Croix River 9 Valley View Park shelters. You may obtain the Autumn Hills Park Shelter reservation Crossing Update documents and information online as well. Or, you may call or visit City Hall any- time to reserve any of the shelters for your next event! Yard Project Permit 10 Requirements The seasonal road load weight restrictions date is determined by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) each year. Please Visit the city's web- Summer Park I I site, www.cityofoakparkheights.com, for information regarding seasonal load lim- Program Schedule its. The City's road weight restrictions map may also be downloaded from the City's website. Page 2 Second Quarter 2013 Newsletter Garbage and recycling container placement The City contracts with Advanced Disposal (formerly known as Veolia) to provide garbage and recycling services to single-family residences in within the City. The Advanced Disposal trucks have arms that extend from the vehicle to pick up your container and dump its contents into the truck. To allow for enough space for the arms to grab your container, please do not place con- tainers right next to each other. Proper placement of your containers would be for one container on each side of your driveway. Thank you for your cooperation! Recycling incentive program The City of Oak Park Heights has a recycling incentive program. The City awards a prize of$25.00 or a fire extinguisher and/or smoke detector. Residents participating in curbside recycling are picked randomly twice a month. Recycling benefits the environment in countless ways: it reduces the amount of natural resources used to make new products, it saves energy, it prevents water and air pollution including greenhouse gas emissions, and it reduces waste. This means that the simple act of recycling in your daily life pro- vides significant protection for our environment and reduces global warming. City Ordinance requires house numbers House numbers are required by the City's Zoning Ordinance. Not only is it important that delivery people be able to find your home, it is critical for emergency response groups, such as the police depart- ment, fire department, and emergency medical respondents to assist you as quickly as possible. To make it easy to locate your home, your house numbers should be: • A minimum of three inches in height; • Made of durable, weather resistant material such as metal, glass, or plastic; • A color that stands out against the house or background upon which they are placed; • Easily and clearly seen from the street when approached from any direction (you may want to con- sider having the numbers coated with a reflective material for better visibility in the dark or locate them beneath a light source); and • Attached to your home or a sign post that faces the street. If your home does not have house numbers on it, make it a priority to get them put on today. Tree City USA Page 3 Coming soon! NLC Service Line Warranty Program Starting in summer 2013, the National League of Cities Service Line Warranty Program will be available to residents as an affordable home protection solution in the unfortunate event of a broken or leaking water or sewer line in your single-family home. This optional program offers a low-cost warranty that will provide repairs for a low monthly fee, with no deductibles or service fees. As average water and sewer line repairs can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars depending on the nature of the needed repair, the warranty program is anticipated to cost a homeowner between $6 and $9 per month per water or sewer line and provide a $4,000 warranty policy for each line. The program would provide funding for most repairs and is expected to cover 100 percent of any repairs including tree root removal and curb-stop replacements. Please watch your mail this summer as each City residence will receive a direct mailing from the warranty provider, Utility Service Partners, Inc. that will offer more information about this program. Parking pads and firewood storage No Parking on the grass or yard By City Ordinance cars, trucks, trailers, boats, snowmobiles, water-skis, four-wheelers, motor homes and other similar items shall be parked in your garage or other accessory building, upon your driveway or an approved parking pad. An approved Parking Pad shall be hard surfaced constructed of asphalt, concrete, cobblestone, paving block or crushed rock that meets minimum Class 5 material specifications and has at least a 4 inch deep base. Designated parking pads shall extend directly from the driveway, away