Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMarch 2017 City of Oak Tree City USA Spring 2017 Inside this issue: Cover Park update Plans for the Cover Park renovations are continuing to be developed and are based Police Department's on the feedback from the 2015 public engagement process as well as previous con- New CPR device cept plans. The following elements are anticipated: Spring Clean-Up 3 NEW ITEMS Day Announcement The City hopes to remove the current park shelter / warming house and replace it Park Shelter 3 with a larger and more efficient structure to the north of the ice rink. The new Reservations building will also have a shaded overhang that will accommodate picnic tables. The new Cover Park Shelter will include expanded parking areas, restrooms that will be Utility Bill 4 available throughout the year, eliminating the need for the port-a-pot facilities, as Information well as drinking fountains. Arborist 5 nqri ;, News Home Energy Squad 6 r at Party in the Park I T CodeRED 7 i �. Y-a - Notification System --- ------- ----`- 2 Party in the Park 7 Announcement Also, new trails will be installed that connect the area neighborhood to the devel- City Department g oping St. Croix River Crossing trails and to the balance of the City's trail systems Spotlight to the west. Finally, the hockey boards are failing and will not be replaced, however the ice rink will remain in a new configuration as generally shown on the plans (see Spring Landscaping 9 Page 2). It is hoped that the new configuration will make flooding easier and allow Workshops more use of a green-space during the summer months. Business and 9 Development News In addition, the City is seeking the use of"Made in USA" elements, using local man- ufactured products, the possibility of solar power, as well as the use of durable and Notes from 10 highly efficient equipment so as to create the most efficient building reasonably Public Works possible. The site will be in compliance with the Middle St. Croix Watershed rules. Summer Park 11 UNCHANING ITEMS Program Schedule The current playground which was constructed in 2006 will remain in place as will Cable Commission 12 the slope abutting the eastern side of Cover Park where flower gardens have been Vacancy Continued to Page 2... Page 2 Spring 2017 Newsletter Cover Park update ...continued from Page i planted. The City hopes to reuse the four (4) current outdoor lighting and to preserve the overhead rink lights. TIMELINES Please see the general site plan at right. Bids _ _-- _ are anticipated to be ! issued in March with construction to com- mence in late spring. Ultimately, the Cit anticipates that the m q % new building will be ol. „of � R open for the 2017- o o o 2018 winter skating o - season. ® b WELIER AVE.N FUNDING The total cost of the project is expected to be $500,000 +/- depending on bids received. The funding ap- plied to cover these costs is generally derived from two main sources: Contributions to the City's Park and Trails Development fund made by developer's over the past years as well as contributions by Xcel Energy to the City as part of the fly-ash site renovation commitments. Oak Park Heights Police Department implements new CPR assistance device at11qn!1pbThe Oak Park Heights Police Department has trained and implemented a new advance- ment in CPR. The ResQ CPR device by Zoll Medical increases CPR efficiency by up to 49 percent. The Oak Park Heights Police Department works with Lakeview Hospital EMS to ensure the best possible medical response for our citizens. The Oak Park Heights Police Department is the first responding agency to medicals in Oak Park Heights, and every minute counts in a cardiac event. This new device along with our AED units will help officers provide critical profusion and shock treatments if needed for the patient until Lak- eview EMS Paramedics arrive on scene to provide further critical advance lifesaving tech- niques. The Oak Park Heights Police Department is leading the way in the country being one of the first law enforcement agencies in the entire country and one of a handful of responding fire agencies in the state to implement this advanced resource according to the manufacturer. After speaking with Lakeview EMS Director Jon Muller about the device, I felt it was a critical part of our medical response in the community to implement the device. Our officers can be on scene minutes before y� Lakeview EMS arrives starting other advanced tech- niques. Those minutes can save lives and improved out- comes. Our community has a top notch medical response team with Oak Park Heights Police Department, Lake- view EMS