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HomeMy WebLinkAboutweekly Notes- february 5th 2021 CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS—WEEKLY NOTES for: February 5th,2021 TO: City Council Members& Staff FROM: Eric Johnson,City Administrator srr ' Zoninq &Development Items: 1. No new applications have been received. 2. The Building Official has provided letters to commercial properties advising them to remove their holiday lighting.These tend to remain installed and violate the City lighting ordinance. 3. As requested by the Council at its January goals workshop,a communication has been sent to the property owner on Neal Ave.where the STARBUCKS is request that they provide a site plan amendment by Mid-March for City review. Please see the enclosed communication. COVID-19 Matters: • This is the Governor's-PORTAL https://mn.gov/covidl9—Many documents/Exec.Orders can be found. Washington County has initiated a County Dashboard containing more localized COVID-19 Impacts and rates LINK->>HERE. • There are opportunities for housing assistance for those impacted by COVID—see link United Way 211 —211 Site(21 lunitedway.or Other Items: • City Ice Rinks are open and so are the WARMING HOUSES—COVID-19 Precautions and requirements shall be posted and strictly followed by rink attendants—limiting number of people in shelter and the wearing of masks. • Chief Hansen did provide the January-Police Activity Report • Washington County continues to work on its Transit Feasibility Study for the STH 36 corridor—enclosed are the draft reports on anticipated ridership and options. As it relates to OPH, one concern to note is that—for just general service—NOT a commuter line having a bus stop just out in a random location along STH 36 is not viable as would leave bus riders stranded without an ability to get to or from such stop—a local commuter or a robust"dial-a -ride" program would be needed—neither of which is planned nor funded. I would expect the County to make offer a Council presentation of this data in the coming months. The City is not being asked to provide any funding or commitments—except perhaps to appoint someone to serve on a future"corridor commission"which would further study this issue. • Baytown has been billed for their portion of costs associated with the Oakgreen Ave. Project - $60,566. Recall the early estimates were at $75,000.00 so it is good it came in below this figure.See enclosed. • THE JAZB is getting close to a final adoption of the AIRPORT ZONING ORDINANCE OVERLAY. It can be found at: https://metroairports.ora/sites/default/files/files/Draft%20Lake%20Elmo%2OAirport%2OZonina%200rdinance 1.pdf if this above link is broken—try: https://metroai rports.org/general-aviation/airports/lake-el mo/ioi nt-ai rport-zoni na-board-lake-el mo • The City's fiscal situation is rated annually by MOODY'S INVESTOR SERVICES—"bond ratings";Aa2-please see the 2021 report—ENCLOSED. Certainly,the King Plant is an ongoing concern but that said,the City's financial and fiscal health is certainly above average. • The City must pay the County an annual fee for its Hazardous Waster Generator's License-$156.70 was paid.The City must comply with all State hazardous waste criteria and its disposal—yet the City must report such elements and fees to the County. I haven't figured this paperwork-shuffle out yet to avoid this fee and requirement—maybe later in 2021.... • EMWREP-Annual Report(this is member organization the City funds annually to meet Stormwater MS4 Requirements) • Some information from Xcel Energy—Energy Savings and Press Release Mayor McComber provided: 1. N LC Updates 2. Youth Service Bureau—Feb 2021 Newsletter 3. Other EMWREP updates Please let me know if you have any questions-651-253-7837 Call Anytime. 1 of 162 CITE' OF M OAK PAM{ HEIGHTS 14168 flak Park 1011levard Nlnrrh • oak Park Heights. MN 55082 • Phone:6511439-4439 Fax:651!439.0574 February 1, 2021 Facilities Management Kowalski's Market 5801 Neal Ave. N. Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 Re: Removal, of Holiday Lights C 5801 Neal Ave.,N., Oak Dark Heights, MN 55082 Dear Facilities Management: This letter is being sent with regard to the holiday lights you have strung at the roof line of Kowalski's Market. The City's Outside Lighting ordinance does exempt holiday lighting from its provisions and does not prohibit their temporary outdoor use during the holiday season. That being said, please be advised that the temporary holiday lighting is to be removed after the holiday and no later than January 31 st. Kindly have the holiday lighting placed to your business is removed prior to February 15, 2021, after which a compliance check shall be made to verit- site compliance. Kindly contact me if you have any questions. Your prompt attention is appreciated. Sincerely, PLANNING & CODE ENFORCEMENT Juli unman Buil ing Official c: Eric Johnson, City Administrator 2of162 Tree City U.S.A. = CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS 141 hA Oak Park BOUdevard North • 0,il, nark Heights, MN 55082 Phone:651/439-4439 Fax;651/439-0574 February 1, 2021 \my Haugen and/or Mary Toberman `-itiIIN\ater Skin h38'I Os,Lood :eve. N., Ste. A O,,tk I'�1rk I ]eights, MN 55082 1Zc: Removal of Holiday Lights �L . 6381 Osgood Ave., N., Ste. A., Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 Dear Amy and Marv: This letter is being sent with regard to the holiday lights you have strung at the roof line of tills,ater Skin. The City's Outside Lighting ordinance does exempt Holiday lighting from its provisions and does not prohibit their temporary outdoor use dii1-int: the holiday season. That being said, please be advised that the temporary holiday lighting is to be removed after the holiday and no later-than .January 31 st. Kindly have the holiday lighting placed to your business is removed prior to February 15 2021 after which a compliance check shall be made to verify site compliance. Kindly contact me if you have any questions. Your prompt attention is appreciated. Sincerely, PLANNING & CODE ENFORCEMENT Ju is Hultman Bui dint; Off cial c: Eric Johnson, City Administrator 3 of 162 Tree City U.S.A. rt CITY OF s - � OAK PARK HEIGHTS NMI W_ ­` ;_'� 14168 Oak Park Qorclevard North • Oak Park Heights. MN 55082 Phone:651/439-4439 Fax:651/439-0574 February 1. 2021 Mr. Mike O'Brien Simonet's Furniture 5745 Memorial Ave. N. Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 Re: Removal of Holiday Lights �. 5745 Memorial Ave..N., Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 Dear Mr. Simonet: The City's Outside Lighting ordinance does exempt holiday lighting from its provisions and does not prohibit their temporary outdoor use during the holiday season. However, as you have been reminded in previous years, temporary holiday lighting is to be removed after the holiday. Kindly have the holiday lighting placed to your business is removed prior to February 15 2021 after which a compliance check shall be made to verify site compliance. Blease cont 1ct nae if you have any question. Your prompt attention is appreciated. Sincerely. PI..-' N,y,'I & CODE ENFORCEMENT Ju 1 Hultman Bu ing Official c: Eric Johnson, City Administrator 4of162 Tree City U.S.A. CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS '41 14168 Oak Palk I3oulevdId North Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 • Phone:65 i/439-4439 - l=ax:651/439-0574 February 1, 2021. Attn: Property Management Services Oak Park Heights Retail Center 50 6"' St- S. #1418 Minneapolis, MN 55402 Re: Removal of holiday Lights to 5980 Neal Ave. N., Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 Dear Property Management Services: The City's Outside Lighting ordinance does exempt holiday lighting from its provisions and does not prohibit their temporary outdoor use during the holiday season. However, as you have been reminded in previous years, temporary holiday lighting is to be removed after the holiday. Kindly have the holiday lighting placed to your business is removed prior to February 15 2021 after which a compliance check shall be made to verify site compliance. Please contact me if you have any question. Your prompt attention is appreciated. Sincerely, PLANNING & CODE ENFORCEMENT G�L iuHultman l ding Official c: Eric Johnson, City Administrator 5 of 162 Tree City U.S.A. CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS ➢4168 Oak Park Boulevard North • Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 Phone:651/439-4439 • Fax:65)/439-0574 February 1, 2021 Mr. Jim Leonard &ior Facilit\ Management Fury Automotive 12969 60th St. N. Oak Park Heights, MN 550$2 Re: Removal of Holiday Lights (� 12969 60`I' St., N., Oak Park Heights, MN 550$2 Dear Mr. Leonard: The City's Outside Lighting ordinance does exempt holiday lighting from its provisions and does not prohibit their temporary outdoor use during the holiday season. However, as you have been reminded in previous years, temporary holiday lighting is to be removed after the holiday. Kindly have the holiday lighting placed to your business is removed prior to February 15, 2021, after which a compliance check shall be made to verify site compliance. Please contact me if you have any question. Your prompt attention is appreciated. Sincerely, PLANNING& CODE ENFORCEMENT Jul e, Hultman B >ng Official C.- Eric Johnson. City Administrator 6 of 162 Tree City U.S.A. City of Oak Park Heights 14168 Oak Park Blvd. N•Oak Park Heights,NEN 55082•Phone(651)439-4439•Fax(651)439-0574 2/2/21 Mr. Keith Sturm ***also via email keith()upland.com*** Upland Real Estate Group, Inc. 50 South 6th Street, Suite 1418 Minneapolis, MN 55402 RE: Conditional Use Permit-Stacking of Vehicles. Dear Mr. Sturm: It has come to the City's attention that the Starbucks drive thru queue has started to regularly exceed the drive thru lane capacity and overflows out into the public street—Neal Ave. See enclosed images. Specifically,the stacking of cars to the Starbucks is starting to block the center lane, block the parking lot entrance, and regularly the southbound lane of traffic with those trying to take a right-hand turn into the site.This is a significant traffic concern and public safety problem as, for example: individuals try to bypass the blocked lane by driving on the wrong side of the road, individuals use the exit side of the parking lot entrance, and when individuals bypass the blocked lane by using the center lane to pass. We would like to work with you to ensure the safety of all drivers and Starbucks patrons to prevent this back-up and the issues it causes into the public road. However, the current Conditional Use Permit (full copy attached & see item #6— excerpt below) requires action on your part to address this situation we ask that you promptly prepare a new traffic management plan for City review not later than March 19th that eliminates these stacking issues and provides a detailed timeline for implementation once reviewed and approved. h. 1s access to the sitc.trail clrie•e-t.hrou�;h arta may1}ecnme prahlcrrtaiic,l.he{',ify^ rtl shall Aitltain a rif�.lzt lit review[he conditional use Permit and shall have the rigltt to require the devcloper to tttake modilicatiom; Please let me know if you have any to(lie sitz access and traffic.CiKUlatio[t Patterns should tragic use of,or to(lie site,create a public safety' questions,we are happy to review tkrc7hlen. and discuss ideas and options. Sincerely, e4l_ Eric Johnson City Administrator CC: Brier Swing—Via email only*** Brier(a)upland.com*** Chief of Police, S. Hansen 7 of 162 '74• e m n Y 1 � �Uu i Ilii fir FOR low 8 of 162 4 �N A Dnve thru line NealAve..N Drive-thru line cont. _.. � Ave N WW I La, Ik l "P' ky� � c , ,. 27, 4ya .G p CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGH'T'S CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT For POSITIVE COMPANIES INC. TO ALLOW FOR A DRIVE-IN AND CONVENIENCE FOOD ESTABLISHMENT IN A RETAIL/OFFICE BUILDING REFERRED TO AS OAK PARK HEIGHTS MARKETPLACE, LOCATED OFF OF NEAL AVENUE NORTH, EAST OF STATE HIGHWAY 5 File No.: 798.02-06.05 Date Issued: May 23,2006 Legal Description: (Washington County Geo. Code 06.029.20.11.0019) LOT 1, BLOCK 1, JACOB 2ND ADDITION Owner: Oak Park Heights Retail Center,LLC Address: 3800 Wells Fargo Center 90 South 7t" Street Minneapolis,MN 55402 Applicant: Positive Companies. Inc 668 Jenks Ave Suite 200 St. Paul,MN 55106 Site Address: Washington County Geo. Code 06.029.20.11.0019—Postal Address not yet assigned Present Zoning District: B-2 General Business District Permitted uses set forth in Ordinance 401 Section 401.30 E 1. CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT: to allow for a drive-in and convenience food establishment in a retail/office building. 10 of 162 All uses shall be subject to the following conditions and/or restrictions imposed by the City Council Resolution of the City Council of the City of Oak Park Heights as follows: 1. The grading, drainage and utility plans are subject to the review and approval of the City Engineer. 2. The proposed signage for the site shall be consistent with Section 401.15.G of the Zoning Ordinance and the sign design guidelines submitted by the applicant. A sign permit shall be obtained prior to the erection of any signs on the subject site. 3. Landscaping plans shall be subject to the review and approval of the City Arborist. 4. The applicant shall obtain a driveway access permit from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) for the additional access to accommodate the drive-through. 5. The applicant must submit additional lighting plans detailing the proposed exterior building lighting, subject to City staff's review and approval. Mounted pole height for the proposed parking area lights shall not exceed 25 feet. 6. As access to the site and drive-through area may become problematic, the City shall maintain a right to review the conditional use permit and shall have the right to require the developer to make modifications to the site access and traffic circulation patterns should traffic use of, or to the site, create a public safety problem. 7. Sound levels from ordering and announcement equipment shall be in compliance with Section 401.15:B.I I of the Zoning Ordinance. And the following have been imposed by recommendation of the City Engineer: 1. The drive-thru lane width appears to be only 13' curb to curb (10 feet of pavement), and the centerline radius of the exit curve appears to be only approximately 15'. These geometries need to be analyzed to ensure adequate turning movements. 2. The drive-thru exit shall allow for right turn only movements, due to the proximity to the Arby's and Stillwater Ford driveways, as well as due to the curve on Neal Avenue and site distance. This should be signed as such, but also the driveway exit should be physically configured accordingly (reverse the northerly curb return to direct traffic to the south). 3. The original plans for this parcel were for the Stillwater Ford Conversion Van Center. The building was never constructed, but sewer and water services under the parking lot to serve the building were part of the plans. Former sewer and water services as constructed need to be removed and/or properly abandoned. 4. The proposed plans minimally increase the amount of impervious surface on the site. The applicant shall submit plans to the Valley Branch Watershed District for their review/permitting process. III. Reference Attachment: 11 of 162 The reports of the City Planner dated May 4, 2006 and site plan approved by the City Council are annexed hereto by reference. IV. Abandonment: This permit requires continuous use in order to preserve the Conditional Use granted by the City under the terms hereof. Any discontinuation or abandonment of the uses permitted hereunder upon the site for a period of 12 continuous months shall constitute abandonment and void the permit. V. Annual review: Annual review by the City is not imposed as a condition of this permit IN WITNESS WHEREOF,the parties have set forth their hands and seals. CITY QF OAK P IGHTS Date: By avid udet Ma r Date: r� By c Johnson ity Administrator Oak Park e'Shts Retail, LLC A c E-4-1'�r­ Bate: B y r-- UP Permit Holder Print Name: /4,6 12 of 162 CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS POLICE DEPARTMENT 14168 Oak Park Blvd. N., Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 February 4, 2021 To: Mayor and Council From: Chief of Police Steve Hansen Subject: Police Activity Report- January 2021 This overview report is the activity of the Oak Park Heights Police Department during the month of January 2021. Officers responded to and generated 382 calls for service in the city of Oak Park Heights during this month. Quick breakdown for some of those calls for service include the following: 79 medical, 3 fire related, 16 thefts, 17 vehicle accidents, 26 alarms, 6 disturbances, 22 traffic offenses, 18 suspicious persons/vehicles. The Police Department's command staff has met several times throughout the past month discussing organizational items and tasks moving forward this year. Also, I have attended several police leadership meetings at the State and County level which focus on preparedness planning for possible civil unrest activities concerning the upcoming MPLS trials in March and August. Recently we assisted the Washington County Multi-agency SWAT team by deploying one of our officers to be on standby for four days during the Presidential Inauguration week. Additionally, we have filled the vacant position of MFF (mobile field force)with Officer Schroeder. He will start his training in February with the multi-agency MFF team. Community Outreach: The police department applied for a grant to the Ford Motor Company and received 2,600 face masks that were distributed to all three of our senior living complexes on January 26t'by officer Zwach and Sgt. Givand. We also moved forward with starting a new Facebook page for the Police Department. The old Facebook page had restricted access only to the retired Chief, we were unable to switch over access successfully. Now we have a team of officers that will have access with supervision oversight. COVID-19 update: Officers have started to receive their first round of vaccinations at the Washington County Government Center. We have also received an additional 2,000 KN95 masks from Washington County Emergency Management. Eyewear protection that has side walls to better protect around the eyes/face area has been ordered for patrol officers too. New Hire Update: Unfortunately, the candidate for full-time police officer did not work out and thus we have started a new process for hire. Application deadline for the new hire process is February 15tH The job posting is listed at several law enforcement colleges, League of MN Cities, and POST board. So, hopefully we can get a bigger pool of applicants. Currently there are 42 agencies 27 of 1 hiring. gh.... Narcan: All officers have completed Narcan training and there is a new updated policy for responding to medical emergencies in place. Narcan units are now fully deployed with each officer and we have received over $1,500.00 worth of Narcan units which is all grant funded at this time. Officers attended training courses during this month: Officers continue to mainly conduct training through Online modules but some training courses have now figured out how to do in person training with smaller groups. 1. Jenna Hicks completed Taser training to become the dept new Taser Instructor 2. Steve Hansen and Sandy Kruse completed updated training for Data Practice Laws and regulations 3. Chris Vierling attended training for laws and regulations for issuing gun permits. 4. All Officers completed their NARCAN training provided by Lakeview EMS Calls for Service Highlights: This is a sampling of some of the cases we responded to and investigated: 1. Report of an altercation that occurred at Holiday gas involving a parking situation of a vehicle that was taking up two spots including the handicap slot. 2. Traffic stop on a vehicle for careless driving, male driver was carrying a pistol without a permit too 3. Traffic stop involving DWI 2nd degree with veh forfeiture 4. Felony domestic assault 5. Investigations also executed 3 administrative search warrants on accounts and property 6. Sexual assault case reported to police that the investigation unit is handling now 7. Officers responded to a neighbor dispute with parties arguing about snow blowing into each other's driveway 8. Theft from trailers out in the business district of Memorial av location 9. Officers took a report of counterfeit money being passed at Wal-Mart $800. Chief Hansen 28 of 162 r ww �r Alp- woo Ridership Memorandum — Draft i o � . , t rf � � �� •moi'' t{< , t w' HIGHWAY 36 ..... . .. .... " TRANSIT FEASIBILITYJ Poe*•••••••040*••*09**w*s*•**•*•**e**go 906494**goof*■*r**•*w•***goof e s*******s r••*••o**o**••***ego*••* January 2021 e a r a e r r a r r r r r a a a r r r a a r a a r a r r a a r a r r r r a r r a r a r a r a a a r a a r a a s a r a a r r r r r a r a a r a r r a a r a r r a e r r r r r r r r r a r a a r a a e HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County Table of Contents Contents Tableof Contents..........................................................................................................................................................................................1 Introd uction...................................................................................................................................................................................................2 ProjectDescription...................................................................................................................................................................................2 TechnicalMemo Purpose........................................................................................................................................................................2 ExistingCorridor Travel Patterns.................................................................................................................................................................3 Existing Service and Ridership Levels......................................................................................................................................................4 Modeled Scenarios and Modeling Assumptions........................................................................................................................................6 FixedGuideway Settings..........................................................................................................................................................................7 Summary...................................................................................................................................................................................................7 RidershipForecast Methodology.................................................................................................................................................................8 RidershipResults...........................................................................................................................................................................................8 ExistingYear Forecasts.............................................................................................................................................................................8 HorizonYear Forecasts.............................................................................................................................................................................9 Analysis of the Markets Served by the Project....................................................................................................................................10 Summary......................................................................................................................................................................................................11 Appendix......................................................................................................................................................................................................12 January 20,2021 1 30 of 162 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a 1 a a a 1 a a a a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a 1 a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a libmild HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County Introduction Project Description The Highway 36 Transit Feasibility Study began in 2020 in order to define the long-term transit vision of Highway 36 through analysis of existing and emerging mob iIity needs.The study examines the feasibility of east-west oriented transit service along the Highway 36 corridor in and between the termini of the city of Minneapolis and the cities of Oak Park Heights,Bayport,and Stillwater.It identifies opportunities to further studyor develop enhanced transit service operating along the Highway36 corridor,as well as improve connections to the regional transit system. Previous transit and highway studies have consistently shown that Highway 36 is a critical multimodal corridor,which serves three counties and 12 cities,as shown in Figure 1.Due to the corridor's importance for the Twin Cities Metro area,connection to Interstates 694,35E and 35W,and direct links to downtown Minneapolis and Wisconsin,the roadwayhas a significant impact on the region's connectivity,accessibility,and long-term transportation success. This study identifies interim stepsthat can be taken to improve transit mobility in the corridor and supportthe long-term vision. Recommendations stemming from this study will improve mobilityto and from population centers in the Highway 36 corridor, expand the range of travel options in the region,and improve connections for workers to employment.The outcomes and recommendations produced by this study will serve primarilyas guidance forthe counties,corridor partners, Metro Transit and MnDOT. ® st Gram Stillwater n Saint Pine Springs as Oak L Park Heights Anthony ® 5 Village Little Canada c North Bayport Roseville 38. Maplewood St.Paul R UMinneapolis Falcon ® Lake Elmo Heights Oakdale i 51 St.Paul Highway 36 Study Area Figure 1:Study Area Technical Memo Purpose The purposeofthistechnical memoisto summarize the assessmentof the ridership potentialfor the Highway36 corridor between Stillwater/Oak Park Heights/Bayport and downtown Minneapolis.This ridership assessment includes development of order-of-magnitude ridership estimates for the four Highway36 transit scenarios.Federal Transit Administration's Simplified Trips on Project Software(STOPS)was used to generate ridership forecasts that can be compared across scenarios and January 20,2021 2 31 of 162 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a 0 a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a 4 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a IlIbmild HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County incorporate the impacts of both existing and planned transit routes.This technical memorandum summarizes the existingtravel conditions of the Highway 36 corridor,followed by an overview of the modeled scenarios,ridership results,and the key findings. Existing Corridor Travel Patterns This section provides a summary of the existing study area travel patterns.The datasets used in this analysis are available at different geographylevels.To quantify and understand the overall travel