from the house and may be located within the front, side or rear yard setback. Parking pads must be set back at least 5 feet from rear yard property lines. Parking Pad Limitations Your parking pad may be used for the placement of: • No more than a total of two (2) recreational vehicles (boats, snowmobiles, etc.) or pieces of equipment (trailers, etc.), not including racing cars. • Registered and operable passenger vehicles. • No more than one (1) truck and/or trailer not to exceed a gross vehicle w e i g h t o f 12,000 pounds, except when loading, unloading or rendering a service. • Construction and landscaping materials currently being used on the premises. Firewood Storage shall not be on a parking pad. Firewood shall be neatly stacked and stored in the side yard or rear yard or residential premises. I have too much stuff. What do I do? If you need a parking pad and/or shed, contact the City Building Department to review your op- tions and learn about permit requirements. Page 4 Second Quarter Beginning January 1 ,the City of Oak Park Heights will offer the option of paying utility bills online using a credit card or electronic check. Go GREEN: Pay & View Oak Park Heights Utility Bills Online K, WHY? Pay ONLINE —_— -- -- Help save raturai Go to www.CityOfOakParkHeights.com resources by ✓;ew;ng 1. Click"Pay Utility Bill" and paying onirme 3. You will go to our payment processor's website where you should register and make your payment • Easy,fast and sect,re Or CALL • Pay immediately-, scPedufe a payment or setup.auto-Pay * r 1-877-886-7968(have your bill handy to provide your account number) ,Keep cons dov n oat out of paper b;#s View Bills Online • Pr+ trece,pts, a ew —_—_—___—_— —__ __ ____ payment ?story Go to www.CityOfOakParkHeights.com and more 1. Click'View Utility Bill" 2. You will go to our payment processor's website to register We accept... 3. You will get an email each time your bill is ready , .CheckVISA You don't have to pay online to view your bills online. First quarter 2013 utility bills City Meetings Utility bills for the first Quarter of 2013 (January 1 — (subject to change) March 31) will be mailed to residents in April and will be due May 9, 2013 . City Council: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 7:00 Auto pay is available. With p.m• g�yl auto pay, there is no need 0 to waste time writing and mailing a check. Paying Planning Commission: your utility bill electroni- Typically the 2nd Thursday at tally allows you to save 7:00 p.m. time and money on stamps and late fees. The amount you owe on your utility bill Parks Commission: is automatically withdrawn 3rd Monday at 6:30 p.m. from the ac-count you designate on the billing due date each month. You will continue to receive your bill so that you know the date and amount to be withheld from Agendas and Minutes are your account. posted on the City's website: www.cityofoakparkheights.com If you are interested in participating, please call or stop by City Hall to obtain an enrollment form. The form is also available on the City's website, under City Informa- tion, Forms & Handouts. Call Judy Tetzlaff at City Hall, 651-439-4439, if you have questions. Tree City USA Page 5 Risk trees Tree Plvb/ems9 Winter is a good time to check trees for look at trees in and near your yard for broken, hanging branches, and cracks in problems and contact a tree service to If you are an branches or trunks, especially the main remove hazardous branches or trees. If Oak Park trunk union. Also look for evidence of you're not sure which problems are seri- H e i g h t s decay, such as shelf fungi or wildlife ous enough for tree pruning or removal, resident, and holes, in the branches or trunk. These call the Oak Park Heights Arborist to structural issues can be dangerous for come out and take a look to determine have a problem people living around trees. Take a good which trees might be a risk. with a tree or shrub, such as an insect or a Oak Wilt disease, have Oak trees can be pruned up to April 1 in most years. Due to insect transmission p 1 a n t i n g of the oak wilt fungus to fresh wounds on healthy oaks, oaks should not be questions, or wounded or pruned from April 1 to July 1. If they are wounded during the grow- just want to ing season (April 1- October 1), the wounds should be painted with latex house have a plant paint to prevent oak wilt infection. It is best to prune oaks between October 15 identified, call and March 15. Dr. Kathy Widin, the Oak Park Heights Emerald Ash Borer Arborist, at 439 Emerald ash borer (EAB) has not yet been confirmed