and the Bayport Fire. The Oak Park Heights y A City Council supported the program, funding the equip- 1 �� ment and training. In the photo are Officers Croft and Hicks training with the equipment. � - Tree City USA Page 3 OAK PARK HEIGHTS SPRING CLEAN-UP DAY The City of Oak Park Heights will be hosting a Spring Clean-up on Saturday, May 6, 2017 from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Clean-up will be in the southwest corner of the former St. Croix Mall (Andersen Corporation) parking lot in Oak Park Heights. Proof of residency such as a utility bill or driver's license will be required. COMMON ITEMS DISPOSED OF: • Appliances such as washers, dryers, ovens, and water heaters • Brush and yard waste (please use compostable bags) • Construction materials such as doors, windows, and lumber • Furniture such as sofas, chairs, and tables • scrap metal • carpet • Electronics such as televisions and computers • Lawnmowers (please drain all gas and oil) THE FOLLOWING WILL NOT ACCEPTED: • Mattresses and box springs will not be accepted at this event, but can still be picked up curbside for no charge—please call City Hall to schedule) • Hazardous waste (such as paints, stains, oil, gas, pesticides, or other chemicals from your home) • Tires, stumps, and firewood If you have any questions, please call City Hall at 651-439-4439. Reserve a City park shelter Are you thinking about having a get-together or a family reunion? The Brekke, Cover, Valley View, and Au- tumn Hills Park shelter buildings can be reserved free of charge for your event. The Autumn Hills Park Shelter does require a refundable $100 deposit. Oak Park Heights typically opens the park shelters by Memorial Day weekend. Brekke Park is located on Omar Avenue south of the former St. Croix Mall. The park has a covered shelter building with restrooms as well as a tot lot,baseball diamonds,playground equipment, and barbeque grills. Valley View Park is located on Osgood Avenue at the edge of the city limits. This park has a covered shelter building, picnic areas, play-grounds and a beautiful passive park area with trails, a prairie restoration area and wetlands. Autumn Hills Park is located at 5697 Norwich Parkway off of 58th Street adjacent to the Boutwells Landing campus. The park contains meandering trails, trail access parking, and playground equipment. It has a 2,000+ square foot shelter, which includes a covered gathering area with a small kitchen/serving area, men's and women's restrooms, and a water fountain. You may use the City's online reservation form to reserve either the Brekke Park or Valley View Park shelters. You may obtain the Autumn Hills Park Shelter reservation documents and information online as well. Or,you may call or visit City Hall anytime to reserve any of the shelters for your next event! Page 4 Spring 2017 Newsletter Go GREEN: Pay & View Oak Park Heights Utility Bills Online Pay ONLINE WHY? Help save natural Go to www.CityOfOakParkHeights.com resources by vfeuving 1. Click"Pay Utility Bill" and paying online 2. You will go to our payment processor's website where you should register and make your payment • Easy,fast and secure • Pay immedfatefy, Or CALL schedule a payment onset up Auto-Pay 1-877-886-7968(have your bill handy to provide your account number) . Keep costs down; opt out of paper tiffs View Bills Online • PnOrec0ts,view _ _ paymenthrstory Go to www.CityOfOakParkHeights.com and more 1. Click"View Utility Bill" We accept... 2. You will go to our payment processor's website to register 3. You will get an email each time your bill is ready eCheck '; ,, `-".. VISA You don't have to pay online to view your bills online. FSH City Meetings First quarter 2017 utility bills (subject to change) Utility bills for the first Quarter of 2017 (January 1 — March 31) will be mailed to residents in April and are City Council: due May 9, 2017 . 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 6:oo p.m. Auto pay is available. With auto pay, there is no need - 00to waste time writing and Planning Commission: mailing a check. Paying Typically the 2nd Thursday at your utility bill electroni- 7:00 P.M. a- -` tally allows you to save time and money on stamps and late fees. The amount Parks Commission: you owe on your utility bill 3rd Monday at 7:00 P.M. � ,.