movements,the transportation analysis zones(TAZs) were grouped into seven districts within the corridor(1-Minn eapolis CBD,2-University of Minnesota,3-Rosed ale,4-West of I- 35E,5-Maplewood,6-North St.Paul,and 7-Washington)and 25 districts across the metro region.These districts represent smaller geographic subareas within the corridor that allow for analysis of travel patterns and do not represent any municipal or political boundary.Figure 1 shows the districts used in the travel patterns analysis and the STOPS mode I. Travel patterns in the corridor fall into three distinct segments: Segment 1: Downtown Minn eapolistoHighway 36&SneIli ngAvenue Segment 2: Highway 36&Snelling to Highway 36&Interstate 694 Segment 3: Highway 36&Interstate 694 to the St.Croix River Crossing Analysis of the travel data revealsthe following: Work travel trips in Segment 1 are approximately three times those of Segment 3,and work travel trips in Segment 2 are twice those of Segment 3 a 80 percent of the employment in the corridor is west of Highway 36&Snelling(within Segment 1) a The population is generally spread evenly throughoutthe study area,exceptfor the ruralsegmentin Washington County January 20,2021 3 32 of 162 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a 0 a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a 4 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a libmild HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County MAnok CA—k NWasH SAnoR NWMnp _ Nwi5c Wa113 ReSBd htd ple NstPa Washi t1olm MnG®❑ NWStP NEStP PC SWStP SEW . Swlklnp L swam swin SC" E TH 36 BRT-Districs Definition for Travel Demand Modeling Figure 2:High way 36 District Boundaries Existing Service and Ridership Levels Table 1 shows nine transit routes that are relevanttothe Highway36 corridor,along with the route's average weekday ridership in 2016.None ofthese routes serve the entire stretch ofthe corridor.The express buses that run on Highway36 operate only duringthe peak periods.The Highway36 corridortransittraveI is currently mostly oriented towards downtown Minneapolis, since much of the existing transit service in this corridor is express bus service for downtown oriented commuters. Route 288,which connects Forest Lake to downtown Minneapolis had nearly 600 boardings a day in 2016.Since Forest Lake and Stillwater have similarly sized populations,are both approximately 25 miles from downtown Minneapolis,and have similar land uses,the performance of Route 288 suggests that a similar express service out of Stillwater may also be successful.Routes 263 and 264 gene rallyfollowthe Highway36 corridor's alignment and would likelyserve some of the same markets served by any proposed transit improvements on Highway36. January 20,2021 4 33 of 162 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a 0 a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a 4 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a libmild HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County Table 1:2016Average Weekday Route Level Ridership of Relevant Routes in Study Area All-day local bus Hennepin Avenue- service; Forthe most Local LarpenteurAvenue- 3,138 part,runs parallel to Arcade Street Highway 36(1-1.5 miles south) Rosedale-Little All-day local bus Local Canada-Maplewood 111 service; Runs north of Highway 36 Peakperiodonly Rice Street Parkand express busservice; Express 352 0perate son Highway Ride-Roseville 36;follows Highway 36 corridor alignment Peakperiodonly County Road C Park express busservice; Express 647 0perate son Highway and Ride-Roseville 36;follows Highway 36 corridor alignment Peakperiodonly Express White Bear Lake- 259 expressbusservice; p Maplewood—St.Pau 1 0 pe rate s on H ighway 36 Mahtomedi- Peakperiodonly Express Maplewood- 1,537 express busservice; Minneapolis 0perate son Highway 36 Peakperiodonly Maplewood-Roseville express busservice; mom Express - University of 59 Operates on Highway Minnesota 36 Forest Lake- Peakperiodonly Express Minneapolis 596 express busservice; Providedfor reference ................................. Peakperiodonly express busservice; n Express Oakdale—Stillwater— 312 Only Metro Transit St. Paul route that operates in Stillwater The 2016 systemwide on-board transit surveyand Metro Transit's Automated Passenger Counter(APC)datawereusedto understandthe existing transit travel in the corridor.There are approximately 23,000 transit trips within the corridor districts.Of these trips,more than 20,000 are within the first three districts(i.e.,Highway 36&Snelling Avenue and west),and almost half of them are intra-district trips.Limited transit travel east of Highway 36&Snelling Avenue is a function of the limited existing transit service. January 20,2021 5 34 of 162 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 0 a a a a a a a 1 a a 0 a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 0 a a 4 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a IlIbmild HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County Figure 2 shows 2016 stop level rid ershipforal l stops in the corridor districts(with the exception of shuttles operated by the University of Minnesota).Most of the activity occurs in downtown Minneapolis and near the University of Minnesota.Rosedale Transit Center and the Maplewood Mall Transit Center also show relatively moderate amounts of activity. 20 19 t 8 _YIP F A p;I 15 .8 �g,. Q m lb y �} ib 000 P 0 d .ar.. ow q P 0 0 25 """113 P yilo &Y ® O O o Q 6 hl O 8 B P pI I1 y4-P aO POP W�IXYJ(3:?— 0 oo—O M GPpP Ppp 11 i r I O PP P I Vii I 0 9 11 P &D POQ O L. 13 L. P.PP ,. 10 12 16 - 14 2016 Ridership c 0 1 -25 F�. 23 0 26-100 r.y w O 101 -250 -- ® 251 -1,000 r 1,001 -5,@18 Figure 3:Stop Level Ridership(2016) Modeled Scenarios and Modeling Assumptions The project study team developed four scenarios for ridershipevaluation based on demographics and socioeconomic characteristics those living in study area,travel patterns within the study area,the feedback the public and stakeholders.The proposed scenarios include various combinations of bus rapid transit(BRT)service;peak-period,peak-direction expressservice, suburban expressservice,and on-demand publictransit.More information on the proposed transit scenarios can be found in the Highway 36 Transit Improvement Options Memo,and maps of each of the scenarios can be found in the appendix.All stations are assumed to be offline(located off of Highway36),except for Stinson Boulevard,which is an inline station (on the entrance/exit ramp of Highway36).Land use changes were not assumed in the model beyond what is included in 2040 compre hensive plans.Bus-on-shoulder operations are assumedwhencongestion occurs and travel speeds fall be low 35 miles January 20,2021 6 35 of 162 .a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a 0 a 1 a •a a a a a 1 a a a a a a •a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 4 a r a a a a a a a s a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a r a a i libmild HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County per hour.No ch ange to the existing bus routes were assumed in any scenario.Table 2 presents a summary of the potential transit services in each scenario. Table 2:Transit Service Overview for Modeled Scenarios Transit Service Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3 Scenario4 • Downtown Downtown Downtown Downtown Service Minneapolis Minneapolis Minneapolis Minneapolis Eastern Terminus of Rice Street Park& Maplewood Mall Highway 95&6t" Service Ride Transit Center Hadley Ave nue Avenue Does BIRT serve U of M? Yes Yes No No PeriodPeak Express Bus Service(Stillwater to Yes Yes Yes No Minneapolis) .. Service(Stillwater to Yes Yes Yes No On-DemandEastern BIRTTerminus) Transit Service Yes Yes Yes Yes Since this is a feasibility study,a range of ridership estimates was forecastto represent varying BRToperating characteristics.The forecast range is based on varying transit access area locations,routing,travel speeds,and otherservice characteristics. Fixed Guideway Settings STOPS v2.50 uses two Fixed GuidewaySettings(FGS),denoted as"Partial FGS"and"Full FGS,"that approximate the perceived differentiation between fixed-guideway alte rnativesand regular bus services.Both FGS settings can vary between 0.0 and 1.0. FGS values near zeroimply thatthe fixed-guideway mode is not perceived by riders to be meaningfully differentfrom traditional bus services beyond frequencyand travel time characteristics.Larger FGS values imply that riders perceive benefits of fixed- guideway systems beyond headway and travel time. The Full FGS is generally applied to rail services and is setto 1.0 in the model.The Partial FGS is generally appliedto streetcars and BRTsystems.In this model,the Full FGS gets applied to the existing light rail(Green and Blue Lines)and commuter rail (North Star)line.The Partial FGS applies to the Highway 36 BRT service. Summary The modeling assumptions are summarized as follows: Lower range ridershipestimate assumed a slowerspeed BRT(i.e.,20-25 mph),with BRToperationsassumedto be impacted by traffic.The STOPS Partial FGS is 0.1.These assumptions mean the proposed BRT is anticipated to include more robust infrastructu re and transit advantages than the rapid bus corridorssuch as A&C Lines and lessthan what is being designed forthe METRO Gold Line BRT Project and the Rush Line BRT Project Higher range ridership estimate assumed higherspeed BRTtravelingcloseto the auto speeds(i.e.,30-40 mph).It assumes minimal traffic impacts on the BRToperations.The STOPS Partial FGS is 0.3.These assumptions mean the proposed BRTservice is like the service planned for the METRO Gold Line BRT Project and the Rush Line BRT Project January 20,2021 7 36 of 162 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a 0 a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a 4 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a IlIbmild HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County Ridership Forecast Methodology The study team used STOPS model for ridership forecasting,which has been successfully used for similar studies across the country.It provides detailed evaluation measures that help select or refine transit improvements.Some of the ridership related measures that STOPS provides are stop/segment-level activities,route-level impacts on competing/connecting routes,overall transfer activities,new transit trips,and vehicle miles traveled impacts. The project team utilized the calibrated STOPS model from the METRO Gold Line BRT Project forevaluatingthe Highway 36 corridor scenarioswith minor adjustments.The model utiIizesversion v2.50 of STOPS(released ate: 10/15/2019)and is based on the 2016 systemwide on-board survey.The modeling years are 2016(Existing Year)and 2040(Horizon Year).It represents an average wee kdaytraveIduring the months of September and October. The initial ridership resuItsfrom STOPS application showed unreasonably low rid ershipfor stops in Washington County due to the lack of existing transit service and survey data.Asa result,the project team utilized a hybrid methodology developed by combining the individual strengths of Incremental and Synthetic STOPS approachesfore stimatingth e BRTridership: Incremental STOPS,which utilized the METRO Gold Line BRT Project model as a starting point,was used for stops west of Hadley Avenue(not including Had ley Avenue) a Synthetic STOPS,which performed high-level calibration,was used for HadleyAvenueand stopstothe east The hybrid methodology merged the ridership estimates from the Incremental and Synthetic approaches atthe station-to- station flowlevel.The ridership on the proposed express serviceswas taken directlyfromthe Synthetic STOPS run.This is because the key market on the express services is the trips originating in Washington County,which the Incremental approach is not well-suited to forecast. The existing year forecasts in STOPS assumed the 2016transit service levels in the no build and build scenarios—representing model's calibration year scenario.The 2040 forecasts assumed the METRO Gold Line BRT Project and the Rush Line BRT Project in the no build and build scenarios. Since the STOPS model does not have a means to forecast on-demand public transit ridership,an alternative method was used for forecasting ridershipfor this service.Ridership data was gathered from existing on-demand public transit providers in the region,includingSouthWest Transit(SW Prime)and Minnesota Valley Transit Authority(MVTA Connect),and a ratio of rides per square mile of service area was calculated.This ratio was then applied to the service area of the proposed on demand public transit in Stillwater/Oak Park Heights/Bayport to forecast ridership in this area. Ridership Results The STOPS model provides both existing year(2016)and horizon year(2040)estimates.A range of ridership estimates is presented in this section based on the various assumptions discussed previously. Existing Year Forecasts The STOPS model results suggest that the four scenarios are mostly similar to each other in termsof ridership,which ranges from 2,400 to 4,400 on the BRTservice,from 600to 850 for the suburban express service,and 90on peak-period,peak-direction express service in the existingyear(2016).Even with shorter BRTservice,Scenario 1 performs similarly to the other scenarios in terms of ridership.On-demand public transit services are forecasted to generate 25-70 trips per day.These estimates are likely conservative,given parkingand land use differences between thisservice area and thosetowhich itwascompared.Tables5 and January 20,2021 8 37 of 162 .a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a 0 a 1 a •a a a a a 1 a a a a a a •a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 4 a r a a a a a a a s a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a r a a i libmild HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County 6 summarize the existingyear ridership estimates at the route level and station level.The station-leve Ifo recasts includethe Highway 36 BRT and express services. Table 3:Existing Year(2016)Ridership Forecast Ranges Route Maplewood(Connection at Rice (Connection at (Connection at Mail HadleyAvenue) Transit Cente,11 2,620-3,580 2,940-4,400 2,400-3,420 2,580-3,700 750-870 630-700 580-720 Peak-Period, 90 90 90 - Service On-Demand Public 25-70 25-70 25-70 25-70 Transit Service • 3,485-4,610 3,685-5,260 3,095-4,300 2,605-3,770 Table 4:Existing Year(2016)Station Level Ridership Forecast Ranges Station/Stop MinneapolisDowntown 310-550 480-620 1,060—1,470 970-1,470 of Minnesota West 110-250 160-320 NA NA Bank of Minnesota East 870-1,110 710-1,220 NA NA Bank Como Avenue&Eustis Street 560-700 490-730 NA NA StinsonBoulevard NA NA 100-190 120-190 Rosedale Transit Center 500-660 550-780 600-800 580-810 CountyRice Street& 440-530 230-270 230-380 230-390 Maplewood Mail Transit Center NA 490-660 NA NA White Bear Avenue 70-90 NA 300-380 320-440 HadleyAvenue 30-40 30-30 280-430 70-70 ManningAvenue 200-230 180-200 180-240 NA Croix50-50 40-50 50-50 NA &Ride GreeleyStreet 200-200 200-190 180-190 180-210 140-130 140-130 120-130 110-120 Horizon Year Forecasts The horizon year(2040)ridershipfor the four scenarios ranges from 2,450 to 4,550 on the BRTservice,from 700 to 950for the suburban expressservice,and from 100to 110 on the peak-period,peak-direction express service.The increase in ridership by 2040 is estimated to be less than 10 percent.The future year ridership growth is limited by the small projected increase in population and employment within the corridor and some competition with the Rush Line BRTProjectand METRO Gold Line BRT Project services.Tables 7 and 8 summarizethe horizon yearridership estimates at route level and station Ievel.The station-level forecasts includethe Highway36 BRTand express services. January 20,2021 9 38 of 162 .a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a 0 a 1 a •a a a a a 1 a a a a a a •a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 4 a r a a a a a a a s a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a r a a i bbimild HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County Table 5:Horizon Year(2040)Ridership Forecast Ranges Route Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3 Scenario 4 2,750—3,800 3,100-4,550 2,450—3,450 2,640—3,760 Suburban Express 850-950 750-800 700-850 NA Service Peak-Period, 100 100 100-110 NA TotalDirection Express Service 3,650-4,900 3,950—5,450 3,300-4,400 2,650—3,750 Table 6:Horizon Year(2040)Stop Level Ridership Forecast Ranges Station/Stop a Downtown Minneapolis 330-600 520-670 1,070—1,490 980-1,450 130-260 170-320 NA NA MinnesotaBank 890-1,140 720-1,250 NA NA Bank Como Avenue&Eustis Street 610-750 550-780 NA NA Stinson Boulevard NA NA 120-200 130-200 Rosedale Transit Center 550-740 620-850 670-870 640-880 Rice Street&County Road B 400-530 210-230 230-350 230-350 Maplewood Mail Transit Center NA 480-660 NA NA White Bear Avenue 70-100 NA 240-340 250-380 HadleyAvenue 30-40 30-30 320-450 60-80 ManningAvenue 210-260 210-220 210-260 NA St.Croix Recreation Center Park 50-50 50-50 50-50 NA &Ride Greeley Street 220-240 220-220 220-220 210-250 Highway 95&6 1h Avenue 150-170 160-160 150-150 140-170 Analysis of the Markets Served bythe Project Table 9 shows the key markets served by each of the scenarios.The numbers shown in this table are based on the higher range ridershipestimate from the horizon yearfor both incremental and synthetic approaches.The percentages are calculated using the total scenario trips in the denominator.Scenario trips include the BRT and the two proposed express routes.The keyfindings include: The results suggest that more than half of the scenario trips are people traveling between home and work,with limited park-and-ride access trips In addition to downtown Minneapolis and Rosedale areas,the University of Minnesota also appears to be an important transit market for the corridor based on the results of Scenarios 1 and 2 Washington County is an important trip production area in the corridor The STO PS model estimates a significant percent of the trips are newto transit—these percentages are h igherthan those expected for typical BRTcorridors January 20,2021 10 39 of 162 .a r a a r a a r r a a a a a a r e r a a r a a a a a a a C .a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 4 a r a a a a a a a s a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a r a a i libmild HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County Table 9:Key Markets Served by the Project Based on Higher Range Assumptions STOPSIncremental • ' 51% 56% 58% 58% 54% 55% 58% 56% Based Work a 7% 7% 13% 11% 18% 16% 20% 10% Ride Trips %Trips from 29% 31% 27% 28% 29% 30% 25% 29% 'Households %Trips to 22% 25% 34% 34% 18% 15% 23% 20% downtown 24% 25% 7% 7% 17% 16% 5% 6% EMEEXTITIT- . a MIIIIIII %Trips to 24% 24% 26% 26% 23% 23% 24% 26% Rosedale %Trips from 2% 3% 6% 3% 21% 19% 23% 14% County/Washington Wisconsin 47% 49% 63% 62% 65% 59% 75% 73% on Transit The resu Its suggest that 45-60 percent(depending on the sce nario)of the project board ings transferto/from other routes. Approximately 20-25 percent of the project board ingstransferto/from Green and Blue Lines—partially be cau se th e se rvice con nectingto downtown Minneapolis in these scenarios was assumed to end on the eastern end of the downtown. When the BRTin Scenario was modeled asa local bus mode(using the same speed and station assumptions),the ridership on the BRTservice decreased by rough ly45 percent.In otherwords,45 percentofthe BRTride rshipis be cause of the fixed guideway setting(0.3)used in STOPS. Summary This memo documents order-of-magnitude estimates of the ridership potential in the Highway36 corridor.The level of analysis is appropriateforafeasibilitystudy and provides valuable i nformation to the project te am in making se rvice recommendations for the corridor. The ridership forecasts suggestthat all four scenarios are similarfrom a ridership perspective.The existing year(2016)Highway 36 BRTridershipestimate is between 2,400-4,400.The growth in ridership by 2040 is estimated to be less than 10 percent. In addition to the downtown Minneapolisand Rosedale areas,the University of Minnesota is also an important destination in the corridor. January 20,2021 11 40 of 162 e a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a 1 a a a 1 a a a a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a o a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a 1 a o a a a a o a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a i libmild HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Was tm County Appendix Mlles � N ® st — --._.�. m Grant _Stillwater v i 95 c a Pine Springs Saint lael , I-akParkHeights „ ./.�✓`�" Anthony a Little Canada a - y a North C. f(05CV111.n O ❑ 5 ` village " .... ..4...St.Paul 36 1 Ma_ ayp'gla plewood = a m 3 80 ale Falcon Lake Elmo 0 ,= Heights v ® Oakdale _i 57 f° St.Paul BRT ® Express-Downtown Minneapolis to Stillwater oExpress-Rice St to Stillwater/Oak Park } a Heights/Bayport On Demand Public Transit Figure 4:Scenario 1 oSt llw"at �Mles � u 61 c Grant 7 5 , � c 4g � Saint Z 6J Oa c ,ark: Anthony Lit�Canada 6Village I North v ¢ Roseville St.Paul e 36 Maplewood _ 9 v, Laud$adale Falcon w ' 3 3 ? z Heights x Oakdale 120 0 51 Minneapolis e o u St.Paul BRT a 3 Express-Downtown Minneapolis to Stillwater g o o a Express-Maplewood Ma!!to Stillwater/Oak a Park Heights/Bayport On Demand Public Transit F7 71 Figure 5:Scenario January 20,2021 12 41 of 162 e a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a 1 a a a 1 a a a a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a 1 a o a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a libmild HIGHWAY 36 TRANSIT FEASI BI LITY STU Dy Transit Improvements Memo Was tm County v ®Hues A N si Grant a, m tv St llwater Springs Sanit ® g v -' =Oak+P�ark.Heights n Pine ca 0 N Anthony a Little Canada cVillage v 3 North m e ' St.Paul m ;sevd!e w port _ - Q as Maplewood s W d o v Lauderdale Falcon Lake Elmo 3 ® 2 2 C3C a Heights a akdale c Minneapolis �a a O St.Paul BRT m Express-Downtown Minneapolis to Stillwater -- Express-Hadley Ave to Stillwater/Oak Park Heights/Bayport - -I�--� On Demand Public Transit a�r�F Figure 6:Scenario 3 Maes sf Grant tv St llwatei u 95 c ePine Springs 36 Saint v C', Oak Park Heights Anthony ® Little Canada nVillage o 3 North i a Roseville St.Paul Bayport Maplewood a o c ; :..:�.�.d BrrdaIe Falcon .. Lake Elmo J. 3 Heights a Oakdale c 120 0 � 57 `a a a St.Paul SRT ti I� 1 On Demand I l Public Transit , Figure 7:Scenario 4 January 20,2021 13 42 of 162 r ww �r Alp- woo Transit Improvement Options Memorandum — Draft • , t rf � � �� •moi'' t{< , HIGHWAY 36 w t w' " TRANSIT FEASIBILITYJ Poe*•••••••040*••*09**w*s*•**•*•**e**go 906494**goof*■*r**•*w•***goof e s*******s r••*••o**o**••***ego*••* January 2020 e a r a e r r a r r r r r a a a r r r a a r a a r a r r a a r a r r r r a r r a r a r a r a a a r a a r a a s a r a a r r r r r a r a a r a r r a a r a r r a e r r r r r r r r r a r a a r a a e HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County Table of Contents Contents Tableof Contents..........................................................................................................................................................................................1 Introd uction...................................................................................................................................................................................................3 ProjectDescription...................................................................................................................................................................................3 TechnicalMemo Purpose........................................................................................................................................................................3 DefiningTransit Service................................................................................................................................................................................4 HighwayBRT.............................................................................................................................................................................................4 ExpressService.........................................................................................................................................................................................5 SuburbanExpress.....................................................................................................................................................................................5 On-Demand Service..................................................................................................................................................................................5 MobilityHub.............................................................................................................................................................................................5 ManagedMobility....................................................................................................................................................................................5 TransitScenarios...........................................................................................................................................................................................6 TransitAccess Areas.................................................................................................................................................................................6 Downtown Minneapolis(All Scenarios)..............................................................................................................................................7 University of Minnesota:West and East Bank Stations(Scenarios 1 &2).......................................................................................7 Como Avenue& Eustis St Park& Ride (Scenarios 1&2)...................................................................................................................7 Stinson Boulevard(Scenarios 3&4)...................................................................................................................................................8 RosedaleCenter (All Scenarios)...........................................................................................................................................................8 Rice Street& County Road B Park& Ride(All Scenarios)..................................................................................................................8 MaplewoodMall (Scenario 2)..............................................................................................................................................................8 White Bear Avenue (Scenarios 1,3 and 4).........................................................................................................................................8 HadleyAvenue (All Scenarios).............................................................................................................................................................9 Manning Avenue (Scenarios 1,2,and 3)............................................................................................................................................9 GreeleyStreet(All Scenarios)..............................................................................................................................................................9 