in Washington County; -4439 Ext. 1106. however, it's good to check ash trunks and branches for "D-shaped" adult exit She can either holes and "S-shaped" larval galleries under the bark. If larvae are present there answer your may be a lot of woodpecker activity, particularly in the top half of the tree. If you see any signs of EAB activity, or want to discuss insecticide treatment to protect question over ash, please contact the Oak Park Heights Arborist. Do not move ash wood with the phone or intact bark from one area to another, as this is one way that emerald ash borer m a k e a n is easily spread. appointment Ash Removal and Replacement: The City of Oak Park Heights is continuing This service ifor a site visit.. to remove ash trees which are doing poorly, are interfering with power lines, competing with other trees, have storm damage, or are blocking sight lines Paid for by the along the street. If you have an ash tree that you think should be removed, con- City of Oak tact the Oak Park Heights Arborist. Park Heights. Pruning trees Early to mid-winter are good times to prune shade trees. Ornamental and fruit trees are best pruned in late February or early March. There is no need to apply tree wound dressing or paint to wounds made in fall or winter. Do not prune trees during leaf expansion in May. Hire a tree service if pruning needs to be done on large shade trees. Page 6 Second Quarter Helpprotect our kids, environment, and communiv; p i uq _ �P Why are unused medications a problem? will Old and unused medicines in your home can pose a risk for accidental poisoning, theft, and drug abuse. Research also shows that medication put in the trash or flushed can pollute water and harm fish and wildlife. What's accepted? What is NOT accepted? NEW Drop Box Locations Prescription,over-the- • No needles,used Epipens, Open 8:00am — 4:30pm M—F counter,and pet medication syringes,lancets or from households. thermometers. Bringthese Ravine Pkwy S » Pills&capsules to the Environmental Center COTTAGE GROVE 901,St s Washington County >> Blister packs at 4039 Cottage Grove Drive, Service Center ea >> Creams&gels Woodbury MN 13000 Ravine Pkwy S 6, )> Unused Epipens • No medications from Cottage Grove,MN 55016 >> Inhalers&patches businesses. >> IV bags and vials » Liquids preparing for drop off FOREST LAKE 91 >> Powders and sprays Headwaters Service Center z 202ndst * Keep medications in original 19955 Forest Rd N st Rd container and place in a Forest Lake,MN 55025 Ji sealed,clear plastic bag. = -d(--Headwaters Pkwy Q,i� • Use a marker to cross Hwy 61 �paM,ry r out your name on the container(optional). Drop STILLWATER n off is anonymous—no ID is Law Enforcement z required. Center(LEC) 6211 St Waslu' lgton • If you don't have the original Sheriff's office o container, lace in a clear ba Main Lobby * LEC +-� County p g' 15015 6211 St N z Stillwater,MN 55082 Hwy 36 Washington County Sheriff's Office Washington County Departmentof Public Health and Environment Questions? www.co.washington.mn.us/meds 1 651-430-6655 Tree City USA Page 7 ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Who's Who in City Government The local government in the City of Oak Park Heights is made up of a City Council and a Mayor. The Mayor and four Councilmembers are elected to the Council. The Mayor and Councilmembers are elected in even years. Officials are elected for a four-year term, but may be re-elected for any number of additional terms. The City Council meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. The . Council agenda is posted at City Hall and on the City's website. The Mayor and Councilmembers work closely with City staff and the City Administrator to ensure: that the best interest of the citizens of Oak Park Heights always comes first. The City Hall houses five departments: City Administration, Finance, Building, Public Works, and Police. The City contracts with other firms to provide legal services, planning services, engineering services, and forestry services. The City also contracts with Bayport Fire to provide fire services. Contact information for City Hall and the Mayor and Councilmembers can be found on the back of this newsletter. Washington County Environmental Center Did you know that residents can drop-off house- posed of properly. Common products that need to hold hazardous waste, electronics, and recyclables be brought in to the Environmental Center include for free at the new Washington County Environ- paint, stains, and varnish; automotive fluids such as mental Center? The Center is located at 4039 used motor