�is automatically withdrawn from the ac-count you des- ignate on the billing due date each month. You will con- Agendas and Minutes are post- tinue to receive your bill so that you know the date and ed on the City's website: amount to be withheld from your account. www.cityofoakparkheights.com If you are interested in participating, please call or stop by City Hall to obtain an enrollment form. The form is Please remember to pull your garbage also available on the City's website, under City Infor- and recycling bins away from the curb as mation, Forms & Handouts. Call Jennifer Pinski at City soon as reasonably possible after pickup Hall, 651-439-4439, if you have questions. day and store them out of view, such as in a garage, screened in area, or shed. Tree City USA Page 5 Oak Wilt DO NOT prune oak trees from April 15Y - July I" (high risk period). There is also a slight risk of oak wilt being spread via insects to fresh wounds from July I" to September 15`". If oaks are pruned or wounded April Is' through September 30`", wounds should be painted immediately with latex house paint. It is best to prune oaks between October 15`" and March 15`" Emerald Ash Borer Emerald ash borer (EAB) was identified in Oak Park Heights City Arborist. Do not move Washington County during the Fall of 2015. ash wood with intact bark from one area to Check trunks and branches for "D-shaped" another, to avoid spreading EAB to new areas. adult exit holes and "S-shaped" larval galler- If you would like information regarding insec- ies. These galleries are under the bark and the ticide injection to protect ash trees in your bark maybe cracked open over the gallery and yard, contact the City Arborist. There are EAB wound tissue. There may be a lot of wood- handouts with images on the Arborist's page pecker activity, particularly in the top half of of the City's website and copies are also avail- the tree, seen most easily in the winter. If you able at City Hall. see signs of EAB activity, please contact the Hiring a tree service/landscape company When hiring a tree service and or landscape company for tree pruning, chemical treatment or tree removals contractors are required to have a current Tree Worker's License with the City of Oak Park Heights as required by City Ordinance 1307. A current list of licensed tree workers can be obtained from City Hall. B�a��e:.�es�o�ation:.�r.ea:.�:a�ntenance: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :• The two (2) prairie restoration areas within the City (located to the north behind City'Hall Building which runs east to Oldfield Ave N and the Valley View Park prairie restoration area located on the east side of Valley View Park on the west side of the wetland) will both have a spring prescribed burn take place and four (4) timed weed control weed control visits. This work is similar to work in past years with the substitution of the burn instead of the spring mow this year. It is important that all of these prairie management tasks are done on a cycle to maintain quality vegetation. The City has contracted this year with Minnesota Native Landscapes, Inc. for the 2017 vegetation mainte- nance. Tree problems? ,r�, . If you have a problem with a tree or shrub, such as insects, dis- eases, site factors, or just want to have a plant identified, call Lisa Danielson, the City Arborist at 651-439-4439 or via e-mail at Idanielson@cityofoakparkheights.com. She can either answer your question over the phone or make an appointment for a site visit. This service is free for residents of Oak Park Heights. Y Page 6 Spring 2017 Newsletter Xcel Energy Provides Opportunities to SAVE $$$ with the Home Energy Squad; a one-stop efficiency shopping: an easy way to save energy and money The concept is simple: you schedule a visit and a truck pulls up in front of your house. Two ener- gy experts from Xcel Energy's partners hop out to help you identify opportunities where the addi- tion of a few simple measures can add up to big savings. You choose which energy saving items you want installed and the expert does all the work. Two hours later, your home is more efficient. It's called the Home Energy Squad. It's one-stop efficiency shopping for anyone wanting to save energy at home and get immediate results. Some of the recommendations they will provide include installing weather stripping on exterior doors, programmable thermostats, LEDs, high-efficiency showerheads or faucet aerators. The homeowner pays for the $70 trip charge, and the rest - materials, installation and labor which normally costs about $200 - is covered by Xcel Energy. New this year, for only $100 the homeowner can request a Home Energy Audit at the same time as the Home Energy Squad visit and receive a full home analysis in addition to the direct instal- lation of the Squad materials. The combined service is a $600 value. "The goal is to help people achieve energy efficiency one home at a time with easy, tangible im- provements," says Jean Hammer, Xcel