Highway95 &61"Avenue (All scenarios)............................................................................................................................................9 ServiceSpan& Frequency........................................................................................................................................................................9 TransitAdvantages...................................................................................................................................................................................9 Scenarios.................................................................................................................................................................................................10 Scenario1............................................................................................................................................................................................10 January 20,2021 1 44 of 162 e a r a a r a a r r a a a a a a r e r a a r a a a a a a a C a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 4 a r a a a a a a a s a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a r a a i blllww� HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Was tm County Scenario2............................................................................................................................................................................................11 Scenario3............................................................................................................................................................................................13 Scenario4............................................................................................................................................................................................14 NextSteps....................................................................................................................................................................................................16 January 20,2021 2 45 of 162 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a 1 a a a 1 a a a a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a 1 a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a libmild HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County Introduction Project Description The Highway 36 Transit Feasibility Study began in 2020 in orderto define the long-term transit vision of Highway 36 through analysis of existing and e me rging mobility needs.The study examines the feasibility of east-west oriented transit service along the Highway 36 corridor in and between the termini of the city of Minneapolis and the cities of Oak Park Heights,Bayport,and Stillwater.It identifies opportunities to further studyor develop enhanced transit service operating along the Highway36 corridor,as well as improve connections to the regional transit system. Previous transit and highway studies have consistently shown that Highway 36 is a critical multimodal corridor,which serves three counties and 12 cities,as shown in Figure 1.Due to the corridor's importance for the Twin Cities Metro area,connection to Interstates 694,35E and 35W,and direct links to downtown Minneapolis and Wisconsin,the roadway has a significant impact on the region's connectivity,accessibility,and long-term transportation success. This study identifies interim stepsthat can be taken to improve transit mobility in the corridor and s upportthe long-term vision. Recommendations stemming from this study will improve mobilityto and from population centers in the Highway 36 corridor, expand the range of travel options in the region,and improve connections for workers to employment.The outcomes and recommendations produced by this study will serve primarilyas guidance forthe counties,corridor partners, Metro Transit and MnDOT. ® st Gram Stillwater n Saint Pine Springs as Oak L Park Heights Anthony ® 5 Village Little Canada c North Bayport Roseville 38. Maplewood St.Paul R UMinneapolis Falcon ® Lake Elmo Heights Oakdale i 51 St.Paul ©Highway 36 Study Area Figure 1:Study Area Technical Memo Purpose The purpose of this techn ical me mo is to develop potential feasible transit improvement options for the Highway 36 studyarea and package potential improvements into four scenarios for evaluation. Potential transit improvement options and potential transit access areas were identified based on the Study Area Characteristics Memo analysis(including demographics,land uses,and travel demand patterns),the existing and planned transit facilities in the January 20,2021 3 46 of 162 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a 0 a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a 4 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a libmild HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County corridor,and existing regional plans and policies,such as the Highway Transitway CorridorStudy and the Transportation Policy Plan. Defining Transit Service Since there area variety of transit needs in the Highway 36 study area,four types of transit service are proposed for evaluation: Highway Bus Rapid Transit(BRT) Peak Period,Peak Direction Express Service Suburban,All-Day,Bidirectional Express Service On-Demand Service To support the transit improvement options,two additional transit concepts were explored in the Highway 36 study area: Mobility Hubs a Managed Mobility The characteristics of each of these transit improvement options and concepts are defined in the followingsections. Highway BRT Highway BRTis a transitoption designedto serve highway corridors and is defined bythe Metropolitan Council as"a coordinated set of routes that stop at all or most stations in the Highway BRT corridor,which is defined by stations and runningway infrastructure."Examplesin the Twin Cities region includethe METRO Red Line and the METRO Orange Line(currently under construction).Highway BRT service operates seven days a week,16 hoursa day,every10 minutes within peak periods(less frequently during off-peak times and on the weekend based on demand). Highway BRTis designed to serve high-demand regional population and employment nodes usingexisting highway infrastructure and offersthe advantagesof high-capacity transit. Highway BRT has the following service parameters and ridership expectations': Average Station Spacing(outside of Minneapolis/St.Paul Central Business District): 2 miles Minimum Station Spacing(outside of Minneapolis/St.Paul Central Business District):%mile Minimum Distance between Minneapolis/St.Paul CBD and Next Station: 1 mile Minimum Daily Boardings Forecast for Opening Year:100or more per station Highway BRTservice includes several facility improvements,includingvehicles with wider doors and off-board fare paymentfor faster boarding,bike racks and improved climate control inside buses,and platforms that display real-time bus arrival information and allow passengers to board without steps. While managed lanes are not planned for Highway 36,highway BRTcould gain travel-time advantages in this corridor through bus-only shoulder operations.These allow transit vehicles to bypass congestion when speeds are below 35 miles per hour.Bus- onlyshoulders are currently located in the Highway36 corridor from downtown Minneapolis to 1-694. ' Regional Transitway Guidelines January 20,2021 4 47 of 162 TRANSITHIGHWAY 36 • • • Washington County Express Service The Metropolitan Council defines express service in the Regional TransitwayGuidelines as"a single route with transit advantages."The service should run at least every 30 minutes,with three trips each peak period and should ben ot more than 35 percent slower than an automobile. Average station spacing(outside of Minneapolis/St.Paul Central Business District):5 miles Minimum spacing between two stations(outside of Minneapolis/St.Paul CBD):4 miles Minimum distance between Minneapolis/St.Paul Central Business Districts and next station:5 miles Minimum daily board ingsforecastfor open ingyear: 200 or more boa rdings perstation Suburban Express Suburban express is used to describe transit service that would follow the service guidelines fore xpressservice but connects suburban activity centers rather than connecting to downtown Minneapolis or downtown St.Paul. On-Demand Service On-demand transitservice refersto public transit that offers flexible routingand schedulingvia smaller vehicles. Examples in the Twin Cities region include MVTA Connect and SW Prime.On-demand transit service allows users to request a trip through a smartphone app,over the phone,or th rough a companion website and go anywhere within a set boundary.W hile on-demand transit isa point-to-point service,driversmay make otherstopsto pick up or drop off other passengers alongtheway.Some on- demand services utilize algorithmsto optimize trips by matching trips scheduled both in advanceand in real-time that are along similar routes or have similar origins or destinations.On-demand tripfarestend to cost less than private individual transportation(such as taxis or rideshare)but may be higher than local bus fares.On-demand transitservice is often utilized to fill gaps in fixed-route bus service or to provide more options to transit users that may not have a consistent route serving them. Mobility Hub Mobility hu bs are physical locations that act as converging points for different types of transportation,allowing for easytransfer between modes.In areaswith higher population and job density,a mobility hub could include transit,bike share,and car share and have a mix of retail and housing located nearby. Ina smaller cityor in a more ruralarea not currently served bytransit,a mobility hub could serve almost exclusively as a convenient meet-up place for carpoolsand vanpools. In addition to providing more transportation options and betteraccess to employment opportunities,mobility hubs can serve as an economic development catalyst in their location attracting housing,retail,and otherforms of economic development.Mobility hubs can also function as interesting public spaces where people wantto congregate and interact.A 2019 pilot of mobility hubs led bythe Cityof Minneapolis showed several successful outcomes for mobility hubs. Nearly two thirds of people polled about the mobility hubs said that it would make them more likelyto use the transportation options offered at the hub.2 Managed Mobility Managed mobility is a service that is designed to leverage existing transportation assets and resources by pooling services(public and private)under a single managed program that provides an entry point into all the mobility options in the region.Currently Washington County's mobility management services connect users with different mobility options to increase access as part of a community service. z 2019 Minneapolis Mobility Hubs Pilot,Minneapolis Public Works January 20,2021 5 48 of 162 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a 1 a a a 1 a a 0 a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 4 a r a a a a r a a s a a r a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a r a a i 1111111ilimild HIGHWAY • TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County Transit Scenarios This study examined four scenariosof potential transit improvements in the Highway 36 study area.Each scenario explores different routings or combinations of the transit services and concepts described previously to identify the potential improvements that best serve the transit needs of those living,working,and recreating in the study area.The four scenarios are summarized below in Error!Reference source not found. and are described in the sections following this summary. Table 1:Transit Scenario Features Station/Stop • • • • � Downtown • • BRT, Peak Period BRT, Peak Period BRT, Peak Period BRT Express Express Express • BRT BRT • BRT BRT Como Avenue&Eustis Street BRT BRT StinsonPark&Ride Boulevard i BRT BRT Rosedale Mail BRT BRT BRT BRT CountyRice Street& Road = BRT+Suburban BRT BRT BRT Park&Ride Express Maplewood BRT+ Express Center WhiteBearAvenue Suburban Express BRT BRT HadleyAvenue Suburban Express Express BRT+ Express BRT ManningAvenue Suburban Express Express Express BRT CroixPeak Period Peak Period Peak Period Center Park&Ride Express Express Express GreeleyStreet Suburban Express Express Express BRT Bayport-6th AvenuSuburban Express Express Express BRT Bayport,Oak Park Heights, On-Demand On-Demand On-Demand On-Demand Stillwater Public Transit Public Transit Public Transit Public Transit Transit Access Areas Transit access areas were identified alongthe Highway 36 corridor based on a nu tuber of factors,including home locations of people more likelyto utilize transit,activitycenters,existing transit facilities/connections,and transit-supportive land uses.While these locations were utilized to determine the feasibility of improved transit service in this corridor,further studywill be needed to determine whether these are the correct locations,if additional locations are warranted,and the type of transit infrastructure best suited for the location(bus stop sign,shelter,mobility hub,BRT station,etc.). Most of the transit access areas forthis feasibilitystudy we re assumed to be offline(off of Highway 36)to connect with developments,pedestrian infrastructure,and other transit service.This is operation decision requires furtheranalysis and discussion.While stoppingoff of Highway36 may providean improved connection to existing developments, pedestrian January 20,2021 6 49 of 162 .. a a a a a a a a a a a a a a r e s. a a 1 a a a a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a 1 a a 4 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a 1 a 1 a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a libmild HIGHWAY 36 TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County infrastructure,and transit service,it would negatively impact travel time and riders'perception of directness.The Stinson Boulevard transit access area was assumed to inline(alongthe exit/entrance ramp)to connection with the DiagonaITraiI, and stops at the University of Minnesota and in downtown Minneapolis were assumed to be in the right most lane of traffic. DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS(ALL SCENARIOS) The western terminus of all scenarios is downtown Minneapolis.For purposes of this feasibility study,the station location in downtown is assumed to beat or near US Bank Stadium Station(South 4t"Street&Chicago Avenue)in order to provide transfer opportunities to the METRO Blue and Green Lines. Decisions regarding this location and serviced etaiIs,such as routing and layover location,are to be determined in future study. UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA:WEST AND EAST BANK STATIONS (SCENARIOS 1 & 2) Two of the scenarios(Scenarios 1 and 2)serve the Universityof Minnesota,including the West Bank and East Bank.Buses were assumed to use a ithe r S 3rd Street(westbound)or 4t"Street(eastbound)to connect downtown Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota.The West Bank transit access area was assumed to be atthe transit facilities near Blegen Hall(eastbound),Willey Hall (westbound),and the West Bank LRTStation. From the West Bank transit access area,the bus was assumed to take SE Washington Avenue to SE Huron Boulevard/SE 231 Avenue to accessthe Universityof Minnesota Transitway.On the East Bank,the transit access area was assumed at SE Washington Avenue&Coffman Union. COMO AVENUE & EUSTIS ST PARK & RIDE (SCENARIOS 1 & 2) A connection from the University of Minnesota Transitway to Highway 280was assumed via Energy Park Drive.A transit access area was explored on Highway280ateitherComoAvenue or LarpenteurAvenue,as shown in Table 2.While furtherstudy of these two potential transit access areas is needed,this study assumed a transit access area at Como Avenue d ue to this location's connection to multiple existing transit routes(Routes 3 and 30),the potential for an arterial bus rapid transit route connection,bicycle connections,and the connectionto employment and medical facilities. Table 2:Trade-offs of the transit access areasconsidered on Highway280 Transit Access Area Potential Other Considerations Location Larpenteur Connects to Route 61 Current industrial, ■ Area that has seen Avenue Potential easy on/off immediate station area is recent property value ramp/station area low density increases and shows Serves higher POC and Existing industrial zoning development potential lower income community within buffer • • Park More activity directly Circuitous routing Possibility for a mobility • Ride adjacent hub ■ Connects to Routes and 30 ■ Serves healthcare centers ■ Builds on existing park- and-ride infrastructure ■ Adjacent bicycle infrastructure January 20,2021 7 50 of 162 .a r a a r a a r r a a a a a a r e r a a r a a a a a a a C .a a a a s 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a s a a a a a a a a a s a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a r a a i libmild HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County STINSON BOULEVARD (SCENARIOS 3 & 4) Scenarios that include transit improvements on Interstate 35W rather than Highway 280 include a connection to Northeast Minneapolis at Stinson Boulevard.This transit access area provides a connection to residents in this area,Honeywell,the Diagonal Bicycle TraiI,and numerous retail locations. ROSEDALE CENTER (ALL SCENARIOS) All scenarios include a transit access area in the Rosedale Center area on Highway 36 near Fairview Avenue or Snelling Avenue. Three options fora transit access area were explored in this area,as described in Table 3,including near Fairview Avenue,near Snelling Avenue,and in the middle of Highway 36,which is considered an online transit station.While the feasibility of all three options was explored,the potential location atthe Rosedale Transit Center via SnellingAvenue was utilized for evaluation, including travel time estimates,ridership modeling,and operations and maintenance cost estimation. Table 3:Trade-offs of the three potential transit access area locations considered near Rosedale Center Transit Access Area Potential Location FairviewAvenue ■ Provides access to both Rosedale ■ Does not have direct connection with Center and additional businesseswest METRO A Line or otherroutes that of Fairview Avenue serve Rosedale Transit Center Connects to Route 87 Routingto/from Highway36 is somewhat circuitous Rosedale Transit Connects to the Rosedale Transit Routingto/from Highway36 isvery Center via Snelling Center,which serves METRO A Line circuitous Avenue Station and numerous othertransit routes • Direct routingandfastest travel-times Expe nsive to build middleWould provide a pedestrian No direct connectionswith transit 36) connection over Highway 36 routes in the area RICE STREET & COUNTY ROAD B PARK & RIDE (ALL SCENARIOS) All scenarios include a transit access area at the Rice Street&County Road B Park&Ride in Little Canada.Th is park-and-ride had 166 out of 288 spaces utilized in 2019(59 percent utilized),so there is capacity for additional serviceto this facility.This potential transit access area is also located near a large grocery store and other smaller businesses on Rice Street and County Road B. MAPLEWOOD MALL(SCENARIO 2) A potential transit access area was assumed at the Maplewood Mall Transit Center in Scenario 2.Travel to and from the west was assumed to utilize the fixed guideway created for the Rush Line BRT project.The Maplewood Mall is a major transit center as well as job and activity center. WHITE BEAR AVENUE(SCENARIOS 1, 3 AND 4) A potential transit access area was explored at White BearAvenueand Highway 36 in Scenarios 1,3,and 4.The transitaccess area was assumed to be on the north side of Highway36 near the commercial developments and with connections to Routes 54, 64,and 80.The cost estimate for this transit accessarea assumed this location was a mobility hub for transfers between these routes as well as vehicle drop offs or bicycle connections. January 20,2021 8 51 of 162 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a 0 a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a 4 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a libmild HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County HADLEY AVENUE ALLSCENARIOS All scenarios include a transit access area at Hadley Avenue on the north side of Highway 36.W h i le the feasibilityof a mobility hub with improved transit service was explored at this location,further study is needed to determine whether a transit access area is best at this location,Century Avenue,or both. MANNING AVENUE SCENARIOS 1 2 AND 3 Scenarios 1,2,and 3 include a transit access area at Manning Avenue.While there is an existing park-and-pool at this interchange,it is planned to beeliminated with reconstruction of the interchange.Lakeview Hospital has a project planned for the northeast quadrant of this interchange,and the Central Commons development is planned for apartments and a grocery store on the southeast quadrant of the interchange.There is potential that the park-and-ride currently located at the St.Croix Recreation Center could be relocated to this location,however,further study and discussion with Metro Transit's FaciI ities Department is needed. GREELEY STREET ALL SCENARIOS All scenarios include a transit access area and mobility hub at Greeley Street on the northside of Highway36. The location is between the commercial developmentto the west and the Washington County Government Centerto the east. HIGHWAY 95 & 6T" AVENUE (ALLSCENARIOS) All scenarios include a transit access area at Highway 95&6t"Avenue.This area is identified by the Metropolitan Council as a regional activity center and would provide access to jobs and visitation atthe State Correctional Facility and Andersen Windows. This represents one of several possible locations at the terminus of Highway 36 that could provide access to Stillwater,Oak Park Heights and Bayport.Further study is needed to identify the best transit access area at the eastern end of Highway 36. Regard le ss of th e location identified,connections from this location to other destinations within the Stillwater/Oak Park Heights/Bayport area will be essential. Service Span & Frequency Varying spans and frequencyof service were associated with eachtypeof service included in the scenarios. Highway BRTservice was evaluated with a span of service from 5am-12am(midnight),seven days a week,with peakservice at a frequency of every 10 minutes and off-peak and weekend frequency every 15 minutes.The peak-period,peak-direction express servicewas evaluated as a 30-minute weekday service that would operate in the peakdirection only during peak period (6-9amand 3-7pm).The suburban express route was evaluated as a bi-directional route,operating every 30 minutes daily from 6am-8pm.The on- demand publictransit service was evaluated with two vehicles in operation dailyfrom 6am-8pm. Transit Advantages Transit advantages are infrastructure that provide transitveh icles a trave I time advantage compared to solo motorists.Mn PASS lanes(express lanes that can be utilized by high-occupancyvehicles and solo motorists that have a MnPASS account)have been studied manytimesforthe Highway 36 corridor and were not deemed to be feasible in the MnPASS System StudyPhase3.Asa result,bus-only shoulders will continue to be an important transit asset to the Highway 36 corridor.Bus-only shoulders are currently designated on Highway36 between Interstate 35 W and Interstate 694.This allows buses to utilize the shoulder whe n traffic is slowed(moving less than 35 miles per hour).While bus-only shoulders were the only transit advantage assumed in the scenarios as part of this study,itwould be beneficial to explore additional transit advantages as transit projects are developed further in this corridor. January 20,2021 9 52 of 162 .a s a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a 1 a a a 1 a a 0 a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a s a a a a a a a a a s a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a r a a i libmild HIGHWAY ■ TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County Scenarios SCENARIO 1 Scenario 1 includesfour transit improvements(as shown in Figure 2 and described in Tables 4-7): ■ BRT between downtown Minneapolis and Rice Streetvia the Universityof Minnesota ■ Apeak-period,peak-direction express route between Stillwater and downtown Minneapolis ■ Suburban express route between RiceStreetand Stillwater/Oak Park Heights/Bayport ■ On-demand publictransit Stillwater c g 9s: c - y Pine Springs, . 36 .. eights Little Canada Village Anthonv c 3❑ North ❑ Da P�rk H, 'o m c m 5 u m Roseville St.Paiil a Bayport 36 O Maplewood c Lauderdale Lake EA ° o f26U Falcon ® mo 2 3 Heights Oakdale `^ st Minnea:;: k E 4 m St.PaulBAT 3 Express-Downtown Minneapolis to Stillwater zic oa Express-Rice St to Stillwater/Oak Park a Heights/Bayport On Demand Public Transit a�rr� �.PPe Figure 2:Scenario 1 Table 4:Scenario 1 BRT Service Assumptions • ar Da a Period a rime from Station Location aStation/Stop Stop a Stop Downtown as - - - ■ 0.9 2.1 2.1 of 1.1 3.4 3.4 Como Avenue&Eustis 2.5 6.0 6.0 Street Park&Ride Rosedale 3.4 4.0 4.0 Rice Street&County •... 4.3 7.4 4.7 ■ 12.2 22.9 20.2 January 20,2021 10 53 of 162 .a r a a r a a r r a a a a a a r e r a a r a a a a a a a C .a a a a s 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a s a a a a a a a a a s a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a r a a i libmild HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County Table 5:Scenario 1 Peak-Period,Peak-Direction Express Route Service Assumptions . . Location Distance(miles) Peak Period rime Between Stops Stillwater to d. 24.1 36.2 Minneapolis Table 6:Scenario 1 Suburban Express Route Service Assumptions Distance from Previous Peak Period Time from • . . Time from . . . . Stop(Miles) Previous Stop(Minutes) Rice Street&County • ... - - - White Bear Avenue 4.5 7.7 4.9 HadleyAvenue 3.1 3.7 3.4 ManningAvenue 6.1 8.1 6.7 Greeley Street 2.6 4.5 3.5 Bayport- 2.7 4.6 4.1 • 19.0 28.7 22.5 Table 7:Scenario 1 On-Demand Public Transit Service Assumptions Service Area Stillwater/Oak Park Heights/Bayport Number of Vehicles 2 SCENARIO 2 Scenario 2 includesfour transit improvements(as shown in Figure3 and described in Tables 8-11): BRT between downtown Minneapolis and Maplewood Mall Transit Center via the University of Minnesota A peak-period,peak-direction express route between Stillwater and downtown Minneapolis Suburban express route between Maplewood Mall Transit Center and Stillwater/Oak Park Heights/Bayport On-demand publictransit January 20,2021 11 54 of 162 e a a a e r a a r r a a a a a a a a r a a r a a a a a a a a •a a a a a 1 a a a s a a •a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a r a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a O a a a a a a a a r a a i bkww� HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Was tm County v •ISI --...J:Mlles N ® ... 6t C f. r"�'� cao Grant95 �r Stillwaterr " 0 w in e Springs 38 ,. e , Saint a Qak .Heights' P Anthony -.ada IG Village North v a Roseville St..Paul a .Bayport e v �? .� 36 Maplewood � b o ;; m 3 uderae;; ® _ Lake Elmo 080 4 • - Oakdale `^ Minne,�nnlis � E St.Paul BRT 9 C 3 g Express-Downtown Minneapolis to5tillwater a o Express-Maplewood Mall to Stillwater/Oak Park Heights/Bayport On Demand Public Transit Figure 3:Scenario 2 Table 8:Scenario 2 BRT Service Assumptions Distance from Previous Peak Period Time f rom • . . Time from Station/StopStation Location Stop(Miles) Previous Stop(Minutes) Previous Downtown Minneaa alis ,r r,r,r,r r,r, U of M:West Bank 0.9 2.1 2.1 U of M: East Bank Como Avenue&Eustis 2.5 6.0 6.0 Street- - a & Ride Rosedale - - . . . Rice Street&County • ... 