oil, antifreeze and gasoline; yard and Cottage Grove Drive in Woodbury, near the inter- garden products such as insect and weed killers; section of Manning and Bailey Road, just 4 miles common household items such as oven cleaner, south of 1-94. The Center replaces the Hazardous fluorescent bulbs, and aerosol cans; and electronics Materials Collection Site in Oakdale, which perma- such as TVs and computers. nently closed in 2009. Many common household items can be hazardous For location, hours and materials accepted go to to you and the environment if not used up or dis- www.co.washington.mn.us/envirocenter. Free Product Room Don't need it? Someone might! Did you know that some of the items you drop-off at the Environmental Center might be stocked in the Free Product Room for other residents to pick up, free of charge? The Free Product Room is located inside of the Washington County Environmental Center at 4039 Cottage Grove Drive in Woodbury. Products set out in the Free Product Room are first screened for quality. Some of the more popular items are paint and stain. If you are on a tight budget, you might just find the color you were looking for and there's no cost to you. Other popular products set out in the Free Product Room are lawn &garden products and automotive fluids. For hours and location go to www.co.washington.mn.us/envirocenter Page 8 Second Quarter Notes from Public Works Fats, Oils, Grease (FOG) in the Sanitary Sewer System Fats, oils and grease in sewer pipes, referred to as FOG, create problems in many communities. FOG enters the sewer system through service lines from both restaurants and residential and commercial sink drains. Once FOG enters the sewer it sticks to the pipe and thickens. FOG can build up and eventually cause backups. Residents can help control the risk of sewer backups by properly disposing of fat oil and grease. Sources of FOG Fat, oil and grease is a byproduct of cooking found in: • Food scraps • Meat fats • Lard • Cooking oil • Butter or any substitute Negative Effects of FOG in the Sanitary Sewer System ::. . Attracts insects and rodents I:.,V.41te . Backups can occur and cause property damage that is not al- " ways covered by insurance Sewage can overflow into storm catch basins and therefore the Seeu� r F,nc St. Croix River oftw Cleaning FOG out of the sewer system is costly Regional Trunk fine Sewer Plow damage repair Park shelter restrooms Inevitably some yard/lawn damage occurs Oak Park Heights Park shelter restrooms typi- during winter plowing. City crews will be out cally open at the end of May. Public Works repairing major plow damage this spring. will open restrooms when the vulnerability of Please contact Andy Kegley, Public Works Di- rector (651) 439-4439 to report yard damage possible damage due to freezing water pipes from snowplowing. has passed. Each park does have portable restrooms available for use when shelter rest- Street sweeping rooms are not available. Spring street-sweeping begins when all the snow Stay updated by visiting the City's website at is melted and temperatures remain warm enough www•cityofoakparkheights.com. to prevent freezing. When sweeping sand from the edge of your yard into the roadway, please sweep sand into rows, not piles. Tree City USA Page 9 St. Croix River Crossing update Portions of the St. Croix Crossing project, including the Hwy 36 reconstruction and the construction of the bridge piers in the St. Croix River will begin in spring of 2013. The residents and business owners in Oak Park Heights will see construction activity, beginning in April and pier construction will get underway in the St. Croix river as soon as weather permits. Project open houses are being scheduled for April and residents and businesses are encouraged to watch for information updates on the project website, located at www.dot.state.mn.us/stcroixcrossing. Businesses and residents are encouraged to direct their questions about the project to Mary McFarland Brooks at mary.mcfarland@state.mn.us or at 651-200-5453. For questions regarding the Wisconsin por- tion of the project please contact Chris Ouellette at chris.ouellette@dot.wi.gov or at 715-833-9814. The St. Croix Crossing project team thanks the residents and businesses of Oak Park Heights for their pa- tience during the reconstruction of Hwy 36 and wants to remind drivers to pay attention and obey posted speed limits. Research shows the main causes of work zone crashes are excessive speed and inattention by drivers. Watch for more information about the project in the next issue of the Oak Park Heights