Energy program manager. "Customers like getting expert advice specific to their home and making their own decisions about which measures to imple- ment." Since the program started in early 2010, the Squad has visited more than 40,100 homes in the Twin Cities and outlying areas. The program has achieved enough savings to supply more than 9,100 homes with their energy needs for an entire year. "Customers love the ease of having someone in the home who can consult and install, all in less than two hours," says Hammer. To be eligible for the program, the resident must be an Xcel Energy elec- tricity customer and an Xcel Energy , or CenterPoint Energy natural gas customer. The Neighborhood Energy Connection and the Center for Ener- gy and Environment perform the cus- tomer visits, in partnership with Xcel �,S y Energy Check out the Home Energy Squad van and learn more during City's Party In The Park on Thursday, June - - 3 or visit www.homeenergysguad.net or call 651-328-6220. = �p� Tree City USA Page 7 CodeRED Notification System sla � The City of Oak Park Heights has started to use its ability to geographically target telephone, text and email messages to citizens through the use of the CodeRED high-speed notification solution. To ensure your home address, phone number, text and email addresses are in the database, visit www.cityofoakparkheights.com and click on CodeRED. Those without personal Internet access may use the county library system computers or call 651-439-4723 Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm. Required information includes a street address (physical address, no P.O. boxes) for location purposes and a primary phone number. To receive email and text messages, individuals will also need to enter these addresses. By entering a cell phone you will receive the notices even when away from your home so you may know if children or other persons at your residence may need assistance from you. Do NOT use your home phone number for a residence of another per- son such as parent, or a business. This system enables emergency services to notify you if there are activities in your area you need to be aware of or to request your assistance in emergency situations. In an emergency you may be given a description to help locate a missing person, be notified of a potential danger in your ar- ea and what action you should take, along with other police or fire emergency information. You will not be notified just because the police or fire are in your neighborhood, you will only be noti- fied if we need your assistance or to provide you safety information. If you sign up for the General Notifications you may be told of non-emergency public works infor- mation such as water outages, and other city events and notices. MNDOT will be using CodeRED to provide notifications on road closures and other issues related to the St. Croix River Crossing Bridge Project. Remember no system is perfect at all times. Do not rely on this if you feel you are in danger. Take appropriate action on your own, and do not wait for a notification. For more information on how the system works, how the message gets to you, and why you may not be notified in some inci- dents, please visit the City's website, click on CodeRED, and read through the FAQ section. 2017 Party in the Park—Thursday, June 8 at Autumn Hills Park The year 2017 marks the 160th anniversary since the platting of Oak Park. The City of Oak Park heights plans to combine an anniversary celebration with its annual Party in the Park. Party in the Park is usually held on National Night Out, but in 2017, the City will be having this event on Thursday, June 8 at Autumn Hills Park and will be encouraging neighborhoods to organize their own National Night Out events on August 1st in order to get to know their neighbors and pro- mote public safety. If you would like an Oak Park Heights Police Officer to stop by your neigh- borhood event, please contact the Police Department at 651-439-4723 to request that. j For the Party in the Park/160th Anniversary Celebration, we are requesting residents to gather pictures, memories, and stories which depict the history of the City. We hope to display those at the event for others to see. If you have any mementos or memories to share, please contact City Clerk Jennifer Pinski by phone at 651-439-4439 or by e-mail at jpinski@cityofoakparkheights.com. Page 8 Spring 2017 Newslefter City department spotlight—Code Enforcement & Building Department The Planning & Code Enforcement Department enforces 3�1 `' [�� both City and State Building Codes and regulations, includ- t ing local zoning ordinance regulations to ensure safety and ,, compliance within the City of Oak Park Heights. � The Office of the Building Official is responsible for review- ing construction plans, issuing work permits, and inspect- �� y ing work performed to residential and commercial projects. The department strives to engage meaningfully and pro- , .. vide respectful service to our residential and commercial customers. l You can reach Julie at City Hall by calling 651-439-4439 or by emailing her atjhultman@cityofoakparkheights.