4.3 7.4 4.7 owns= Maplewood Center • 17.8 32.5 28.7 Table 9:Scenario 2 Peak-Period,Peak-Direction Express Route Service Assumptions . . . r Time Between Stops Stillwater to d. Minneapolis 24.1 36.2 January 20,2021 12 55 of 162 .. a a a a a a a a a a a a •a r e s. a a 1 a a a a 1 a a a 1 a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a 1 a 1 a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a libmild HIGHWAY TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County Table 10:Scenario 2 Suburban Express Route Service Assumptions Distance from Previous Peak Period Time from • . . Time from . . . . MaplewoodStop(Miles) Previous Stop(Minutes) Mail Transit 1113=1 Center HadleyAvenue 4.7 8.0 7.0 ManningAvenue 6.1 8.1 6.7 Greeley Street 2.6 4.5 3.5 Bayport- 2.7 4.6 3.5 • 16.1 25.2 20.7 Table 11:Scenario 2 On-Demand Public Transit Service Assumptions Service Area Stillwater/Oak Park Heights/Bayport Number of Vehicles 2 SC„ENA„R.I..O...3 Scenario 3 includesfour transit improvements(as shown in Figure 4 and described in Tables 12-15): ■ BRT between downtown Minneapolis and HadleyAvenuevia Northeast Minnesota u A peak-period,peak-direction express route between Stillwaterand downtown Minneapolis • Suburban express route between HadleyAvenueand Stillwater/Oak Park Heights/Bayport • On-demand publictransit Q N Grant Stillwater+ Saint o c Pine Springs,, 3e r...... ParkwH m eights y y Anthona Little Canada y _ �nm �.Village North e '. 5 St.Paul' Bayport Maplewaod s auderdaleFalcon m Lake Elmo � Ln Heights x cl 0 aoi 120 -._.. c h 51 Minneapolis e a a St.Paul BRT Express-Downtown Minneapolis to 5tillwater �n Express-Hadley Ave to Stillwater/Oak Pork Heights/Bayport On Demand Public Transit yr :..... Figure 4:Scenario January 20,2021 13 56 of 162 Washington HIGHWAY36TRANSIT FEASIBILITYSTUDY Transit Improvements Memo TableCounty Scenario 3 BRTService Assumptions Distance from Previous Peak Period Time from Off-Peak Period Time from 3.3 Station Location Previous5tation/Stop Stop(Miles) Previous Stop(Minutes) (Minutes) Downtown Minneapolis Stinson Boulevard . . 5.7 Rosedale Transit Center • Rice Street&County Road B Park&Ride White Bear Avenue Hadley Avenue Total18.9 31.7 23.6 Table .. ,Peak-Direction Express Route Service Assumptions Stop Location D24.1 36.2 istance(miles) Peak Period Time Between Stops Stillwater to downtown Minneapolis TableSuburban Stop Location Distance from Previous Peak Period Time from Off-Peak Period Time from Stop(Miles) Previous5top(Minutes) Previous5tation/Stop (Minutes) Hadley Avenue Manning Avenue Greeley Street Bayport-6th Avenue& . 4.1 Highway 95 Total Table Service Area •. Heights/Bayport Number of Vehicles SCENARIO . Scenario 4 includestwo transit improvements(as shown in Figure 5 and described in Tables 16-17): BIRT between downtown Minneapolis and Bayportvia Northeast Minnesota On-demand p • January 20,2021 14 .a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a 1 a a a 1 a a 0 a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 4 a r a a a a a a a s a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a r a a i libmild HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County Grant ❑ Stillwater ®Hues A N 6f c a Pine Springs 3fi Saint Z v - Oak Park Heights Anthony ® c Little Canada a y Village North s❑ v a .. et Roseville $❑ St.Raul a Bayp°'' C 36 Maplewood $ a 3 a 44 Laude dale Falcon g Lake Elmo 3 4 ® m Heights x ® Oakdale '^ a e W 3 Minneapolis `ate _ a St.Paul SRT On Demand Public ® Transit F7-71 Figure 5:Scenario Table 16:Scenario 4 BRTService Assumptions Station a a from a Period Time from • Period Time from Stop(Miles) Previous Stop(Minutes) Previous Station/Stop Downtown Minneaa Stinson Boulevard 3.3 6.6 5.7 p "'I'8PI'8PI'8PI'8PI'8PI'8PI'8PI'8PI'8PI'8PI'8PI'd Vi''�PIIPgPIiP{�PIiP',�Pilpgp+ giii�'�,Ipir"l,lla gyd'Itpdd'Itpda j �I 1919191919191191191191191191 Rosedale Transit Cente ' i.iiiiiiii.ii. 1V11V1116V11V1 101 uli i i 0 Rice Street&County • .-. 4.3 7.4 4.7 White Bear Avenue 4.5 7.7 4.9 HadleyAvenue 3.1 3.7 3.4 Greeley Street 8.0 12.0 9.6 Bayport-6th Avenue 2.7 4.6 4.1 • 29.6 48.3 37.2 Table 17:Scenario 4 On-Demand Public Transit Service Assumptions Service Area Stillwater/Oak Park Heights/Bayport Number of Vehicles 2 January 20,2021 15 58 of 162 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a 0 a 1 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a 4 a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a 1 a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a libmild HIGHWAY a TRANSIT 1 Dy Transit Improvements • Washington County Next Steps Each of the scenarioswiII be evaluated utiIizingthe evaluation measures developed forth is project to support the purpose of and need for transit improvements along Highway 36.The evaluation will heIpto determine which transit improvements best meet the needs of different parts of the studyarea and guide the projectteam in developing draft recommendations. January 20,2021 16 59 of 162 2/5/21 Baytown Township Nancy Healey, Clerk 4020 McDonald Dr. Stillwater, MN 55082 Dear Nancy: Enclosed is an invoice to Baytown Township for the 2020 Oakgreen Ave. Project—totaling $60,566.94; we would believe this to be a final billing unless there are unknown costs that arise or circumstances for which we are unaware. Also enclosed are the quantities and cost breakouts. We too are pleased the project came in less that the early estimate of$75,000 Please let me know if you have any questions. Eric Johnson City Administrator Cc: Lee Mann, City Engineer—via email only Jim Studenski -via email only- jim.studenski(@tkda.com John Hall -john.hall@baytowmmn.org 60 of 162 INVOICE NO 1732 CITY OF Date 02/05/2021 OAK PARK HEIGHTS 14168 OAK PARK BLVD N OAK PARK HEIGHTS MN 55082-6476 651-439-4439; fax 651-439-0574 Bill To: BAYTOWN TOWNSHIP Customer No. 332 4020 MCDONALD DRIVE N STILLWATER MN 55082 INVOICE - Description Amount OAKGREEN AVENUE PROJECT $ 60,566.94 Amount $ 60,566.94 Payment due by: 03/07/2021 61 of 162 Thank you for your prompt attention. FINAL PROJECT COST SHARE BREAKDOWN 2020 MILL AND OVERLAY/OAKGREEN AVENUE REHABILITATION CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS,MN JANUARY 21,2021 Oak Park Units Contract Contract Unit Price Contract Cost Final Quantity Final Cost Heights Oak Park Baytown Baytown Cost Quantity Quantity Heights Cost Quantity Be.R Rem Description PART B:OAKGREEN AVENUE REHABILITATION AND TRAIL 15 MOBILIZATION LS 1 $15,000.00 $15,000.00 1 $15,000.00 0.80 $12,000.00 0.20 $3,000.00 16 TRAFFIC CONTROL LS 1 $10,000.00 $10,000.00 1 $10,000.00 0.80 $8,000.00 0.20 $2,000.00 17 TEMPORARY MAILBOXES LS 1 $2500.00 $2,500.00 18 CLEARING AND GRUBBING LS 1 $5,200.00 $5,200.00 1 $5,200.00 1 $5,200.00 19 SILT FENCE LF 2000 $0.01 $20.00 20 BIOLOG LF 2000 $0.01 $20.00 340 $3.40 340 $3.40 21 INLET PROTECTION EA 14 $50.16 $702.24 12 $601.92 12 $601.92 22 CULVERT PROTECTION EA 24 $20.06 $481.44 10 $200.60 8 $160.48 2 $40.12 23 WATER FOR DUST CONTROL TGAL 25 $51.14 $1,278.50 11 $562.54 8 $409.12 $153.42 24 SALVAGE AND REINSTALL SIGN EA 12 $315.98 $3,791.76 1 $315.98 1 $315.98 25SALVAGE AND REINSTALL MAILBOX EA 12 $80.25 $963.00 26 FULL DEPTH RECLAMATION SY 7200 $3.00 $21,600.00 7200 $21,600.00 5,200 $15,600.00 2000. $6,000.00 27 REMOVE BITUMINOUS TRAIL SF 1000 $3.00 $3,000.00 821 $2,463.00 821 $2463.00 28 REMOVE CONCRETE WALK/PEDESTRIAN RAMP SF 500 $2.84 $1,420.00 310 $880.40 310 $880.40 29 REMOVE BITUMINOUS PAVEMENT SY 1 1200 $3.00 $3,600.00 248.5 $745.50 249 $745.50 30 REMOVE AND REPLACE CONCRETE CURB&GUTTER LF 50 $40.53 $2,026.50 33 $1,337.49 33 $1,337.49 31 SAWING BITUMINOUS PAVEMENT LF 500 $2.00 $1,000.00 311 $622.00 266 $53200 $90.00 32 COMMON EXCAVATION-TRAIL IPI CY 100 $180.00 $18,000.00 100 $18,000.00 100 $18,000.00 33 SUBGRADE EXCAVATION)EV) CY 250 $42.89 $10,722.50 149.59 $6,415.92 150 $6,415.92 34 COMMON BORROW(CV) CY 300 $1.50 $450.00 35 AGGREGATE BASE,CLASS 5 TN 800 $6.15 $4,920.00 157.12 $966.29 157 $966.29 36 AGGREGATE SHOULDERING,CLASS 2 TN 325 $34.45 $11,196.25 232 $7,992.40 147 $5,064.15 85 $2,928.25 37 GRANULAR BORROW TN 1 250 $0.01 $2.50 269.26 $2.69 269 1 $2.69 38 TYPE SP 12.5 NONWEARING COURSE MIXTURE(2,B) TN 1300 $64.00 $83,200.00 1083.53 $69,345.92 792.49 $50,719.61 291.04 $18,626.31 39 TYPE SP 9.5 WEARING COURSE MIXTURE(2,C) TN 700 $78.75 $55,125.00 594.32 $46,802.70 434.69 $34,231.49 159.63 $12,571.21 40 SP 9.5 WEARING COURSE MIXTURE TRAIL TN 100 $120.00 $12,000.00 70.31 $8,437.20 70 $8,437.20 41 BITUMINOUS MATERIAL FOR TACK COAT GAL 325 $1.60 $520.00 400 $640.00 293 $468.80 107 $171.20 42 BITUMINOUS DRIVEWAY PATCH SY 250 $32.55 $8,137.50 303.58 $9,881.53 167.58 $5,454.73 136.00 $4,426.80 43 CONCRETE PEDESTRIAN CURB RAMP SF 500 $10.63 $5,315.00 619.06 $6,580.61 619 $6,580.61 44 TRUNCATED DOME SURFACE SF 64 $70.22 $4,494.08 66 $4,634.52 66 $4,634.52 45 ADJUST EXISTING MANHOLE CASTING,INCL NEW HDPE RINGS EA 10 $767.80 $7,678.00 10 $7,678.00 10 $7,678.00 46 ADJUST GATE VALVE BOX EA 5 9.56$42 $2,147.80 3 $1,288.68 3 $1,288.68 47 CDOUBLE SOLID LINE,YELLOW EPDXY LF 2300 $0.80 $1,840.00 2138 $1,710.40 1,551 $1,240.80 587 $469.60 48 PAVEMENT MESSAGE,3'X 6'CROSSWALK BLOCKS-EPDXY SF 432 $6.02 $2,600.64 432 $2600.64 432 $2,600.64 49HYDROMULCH WITH SEED MIX 25-131,INCL CLOAM TOPSOIL SY 6000 $0.20 1 $1,200.00 1439.42 $287.88 1,123.42 $224.68 316 $63.20 TOTAL PART B:OAKGREEN AVENUE REHABILITATION AND TRAIL $302,152.71 $252,798.21 $202,258.10 $50,540.11 Percentage of Construction Cost 80.019 Percentage of Oakgreen Ave 73.147. 26.869 FINAL PROJECT COST SUMMARY TOTAL OAK PARK HEIGHTS BAYTOWN Construction Costs $252,798.21 $202258.10 $50,540.11 Geotechnical Report $4,860.90 $3,555.26 $1,305.64 Design Fees-Oakgreen Avenue $20,920.03 $15,300.91 $5,619.12 Construction Fees-Oakgreen Avenue $15,847.40 $11,590.79 $4,256.61 Construction Testing(AEU $2000.00 $1,462.80 $537.20 Fog Line Striping $2,643.00 $1,881.00 $76200 SUBTOTAL PROJECT COSTS-Oakgreen Avenue $299,069.54 $236,048.86 $63,020.68 616 CREDITS DEDUCTFORBOILINSTEADOFC OIL-WEAR COURSE PAVING TN 1 -$10.66 1 594 1 -$6,33204 1 435 1 -$4,633.80 1 160 -$1,701.66 CREDIT FOR FUTURE CRACK REPAIR ILS 1 -$2800.00 1 1 1 -$2800.00 0.73 1 -$2,047.92 0.27 1 $752.08 TOTALCREDITS -$9,132.04 -$6,681.72 _$2,453.74 TOTAL OAK PARK HEIGHTS BAYTOWN TOTAL PROJECT COSTS-OAKGREEN AVENUE $289,937.50 $229,367.14 $60.566.94 62 of 162 From: Mary Mccomber To: Eric Johnson Subject: Fuad:Materials for JAZB Meeting&Phone Number Confirmation Date: Thursday,February 4,2021 10:58:56 AM Attachments: 21D JAZB Findings Conclusions and Order.odf 21D JAZB Meeting Minutes 9-23-20.odf Agenda.odf MnDOT Order of Aooroval.odf Eric, See the attachments for the next meeting. The link below is the full 135-page report. Mary -----Original Message----- From:Berwald,Kristin<Kristin.Berwald @mspmac.o rg> To:Weyrauch,Richard<rick.weyrauch@baytowmmn.org>;Hall,John<john.hall@baytowmmn.org>;Fredkove,Ron <ron.fredkove@baytowmmn.org>;Schultz,Dave<dsch ultz6816@co mcast.net>;Kyllo,Dan<dan.kyllo@westlakeland.govoffice2.com>; Krafthefer,Brian<krafthefer@aol.com>;McComber,Mary<marymccomber@aol.com>;Liljegren,Mike<liljegrens@comcast.net>; Kremer,Jim<mbjim87@gmail.com>;Roberts,Ken<kroberts@lakeelmo.org>;Bloyer,Justin<jbloyer@lakeelmo.org>;King,Rick <Rick.King@mspmac.org>;Skoog,Rodney<Rodney.Skoog@mspmac.org> Sent:Thu,Feb 4,2021 8:40 am Subject:Materials for JAZB Meeting&Phone Number Confirmation Good morning, This is a re-send of an email that I sent yesterday afternoon.It looks like not everyone was able to receive the email due to the file size of one of the attachments.If you have already received the information listed below,please disregard this message. Attached are the materials for the upcoming JAZB meeting.The Zoning Ordinance document is not attached due to the file size. • The Zoning Ordinance document hasn't changed from the prior meeting,but if you prefer to receive a paper copy in the mail, please let me know by the end of the day on Friday,February Sth • The Zoning Ordinance document can also be downloaded directly from our JAZB website» https://metroairports.org/sites/default/files/files/First%20Submittal%2OAirport%2OZoning%200rdinance%20JAZB%202.10.r)df If you have not already done so,please respond to this email with the phone number that you will be using to dial in to the JAZB meeting.We need to have your phone number on file in advance so that you can be identified in the phone system for the meeting. Please confirm your phone number by the end of the day on Friday,February Sth Thank you so much.Please let me know if you have any questions. KRISTIN BERWALD I Contracts Coordinator I O:612.726.8144 F:612.794.4407 I www.MetroAirl2orts.org Metropolitan Airports Commission 16040 28th Avenue South,Minneapolis,MN 55450 63 of 162 U.S. PUBLIC FINANCE MOODYS INVESTORS ISSUER COMMENT City of Oak Park Heights, MN 1 February 2021 Annual Comment on Oak Park Heights RATING General Obligation(or GO Related) Issuer Profile No outlook The City of Oak Park Heights is located in Washington County in central eastern Minnesota, and is a northeastern suburb within the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area.The county has a population of 255,938 and a moderate population density of 653 people per square mile. Contacts The county's median family income is $114,542 (1st quartile) and the November 2020 Francisco Gonzalez +1.214.979.6863 unemployment rate was 3.3% (1st quartile)a.The largest industry sectors that drive the Associate Lead Analyst local economy are retail trade, health services,and local government. francisco.gonzatez@moodys.com Rachel Cortez +1.312.706.9956 We regard the coronavirus outbreak as a social risk under our environmental,social and Associate Managing Director governance framework,given the substantial implications for public health and safety and rachei.cortez@moodys.com the economy.We do not see any material immediate credit risks for Oak Park Heights. CLIENT SERVICES However,the situation surrounding coronavirus is rapidly evolving and the longer term impact will depend on both the severity and duration of the crisis. If our view of the credit Americas 1-212-553-1653 quality of Oak Park Heights changes,we will update our opinion at that time. Asia Pacific 852-3551-3077 Japan 81-3-5408-4100 Credit Overview Oak Park Heights has a good credit position,and its Aa3 rating matches the median rating EMEA 44-20-7772-5454 of Aa3 for US cities.The key credit factors include a robust financial position,a light debt burden and a moderate pension liability. It also reflects a strong wealth and income profile and a modestly sized tax base. Finances:The financial position of the city is very healthy and is favorable in relation to the assigned rating of Aa3. Oak Park Heights'fund balance as a percent of operating revenues (107.6%) is far stronger than the US median despite funding for capital projects in 2019. Furthermore,the cash balance as a percent of operating revenues (108.9%) is far superior to other Moody's-rated cities nationwide. Debt and Pensions:The debt burden of the city is small and is quite favorable in comparison to its Aa3 rating.The net direct debt to full value(0.7%) is slightly under the US median,and fell between 2015 and 2019.On the contrary,Oak Park Heights has a mid- ranged pension liability and is slightly weak when compared to the assigned rating of Aa3. The Moody's-adjusted net pension liability to operating revenues (1.4x) is on par with the US median. Economy and Tax Base:Overall,the economy and tax base of the city are very healthy and are a modest credit strength with respect to its Aa3 rating position.The full value per capita ($182,577) is above the US median,and grew significantly between 2015 and 2019. Moreover,the median family income equates to a healthy 120.9%of the US level. On the ...dA..x'a ko, ........ ........ .. ........ ....... .. .. ....... .. ....... ... .....1:........ MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE U.S. PUBLIC FINANCE contrary,Oak Park Heights'total full value($884 million) is below other Moody's-rated cities nationwide. The coronavirus caused an unprecedented economic slowdown.We currently forecast US GDP to gradually recover in 2021. Local governments with the highest exposure to tourism, hospitality, healthcare, retail,and oil and gas could have a much slower recovery. Management and Governance: Minnesota cities have an institutional framework score 3 of"Aa,"which is strong.The sector has one or more major revenue sources that are not subject to any caps. Revenues tend to be predictable,as cities rely primarily on property taxes and state Local Government Aid (LGA),which is distributed based on demographic and tax base factors. Revenue-raising flexibility is moderate as cities generally benefit from unlimited levying authority,except during years in which the state has imposed limits. Levy limits are not currently in place for cities.Across the sector, fixed and mandated costs are relatively high. Expenditures mostly consist of personnel costs,which are highly predictable. Sector Trends - Minnesota Cities Cities across the state benefit from Minnesota's well-diversified economy,though the coronavirus pandemic has slowed the economic growth considerably.The state's economic growth will likely remain weak through at least the end of 2020,which will negatively impact the cities sector. Nonetheless, Minnesota cities generally benefit from notable revenue raising flexibility and very healthy liquidity, both of which will help the sector mitigate disruption in revenues. Property tax revenues,which are the primary revenue source for cities,are expected to remain sound given the economic diversity coupled with unlimited levying authority,though revenue trends may vary by region. Statutory pension contribution levels have not kept pace with growing unfunded liabilities in state-wide pension plans, in which all cities participate. Pension costs will grow given recent legislation requiring increased employer and employee pension contributions for some plans going forward. This publication does not announce a credit rating action.For any credit ratings referenced in this publication,please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for the most updated credit rating action information and rating history. 2 1 Februaq$0111 62 City of Oak Park Heights,MN:Annual Comment on Oak Park Heights MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE U.S. PUBLIC FINANCE EXHIBIT 1 Key Indicators As Oak Park Heights 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 US Median Credit Trend Economy/Tax Base Total Full Value $726M $755M $777M $816M $884M $2,024M Improved Full Value Per Capita $153,323 $157,669 $161,224 $168,623 $182,577 $97,657 Improved Median Family Income(%of US 113% 123% 122% 121% 121% 114% Improved Median) Finances Available Fund Balance as%of 165.1% 97.9% 96,7% 94.5% 107.6% 35.5% Weakened Operating Revenues Net Cash Balance as%of Operating 160.1% 89.4% 89.1°l° 86.7% 108.9°l° 40.0% Weakened Revenues Debt 1 Pensions Net Direct Debt/Full Value 1.3% 1.2% 1.0% 0.8% 0.7% 1.1% Improved Net Direct Debt/Operating Revenues 1.45x 1.40x 1.31x 1.10x 1.07x 0.82x Stable Moody's-adjusted Net Pension Liability o 0 0 0 0 0 (3-yr average)to Full Value 1.0/0 1.1/0 1.1/0 1.0/0 0.9/0 1.9/o Stable Moody's-adjusted Net Pension Liability 1.08x 1.29x 1.37x 1.33x 1.42x 1.57x Stable (3-yr average)to Operating Revenues 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 US Median Debt and Financial Data Population 4,737 4,790 4,823 4,842 4,842 N/A Available Fund Balance($000s) $10,743 $6,133 $5,866 $5,958 $6,274 $8,489 Net Cash Balance($000s) $10,414 $5,601 $5,409 $5,463 $6,346 $9,759 Operating Revenues($000s) $6,S06 $6,264 $6,067 $6,303 $5,829 $36,135 Net Direct Debt($000s) $9,459 $8,770 $7,935 $6,925 $6,210 $19,137 Moody's Adjusted Net Pension $7,011 $8,068 $8,295 $8,391 $8,263 $38,399 Liability(3-yr average) ($000s) Source:Moody's Investors Service EXHIBIT 2 Available fund balance as a percent of operating revenues decreased from 2015 to 2019 Available Fund Balance as%of Operating Revenues US Cities Median 200% 100% 0% - 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Source:Issuerfinancial statements;Moody's Investors Service 3 1 Febru.4011162 City of Oak Park Heights,MN:Annual Comment on Oak Park Heights MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE U.S. PUBLIC FINANCE EXHIBIT 3 Full value of the property tax base increased from 2015 to 2019 (millions) Total Full Value $900 $800 $700 2015 2016 2017 20 Iii 2019 Source:Issuer financial statements;Government data sources;Offering statements;Moody's Investors Service EXHIBIT 4 Moody's-adjusted net pension liability to operating revenues increased from 2015 to 2019 Debt Pensions 4.Ox 3.Ox 2.Ox 1.Ox ■ O.Ox 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Source:Issuer financial statements;Government data sources;Offering statements;Moody's Investors Service Endnotes 1 The rating referenced in this report is the issuer's General Obligation(GO)rating or its highest public rating that is GO-related.A GO bond is generally backed by the full faith and credit pledge and total taxing power of the issuer.GO-related securities include general obligation limited tax,annual appropriation,lease revenue,non-ad valorem,and moral obligation debt.The referenced ratings reflect the government's underlying credit quality without regard to state guarantees,enhancement programs or bond insurance. 2 The demographic data presented,including population,population density,per capita personal income and unemployment rate are derived from the most recently available US government databases.Population,population density and per capita personal income come from the American Community Survey while the unemployment rate comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The largest industry sectors are derived from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.Moody's allocated the per capita personal income data and unemployment data for all counties in the US census into quartiles.The quartiles are ordered from strongest-to-weakest from a credit perspective:the highest per capita personal income quartile is first quartile,and the lowest unemployment rate is first quartile. 3 The institutional framework score assesses a municipality's legal ability to match revenues with expenditures based on its constitutionally and legislatively conferred powers and responsibilities.See US Local Government General Obligation Debt(lulu 2020)methodology report for more details. 4 For definitions of the metrics in the Key Indicators Table,US Local Government General Obligation Methodology and Scorecard User Guide(lulu 2014). Metrics represented as N/A indicate the data were not available at the time of publication. 5 The medians come from our most recently published local government medians report,Medians-Tax base expansion bolsters revenue,but pensions remain a hurdle(May 2020)which is available on Moodys.com.The medians presented here are based on the key metrics outlined in Moody's GO methodology and the associated scorecard. 4 1 Febru.Pjr72@Ill 62 City of Oak Park Heights,MN:Annual Comment on Oak Park Heights MOODY'S ©2021 Moody's Corporation,Moody's Investors Service,Inc.,Moody's Analytics,Inc.and/or their licensors and affiliates(collectively,"MOODY'S").All rights reserved. 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REPORT NUMBER 1259607 5 1 FebruaAA gill 62 City of Oak Park Heights,MN:Annual Comment on Oak Park Heights MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE U.S. PUBLIC FINANCE Contacts CLIENT SERVICES Francisco Gonzalez +1.214.979.6863 Americas 1-212-553-1653 Associate Lead Analyst francisco.gonzalez@moodys.com Asia Pacific 852-3551-3077 Japan 81-3-5408-4100 EMEA 44-20-7772-5454 MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE 6 1 FebmagW1162 City of Oak Park Heights,MN:Annual Comment on Oak Park Heights co o ' o O ' O N ' O O o N C N z N N •; Lto O N +O+ M O M W cc N a) N r O C �: j D N .a >% N M_ cQ y co L to Q N O cc +O+ `TQ M N 2 0 0 Z cc Oc° v V oti000 aM > > cliai000 ~ CL 69. O O C4 O -, Z O N Q VO O O O ti ti . 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LicenseelRegistrant's Name: City of Oak Park Heights Enter Business Name as it appears on License or First and Last Name it paying for Registration Payment Type: HAY See below for descriptions License Number: 8888 Enter in License Numberor9999 fortrainings and 8888 for anything else Training: MA Enter name of training or`NA`K paying for something else Notes: Please enter additional registration's name here or other additional information Payment Amount: $153.70 Receipt Number: 3798209314 Transaction Date: 0210212021 11:02:49 AM Payment Type: � � Account Number: '1251 71 of 162 • r cf _ PRAIRIE,WOODS AND WATER 7 7 � l�aslz{nelon i,mint[s i'di " . 5 ,r SI.2_ne a s ind I L,.. � fl,-f r d d �:sxh"u y 1-4, �n 'k {addlem ` I f 1"dd 1 r1 W.I =t C.—­11 tl 1.1 k,,t d La Ldt R u Ed n ! n Jt [r�fl 11 rk.