newsletter. Project planning and permits When planning your project, keep in mind that many projects require a building permit prior to the project starting. Some common do-it yourself projects such as decks, porches, gazebos, fences, sheds, re- roofing, re-siding, new plumbing or heating or alterations to your existing services, window re- placement, driveway replacement and parking pads typically require a permit to ensure compli- ance to adopted construction and local ordinance codes. If you are hiring a contractor for your project, make sure they are licensed, have obtained a per- mit for the work you that you have hired them for, and that the inspections appropriate to your project are being scheduled while they are working. Building permit applications and information on a variety of projects are available at City Hall and can also be found on the City webpage at www.cityofoakparkheights.com. If you don't find what you are looking for, let us know. We will do our best to get you the information you need. You are encouraged to include a call or visit to the Building Official to discuss what may be needed to make your project safe but also compliant with adopted local ordinances and con- struction industry codes. Please take the opportunity to utilize the Building Official and City Staff as another set of knowl- edgeable eyes on the projects and work being done on your property. It is the goal of the City to also make your project a success and we are here to help! Page 1 Second Quarter Permits required for some landscaping/yard projects With spring around the corner you may be thinking about making some landscaping or yard im- provement projects, such as a fence, driveway, parking pad or an outdoor irrigation system (lawn sprinkler). If so, keep in mind that some landscaping and yard projects require a permit by City Ordinance. Fences: If you're planning on building a fence, contact the Inspections Department at City Hall to obtain a fence permit handout and to complete a permit application. As part of the permit application, you will prepare a site plan. Property lines must be verified prior to fence installa- tion; if you have a property survey, please include a copy of it with your permit application. A fence permit is $25 for fences four-feet and under in height. Permits for fences greater than four-feet in height are based upon the fence project cost. Both permits include a plan review to help reduce the likelihood of inconvenient and expensive, after-the-fact enforcement that occurs when fence installation inadvertently violates city ordinance requirements. A properly placed fence will aid in preventing neighbor disputes. Irrigation Systems (Lawn Sprinklers): A plumbing permit is required as these connections are made to your domestic water supply. As part of the permit application, you will need to pro- vide information that provides details to the system you propose to install, along with a site plan that clearly shows the location of the system being installed. You may be required to sub- mit a property survey if property lines and easements are not readily clear. An irrigation system permit is $75 plus MN State Surcharge. A plan review is included in the permit to ensure code compliance. Upon installation, an inspection is required to ensure proper water supply connec- tion and properly installation of backflow preventers to prevent contamination. A common mis- take is that sprinkler heads are placed at the curb line which typically is in the public right-of- way. These sprinkler heads are then destroyed by the snow plow; so always stay away from the City streets with sprinkler heads. For more information on these types of permits or other projects you may have in mind, con- tact Building Official, Julie Hultman at (651 ) 439-4439, Ext. 1105 or jhultman@cityofoakparkheights.com. Attention Pet Owners waste on public and private property. Removal and proper disposal of pet waste helps keep our Leash Law Reminder: The City of Oak Park City clean and healthy. Heights has a leash law in effect that prohibits pets from running at large. Any dog or cat that Pet Licenses: All dogs and cats in the City for is off the premises of the owner and not under more than 30 days are required to have a City the physical control (by leash or by voice) of the Pet License. There is no charge for this service owner or another designated person is in viola- and it could save your pet from a trip to the ani- tion of this Ordinance. mal shelter. Bring proof of your pet's rabies vac- cination to City Hall to receive a pet license and