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parking pads City Ordinance state that cars, trucks, trailers, boats, snowmobiles, water-skis, four-wheelers, mo- tor homes and other similar items shall be parked in your garage or other accessory building, up- on your driveway or an approved parking pad. Parking on grass is prohibited. What is an approved Parking Pad? An approved Parking Pad is a parking pad that is 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. There are Limitations to What You Can Place on a Parking Pad 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 weight of 12,000 pounds, except when loading, unloading or rendering a service. • Construction and landscaping materials currently being used on the premises. • No firewood. Tree City USA Page 9 Spring landscaping workshops The East Metro Water Resource Education Program and Master Gardeners in Washington County invite you to join us for some Spring Dreaming! We are offering fun, informal workshops to help you with ideas and how-tos for your own property in- cluding: • Small landscaping projects: incorporating gardens, natural areas, and spaces for r • Managing drainage and erosion issues us- ing raingardens, swales, dry creeks while � "' I z protecting water resources; � . • Creating habitat for pollinators, birds and f ;= wildlife on your property; r • Managing invasive species such as buck- , thorn. ' Enjoy an evening with your community and get helpful advice from Master Gardeners and Water Re- source Educators. *RSVPs received at least 2 days before the workshop will receive a free aerial print out of their proper- ty to use during the worl<shop*** North Saint Paul - April 6 @ 6:30 p.m. Casey Lake Park Building St. Paul Park — April I I @ 6:30 p.m. City Hall Oakdale — April 18 @ 6:30 p.m. Washington Conservation District Office Hugo — April 27 @ 6:30 p.m. City Hall Forest Lake — May 2 @ 6:30 p.m. City Hall RSVP to the workshops at: tinyurl.com/SpringDream2017 For more information contact Jenn Radtke: jradtl<e@mnwcd.org or 651-330-8220 x44 Oak Park Heights local business and development news Welcome New Businesses: Man Cave Precision Hair - 5948 Osgood Ave. N. Meals From The Heart - 5600 Memorial Ave. N. Pizza Ranch - 5785 Minnesota Ave. N. Coming Soon: Fiesta Cancun Mexican Grill & Bar - 5817 Neal Ave. N. Goodwill (New Location) - 5980 Krueger Ln. N. Simonet's Furniture Warehouse - 5745 Memorial Ave. N. Page 10 Spring 2017 Newsletter Sanitary sewer use The City's Public Works Department provides for the collection, operation and maintenance of a wastewater system that ultimately leads to treatment and the return of water back to the ecological system at an environmentally safe level. Oak Park Heights has approximately 28 miles of sanitary sewer mains, roughly 750 sanitary sewer manholes and four lift stations. Each year about 30,000 linear feet or roughly six miles of the City's sanitary sewer mains are cleaned and inspected. Mains that require a higher level of mainte- nance are cleaned more frequently. This routine maintenance helps to prevent blockages and sew- er backups; however when unauthorized items are flushed into the sanitary sewer, the City's abil- ity to prevent backups is no longer controllable. As a resident, you play a key role in preventing sanitary sewer backups. To help prevent backups, please dispose of the following items properly by NOT dumping in a drain or flushing down the toilet: Diapers "Flushable"wipes (These do not dissolve, therefore they clog sanitary sewer lines and pumps) Cooking grease and oil Sanitary napkins Rags or shop towels Garage waste products such as oil, grease, gasoline, antifreeze Household waste such as ashes, corrosives, glass, metals, paint, poisons, or solvents Yard waste such as sand, soil, or mud. Sanitary sewer problems should be reported to the City of Oak Park Heights Public Works Depart- ment during business hours by calling City Hall (651) 439-4439• The public works department also has a 24 hour emergency only hotline (651) 485-2304. OPH, as in many other Cities across Minnesota, the sewer main is owned by the City of OPH. City staff are