-1rt[ ,Ik ndp'olc. df 1 pc.Wrt 17 11 f l Ce vt it T"-f1 Indd{nl 1S,dRnYt141[AI(l[ lo" uunSt-r"Idle"I'd KIfY.YII�v.'1,1'" qualim aad shaxca fcs rceena lw6u[anmprurcln mt uroiccts Start Exploring 1.I9ld ypf(i'IU`Om ' pW1Y91wf "+' F AA r 1 r 6 r�wl Adopt-a-a-Drain.org Members of the East Metro Water Resource Education Program: Brown's Creek Watershed • Carnelian-Marine-St. Croix Watershed Comfort Lake-Forest Lake Watershed • Bayport• Cottage Grove• Dellwood • Forest Lake Grant• Hugo • Lake Elmo• Middle St. Croix Watershed • Newport•Oak Park Heights• Oakdale Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed • Rice Creek Watershed • South Washington Watershed Stillwater • St. Paul Park•Valley Branch Watershed •Willernie•West Lakeland Woodbury•Washington Conservation District•Washington County East Metro Water Resource Education Program 2020 Annual Report TABLE OF CONTENTS Aboutthe Program ............................................................................... ...3 Program Activity Details Public Education and Engagement......................................................... ...4 MS4 Stormwater Education..........................................................5 VolunteerEngagement................................................................9 Education Partnerships...............................................................10 Youth Education.......................................................................13 Groundwater Education..............................................................13 Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS).....................................................14 Flooding................................................................................15 Media and Communications..........................................................15 Outreach Support for Partner Programs and Plans............................................27 Blue Thumb—Planting for Clean Water...........................................28 BMP/Cost-share programs...........................................................29 Stakeholder engagement..............................................................30 Education and Outreach to Farmers and Rural Landowners..............................31 Professional Trainings for Business and Local Government .............................32 Trainings for Municipal Staff and Businesses.....................................33 NEMO and MIDS for Local Decision-Makers....................................34 RacialEquijy...........................................................................35 Appendix A: Education Program Budget for 2019-2021..............................................37 Appendix B: New print materials.................................................. ......................38 2 73 of 162 About the East Metro Water Resource Education Program Background: The East Metro Water Resource Education Program (EMWREP) is a partnership hosted by Washington Conservation District that was formed in 2006 to educate community residents,businesses, staff and decision-makers about issues affecting local lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands and groundwater resources and to engage people in projects that will help to protect and improve the health of these water resources. Over the past 15 years,the EMWREP program has grown from seven local government partners to 25. In 2021, EMWREP will expand further to serve portions of Anoka, Chisago, Isanti and Pine Counties and support implementation of the Lower St. Croix"One Watershed"Plan. Partnership Structure: In 2020, EMWREP partners included: • Washington Conservation District(host) • Washington County • Watershed management organizations: Brown's Creek, Carnelian-Marine-St. Croix, Comfort-Lake Forest Lake, Rice Creek, Ramsey-Washington Metro, South Washington, and Valley Branch Watershed Districts, and the Middle St. Croix Watershed Management Organization • Cities and townships: Bayport, Cottage Grove, Dellwood, Forest Lake, Grant,Hugo, Lake Elmo,Newport, Oakdale, Oak Park Heights, Stillwater, St. Paul Park,Willerme, and Woodbury,West Lakeland Township Partners jointly fund the program based on a set formula,with fees determined by population (cities) or taxable market value (watershed organizations). A steering committee comprised of representatives from each of the partner organizations meets twice a year to provide recommendations on the program budget and activities. In 2021, EMWREP will expand to serve portions of Anoka, Chisago, Isanti and Pine Counties in order to help implement the St. Croix Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan.Watershed based implementation funds from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) will be used to hire additional staff. In addition, local partners in the northern counties will be invited to join the EMWREP partnership. EMWREP's program coordinator—Angie Hong -communicates regularly with partner staff, council members and board members; prepares an annual report detailing program activities; and provides data for partners' MS4 Permit reports. EMWREP plans and reports are available on-line at www.mnwcd.org/emwrep. Coordination and collaboration: The EMWREP partnership helps to strengthen relationships between member entities and allows for better coordination and less overlap in the management of local water resources. EMWREP staff provide leadership for several regional partnerships including Watershed Partners; St. Croix Environmental Education Partnership (SWEEP); Blue Thumb—Planting for Clean Water; and Minnesota Water Stewards. In addition program staff regularly collaborate with nonprofit and citizen-led groups in the Twin Cities and Lower St. Croix regions. 3 74 of 162 PUBLIC 1 1 ENGAGEMENT Audience: General Public, Urban and Rural Landowners,Youth Program Goals: 1. Educate the public about nonpoint source water pollution,groundwater conservation, and basic watershed ecology and management. 2. Build partnerships with state and local government,non-profit organizations, and community groups. 3. Engage citizen volunteers to help conduct education and outreach. 4. Motivate urban and rural landowners to practice behaviors that protect water resources. 5. Train and assist urban and rural residents to complete projects on their land that reduce runoff pollution, conserve groundwater, and increase infiltration. 6. Support EMWREP partners in meeting MS4 Stormwater Permit public education and public engagement requirements. Educational Objectives: Citizens will learn: 1. That nonpoint source water pollution comes from a variety of land uses -residential, commercial,and agricultural. 2. That common pollutants impacting surface and groundwater resources in the east metro area include phosphorus, sediment,nitrates,E. coli,chloride,and mercury. 3. That a watershed includes all of the land draining to a lake, stream or river, and that Watershed Districts and Watershed Management Organizations are special-purpose local units of government charged with managing the resources of a given watershed to prevent flooding and protect water quality. 4. That surface and groundwater resources interact. 5. That area residents can help to prevent nonpoint source water pollution through a variety of behaviors,including raking leaves and grass clippings out of the street, using less fertilizers and chemicals on lawns and gardens, covering bare soil during landscaping and construction,picking up pet poop, replacing failing septic systems, using less salt for winter maintenance and water softening, disposing of household waste properly, and using less electricity. 6. That landowners can help to reduce runoff pollution, conserve groundwater, and increase infiltration by installing best management practices such as habitat plantings, raingardens, and shoreline plantings; repairing erosion; and managing drainage around homes, farms, and commercial buildings. NA f _ 3 STILLWATEVirtual Tour&Scavenger HuntR r P A ; BROW p'S CP E4K R€VIVht """' M11 ki S Jf . k g F r j j fff 7 _ Y Sept 19A 4% SS©gift card to a a s a varlarr.Hunt. — PUBLIC 1 1 ENGAGEMENT: STRATEGIES &ACTIVITIES 1. Stormwater Education Support for MS4 Permit Compliance To support partners in meeting MS4 Permit requirements; EMWREP conducts educational activities and provides partners with newsletter articles, social media graphics, and fact sheets that can be distributed to the public. With the approval of a new MS4 General Permit in November of 2020, EMWREP has also developed new guidance to help partners meet education requirements in future years. Stormwater related priorities for EMWREP (partners can choose different priorities for themselves if needed) 1. Reducing stormwater runoff through landscape changes to commercial, residential, and public properties (ie. Installing raingardens or converting turf to native plantings) • This includes public projects, completed with support from community residents, as well as landowner-led projects, completed with encouragement and/or support from EMWREP partners. 2. Encouraging residents to keep leaves and grass clippings out of roadways, ditches,and drainage pathways in order to reduce nutrient inputs to stormwater runoff • This includes promotion of the Adopt a Drain program. Public Participation and Involvement Though in-person public engagement opportunities were dramatically limited in 2020 due to COVID, EMWREP conducted the following activities: • Promoted the Adopt a Drain program: 265 new adoptions in 2020. Total =550 in Washington County. • Helped to plan and execute community clean-up events in Stillwater and Forest Lake on Sat., Sept. 12 S4 Tool Videos,newsletter articles,fact sheets and other tools for stormwater education In 2020, EMWREP finished updating the MS4 Toolkit,which is hosted online as part of the MPCA's Minnesota Stormwater Manual.New resources include: Videos for the General Public Illicit discharge: • English: https://youtu.be/AIhvFzNb2tA • Spanish: https://voutu.be/U3PNWmPSbk HELP . ILLEGAL DUMPING • Somali: https://voutu.be/o9HyWIctOoo TO KEEP CHEMICALS OUT • Hmong: https://voutu.beNd9rU6Ugfpc 1 f OUR WATER5 76 of 162 Lawn Care: • English: https://youtu.be/HuDOmuQzog_E • Spanish: https://voutu.be/eB9ZvZDfO8U • Somali: https://voutu.be/L_ZzObiHTkE • Hmong: https://voutu.be/_15o2FCDsmw 5 WAYS TO GET A GREEN LAWN 4 Tips for a Beautiful,Water-Friendly Yard: • English: https://youtu.be/olZilbOlOxI • Spanish: https://youtu.be/COSBLAnxWQ • Somali: https://youtu.be/CA9KzcCVQnU • Hmong: https://youtu.be/dXPjN9lB53I Training Videos for Municipal Staff: • Stockpile Management • Use and Storage of Significant Materials • Routine Street and Parking Lot Sweep • Pesticides and Fertilizers • Right of Way Maintenance • Vehicle Maintenance • Road Maintenance • Waste Disposal • Emergency Response • Cleaning of maintenance equipment,building exteriors, and dumpsters • Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination • Raingarden Maintenance • Parks Maintenance Newsletter articles+social media graphics on the following topics • Adopt a Drain • Algaea • Carpet cleaning • Clean streets for clean water o Includes translations in Spanish and Somali No BOTAR • Condos and townhomes going green NO love los sum�nisiros • Debunking myths about raingardens • Dog poop Ulilice un fregadero de o Includes translations in Spanish and Somali • Five clean water actions in less than I hour • Frogs • Grass clippings o Includes translations in Spanish • Illicit discharge o Concrete wastewater, carpet cleaning,painting,vehicle maintenance, and general IDDE o Includes translations in Spanish • Lawns 6 77 of 162 • Leaves o Includes fall utility inserts o Includes translations in Spanish and Somali • Mercury • Score your shore • SMART salting - o Includes translations in Spanish • State of the lakes � � "� " f • State of the rivers Rake and bag Rake and bag • Vehicle care Leaves from your Use your mower leaves along the to n7ulch Leaves curb and on top o Includes translations in Spanish and Somali and driveway.yard,sidewalk intoLhe lawn of stormdrafns • Wetlands o Including wetland vs stormwater pond • What is a watershed? • Winter yard prep Fact Sheets See Appendix B for English language versions of new print materials. o Guidance for lawn care providers o Includes translation in Spanish • Mapping and inspections of stormwater infrastructure • MS4 Permit • Waste disposal o Includes translations in Spanish and Somali • Small-scale construction o Includes translations in Spanish and Somali • Stormwater management o Includes translations in Spanish and Somali • Water pollution 101 —Pollutants and stressors o Set of 1/2pg rack cards with information about bacteria,phosphorus,nitrogen, chloride,mercury, and sediment. o Includes translations in Spanish and Somali • Water governance flow chart The above listed materials were shared with EMWREP partners via email in 2020. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, EMWREP staff got creative and planned a number of watershed education events for the public that were held virtually or in-person with safe distancing. 0 r ` OR a Water Pollution Mystery Game: Participants searched for hidden clues to solve a water pollution mystery. The game was set up in various locations around Washington County throughout the summer so that people could participate as individuals or families with safe social distancing. Winners received an orienteering compass or magnifying glass as a reward. Find 5ix hidden ctues to identify the cnmi na 1. 7 78 of 162 _ F•µa Locations and dates of Water Pollution Mystery Game events: • Bayport, Lakeside Park—May 19 • Forest Lake, Lakeside Park—June 2 • Oakdale, Tanners Lake Park—June 19 • Stillwater, East side of Long Lake —July 10 :_ • Iq . • Hugo,Heritage Ponds Park—July 22 • Cottage Grove,Highlands Park—July 31 • Woodbury, Carver Lake Park—Aug 11 • Marine on St. Croix, Burris Park—Aug. 21 • Woodbury, Tamarack Nature Preserve— Oct. 10-11 A total of 84 people submitted answers online for the Water Pollution Mystery Game. Here's what participants had to say about the game: "Thank you again for the wonderful educational experience for my son and L! The mystery Clue Game was very well set up, and we appreciate it!My son Chev and I look forward to more future games like this one!" "We are s0000 excited and had an absolute blast seeking the suspect. Thank you for your hard work and planning in it all!" In addition to being fun,the game generated good publicity as well. It was written up in an article for Bring Me the News and spurred lots of conversation in community Facebook groups. Take a kid fishing event—Cottage Grove,Aug. 20 EMWREP staff attended this outdoor event and conducted a lesson about macroinvertebrates and aquatic health. ng 6 we ,ftwater Critters! III&-------_-ANN&= 1.Use a spoon to gently scoop up plants and animals to see thein more easily. 2.tjse the identification Key below to help identii;Y critters that You find. 3.Til,]hen you are done,taKe your spoon with you to another Station Or drop it in the disposal buCKet at tlhe beginning. B1mJs+be a+�er l:fF. .. r.�„..ti._e.r...:.t..,.•.,:1�.r�..w r,.n�r I'�I•ly.r and Sa� Je�arnM'�'­_:J M1grruawre..nd nen<m sanornlo:rs:duu rr:n .rrnXy W rvr9r sr.p'a',tl1rSY u.1 A.hrw:tb n_.R.e.wr.e.rr nt:.vnln r i!su:ti:o uW nrxFlrc:::.tlrs..mmrlvmr *t IM ti — mvunsn xl"gym :>r rmmµrymx-. Brown's Creek Watershed District Virtual Tour & Scavenger Hunt—Sept. 19-Oct. 11 EMWREP created this event as an alternative to the community festival usually held in Brown's Creek Park in September. The event included an online virtual tour of sites along Brown's Creek, as well as 11 letter clues hidden along the trail. Participants were encouraged to run,walk,bike, or skate the trail to find hidden clues and enter a drawing to win prizes. • Virtual Tour: http://bit.ly/2cwd-map20 • Video: https://youtu.be/I3dinsHjAAo 8 79 of 162 2. Volunteer engagement: Minnesota Water Stewards 20 Stewards certified in Washington County 6 new stewards graduated in 2020 EMWREP has participated in the Minnesota Water Stewards program since 2018 and has certified 20 volunteers over the past three years. Six stewards completed their training and capstone projects in 2020. In August,we also closed out a three-year BWSR Clean Water grant that had provided funding for this program in Washington County since 2017. Water stewards participate in 50-hours of in-person and on-line training and complete a capstone project to become certified. Once certified, stewards volunteer 50-hours during their first year of service and 25-hours per year afterwards to remain in the program. Some of the many volunteer projects led by water stewards include: • Organizing raingarden clean-up events • Joining watershed district CACs • Going door-to-door in their neighborhoods to promote Adopt-a-Drain and other programs • Attending community events on behalf of EMWREP partners • Removing invasive species and planting natives in public spaces • Establishing gravel beds to grow trees for community plantings In 2020,the following people participated in the program: • Barb Bickford and Mike McCarthy— Stillwater(MSCWMO) • Deb Wall—Lake Elmo (VBWD) • Gabriel Curell—Lake St. Croix Beach(MSCWMO) • Jean and John Schreckheis—Forest Lake (CLFLWD) • Leslie MacKenzie —Marine on St Croix(CMSCWD) • Martin Hyndman—Lake Elmo (VBWD) • Pam Kelly—West Lakeland Twp. (VBWD) In addition, EMWREP staff continued to engage stewards from previous cohorts through emails and Zoom meetings,held on Sept. 9 and Nov. 17. Adopt a Drain 550 drains adopted in Washington County (+265 in 2020) 14,077 drains adopted in Minnesota The Adopt-a-Drain program engages community residents in helping to prevent stormwater pollution by cleaning leaves, litter and other debris off of storm drains near their homes. Volunteers get reminders via text or email and are asked to report their actions on-line so that cities can track the program's impact. They may also receive a small sign,placed in their yard to help spread the action and let neighbors know of their commitment to clean water. 9 80 of 162 The Adopt-a-Drain program was created by Hamline University's Center for Global Environmental Education on behalf of Watershed Partners, a metro area collaborative with 60+ partners. EMWREP promotes the program through a variety of means, including: • Press releases and city newsletter articles • Websites and social media • Door-hangers distributed by volunteers ADOPT 265 new volunteers signed up to adopt drains in 2020. QrB11jN As a result,there are now 550 storm drains adopted in Washington County. In April,Watershed Partners also launched a new Adopt-a-Drain 90-second animated film that aired regularly on TPT throughout 2020. Adopt a Raingarden 55 raingardens adopted in Stillwater and Oak Park Heights The Adopt-a-Raingarden program engages community volunteers to care for raingardens in Stillwater and Oak Park Heights. Volunteers commit to removing weeds, litter, and built-up sediment during the growing season and reporting larger maintenance concerns to staff at Washington Conservation District. More info at: www.mnwcd.org/adoptaraingarden. In 2020, EMWREP collaborated with Sustainable Stillwater MN to engage Adopt a Raingarden volunteers and ensure that gardens were well-maintained. hl person events were hindered by COVID-19 concerns;however,volunteers continued to maintain gardens on their own. 3. Education Partnerships One the most important strategies utilized by the EMWREP program is to build partnerships and work collaboratively with federal, state and local government; non-profit organizations; and community groups to educate and engage the public. Some of our key partnerships include: Watershed 70 partners in the Twin Cities Metro Watershed Partners is a coalition of more than seventy public, private and non-profit organizations in the Twin Cities metro area. Through collaborative education and outreach,the Metro Watershed Partners promote a public understanding that inspires people to act to protect water in their watershed. Since 1996,partners have cooperated through educational projects, networking, and resource sharing. 10 81 of 162 The mission of the Metro Watershed Partners is two-fold: • To provide and promote collaborative watershed education programs with consistent messages to the general public, local government staff and elected officials; and • To provide WSP members a place and means to share information,generate ideas, and coordinate and support collaborative watershed education programs. Watershed Partners holds monthly meetings with special presentations,publishes blog-style stories through its www.cleanwatennn.org website,produces content for partners to use in their educational programming, and is host to the Adopt a Drain program. In 2020, EMWREP coordinator Angie Hong served on the Watershed Partners' steering committee and acted as convener for large group meetings. The group held ten meetings during the year,with presentations on the following topics: • January: Outcomes from the Clean Water Fund Paul Gardner, Clean Water Council • February: Chloride Resources and Assistance Brooke Asleson, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency • March: What's Working for Conservation 2020; Lawns to Legumes Update Dan Shaw and Tara Kline from BWSR • May: Climate change and rainfall—where can/should/will all the water go? Leslie Yetka, City of Minnetonka and Janna Kieffer, Barr Engineering • June: Moving environmental education online; Big River Journey, a case study John Shepard&Tracy Fredin of Hamline University's Center for Global Environmental Education and Lyndon Torstenson of the National Park Service. • July: Anti-Racism Conversation • September: Stormwater nutrient pollution of Twin Cities waters: sources and solutions Sarah Hobble, University of Minnesota • October: Preparing for and Responding to Diverse Audiences and Changing Demographics in Water-related Outreach and Communications Megan Dayton, Senior Demographer at Minnesota's State Demographic Center; Mark Doneux,Administrator, Capitol Region Watershed District; Tammy Schmitz, Communications and Outreach Specialist • November: Art for Water Alex Van Loh and Kris Meyer, Freshwater; Beth Carreno, RCWD; and guest artists • December: Plant for the Future Mary Hammes, Environmental Stewardship and Volunteer Manager, Mississippi Park Connection ADOPT %3P YOUPDPAIN 1 •• ALONE-TOGETWEPi EAPT14 DAY ACTION �q April 17-April 3o,zmo Y $IGN UP TO ADOPT A DRAM 1970 2020 adopt-a-drain.org 56 11 82 of 162 Croix 1 Environmental Education1 78 partners in the Lower St. Croix Watershed SWEEP (St. Croix Watershed Environmental Education Partnership)brings together staff from parks and nature centers,non-profit organizations,local government, and community groups in the Lower St. Croix watershed to inspire leadership in environmental education though networking, community engagement and collaborative events within the St. Croix River Watershed. In 2020, SWEEP partners spent time in the early spring preparing for an Earth Day passport event program that was ultimately canceled due to COVID. The group began meeting via Zoom in the fall and is now moving forward on a number of activities for 2021, including distributing a monthly newsletter to highlight outdoor destinations and activities in the St. Croix region, organizing an Earth Day passport program, and planning a St. Croix Youth Summit. EMWREP coordinator Angie Hong is a member of the SWEEP leadership team. Nonprofit, 1 community groups In addition to the larger partnership programs mentioned above, EMWREP works closely with nonprofit, citizen, and community groups in our area,including: • Master Gardeners o Collaboration on webinars and education activities throughout the year • Lake associations o Angie Hong spoke at the Lily Lake Lake Association Meeting on Oct. 21 o East Metro Lakes e-newsletter—sent May, Sept., Oct. • St. Croix River Association o Collaboration on webinars and education activities throughout the year • Pollinator Friendly Alliance o Lauren Haydon spoke at the PFA Earth Chapter Webinar on April 14 o Collaboration on webinars and education activities throughout the year • Wild Ones • Sustainable Stillwater MN o Collaboration on volunteer activities, including storm drain stenciling,Adopt a Drain,and Adopt a Raingarden 12 83 of 162 4. Youth education Though K-12 students are not a primary audience for our education programming, EMWREP provides support for youth education initiatives that are partner-led. In 2020,youth programming included: • Jan. ll - Girl Scouts "Water Journey" program —held at Camp Lakamaga on Big Marine Lake. Co-taught with staff from Comfort Lake—Forest Lake Watershed District. • Jan. 23—Presentation at Career Pathways Program — Oakdale Junior High • Feb.5—Girl Scouts watershed program - Stillwater Library • South Washington Watershed District (SWWD) Campus Greening projects: In 2020, SWWD began working with two new elementary schools—Crestview and Valley Crossing -in the South Washington County School District to convert unused turf areas to native plantings. In addition, SWWD continued to work with teachers, students and volunteers at Lake and Middleton Schools,where campus greening projects were completed in 2019. EMWREP had hoped to engage Carpenter Nature Center to conduct classroom lessons for students at these schools,but these lessons were unfortunately canceled due to COVID-19. EMWREP staff continue to provide coordination and education assistance for these projects and are working with Carpenter and SWWD to plan school education for fall of 2021. • Support for implementation of the Washington County Groundwater Plan: In 2020,this included promoting the Children's Water Festival,held virtually in September. 5. Groundwater education EMWREP provides support for implementation of the Washington County Groundwater Plan. In 2020, EMWREP had hoped to conduct family-friendly groundwater programming at Washington County libraries. However,these events were not possible due to COVID-19. Instead, EMWREP staff directed their time toward creating three new videos for the general public and two new print handouts for rural residents. See Appendix B for print materials. Videos • Hold the Salt to Protect Minnesota Water -https://youtu.be/Io-zTw5Yb6g o This 4-min video uses cartoon graphics to illustrate the dangers of chloride pollution and provide advice on how to limit salt use. • Our groundwater connection -https://voutu.be/JOVc7-io2uc o This 5-min video is adapted from a video originally made by the Anoka County Watershed Education Partnership. It uses cartoon graphics to illustrate what groundwater is and talk about risks to groundwater and ways to protect groundwater. 13 84 of 162 • Our Groundwater Connection: Contamination -https://youtu.be/.RRSHJpe8p-g8 o This 5-min video is a companion to the "Our groundwater connection"video that focuses specifically on groundwater contamination. EMWREP and Washington County staff provided input on the script development. Fact Sheets (Appendix B) • Well water testing postcard • Caring for septic systems to protect water resources 6. Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) EMWREP also provides support for AIS education in Washington County. Education activities in 2020 included: • Collaborating with St. Croix River Association to conduct AIS education o AIS video with Lake Demonstreville/Olson Association o Lake service provider postcard mailed to residents on Big Marine, Clear, Demontreville-Olson,Forest, and Square Lakes (See Appendix B) • Publishing AIS information in print and social media. o News articles in Stillwater Gazette and Forest Lake Times • May 15 -Help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species while fishing and boating this season o Facebook—posts reached 1113 people • SCRA+LDO videoSocial Distancing • Algae vs duckweed vs aquatic plants When Boating • Reed canardgrass r • Zebra mussels • Square Lake—Keep it clean • Help prevent the spread of AIS • AIS webinar promo\ o Instagram posts—posts reached 298 people • Drain your boat o o • Drain your boat ��'iJ 4� • St Y Plan ahead: Boat only Distance No rafting or Algae vs duckweed vs aquatic plants home pack food in your clock maintain o TikTok—videos reached 680 people and water household distance • Freshwater mussels Be prepared and boat safe—always wear a life jacket. • Zebra mussels • Duckweed vs algae • Delivering an e-newsletter to 165 lake association members and shoreline residents (3 newsletters in 2020) 14 85 of 162 7. Flooding education After several years of wetter than normal weather,local partners were very concerned about the risk of maj or flooding FLOODINSUR1 ■ in spring of 2020. hl response, EMWREP created a flooding ' SEASON fact sheet and social media graphics with guidance for common IS flood related concerns.We also created a flood information Coverage page on the Washington Conservation District website: in place , r 30 days www.mnwcd.org/flooding. prior to an event so don't In addition, EMWREP helped to write articles about flooding what you need. for partner newsletters and local newspapers. Learn more.Contact Floodor the National Insurance Program at floodsmart.gDV or 1-888-379-9531 8. Media and Communications In 2020, EMWREP used a variety of communications platforms to share watershed and stormwater information,promote partner projects and programs, and publicize events and activities. Newspaper articles: Angie Hong has published a weekly column for the Valley Life— Stillwater Gazette for 15 years. The articles are posted on-line at www.eastmetrowater.org and frequently appear in other local newspapers as well. • Chisago Press (Circulation-3963) • Forest Lake Lowdown (Circulation— 13,997) • Forest Lake Times (Circulation - 13,029)—Hong column featured monthly • Hugo Citizen (Circulation— 14,500) • Scandia Country Messenger (Circulation - 1075) • St. Croix 360(On-line: 25,647 followers) • St. Croix Lowdown (Circulation—5000) • Valley Life/ Stillwater Gazette (Circulation- 17,479)—Hong column featured weekly • White Bear Press (Circulation— 19,331) Newsletters: EMWREP also provides content for city,watershed and WCD newsletters. Newspaper articles published in 2020 included: WaterBar offers a unique opportunity to share and hear new stories—Jan. 17 "Growing up in Jamaica,my family had a deep connection with the land and the ocean where we lived," says Angelo Williamson. "When I moved to the United States, I felt a strong sense of identity as a Jamaican.When other people looked at me and saw me as a black,African- American man,that was confusing." 