When you are out walking your pet, please re- tag. For more information, please call City Hall member to bring a plastic bag. Pet owners are at 651-439-4439. City Ordinances can be required by City Ordinance to clean up pet viewed on the City's web-site: www.cityofoakparkheights.com. Tree City USA Page 11 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ CLIP AND SAVE! 2012 Summer Park Activities Schedule All events are free! Look over the following schedule, and mark the dates on your calendar. Please check the City's website for further updates on summer programming in the parks. All ages are welcome to attend the activities. Children under six must be accompanied by an adult. Pre-registration is appreciated for the craft activities. E-mail Gina at gzeuliCq.com with number and ages of children attending. ;May 31—Stillwater Area High School Band Outdoor Concert: Autumn Hills Park from 5-7:30 pm June 11—PLAYFUL CITY PLAYDAY! Sand Art: Valley View Park from 10 am to noon. June 18—Crafts in the Park—Card Making: Valley View Park from 10 am to noon. June 25—Minnesota Raptor Center Presentation: Autumn Hills Park from 10:30 am to noon. June 27—Family Movie in the Park: Autumn Hills Park. Movie begins at dark. Popcorn/beverages available for purchase. July 2—Craft in the Park—Painting: Brekke Park from 10:00 am to noon. July 9—Family Bingo—come play for candy and prizes: Brekke Park from 10 am to noon. July 16—Minnesota Zoomobile Animal Presentation: Autumn Hills Park from 10:30 am to noon. July 23—Crafts in the Park—Mosaic Tile Trays: Brekke Park from 10 am to noon. July 25—Family Movie in the Park: Autumn Hills Park. Movie begins at dark. Popcorn/beverages available for purchase. July 30—Children's Theater Storytelling Performance—Autumn Hills Park from 10:30 am to noon. August 6—Craft in the Park—Pillowcase, Shirt, Bag Decorating: Autumn Hills Park from 10 am to noon. :August 13—Science Museum Presentation: Autumn Hills Park from 10:30 am to noon. August 20—Oak Park Heights Safety Camp: Brekke Park 10 am to noon. August 22—Family Movie in the Park: Autumn Hills Park. Movie begins at dark. Popcorn/ beverages available for purchase. August 27—Craft in the Park—Mini Dish Gardens: Autumn Hills Park from 10 am to noon. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- City of Oak Park Heights Presorted 14168 Oak Park Blvd N, Box 2007 Standard Oak Park Heights, MN 55082-2007 U.S.Postage PAID Stillwater,MN Permit No. 558 City of Quarter City of Oak Park Heights Oak Heights 14168 Oak Park Blvd. N. PO Box 2007 OAK PARK HEIGHTS SPRING CLEAN-UP DAY Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 Phone:651-439-4439 Saturday, May 18, 2013, 7:3o a.m. to 1:oo p.m. Fax:65 1-439-0574 Police non-emergency:651-439-4723 The City of Oak Park Heights will be hosting a Spring Clean-up Police Emergency:911 on Saturday, May 18, 2013 from 7:`�o a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Office Hours: The Clean-up will be in the southwest corner of the former St. Croix Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m.to 4:30 p.m. Mall (Andersen Corporation) parking lot, 14167 59th Street North in excluding legal holidays Oak Park Heights. Proof of residency such as a utility bill or driver's license will be required. Common items disposed of include appliances, MAYOR brush, construction materials, furniture, cardboard, scrap metal, car- Mary McComber:351-7879 pet, TVs, and computers. COUNCILMHazardous waste such as paints, pesticides, or other 351-0807-0 ( p s, stains, ogas, Les Abrahamson::35 I Chuck Dougherty:491-0419 chemicals from your home), tires, stumps, and firewood will not be Mike Runk:439-5458 accepted. If you have an questions lease call Cit Hall at 6 1 Mark Swenson:270-5385 P Y Y q P Y 5 -439- 4439 or Veolia Environmental Services at 651-459-3029• CITY ADMINISTRATOR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Website!Visit our The City Parks Commission is seeking individuals to lead in the maintenance and upkeep of various City gardens areas, such as in Cover Park, Brekke or Autumn Hills Park. It is hoped that these persons could find and work with other City resi- The Oak Park Heights dences and/or business to care for one garden or area. The City will provide all newsletter materials and tools to these volunteers including funding for new plantings. If you is published by the City and or your group might be interested in volunteering in this capacity please con- of Oak Park Heights. Comments are welcome. tact the City Hall and speak with Jenni Pinski for more details. 651-439-4439 651-439-4439