responsible to maintain the City main lines. The sewer service or lateral from your home, business or other property to the City sewer main is the property owner's responsibility. That means the property owner is respon- sible for clearing any blockages in the service lateral between the home and the main. Spring Street Sweeping Park shelter restrooms The City contracts with a street sweeping compa- Oak Park Heights Park shelter restrooms typically ny to perform a spring, summer and fall street open at the end of May, but may be sooner if weath- sweeping. Street sweeping begins when tempera- er permits. Public Works will open restrooms when tures allow safe application of water on the street the vulnerability of possible damage due to freezing for dust control. Street sweeping usually begins water pipes has passed. Each park does have port- in late March or April for the spring sweep, as able restrooms available for use when shelter re- needed in the summer months and after signifi- cant leaf accumulation in the fall. strooms are not available. The City of Oak Park Heights is on Facebook! Find and "Like" the City of Oak Park Heights on Facebook to receive up-to-date information on events, meetings, programs, and city news. Tree City USA Page 11 i--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CLIP AND SAVE! 2017 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; ? +► ,k ;�`p" .xay� ; 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 gzeuli@q.com with number of children attending u and their ages. ; June 6 - Craft in the Park - Sand Art: Oak Park Crossing Park from 10 am to noon. June 8 - Party in the Park - Autumn Hills Park from 4:30 - 6:30 pm. June 13 - Craft in the Park - Mandalas: Oak Park Crossing Park from 10 am to noon. June 20 - Craft in the Park - Beading: Brekke Park from 10 am to noon. June 22 - Family Fun Night - Kids Bingo: Autumn Hills Park from 6:30 to 8pm. June 27 - Craft in the Park - Fabric Art: Brekke Park from 10 am to noon. ;July 6 - Family Fun Night - WaCo Conservation explore the ponds! Autumn Hills Park at 6:30; pm. July 11 - Minnesota Zoomobile - Autumn Hills Park at 10:30 am. July 18 - Craft in the Park - Wood Crafts: Autumn Hills Park from 10 am to noon. July 20 - Craft-a-palooza - make lots of crafts at the park: Autumn Hills Park from 6:30 to 8 pm. July 25 - Emily Roberts' snake presentation - Autumn Hills Park at 10:30 am. ; August 1 - Craft in the park - Weather: Autumn Hills Park from 10 am to noon. ;August 3 - Totally Turtles Presentation - Autumn Hills Park at 6:30 pm. August 8 - Magician Brian Richards - Autumn Hills Park at 10:30 am. ; August 15 - Rockin Woody Concert - Autumn Hills Park at 10:30 am. August 17 - The Bugman Presentation - Autumn Hills Park at 6:30 pm. August 22 - Craft in the Park - Halloween in August: Autumn Hills Park 10 am to noon. City of Oak Park Heights Presorted Standard 14168 Oak Park Blvd N, Box 2007 U.S.Postage Oak Park Heights, MN 55082-2007 PAID Twin Cities,MN Permit No. 90100 City of Oak Park Heights 14168 Oak Park Blvd. N. Box Oak ParkOH ights,O07 MN 55082Cable Commission Citizen Rep Vacancy Phone:651-439-4439 Fax:65 1-439-0574 1 7Thentral St. Croix Valley Joint Cable Communica- Police non-emergency:651-439-4723 tions Commission is a joint powers entity represent- Police Emergency:911 ing the cities of Oak Park Heights, Bayport, and Office Hours: Stillwater, and the townships of Baytown and Monday through Friday Stillwater. The cities each have one elected and one 8:00 a.m.to 4:30 p.m. excluding legal holidays citizen representative that attend regular meetings. The commission meets every other month on the MAYOR Mary McComber:351-7879 third Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. The commission is COUNCILMEMBERS the franchising authority for cable television in our Chuck Dougherty:491-0419 area. They are in charge of making sure that the Mike ike R gren:3-54582 franchise with the cable company is being followed Mike Runk:439-5458 Mark Swenson:270-5385 and negotiating a new franchise, when appropriate. CITY ADMINISTRATOR At meetings, the commission takes action on several Eric Johnson issues such as approving budget expenditures, join- ing telecommunications organizations, keeping in- formed on legislative cable franchise issues, and 61 handling complaints regarding cable services. There will be an upcoming opening for a citizen rep- The Oak Park Heights resentative from the City of Oak Park Heights. If newsletter is published by the City you are interested in this exciting opportunity, of Oak Park Heights. please contact City Hall at 651-439-4439. Comments are welcome. 651-439-4439