15 86 of 162 Ode to an old dead log—Jan 18 I, "Driving down a country road last week, I turned to gaze at a '. lone tree in the west that always stands so firmly, silhouetted against the evening sky. On this night,however, one half of the tree lay sprawled across a nearby farm field,toppled over by wind or age. "How sad,"I thought." Nurturing the Wild—Jan. 23 "What is that over there?""It's the wild," said the mole. r "Don't fear it." "Imagine how we would be if we were less afraid."—Charlie Mackesy, The Boy, the mole,the fox and the Horse 2020 Brings $1.9 Million in New Clean Water Funds to the Lower St. Croix area—Feb. 10 On January 22, the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources approved $13.9 million in Clean Water Fund grants to improve water quality in lakes, streams, and groundwater aquifers across the state. Feedback helps to shape Lower St. Croix 10-Year Watershed Plan—Feb. 10 "Over the past two years, 15 local government partners in Anoka, Chisago, Isanti, Pine,and Washington Counties have been working to create a shared watershed plan to guide collaborative work in the Lower St. Croix region for the next 10 years." Minnesota climatolos4ists predict another vear of major sprin$4 floodins4 —Feb. 21 "The National Weather Service and Minnesota Climatology Department are both predicting another wet spring with major flooding in 2020. There is a high chance of flooding on the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers, as well as in lakes,ponds,farm fields, and low lying areas." The hills [will soon bel alive with the sound of music —Feb. 27 "It is never a secret when my son and I go for a walk. You can hear us coming from at least a block away. I'm usually singing because I consider myself to be either Julie Andrews or June Carter, depending on the day." Wet basement? Sorry, no app for that. — March 6 "The sun is out,the snow is melting, and someday soon you may go downstairs and discover that your basement is wet. What should you do?" A walk in the woods,a planted seed,new skills to learn—March 17 "We went to the woods on Sunday afternoon to enjoy fresh air,warm sun reaching through frostbitten air, and no other humans in sight. For the dog,it was just like any other day. She had no idea that the world was turning upside down as she galloped across the blackened prairie." 16 87 of 162 The day the kingdom rested–March 27 "Once upon a time, there was a great big busy kingdom that was marvelously filled with magic. Rocks split open, allowing crystal clear water to pour out for the villagers to drink; trees oozed with liquid that turned to sugar when it was cooked; and tiny crystals fell from the sky every winter." Do's and Don'ts of Spring Gardening–April 2 "With too much time on his hands during the past few weeks, one friend's husband gave their seven-year old a Mohawk haircut. Another started tearing down portions of the ceiling in their entryway to install new lighting. (Actually,that was the same guy.)" 500 Frogs a Croaking–April 9 "On the third week of coronavirus my true love gave to me, 500 frogs a croaking, four[dozen] calling birds,three rich fens,two mourning doves, and a partridge in the Great Plains. It is Saturday,which means two days of rest away from video conferences,working remotely, homeschooling, and tending home." Adopt a storm drain in honor of Earth Day's 50th Anniversga–April 16 "On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans— 10%of the U.S. population at the time— participated in teach-ins and rallies across the nation to advocate for an end to environmental destruction." Inspiring a Land Ethic–April 23 "There are degrees and kinds of solitude. An island in a lake has one kind;but lakes have boats, and there is always the chance that one might land to pay you a visit. A peak in the clouds has another kind; but most peaks have trails,and trails have tourists." One woman's weed is another woman's salad–April 30 "Look! There's a yellow flower growing in that jagged sidewalk crack,but watch out! You almost stepped on the crack and everyone knows that would break your mother's back. Is it a weed or is it a flower? I guess that depends on who you ask." Green Lands, Blue Waters–A new menu for Minnesota farmers?–May 8 "Do you like Kernza®and jam?Would you eat it in a boat?Would you eat it with a goat?Would you try it drenched in milk,ground to flour, or brewed as beer?" Help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species–May 14 "Last weekend, Minnesota's 2020 fishing season opened with a bang. There was snow up north, only a few fish caught in the St. Croix River, and no cameo appearances from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.None-the-less,record numbers of Minnesotans purchased fishing licenses last week and set sail in search of walleye,pike, and lake trout." Find wilderness close to home –May 22 ° "Like any good wilderness adventure, our day featured a stimulating mix of peaceful solitude, surprising I" discoveries,playful rest time, and harrowing travel." wm y 17 88 of 162 A modern day tale of Tortoise and Hare—May 29 "As I rounded the corner, I hit the gas and pedaled harder knowing the other bike was probably close behind. Perhaps he'd seen pigtails sticking out from beneath my helmet and thought it would be easy to catch a girl. Little did he know that I am quick like a rabbit." River flowing, gathering tears—June 4 "The Mississippi is like a woman with a basket on her back that grows heavier by the hour. Sometimes I think she gathers our tears as well, as she sweeps through burning cities and past people crying out for justice." Meandering in the woods—June 12 "There is an art to meandering in the woods. For Trout Brook and other naturalized streams,the "wiggles"allow for different types of habitat that fish need. Sometimes people need a pause to wander in the woods as well." Friends of Sunfish Lake Park lands $139,000 grant to manage buckthorn—June 18 "This summer, Friends of Sunfish Lake Park secured a$139,000 grant from the Minnesota Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council Conservation Partners Legacy Grant Program to remove buckthorn and restore native plants in 40 acres of the park." Rumor has it there's a rumor in town—June 25 "By some default of the human genome,we seem programmed to spread rumors. It often seems that the harder you work to dispel these false narratives,the more tenaciously they cling." Paddle, Bike, Repeat: Four days on the Namekagon and St. Croix Rivers—July 3 "We started our trip at the County Rd K landing (Namekagon River),near Trego,Wisconsin, and ended four days later at the Lower Tamarack landing (St. Croix River), 47-miles downriver. To avoid using a shuttle or bringing two cars, I brought my mountain bike along and rode back to our put-in at the end of each day to bring our truck and camping gear down to the next location." Love Square Lake, Big Marine, St. Croix River?—July 9 "CMSCWD includes 17 miles of the St. Croix Riverway stretching from Stillwater Township to Scandia,as well as 31 lakes,three designated trout streams, and hundreds of acres of wetlands. The four largest lakes in the district—Big Marine, Big Carnelian, Little Carnelian, and Square Lake—are in the Top 10 list of cleanest metro area lakes. There are also thousands of acres of high quality, undeveloped habitat in the region.Where should the district focus limited time and money in the coming decade?" Dead fish and green water?—July 9 "In recent weeks, several people have contacted the Comfort Lake-Forest Lake Watershed District(CLFLWD)to report fish kills and algal growth observed in Forest Lake. Read on to learn what's behind these recent phenomena." What goes down,must come up—July 11 "Ask anyone with young kids and they'll tell you about the strain of parenting in COVID times. With schools, summer camps, and daycare closed,we dance a wiggly cha cha as we attempt to somehow do a full day's work while simultaneously caring for stir-crazy children who've been stuck at home since March." 18 89 of 162 Green lawns for blue water and good health—July 24 "Some common lawn care practices can harm wildlife,pets, and water resources.Happily,there are a few simple guidelines you can follow to get a healthy lawn that looks nice without harming the environment." Gophers and muskrats, oh why—July 30 "In a native planting or restored prairie,however,gophers should be considered a friend.Yes,the prairie will be bumpy instead of flat,but nature tends to be that way." Search for hidden treasure,and sometimes you find goats— Aug 6 "Charlie and I excitedly watched our beacon move ever closer to the hidden cache as we hiked down a trail into the woods. 350 feet to go. 300 feet to go. 100 feet to go! Then we heard a plaintive bleat from behind the trees. Had I heard a goat?" .x A crack in the rock&a beach in the forest—Aug. 14 "Crystal Spring Scientific and Natural Area(SNA) in Scandia was established just four years ago. It contains a crystalline spring that pours out of the side of a rock wall, deep in an emerald chasm." Green days on a summer lake —and that's not a good thing—Aug. 21 "Algae blooms in Carver Lake and other urban lakes are usually caused by too much phosphorus flowing into the water from sidewalks, streets, and parking lots. Help to keep our lakes blue by sweeping dirt and yard waste off of your sidewalk, driveway and curb-line throughout the year and adopting your local storm drain: www.adopt-a-drain.org." Brown's Creek Watershed District to work with Oak Glen Golf Course on a new Clean Water rp oject—Aug. 27 "There are three main goals for the Oak Glen stormwater reuse project. The first is to keep warm stormwater out of Brown's Creek. The second is to keep phosphorus and sediment out of Brown's Creek and the St. Croix River. In addition,this project will allow Oak Glen Golf Course to reduce the amount of groundwater it pumps for irrigation." Campus greening projects planned for Valley Crossing and Crestview Elementary Schools— Sept. 11 "At Valley Crossing in Woodbury,the school will convert 3.7 acres of turf to oak savanna and revitalize 7.15 acres of existing prairie on site. Crestview Elementary in Cottage Grove will restore 10 acres of degraded woodlands on campus and convert several areas of unused turf to prairie as well. The project is a partnership between South Washington Watershed District and South Washington County School District 833." Transformation underway at Lake Elmo Park Reserve— Sept. 18 "Washington County secured funding through the Outdoor Heritage Fund to restore and improve 166 acres of prairie and oak savanna at Lake Elmo Park Reserve around Eagle Point Lake and in the north end of the park." 19 90 of 162 Explore the Brown's Creek Watershed with a virtual tour and scavenger hunt— Sept. 24 "This fall, Brown's Creek Watershed District is offering a virtual tour and scavenger hunt to highlight some of the historical features,natural wonders, and stream-improvement projects along the route." Fall yard care reminders and tips— Sept. 28 "Harvest the last of your tomatoes and herbs now before they're killed by an overnight freeze.Wait to cut down old „ stems and seed heads until the late spring. Instead of raking leaves,mow your lawn a few times to mulch up the leaves and return nutrients to the soil. If you live on a lake,be sure that you hire a DNR certified contractor to remove your dock this fall." Tamarack Nature Preserve Park&Boardwalk Reopening Celebration— Oct. 10 "Smack dab in the middle of bustling, suburban Woodbury,the Tamarack Nature Preserve is a hidden gem containing the southern-most tamarack swamp in Minnesota. A community event Oct. 16-18 included a virtual tour and water pollution mystery game." New rule restricts nitrogen fertilizer application after Sept. 1 — Oct. 15 "Beginning September 1, 2020, Part 1 of the Groundwater Protection Rule goes into effect, restricting the application of nitrogen fertilizer in the fall and on frozen soils in areas with vulnerable groundwater. It applies to approximately 12-13%of Minnesota's cropland and nearly half of the land in Washington County." Brown's Creek Watershed District Receives Two National Awards in 2020 —Oct. 27 "This fall,the Brown's Creek Watershed District will receive awards from the American Water Resources Association and the Water Environment Federation for long-term work to protect Brown's Creek." Water stewards inspire neighbors to take action and adopt storm drains— Oct. 29 "To date, Twin Cities' residents have adopted 13,747 storm drains. However,only 530 of those are in Washington County. This fall,the East Metro Water Resource Education Program is encouraging people to adopt a storm drain in their neighborhood and join the movement to promote clean lakes,rivers and streams. To sign up,go to http://www.Adopt-a-Drain.org." Boy Scouts and Water Stewards help to create outdoor classrooms in Woodbury—Nov. 6 "South Washington Watershed District created its Campus Greening program two years ago to encourage schools and other large campuses to think holistically about how they can meet stormwater management requirements when expanding buildings and parking areas. At the Lake and Middleton campus, South Washington County Schools (District 844)worked with SWWD to convert 15 acres of turf to prairie,plant 200 trees,and create the two new outdoor classrooms." Amidst tumult of 2020, Comfort Lake—Forest Lake Watershed District work continues -Nov. 10 "CLFLWD continues its work to protect and improve local lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands in Forest Lake and southern Chisago County. The district has completed dozens of clean water projects and is currently updating its 10-year comprehensive watershed management plan,which will guide future work from 2022-2031." 20 91 of 162 Boring bureaucracy keeps the water clean -Nov. 12 "The U.S. EPA created the MS4 Program in 1990 to address the growing threat of stormwater pollution. In Minnesota,the program is administered by the MPCA and applies to roughly 300 cities,townships, counties,watershed districts,and large campuses such as universities,hospitals and prison complexes that operate their own private roads and stormwater drainage systems. This includes more than 20 permit holders in Washington County." New trails highlightjor changes at Lake Elmo Park Reserve -Nov. 20 "This year,Washington County launched a major transformation at Lake Elmo Park Reserve, aided in part by a grant from the Minnesota Outdoor Heritage Fund. The park has added a new parking lot and entrance off of Inwood Ave., created new trails, and began work to restore 166 acres of prairie and oak savanna. On the east side of the park near the Nordic Center,Washington County added 2.2 miles of new ski trails." To Bison or to Monet? -Nov. 27 "Washington County Parks is haying the prairie at Pine Point Regional Park to imitate natural processes that would occur if the land were being grazed by bison." In the in between -Dec. 3 '� "We're in the season of in between,both literally and metaphorically. The leaves have fallen but the snow has not. A 4W crisp layer of ice coats the corners of the lakes and rivers,not � , , yet thick enough to support our weight,but cold and sharp ' "`- enough to keep us from impulsively leaping in for one last w swim. In the time of in between, look for the simple pleasures in life. The magic is still happening,just a little bit more quietly." The healing power of nature -Dec. 10 "If you've ever noticed that you feel happier and more relaxed after spending time outdoors,you won't be surprised to hear that research shows a strong connection between time spent in nature and reduced stress, anxiety, and depression." ; Getting older shouldn't mean staving indoors-Dec. 17 "Randy Thoreson, a retired National Park Service employee,has traveled the country advocating for new programs to help get seniors outdoors in nature." Lower St. Croix"One Watershed"plan approved-Dec. 18 "After two years of planning, a Lower St. Croix 10-year Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan was approved by the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources on Oct. 28." When the stars shine bright-Dec. 24 "hi this week of winter solstice, Christmas and Kwanzaa,we approach the end of a long, strange year with a mix of sadness,hope and tangled up holiday lights." 2021 will bring $2.6 million in new funding for watershed work in the St. Croix region-Dec. 31 "Just in time for the holidays,the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources approved $12.3 million in Clean Water Fund grants to be used statewide for water quality improvement projects across Minnesota. Locally,partners in the Lower St. Croix watershed will receive $1.4 million in Clean Water grants in addition to $1.2 million allocated for implementation of the Lower St. Croix"One Watershed"Plan." 21 92 of 162 Online For years, EMWREP partners have relied on local newspapers to help us educate the public about water issues in our communities and promote workshops and events. During the past year, however,we've lost four community newspapers—the Oakdale-Lake Elmo and Maplewood- North St. Paul Reviews,as well as the Woodbury and South Washington Bulletins. In addition, the majority of in-person events were canceled in 2020,due to COVID-19. As such, delivering information and education through webinars, social media, and websites has become one of our most important communications strategies. Webinars: When EMWREP first offered workshops as Nearly IOOa people webinars in spring of 2020,we were pleasantly surprised to attended our see attendance numbers triple in comparison with our webinars in 2020. traditional in-person workshops. Last year's webinars reached more than 1000 participants via Zoom and 600 via YouTube. Online learning allows us to easily engage residents from a large geographical area and helps to reduce W" barriers related to child care and commute-time that existed for our previous in-person workshops. In 2021,we plan to continue offering webinars throughout the year. <a Social Media: EMWREP uses multiple social media B► platforms to deliver watershed and stormwater information promote partner projects and programs, and publicize events and activities. Platforms used include Facebook, hlstagram, TikTok,YouTube, and Pinterest. • Facebook has 2.45 billion monthly users,is used by 70%of Americans, and continues to be our primary platform for promoting workshops and other events; share partner success stories; and advertise site visits, cost-share grants, and other services that we offer. It is also easy and inexpensive to purchase Facebook ads to deliver our content to people in our communities that are most likely to be interested or to reach new audiences. Facebook continues to be the most widely used social media platform for all ages, races, and income levels and senior citizens are currently the fastest growing demographic on the platform. • Other social media plantforms: In 2020, EMWREP worked to develop a presence on other social media platforms, including hlstagram,YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter and TikTok. We are experimenting with how to best engage people on these platforms and how to develop relevant messages for different audiences. We've learned that Twitter is a good way to get stories out to reporters in traditional media,whereas TikTok is a good way to engage young people ages 13-24. 22 93 of 162 "Best of 2020" - Top performing topics for social media Facebook— Site visit promo (boosted post) Instagram—Adopt a Drain promo (reel)- -Aug. 3 Sept. 11 • 8083 views+ 64 "likes"+ 17 shares 2106 views+ 79 "likes" r arrogrrhongmn ... `id you know Ehal we provide FREE site visia for anyone in r�duce runoff r;.ldfd �FvR1 C%t3 WashirajtOn County?whedw you operate 2 large farm.live in a tiny "pornings,AND well&o cmnen you with avallable grants to get ibe angiehongrrm Minnesotans have adopted more than t ZOba storm +• ' drains to protect urban lakes and County-It you're inspired,s*up for a lite visa today at r vers: 't It is set ousty the easiest thing you can do to Ptevent water pollution in your community Take up the leaves and gunk in th,-street so it doesn't wash into storm drains,that connect to Our vrdter5, Find a dfain near you at wv5^�a.atlOpt-d- dratn.org. r y •ddw6d+am arstormweer g wclearmater!minnesotatake- .t ■rrrissrssrppurver cast€roorwer r 0. 79 likers &M3 I-BIB 6 Ctiinne-m 17 Shares Like Conumm f-�Sham 23 94 of 162 TikTok—Why NOT to put glitter in the toilet(video)—Dec. 9 • 7186 views+ 1071 "likes"+6 shares maanavtwre •� ••• np NJnn4^.:'. ,. v.'.av G�°9'K1n.In Ui•tallld7f IgItlEM iMr�! � k je lA�litdk m]+. a: original sound•Ancj4 Hap �, ... � m Coov COOY Friend Argo Heurg cre.wr ^:'.aa±N)A ,abN^wntlwa.tlHrp UOW wOrrrw ii ,tw,ywxl,7w"rr,r.ran.IMrefe 4ttiw awcir�srt df fnn YouTube—Park Maintenance municipal training video —created in 2010 • 2988 views MI + PR IN & VAUTIF4CATION 0.1 C: C Parks Staff Keep Water Clean 2,9>D weevvs•No,td.21D 10 JAP 20 JPt d sr► SHARE =+ SAVE ... 24 95 of 162 East Metro Water Blog—these and other blog posts are also published in the newspaper • Most read post: June 25 -918 readers • Rumor has it there's a rumor in town "Tanners Lake is part of the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District(RWMWD), and the district has worked hard to improve and protect water quality in the lake over the past 20 years." Most popular webinar: Planting for Pollinators • 6 workshops +450 registrations+ 100 views on YouTube r NO Planting for Pollinators: Your Ican the Change Presented by Blue Thumb 4 the Washington Conservation District m C 81 u thumb pfantmg far Pot Iinarors Web:nar 16S drt A 5HAK -, SAVE ... Pinterest— 12,600 total impressions in 2020 • Most popular pin: Butterfly hike at Lost Valley Prairie SNA (226 impressions) Websites: In addition to individual partner websites, EMWREP uses the following websites to share education and information: • Washington Conservation District: www.mnwcd.org o /events—event info and registration o /emwrep—annual reports and plans o /planting-for-clean-water—resources for planting projects o /virtual-tour—short videos highlighting outdoor destinations and activities • East Metro Water: https:Heastmetrowater.org o Blog posts on a variety of topics • Blue Thumb—Planting for Clean Water: www.bluethumb.org o Resources for raingardens,native plants, shoreline buffers, and Lawns to Legumes • Clean Water Minnesota: www.cleanwatennn.org o Watershed Partners produces high quality photos and articles for partners to use in their communications. Blog stories highlight actions that Minnesotans are taking to protect water. 25 96 of 162 o In 2020, Clean Water MN published the following articles: ■ January: A Song to Sweep to from Frassati Academy ■ February: Mayo Clinic Takes a Smart Approach to Salt ■ March: Adopt-a-Drain reaches 10,000 drains milestone ■ April: Community Cleanup Lifts Spirits ■ April: Minnesotans invited to Adopt a Drain in honor of 50th"Earth Day Birthday" ■ May: Street Sweeps Keep the City Clean ■ June: Making space to confront systemic racism ■ September: Masjid An-Nur leads the way as an `Eco-Mosque' ■ October: Rake up to protect lakes and rivers from leaf litter Interpretive Exhibits and Signs Over the years, EMWREP staff have helped to design dozens of high-quality displays, interactive exhibits, and interpretive signs. Examples include the Blue Thumb retractable "root pull"display; two suitcase-style interactive exhibits about groundwater; interpretive signs at Square Lake Regional Park,Afton Alps, and Joy Park; and AIS information signs at public boat launches in Washington County. In 2020, EMWREP worked with KORT Design to produce a new table-top version of the Blue Thumb root-pull display. 26 97 of 162 OUTREACH SUPPORT FOR PROGRAM AND PLAN IMPLEMENTATION Audience: General public, landowners and land managers Program Goals: 1. Publicize EMWREP partner programs and projects. 2. Engage public and private land owners to complete habitat and water quality improvement projects on their land. 3. Promote partners' BMP (Best Management Practices) and cost-share incentive programs and connect landowners with state and federal grants for water quality improvement projects. 4. Engage community members and other stakeholders to help meet water quality goals identified through local water plans,TMDL(Total Maximum Daily Load) studies, WRAP (Water Restoration and Protection) strategies,and regulatory programs. 5. Educate the public and engage community members to support implementation of the Lower St. Croix Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan. Educational Objectives: 1. Community members will be aware of partner projects and programs happening in their communities and understand the benefits of these activities. 2. Landowners will develop the knowledge and skills to complete habitat and water quality improvement projects on their land, including: native plantings, raingardens, and native shoreline buffers. 3. Landowners will be aware of and utilize BMP, cost-share and other incentive programs to complete projects. 4. Community members will participate in public meetings,provide input for plans,and take action to support the goals outlined in local and regional plans. 27 98 of 162 OUTREACH SUPPORT: STRATEGIES &ACTIVITIES 1) Blue Thumb—Planting for Clean Water The Blue Thumb—Planting for Clean Water Program is a Minnesota partnership hosted by Metro Blooms. Approximately 60 public,private and nonprofit partners work together to educate the public about native plants, raingardens and shoreline plantings and encourage homeowners to complete projects on their land. The program operates the www.BlueThumb.org website, hosts workshops and other events, delivers educational messaging through several media platforms, and has produced numerous print resources,including the Blue Thumb Guide to Year Round Yard Care. � k i Initially,the partnership emphasized the water quality benefits of native planting projects;however, in recent years,pollinators have become a major focus as well. Blue Thumb is now affiliated with the Minnesota Lawns to Legumes program and offers web resources and workshops to help landowners develop pollinator-friendly gardens and plantings. EMWREP helped to launch the Blue Thumb partnership in 2007 and developed many of the original education materials for the program. Currently,we use the website as a resource for the public and collaborate with Blue Thumb/Metro Blooms staff to conduct workshops in our region. Workshops help residents to connect with local resources including, incentive grants,free site visits,garden designs,plant lists, and conservation plans for larger properties. 2020 Workshops In 2020, EMWREP conducted workshops online and saw attendance numbers triple in comparison with our traditional in-person workshops. Our Blue Thumb webinars engaged more than 800 participants via Zoom and 400 via YouTube. Four of our workshops sold out with more than 100 people registering for each. Planting for Pollinators and Wild Edibles were big crowd favorites. However,we also learned that people don't always log on to join the webinars once they've registered. Here's what some of our workshops participants had to say about the classes: "Thanks for the great webinar. It was very informative, presented very well, and really interesting. Thanks as well for the follow up email, all this is appreciated."—Francis "Thanks so much, I really enjoyed the conference."—Elizabeth "Thank you for doing this webinar—I've always found ethnobotany knowledge to be useful!!-Misty 28 99 of 162 Workshops in 2020 included: • Planting for pollinators—March 25,April 7,April 28, May 14,Aug. 26 and Sept. 8 o Co-taught by EMWREP staff(Lauren Haydon and Angie Hong) and James Wolfm from Blue Thumb (formerly of Minnesota Bee Lab). • Planting for wildlife—April 23 • Wild Edible Plants: May 5 and May 12 • All things raingarden—July 15 • Landscaping for wildlife (Scandia Lions lecture series) —Aug. 19 • Planting for pollinators (Izaak Walton League lecture series) —Nov. 10 By introducing native plants to their yards, local residents can provide habitat for pollinators, birds and wildlife while also reducing runoff from their properties.Native plant roots grow deep into the soil,channeling and filtering stormwater while also storing carbon and reaching water and nutrients. At our workshops,participants learn how to design and install planting projects,which plants to select,and how to connect with funding opportunities. To find video recordings,presentation slides, and print resources from these and other workshops, head to: www.mnwcd.org_/planting-for-clean-water. BMP ppo Two years ago, EMWREP created a project maintenance calendar for Google and Outlook to provide landowners with raingardens monthly reminders for common maintenance activities (ie. cleaning inlets or weeding): www.mnwcd.org/maintenance-guide. Additional resources for raingarden maintenance are also available at www.mnwcd.or /optarain ate. 2) Promotion of BMP and cost-share incentive programs Blue Thumb provides educational tools and resources for EMWREP to promote partners' BMP and cost-share incentive programs. hl addition to conducting workshops for the general public, this often includes direct outreach to landowners in priority locations through mailings, door- knocking, and outreach to lake associations and homeowners' associations. The Washington County BMP map shows locations of urban and agricultural conservation projects, installed with EMWREP partner support. The map shows the location of 1500 voluntary urban BMP projects: http://www.mapfeeder.net/wcdbmp//. In 2020, EMWREP outreach generated 150 new site visits to help landowners plan conservation projects such as raingardens, shoreline buffers, and native plantings. 29 100 of 162 2015-2020 Program Participant Survey In January 2020, EMWREP sent an e-survey to 556 people who have attended workshops, scheduled site visits, or completed conservation projects with Washington Conservation District, Watershed District, or WMO assistance between 2015 and 2020. A total of 159 people responded (29%response rate). Similar surveys were conducted in 2015 and 2010. Of the people who responded to our survey: • 44%attended a workshop or presentation • 69%received a site visit • 55%installed a project at their home (raingarden, shoreline planting, etc.) o 68%with grant support; 32% without • On average, survey respondents were older, have higher household incomes, and are ry„ more likely to identify as white than the general population in Washington County Motivations: People who completed BMP projects most often said they were motivated by protecting a nearby water body from polluted runoff, improving habitat for wildlife and pollinators; or beautifying their yard's existing landscaping. Barriers: Common barriers to completing a project include time, funding, and communication during the grant application and approval process. What they like: People like our staff and the knowledge they are able to bring to the process. They also like the overall education and information we provide. Complaints: Most people expressed no complaints with our programs. Some complained about lack of funding,grant requirements and paperwork, or delayed communications. Suggestions for improvement: People want us to advertise, educate, and promote our work more! (This was also the most common suggestion in 2015.) 3) Stakeholder engagement EMWREP helps to coordinate stakeholder engagement for partner's watershed plan updates. hl 2020,this included: • Lower St. Croix Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan (1W1P) • Carnelian-Marine-St. Croix Watershed District 10-year watershed management plan update • Comfort Lake—Forest Lake Watershed District 10-year watershed management plan update EMWREP support included creating surveys,helping to facilitate public meetings, and participating in Technical Advisory Committee and Citizen Advisory Committee meetings. In addition,Angie Hong has acted as the staff liaison for the Lower St. Croix Policy Committee. 30 101 of 162 EDUCATION 1 OUTREACH TO FARMERS AND RURAL LANDOWNERS With the planned expansion of EMWREP in 2021 to serve the entire Lower St. Croix watershed,partners will be hiring an agronomy and outreach specialist and developing an outreach and education program for farmers and rural landowners. During development of the Lower St. Croix CWMP in 2018-2020, ; EMWREP staff conducted a number of stakeholder engagement activities with farmers and rural landowners, including: • Surveying 387 agricultural landowners in Chisago, Pine v+! and Washington Counties • Conducting twelve one-on-one interviews with local ' farmers; and • Holding small group conversations with 45 agricultural stakeholders during a Feb. 2, 2019 meeting Feedback from these surveys, interviews and small group conversations will be used to develop the new Lower St. Croix agricultural outreach and education plan. Background and previous work: Washington Conservation District has been working with farmers and rural landowners since 1942. hl previous years, EMWREP has provided limited support for agricultural education initiatives in Washington County, including workshops and targeted mailings. In 2020, EMWREP staff helped to plan a Soil Health webinar for local farmers and created a video to highlight the work of Pam Arnold, a Scandia farmer and conservation cooperator. odsmal VIRTUAL Virtual Soil Health Field Day Oct. 8 • 50 participants on Zoom+46 via YouTube This event included a video tour of Pam Arnold's farm in Scandia, as well as presentations on Soil Health by Jennifer Hahn of the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition, and Cropland Grazing Exchange by Kelly Anderson of Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Presenters also talked about local cost share programs and financial assistance for sustainable farming. Pam Arnold farms 40-acres of land in Scandia along the St. Croix River and is the owner of Salt-n-Pepper Farm LLC. She is certified through the Minnesota Ag Water Quality program and was recognized as the Washington County Outstanding Conservationist in 2018. Salt-n-Pepper Farm produces honey and fresh produce for local markets and CSA members. The farm uses conservation practices including cover crops,no-till,and companion planting. Video tour of Pam Arnold's farm: https://youtu.be/US2Kjbiv7-g 31 102 of 162 Professional 's for Business and Local Government Audience: Water resource professionals,municipal staff, consultants and contractors, local elected and appointed officials,business owners,lawn care providers,winter maintenance providers Program Goals: 1. Provide technical training to help EMWREP partners meet MS4 Permit requirements and reduce stormwater pollution. 2. Work in partnership with University of Minnesota to provide high-quality professional education at a local level. 3. Provide local decision makers (city councils,planning commissions,watershed boards, county commissioners, etc.)with information and training needed to implement policies, programs, and practices that protect and restore water resources. This includes,but is not limited to, Minimal Impact Development Standards (MIDS) and Shoreland/Buffer rules. 4. Offer professional trainings for area business owners,lawn care providers, and winter maintenance contractors to share information about local water issues and encourage business practices that protect surface and groundwater resources. Educational Objectives: 1. Municipal employees will understand that stormwater runoff, erosion, and illicit discharge contaminate surface and groundwater resources and, also,that there are best management practices to reduce these causes of water pollution. 2. Local decision makers will understand that land use impacts water quality and that there are a variety of policies,programs and practices cities,counties, and watershed management organizations can implement to protect their water resources, including MIDS and shoreland/buffer rules. 3. Area business owners, lawn care providers, and winter maintenance contractors will learn how to conserve groundwater resources and reduce surface and groundwater pollution through a variety of practices, including: a. Completing water efficiency audits; b. Mowing higher and using fewer lawn chemicals; and c. Reducing road salt application by using new technology, calibrating equipment, and adjusting anti-icing and deicing methods based on weather forecasts; and storing salt properly to reduce leaching. d. Using and storing pesticides and fertilizers safely. 32 103 of 162 PROFESSIONAL TRAININGS FOR BUSINESS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT 1) Training for Municipal Staff and Businesses MS4 Municipal Training Resources MS4 Permitees are required to provide training for staff on a variety of topics related to stormwater and pollution prevention. Below are links to eleven short videos developed by EMWREP. Partners are encouraged to share these via email or incorporate into staff meetings and training workshops. • Stockpile Management • Use and Storagegnificant Materials • Routine Street and Parking Lot Sweeping • Pesticides and Fertilizers • Right of Way Maintenance • Vehicle Maintenance • Road Maintenance • Waste Disposal • Emergency Response • Cleaning of maintenance equipment,building exteriors, and dumpsters • Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination • Raingarden Maintenance • Parks Maintenance In addition to the videos listed above, EMWREP educators are available to speak at staff trainings on request. In 2020, in-person training opportunities were limited due to COVID-19. SMART Salting Workshops EMWREP works with Fortin Consulting and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to hold SMART Salting workshops for public works staff,winter maintenance contractors, and property management companies. Certified contractors listed at: www.pca.state.mn.us/water/salt-application-training Find a model contract here: https://www.edinafnn.gov/422/Pollution-Prevention No local workshops were held in 2020. Turf Maintenance Workshops EMWREP also works with Fortin and MPCA to hold Turf Maintenance workshops for public works staff, lawn care providers, and property management companies. In 2020, EMWREP sponsored one online workshop Turf Maintenance workshop on April 20. 33 104 of 162 2) NEMO and MIDS for Local Decision-Makers EMWREP conducts workshops and presentations to provide local decision makers (city councils, planning commissions,watershed boards, county commissioners, etc.)with information and training needed to implement policies,programs, and practices that protect and restore water resources. This includes,but is not limited to, Minimal Impact Development Standards (MIDS) and Shoreland/Buffer rules. Our education program builds on the NEMO model (non-point source education for municipal officials)that was originally developed by University of Connecticut and implemented in Minnesota through a partnership with Minnesota Extension. MIDS—Minimal Impact Development Standards Background: In 2010,Washington Conservation District leveraged funds from an EPA 319 grant to develop and pilot a Minimal Impact Development Standards (MIDS) Community Assistance Package in the St. Croix Basin. The four pilot communities -Centre City, Chisago, Lindstrom and East Bethel -received free education,training and consulting services to update plans, ordinances and codes to protect their local water resources and the St. Croix River. The community assistance package developed includes performance goals, a calculator for determining stormwater credits for best management practices, and ordinance guidance for communities. Later,in 2014, Middle St. Croix Watershed Management Organization(MSCWMO)was awarded a Clean Water Fund Accelerated Implementation Grant through the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR)to help eight communities in Washington County update their existing ordinances to incorporate MIDS -Bayport, Baytown Twp., Lake St. Croix Beach, Lakeland Shores, Oak Park Heights, St. Mary's Point, and West Lakeland Twp.. MSCWMO staff and consultants met one-on-one with city and township staff, attended council and planning commission meetings, and provided ongoing education for community staff and leaders to guide the ordinance update process. EMWREP provided education support for both of these projects. Next steps: With the expansion of EMWREP to implement the Lower St. Croix CWMP,we hope to engage local decision-makers in the northern planning region and provide the information and assistance necessary for those communities to update their ordinances and policies to incorporate MIDS as well. 34 105 of 162 Shoreland/Buffer Rules/View Corridors EMWREP provides the information and 2020 St. Croix assistance necessary for communities to Virtual Workshops on the Water update their shoreland ordinances and For local community leaders policies as needed. ' In 2020, EMWREP offered a series of free webinars for local community leaders in lieu of our usual St. Croix Workshop on the Water. Lake and Shoreline Management: June 3 PDF or VIDEO • Who's in charge? Understanding the June 3, 10 and 17 ` different roles of state and local government-Angie Hong, EMWREP • Common scenarios: Can I do that with my property? -Angie Hong, EMWREP • Vegetative removal and land alteration standards along shorelines -Matt Bauman-MN DNR Landscaping and Habitat: June 10 PDF or VIDEO • Planting for clean water and wildlife -Angie Hong, EMWREP • Policies to protect pollinators -Laurie Schneider, Pollinator Friendly Alliance • St. Croix virtual wildlife safari -Greg Seitz, St. Croix 360 St. Croix Riverway: June 17 PDF or VIDEO • St. Croix Riverway land use regulations—Matt Bauman, MN DNR • Ideas for innovative local shoreland,floodplain, and St. Croix land use ordinances—Matt Bauman, MN DNR and Kay Lutze,WI DNR 3) Racial Equity The death of George Floyd in May 2020 and subsequent civil unrest across the nation highlighted the need for EMWREP to think critically about diversity, inclusion and racial equity in our work. Workshops and trainings During the summer,Angie Hong and Lauren Haydon helped to facilitate the following racial equity trainings: o July 1 -Washington Conservation District staff o July 23 -Comfort Lake—Forest Lake Watershed District staff o Sept. 16 -Comfort Lake —Forest Lake and Carnelian-Marine-St. Croix Watershed District boards In addition, racial equity was a focus of Watershed Partners' July and October meetings. EMWREP staff also participated in several additional racial equity webinars and initiated conversations with GARE (Government Alliance on Race and Equity). 35 106 of 162 Examining demographics in Washington County Often,we think we know who our constituents are,based on the people that show up at public meetings or apply for building permits and cost-share grants. The reality,however, is that the people we engage with most often tend to be older,whiter and more affluent than the general population. This year, EMWREP staff looked at demographics from elementary schools in our area, as a way to identify potentially underserved neighborhoods in Washington County. Looking at elementary school data can also help us to predict what our future demographics might look like. Here is a quick look at the most and least racially diverse elementary schools in each school district: • Maplewood—Oakdale—NSP School District: 61% students of color `. • Castle Elem (Oakdale) —64% minority,primarily Black and Asian • Eagle Point(Oakdale)—46% minority,primarily Asian • South Washington School District— 33% students of color • Woodbury Elem—50%minority, ' primarily Black and Asian • Grey Cloud(Cottage Grove) —23% minority,primarily Latino and Asian _ • Stillwater School District— 18% students of color • Lake Elmo—39%minority,primarily Black and Latino • Stonebridge (Stillwater) — 10%minority students • Forest Lake School District— 13% students of color • Forest View Elem. —22%minority,primarily Latino and Asian • Scandia Elementary—5%minority students • White Bear District—26% students of color • Hugo Elem—16%minority,primarily Asian • Oneka Elem— 16%minority,primarily Latino • Mahtomedi— 12% students of color • O.H. Anderson— 17%minority,primarily Latino and Asian • Wildwood Elem— 16%minority,primarily Latino and Asian Next Steps: Watershed Partners has formed a subcommittee to focus on implementing more inclusive watershed education across the Twin Cities area and Angie Hong is part of that committee. EMWREP staff will continue to examine current programming and look for ways to better engage communities of color in education, as well as other watershed work. Staff have recommended that Washington Conservation District become a GARE partner in 2021. 36 107 of 162 Appendix A: 2019-2021 Annual Budget Staff Su ort and Overhead Expenses Materials Total $144,200 $10,000 $154,200.00 MEMBERSHIP STRUCTURE AND FUNDING CONTRIBUTIONS* Annual PARTNER Contribution SWWD $25,000 VBWD $19,300 BCWD $19,300 CLFLWD $19,300 CMSCWD $12,700 RWMWD $12,700 RCWD $3,000 Washington County $12,800 MSCWMO $6,300 Bayport $700 Cottage Grove $2,700 Forest Lake $2,700 Lake Elmo $2,700 Hugo $2,700 Oakdale $2,700 Stillwater $2,700 Woodbury $2,700 Dellwood $700 Grant $700 Newport $700 Oak Park Heights $700 St.Paul Park $700 West Lakeland $700 Willenue $700 TOTAL $154,900.00 37 108 of 162 Appendix B: New print materials Low-resolution PDFs of new print materials including: • MS4 Toolkit o Guidance for lawn care providers o Mapping and inspections of stormwater infrastructure o MS4 Permit o Waste disposal o Small-scale construction o Stormwater management o Water pollution 101 —Pollutants and stressors o Water governance flow chart • Groundwater o Well water testing postcard o Caring for septic systems to protect water resources • Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) o Lake service provider postcard 38 109 of 162 • 6 . %K Good for Your Lawn, Good for Our Water What to ask for fromyour lawn carep rovider Fertilizer 0 Take a soil test to determine nutrient needs* 0 Mow often - mow high• Spring & Fall: • N-P-K ratios of 4-0-2 or 4-0-3 work for most Minnesota lawns 2-2n inches tall 0 Irrigated lawns: Apply 1.5-21b Nitrogen (N) per 1000 sq ft annually • Summer: 3 in. tall (50%slow-release)(1.25-1 .751b for rich soils)(2-2.51b for sandy soils**) 0 Leave clippings on lawn • 0.5 - 0.751b at first mowing*** 0 Sweep up clippings on • 0.25 - 0.51b around Memorial Day the pavement • 0.5-0.751b around Labor Day 0 Mow less frequently or 0 Non-irrigated lawns: Apply 0.5-1 Ib N per 1000 sq ft annually not at all during dry spells *Minnesota law requires zero-phosphorus fertilizer unless a soil test shows you need it or you're establishing a new lawn. Irrigation **Sandy soils require more applications with less fertilizer per application to avoid polluting our groundwater. 0 Install rain and soil ***Don't apply fertilizer when soils are less than 50° F. moisture sensors and check them annually A II 0 Calibrate your system* • Spring & Fall: 1/2 in. 0 If needed, apply a preemergent herbicide in the spring for water, 2 x weekly crabgrass (may be combined with spring fertilizer application) • Summer: 1/4 in. 0 Spot treat for broadleaf annual weeds in June water, 4 x weekly 0 Spot treat for broadleaf perennial weeds (dandelions) in fall 0 If there's enough rain, don't irrigate *The best defense against weeds is healthy grass 0 Check sprinkler heads annually & fix as needed Core Aeration *A typical pop-up spray 0 Compacted soils: Aerate 1 x yearly around Labor Day head takes 20min. to -The goal is 20-40 holes / sq ft, which requires two passes apply 1/2 inch of water. • Reassess the need for aeration after 2-3 seasons A typical rotor-type 0 Non-compacted soils: Aerate 1 x every few years, as needed takes 40min. These guidelines are based on recommendations from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, University of •ta Extension and turf maintenance experts. Is your provider certified?www.pca.state.mn.us/water/summer-turf-grass-maintenance-training s Edi MMINNESOTA POLLUTION ff_'0of,CONTROL AGENCY I ■ 1 1 1 1 1 1 : r " � a ' J a • ,a • k , x i ";_'� u,.+9Yv'....�..� 1 >�j.„i•A^'�S.'1!�T '-I A�,�� ��" h__. !-. I°� .. V.J !�- A L �d. ,�A` ..d The new Minnesota MS4 General Permit, issued in November of 2020, requires permittees to map and inspect stormwater systems within their jurisdictions. bL1 —d You must develop and maintain a map of your In addition,you must maintain a written or mapped stormwater system that shows: inventory of facilities you own or operate that Pipes: The location and direction of flow for all contribute to stormwater pollution.This may include: stormwater pipes that are 12-inches in diameter Waste management: or larger • Landfills; recycling; composting; and solid waste Outfalls: Where stormwater leaves your system to handling and transfer enter a public water or another entity's system • Hazardous waste disposal, handling and transfer • All outfalls should be assigned a unique Parks and recreation: identification number and labeled with • Parks and public golf courses geographic coordinates • Public swimming pools BMPs: Structural stormwater best management • Public parking lots practices such as stormwater ponds, infiltration basins, and bioretention basins. The map should Public works: include: • Vehicle and equipment storage and maintenance • All structural BMPs that are part of your • Pesticides, salt, and materials storage MS4; and • Public works yards • BMPs owned and operated by other entities • Snow storage that were built after Aug. 1, 2013 or include an executed legal mechanism with the owner Along with creating a map or inventory,you that is responsible for long-term maintenance. must implement best management practices to prevent or reduce stormwater discharges from the All receiving waters. Lakes, rivers, and streams above facilities. 111 of 162 t " f, 4 s k In addition to mapping stormwater systems,you must conduct periodic inspections of your BMPs,stormwater ponds,and outfalls,and repair, replace,and maintain these as needed. More info: WHENTO • Some stormwater BMPs may require inspections and maintenance CONDUCT more than once per year. • If no maintenance or sediment removal is required after two years of inspections, you may reduce inspections to once every two years • Inspections are only required for outfalls(when it leaves your system to Structural enter a public water or another entity's stormwater system), not every stormwater outlet in your system. •MPs Completing maintenance and repairs: Once every • Ensure that stormwater BMPs and stormwater ponds are functioning 5 years properly and in good structural condition. rmwater ••, • and • Remove sediment and complete other needed maintenance. outfalls • Document a schedule for maintenance that can not be completed within one year. For more information on the Minnesota MS4 General Permit, go to: pca.state.mn.us/water/2020-ms4-general-permit M MINNESOTA POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY 112 of 162 Stormwater Pollution and the MS4 Permit Program 4 & � In urban areas, storm sewers drain rain and melting snow off of roads quickly to prevent flooding. From there, the runoff water travels away safely through underground stormwater pipes. In most communities built before the late 1970's, stormwater pipes carry runoff directly to nearby wetlands, lakes, streams and rivers without treatment. Storm sewer systems help to protect communities against flooding, but they also carry pesticides, fertilizers, oils, metals, bacteria, salt, sediment, litter, and other debris into our waterways. STORMWATER IS THE LARGEST SOURCE OF WATER POLLUTION IN URBAN AREAS. The Clean Water Act establishes a structure for housekeeping"to avoid polluting waterways during the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) routine road and park maintenance. In addition, and state agencies to regulate water pollution and there are separate permit programs to regulate set water quality standards for rivers, lakes and industrial sites and construction sites. streams. What's NOT included in the MS4 program Within this structure, the Municipal Separate Storm The MS4 permit program does not address issues Sewer System (MS4) permit program regulates such as flooding or aquatic invasive species that cities and other entities that manage storm sewer are not related to stormwater pollution. Likewise, it systems. In Minnesota, the program is administered does not apply to agricultural or rural water pollution by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. outside of permitted cities and townships. MS4 permit holders include cities, watershed districts, counties, and townships, as well as large campuses such as universities, hospitals and prison Do you have concerns about stormwater complexes that operate their own private roads and management in your area? drainage systems. Contact your community's MS4 Permit Coordinator to share comments and suggestions. MS4 permit holders are required to develop stormwater pollution prevention programs, educate the public about stormwater pollution, and engage citizens in solving local water pollution problems. The permit also requires these MS4 entities to identify and stop illegal dumping(called illicit discharges),take steps to reduce runoff from construction and development, and practice "good 113 of 162 REQUIREMENTS OF THE MS4 GENERAL PERMIT- Public Education and Outreach Public Participation and Involvement Permittees must educate the public Permittees should seek input from about stormwater pollution and 01191 9` the public on their Stormwater suggest actions that people can take 1416 Pollution Prevention Program to reduce stormwater pollution iny� (SWPPP) and involve the public in their communities. activities to protect water. Required topics include: Each year,there must be: • Illicit discharge recognition and reporting(illegal • At least one public input opportunity(could be a dumping in ditches and storm sewer systems) meeting) • Winter salt and deicing materials • At least one participation event(ex. e.g., rain barrel • Pet waste distribution event, rain garden workshop, cleanup In addition, permittees must educate the public event, storm drain,stenciling,volunteer water quality about at least two other high priority stormwater monitoring, adopt a storm drain program, household issues in their communities (ex.yard waste, lawn hazardous waste collection day, etc.) chemicals, raingardens, etc.) 3: Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE) 4: Construction Site Stormwater Runoff Control riPermittees must develop, Permittees must develop, implement implement, and enforce regulations and enforce rules for construction and implement a program to detect , activity that disturbs one or more acres and eliminate illicit discharges. ® of land and discharges to the municipal stormwater system. These program should address: Permittees should regularly inspect to ensure that • Illegal dumping in ditches and storm sewer systems construction sites: • Proper disposal of pet waste on municipal property Stabilize exposed soils, stockpiles, ditches and swales • Proper storage of salt at commercial and industrial Install practices to prevent sediment from leaving facilities (indoors or under cover and over an their sites impervious surface such as concrete) Protect storm drains In addition, permittees should: Contain liquid and solid waste from concrete, stucco, • Provide training for staff paint,form release oils, curing compounds, and other • Map areas where illicit discharges are most likely construction materials; and to occur Preserve natural buffers within 50 ft of waterways • Investigate potential illicit discharges and enforce or incorporate additional sediment controls if that is regulations as needed not possible. 5: Post-Construction Stormwater Management 6: Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping eqPermittees must also develop rules Permittees must map all municipal to address stormwater pollution after If facilities that may contribute stormwater construction is complete. Developers 4 pollution (compost sites, parks, salt must install practices to treat storage, and public works facilities, stormwater runoff from any projects etc.)and use best practices in their that create one acre or more of new operations to minimize stormwater or reconstructed impervious surface (roads, parking pollution. Permittees must also inspect and maintain their lots, buildings, etc.), Where practical, practices that stormwater treatment devices (ponds, infiltration basins, infiltrate water into the ground are recommended. rain gardens, etc.)and provide training for staff. M MINNESOTA POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY 114 of 162 H=P YOUR JVN� OUT OF OUR wATF.R ^ _ _ a MiAnk � � • DON ' T TWROW TWAT IN Ti4r= GAR9AGr= ! Household Old and unused If there is no drug chemicals... medications... take-back program... Take motor oil, paint, Drop off old and unused pesticides and other medicines at a drug 11 Will household hazardous waste take-back event or to your county drop-off site collection site. !UI`I,X or a licensed local business. {' Mix medicines(do not crush tablets or capsules) r,,4' Find an unwanted with an unpalatable substance such as dirt, :; kitty litter,or used coffeeslrounds; Find your drop-off site: medications disposal site: 'LACE www.pca.state.mn.us/waste/ www. ca.state.mn.us/livin - p p g Place rhe n,i,�rtjr,-;n a container find-your-household-hazardous- green/managing-unwanted- such as aseaiedplastic bag; waste-collection-site medications THROW I CK Throw the container In your household trash; ON SCRATCH OUT Scratch out all personal information on the prescription label of your empty pill bottle or empty medicine packaging to mak it unreadable,then dispose of the cuntainer. 11 1 U 1 Learn - We ur help to keep our waters clean! 115 of 16 • .•• t Minnesota water at www.pca.state.mn.us/waste WATER POLLUTION 101 Help protect our waters IF IT'S WI140y... OR yOV'VE GOT `ERRS III Keep your garbage cans inside until collection time. PtJT A LID ON IT! 1 1 Be sure to keep lids closed on dumpsters and garbage cans! Also, don't fill dumpsters with liquid waste or try to hose them out. Dumping chemicals USE yOrTILITy S1 'V1� ' NOT into a storm sewer or ditch is called an yOVR LOCRL STORM BARN ! "illicit discharge" and is ILLEGAL. Take your car to If you have a pool the car wash or... or hot tub... Use your utility sink! Or wash your car over Don't dump chlorinated Use your utility sink to the grass, not the street water into the street or wash off paint brushes or your driveway, so that pond! Before you empty it and solvent soaked rags, soapy water doesn't end in stop adding chlorine and to dump soapy water, and up in our lakes and leave the water uncovered to empty swimming pools streams. for 3-5 days. and spas. r s' If you - - illegal dumping or see water . sheen report it to: [Insert local contact here] Thanks for doing yourpart toprotect - • . WATER POLLUTION 101 Help Protect our waters, environment and wildlife Smallmscale Construction Prevent erosion and protect Minnesota's water • construction, remodeling and landscaping projects. ■ are soil can erode easily during construction and landscaping proj.ects. Though soil is natural, it can pollute lakes, rivers and streams by smothering habitat and making the water cloudy and unsafe for • Stormwater Pollution Prevention Building a new home? Establishing a new lawn? Refer to the diagram on the back of this page for Cover bare soil with erosion control fabric, mulch, guidance on preventing erosion and stormwater or quick-growing annual grasses such as annual pollution. rye, oats or winter wheat until you are able to lay sod or seed your lawn. Erosion control fabric can When construction is in progress, verify that your also help to protect hilly areas until new grass is builder has installed silt fence or other sediment fully established. control measures along the down slope perimeter of your property and near curbs, gutters, ditches, streams, lakes and wetlands. All bare soil must be covered and soil piles must be stabilized as well. As a homeowner, you are responsible for Beginning a landscaping project? inspecting and maintaining temporary stabilization measures until permanent ground cover is Schedule large landscaping projects for dry established on your yard. Reinstall or replace weather. Cover bare soil with mulch and avoid ripped, collapsed, or decomposed silt fence and disturbing the soil along stream banks and remove sediment if deposits reach 1/3 of the silt lakeshores. Study how water flows across your fence height. Use downspout extenders to protect property and use trees, shrubs, deep-rooted native temporarily stabilized areas from roof runoff until plants, and raingardens to slow down runoff and permanent vegetation is established. prevent erosion. We need your help to keep our waters clean! 117 of 162 Learn more about Minnesotawww.pca.state.mn.us/water/construct*ion-stormwater d e O O 3 E T a d a d O V/ R 1 a +�. E T ami � • O O e • V � V7 ��' �� • d fit LL /�1� W N� Gj DC cz E L.,n � 1 aj d d CL 2p E Yds 6 a� bA ■ ' 7 Y — - � W O d o _ - O V = a . d I L__� R v -o �/ o a O U � •Y �a, LL � a � E �, Q O � i �L d •W �o Q pp N t t � O � � - � � � YO ♦ ♦Ln L-nC� .V o — W 'r ECL bA � R ' _ a > O �-o Vl 'O 0 l.J H u •� O N i N O N d N In Y d N A D 'N L. 7 - //�� > u t 3 C — C o WATER POLLUTION 101 Help protect our waters, environment and wildlife Stormwater Management Policies that protect - r in your community From city streets to lakes and A regulatory program to address the problem - streams-following the journey The Clean Water Act & the Municipal Separate of urban water pollution Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit program In urban areas, storm sewers drain The Clean Water Act establishes a structure for the U.S. rain and melting snow off of roads Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state quickly to prevent flooding. From agencies to regulate water pollution and set water quality there, the runoff water travels away standards for rivers, lakes and streams. safely through underground stormwater pipes. Within this structure, the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit program regulates cities In most communities built before and other entities that manage storm sewer systems. In the late 1970's, stormwater pipes Minnesota, it is administered by the Minnesota Pollution carried runoff directly to nearby Control Agency. wetlands, lakes, streams and rivers without treatment. MS4 permit holders include cities, watershed districts, counties, and townships, as well as large campuses such Storm sewer systems help to as universities, hospitals and prison complexes that protect communities against operate their own private roads and drainage systems. flooding, but they also carry pesticides, fertilizers, oils, metals, MS4 entities are required to develop stormwater bacteria, salt, sediment, litter, and pollution prevention programs, educate the public about other debris into our waterways. stormwater pollution, and engage citizens in solving local water pollution problems. The permit also requires MS4s Stormwater is the largest source of to identify and stop illegal dumping (called illicit water pollution in urban areas. discharges), take steps to reduce runoff from construction and development, and practice "good housekeeping" to avoid polluting waterways during routine road and park maintenance. In addition, there are separate permit programs to regulate industrial sites and construction sites. o C C / C O C O .+� � s o UE r° _-- - -p -O r}'o vi p 0 aD U E C ro C C E U -C � _0 � � ro C C: � 3 � � aD� +� ° U o C U N s E O p 6D O ro r > i to C N N U O u3 ON U ro o • N _O o o oA N O O O -o ro rn r6 aD D_ U N O m � (D 4J C rn +, C '_' ED N -O C10 o N ro r6 ro C) • 4J rCp C � O N N -E .0 L • rn C O C p o — N �A o L m -O C rp c0 E O +� C D U Eu E -p .C p (D • U + o Co 3 — p U o0 ( ° m �� -o O U cu U (1) :U:3 • v o � E � Z L E o E _ o N o E s C: a- 4J U COD N _° °- C O • OC: C C O qp C °' p � ro U 0 0 > + C o D O � U U 0 E C o i 3 . .L o 0 0 0 c 0 cup p U � o D_ D- +� �° CL c N to -O O rp U U C S N C ro C O C rCo C U o o o U .� u E o » - i o 3 o < U UE O .c E N O qp E L C , E a U - C � o E C J o o ° a °� d' o = o E ° N N s � O-D c D CC U rCo o O 014- N 4J N C C o L o E ? o s E E 4-1 3 U -0LLI >o U 0 + + O U o S E N 0 — O }' � � -o U U � � E o U o N u -C 3 o E s o f �° o N U N 14- U N O p r° aD v' o o a C .� ' E > U C ° E ° o ° 6 U E D_ C —C, C C m • L rp rp rn4-1 N C N U rp U ro ro O O U U N U U 3 E o > L n ° o o 3 E O ° 1 E N S rp O U 4J O-D rn C 0- Q U LLI O D_ C 4J C rn N 7 r6 C U C '_' U -O aD -p .+ ;�% O-D o r+ E O — UO-D C CU ° N 4 1 D 4 O -C .DU_ rn U U s U r6 O_ U D--C o U O U U U C N aD o o E O ro E U U L U • 0 ro o -° o U -O fl- C;D ro U ° E ° o o ° aD s -o c o U O m C o o E +, `o o U U E 0 • c ° n ° o °* °_° ra O ° E U E U aD o -(D c O U o U '� C U v o 0 0 = o E i U + U N41 • O `6 s in C D_ C 0�uD O V -o o r6 E 0 O • U E u7D aE E a ECIr E .cD 41 aD 6 ( ° u N O o o N o U s O > c o L U o U (n n v> o m d Z o Ai �� c� � 3 WATER POLLUTION 101 Pollutants Ecology Recreation & Stressors (+ 0 Impairments IMPACT our waters and our lives Health Economy Impacts: Ecology, Human Health & Recreation Bacteria www.pca.state.mn.us/water/bacteria Impacts: Ecology & Recreation Phosphorus www.pca.state.mn.us/water/phosphorus Impacts: 1HumanHealth Nitrogen ••- Impacts: Ecology & Economy Chloride (salts) www.pca.state.mn.us/water/chloride-salts Impacts: • o i Human Health Mercury Impacts: • o i Economy Sediment -d 121 of 162 MMINNESOTA POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY WATER POLLUTION 101 Bacteria IMPACTS: Ecology, Human Health & Recreation 1A V- (+ VVI :.-�^ WATER QUALITY STATS 833* 833 water bodies in Minnesota are waterbodies impaired by E. coli & fecal coliform. (MPCA 2020) Bacteria make up 14% of all water ..... quality impairments in Minnesota. .............. ............. .. *1 dot represents 10 waterbodies BACTE P I A are part of nature. They help dead plants and animals to decompose and are usually safe for people and animals. When we find E. coli & fecal coliform in our lakes and streams, however, it is a sign that feces and harmful diseases could be in the water. Common sources of fecal waste include failing septic systems, wastewater treatment plants, and manure from livestock. Urban stormwater also carries feces from dogs, geese and other animals. Avoid swimming or playing in lakes and streams with bacteria impairments and stay out of the water in ANY lake, river or stream for 2 days after a heavy rain. Young children and the elderly are most at risk of getting sick and can experience diarrhea, nausea,,jaundice, headaches, and fatigue. 122 of 162 Z COMMON SOURCES -JU J OZ W Failing Releases Mga Manure .44 septic from from H JO systems wastewater nuran livestock u, no treatment areas ZZ ZZ plants I u CDR f4e1 ( 1 SUMMARY Finding E. coli & fecal coliform in lakes and streams indicates that fecal waste and harmful diseases could be in the water. Children and adults who swim or play in contaminated water could get sick if they get water in their mouths. Symptoms may include: diarrhea, nausea,,jaundice, headaches, and fatigue. Young children and the elderly are most at risk. WHAT YOU CAN DO 0 rG Inspect your septic system at least once every three (D years, pump as needed, and replace when needed. � 66 2 . Avoid swimming or playing in lakes and streams with � E bacteria impairments, and stay out of the water in = any lake, river or stream for 2 days after a heavy rain. 3 . Pick-up and throw dog poop in the trash, and don't feed ducks or geese. o E o v 4. Work with your soil and water conservation district wLn M V to12m3a of manure if you have farm animals. E WATER POLLUTION 101 Phosphorus IMPACTS: Ecology & Recreation WATER QUALITY STATS 746* 746 water bodies in Minnesota waterbodies impaired by nutrients. (MPCA 2020) Phosphorous makes up 13% of all water quality impairments in Minnesota. *1 dot represents 10 waterbodies P H OS P H O P US is a naturally occurring element found in leaves, grass clippings, soil and other organic matter. In the water, phosphorus feeds aquatic plants and algae. Too much algae makes the water green and smelly, keeps people from enjoying fishing, swimming, and boating. In some cases, algae can even create toxic conditions that are unsafe for children and pets. Though aquatic plants need some phosphorus, stormwater pipes and ditches send much more than is needed into many of our waterways. 124 of 162 COMMON SOURCES Z O � U LU Cd rganic Dog and Fertilizers Releases OZ ebris goose poop for from a V in urban agriculture wastewater 14 J areas treatment H O plants Z no 4 ZZ ��Y • �� u k *# Ism • : Failing Manure Sediment Soil septic from from from systems livestock erosion farmland i SUMMARY Phosphorus is a naturally occurring element that feeds algae. Too much phosphorus can cause algae blooms that make the water green and smelly and can be harmful to people and animals. WHAT YOU CAN DO Rake and sweep leaves, grass clippings and debris off of the pavement and out of the street along o your curb line. n o co 0 2 . Follow the law—use zero-phosphorus fertilizer on your lawn. � 0 co 3 . Plant a raingarden or convert some lawn to nativeoo S plants. Cover bare dirt and repair erosion. o w to 4. co Inspect your septic system at least once every three yejV§, cep as needed, and replace when failing. � S E a WATER POLLUTION Nitrogen I M PACTS: Ecology Human Health • cc l� c WATER QUALITY STATS 10% 5 rivers used for municipal drinking water supplies have too high of nitrates. (MPCA 2018) In 113 townships, 10% or more of ............ private wells have too high of nitrates. •••••••••••••• .............. (MDA 2018) asses••••••••••• * In 113 townships, more than 10% of wells have too much nitrates N ITROGEN is a naturally occurring element found in soil, as well as manure, human sewage, and fertilizers. Nitrogen in the Mississippi River flows downstream to the Gulf of Mexico, causing a hypoxic "dead zone." It is harmful to fish and aquatic life in Minnesota lakes and streams, and can also make surface and groundwater unsafe to drink. Studies show that nitrogen concentrations are increasing in both surface and groundwater in Minnesota. The majority — 72% - of this nitrogen comes from cropland. Smaller amounts come from wastewater treatment plants and septic systems. Urban stormwater is responsible for only 1% of all nitrate in Minnesota waters. 126 of 162 COMMON SOURCES OZ LU Failing Releases Manure Fertilizers septic from from for systems wastewater livestock agriculture III no treatment plants ' Ism Y 1 ( 1 SUMMARY Nitrogen is a naturally occurring element that feeds algae in saltwater systems. Nitrogen in the Mississippi River flows downstream to the Gulf of Mexico and feeds algae, causing a hypoxic "dead zone." Nitrogen also combines with oxygen to form nitrate, which can make water unsafe to drink. Many communities in southeastern, southwestern and central Minnesota have elevated nitrates in their groundwater. WHAT YOU CAN DO Inspect your septic system at least once every three years, pump as needed, and replace when failing. Use less nitrogen fertilizer, especially in areas with 2 ' sand soils or karst geology. y g gy Support programs that encourage conservation �� 3 . . farming. • 4. Work with your soil and water conservation district • to1mao age manure if you have farm animals. WATER POLLUTION 101 Chloride (salts IMPACTS: Ecology & Economy j - . 0 WATER QUALITY STATS 170* 50 lakes and streams in Minnesota are waterbodies impaired by too much salt. 120 water bodies are threatened by salt. 30% of shallow groundwater wells in the Twin Cities metro area have elevated chlorides. *1 dot represents 10 waterbodies SALTS are used to melt snow and ice during the winter, suppress dust on gravel roads, and soften water. But, salt has become a major source of water pollution in Minnesota - especially in the Twin Cities metro area. Salt kills fish and aquatic life, corrodes roads and bridges, and can even harm wildlife and our pets. We currently have no practical technology to remove salt from surface or groundwater once it is there. It takes only one teaspoon of salt to permanently pollute five gallons of freshwater. 128 of 162 Z COMMON SOURCES —JU J OZ W CFroad r Dust Water Q t7 & suppression softeners J sidewalk for dirt H O salt and and gravel Z F-- de-icers roads Z Z — O I O 00 SU M MARY Chloride (salt) is a major source of water pollution in Minnesota, especially in urban areas. Salt permanently pollutes surface water and groundwater and harms fish and wildlife. WHAT YOU CAN DO Slow down. Leave early, drive slower, and give plow trucks plenty of space to do their work. 2 . Be Patient. Just because you don't see salt on the road doesn't mean it hasn't been applied. Salt takes time to work. co 3 . Shovel first. Whether you use a shovel, snow ra blower, snow plow, or ice scraper, get out there as co LO early as you can to shovel your driveway and o sidewalk. The more you shovel, the less salt you'll o C6 C need. o w � co 4. Use salt wisely. A 12 oz. mug of salt is enough for 66 10 sidewalk squares or a 20' driveway. Clean up M leftover salt and sand to save and reuse. Salt does ° w O not melt ice when it is colder than 15° F. Wait until �i Mit 12a�romf s up to avoid wasting money. S EUS WATER POLLUTION contact:Mercury I M PACTS: Ecology & Human Health your city for mercury disposal information. cc l� c WATER QUALITY STATS 1653* 1653 lakes and rivers in Minnesota waterbodies are impaired by too much mercury. (2020) ........... ........... ........... .......... .......... 99% of the mercury in our lakes •••••••••• ............ and rivers comes from the •••••••••••••• .............. atmosphere. .............•.. *1 dot represents 10 waterbodies MERCURY is a naturally occurring element that is toxic to humans and animals. It affects human nervous systems, and is particularly harmful to young children and fetuses. Mercury is the most common pollutant in Minnesota's surface water. Ninety-nine percent of the mercury in our lakes and rivers comes from atmospheric deposition. This happens when mercury is released into the atmosphere during industrial processes. The mercury eventually "falls out" of the air and onto the landscape. When it lands in lakes, the mercury ends up in the water and fish. There are approximately 1653 water bodies in Minnesota with too much mercury (2020). As a result, the Minnesota Department of Health has issued fish consumption advisories for these lakes and rivers indicating that it may not be safe to eat fish from them more than onaao, tfiezk or once a month. COMMON SOURCES Atmospheric deposition from regional, national and global sources: AV CA 0 III no CIron- Artisanal Coal- Industrial mining and burning processes ZZ and small-scale power production gold mining plants 1i in Minnesota © tA Volcanoes SUMMARY Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is toxic to humans and animals. Mercury is the leading cause of surface water pollution in Minnesota. Nearly 100% of this mercury comes from atmospheric deposition. WHAT YOU CAN DO Reduce electricity consumption. Shut down your computer and monitor at night, switch to LED light bulbs, unplug idle electronics, and turn off the lights when you leave a room. 2 . Dispose of household hazardous waste properly. The mercury in thermostats, thermometers, fluorescent lights, gauges, medical and scientific •� equipment, electrical devices, and household 0 appliances must be removed for reuse or recycling '• before these products can safely be disposed of or • scrapped. • 131 bf 162 WATER POLLUTION Sediment I M PACTS: Ecology i Economy ,v4W- 0 WATER QUALITY STATS The Minnesota River needs a 90% > 400* reduction in sediment loading to meet waterbodies water quality goals; the South Metro Mississippi requires a 50% reduction. More than 400 water bodies are impaired by turbidity or total suspended •••••••• .............•.. ................ solids (caused by sediment). *1 dot represents 10 Waterbod es S E D I M ENT — soil, dirt, sand, and silt — is a normal part of nature. It becomes a problem for our lakes, rivers and streams when there is too much loose sediment in the water. Sediment can clog the gills of fish and aquatic animals, smother spawning sites, fill-in rivers and streams, and make the water cloudy and unsafe for swimming. In addition, sediment also carries phosphorus with it into our water. One major source of sediment is erosion along stream and river banks, gullies, ravines, ditches, and river bottoms due to too much flowing water. The erosion is indirectly caused by storm sewer systems, ditches and drain tile, and other alterations that quickly carry rain and melting snow off the land and into our waterways. Sediment is also washed off of construction sites, farm fields, and patchesni 6p-r(52soil. COMMON SOURCES OZ ILLU Soil Small Eroding Sediment from and stream from farmland large and river erosion IBI construction banks sites ' SUMMARY Sediment — soil, dirt, sand, and silt — washes into lakes, rivers, and streams as a result of erosion. It is a major cause of water pollution in the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. WHAT YOU CAN DO Cover bare soil on your property during landscaping and construction projects. 2 . Use erosion control fabric to protect steep hills and shoreline areas while establishing new vegetation. 0 Ln 3 . Plant trees, shrubs, and deep-rooted native U plants along lakeshores and streambanks to •• Ln prevent erosion. 00 • 4. Plant a cover crop after the corn and soybeans are LLJ harvested in the fall. • 133 of 162 Clean Water Act Safe Drinking Water Act U.S.Army Corps of Anishinaabe&Dakota Tribes Tribes have their own natural 1972 1974 Engineers resource management programs Set a goal to restore and Authorizes EPA to Oversees flood prevention and strive to maintain healthy maintain the chemical, establish and enforce and construction activities ecosystems that allow their physical and biological health-based standards within U.S.waters, members to practice traditional integrity of the nation's for drinking water. including wetlands hunting,fishing,and gathering. ea waters. a� U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service Natural Resources Conservation Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) Administers Service(NRCS) Oversees Clean Water Act and Drinking Water Act Endangered Species Act A division of the U.S.Department of for freshwater and Agriculture that provides farmers and terrestrial species ranchers with assistance for voluntary conservation projects Minnesota Governor's Office Oversees state agencies responsible for water management and the Department of Health Environmental Quality Board Protects drinking water quality; Pollution Control Department of Natural Board of Water and establishes health-based standards for groundwater Agency (MPGA) Resources (DNR) Soil Resources contaminants;issues fish °= Implements Clean Water Act Manages public waters. (BWSR) 4- consumption advisories co in MN;oversees industrial, Responsible for ordinary Oversees soil and COO construction,and municipal high water levels; water conservation separate storm sewer system groundwater programs conducted Department of Agriculture (MS4)stormwater permits; appropriations;shoreland by local Regulates the use of pesticides establishes water quality and floodplain government;MN and fertilizers to protect water standards for lakes,rivers, management;aquatic Wetland resources streams&wetlands;maintains invasive species; Conservation Act; list of impaired waters. fisheries. local water plans. Cities&Towns Metropolitan Council Watershed Districts Watershed Management Cities establish local Operates within the Independent units of government Organizations policies,ordinances,and 7-county with taxing and rule-making Created and funded through zoning.Towns may do metropolitan area. authority.Conduct flood joint-powers agreements among planning and zoning. Responsible for prevention and water quality cities in awatershed.Conduct ca Many cities and towns wastewater protection.Established by flood prevention and water cD manage stormwater treatment; lake and petition from citizens or local quality protection.Required in C= river water quality officials.46 districts in MN.Only the 7-county metro area(if no J through MS4 programs. monitoring;water exist in some parts of the state. watershed district exists). supply planning; Counties regional parks and Do local water planning trails;future growth Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) outside the metro area. planning. Provide support for voluntary conservation projects. Exist statewide. o o � L 4-j taA = cv O O Vi 0 L -0 _0 c6 _0 3 0 F7 c� V1 +, j m }' v bA -0 N N a--' In O O N 3 _I-_ N cn a N -C N O O L E o W > Ln 0 o �, O L Q o > v +� N ra bD L +, +, E N 3 E o O N Q L ; L v O • O � >� O O v 4-j Ln W E 3 > -0 U a ° m ° L° 0 3 uu aA O A II i uuuul L E m uo c _ s III Q 0 5- ++ C1 �� vi Ln p Y u uui —LU u aCN c i � 0 " o LO L3 ~ .N �uu uuu � a� O O 1.0 +� E O N O E � s O 4, L L T z 00 a) U-) O co " L11 U N z c +' - O cB c 4- N L M = 4-J s d chi N U i GJ N 4-j - oN O OO co W W W v 1 Wa�Wngton Subsurface Sewage Treatment System (SSTS): ��County 11 More i & e line at www.co.washin ton.mn.us/618/Se tic Maintenance Conventional Septic System Required to be done every 3 years. Similar to changing the oil in your ca °°,.,', pumping your septic tanks helps keep the whole system in good shape by pre- ® Drain Field Perforated Pipes& venting solids from reaching the soilGravelTren°hes Main Line L-419' treatment area where pipes can clog andISeptic Tank Filtration ruin the soils. Septic tank additives can- - not be used in place of pumping and maySoil Absorption&Purification harm a septic system. Ground Water Remember, a maintenance event is notSeptic System the same thing as an inspection and can- A septic system has three parts: not be used to determine compliance. . household plumbing a tank to collect sewage and solids MIUMI a soil treatment area (Mound or When the top f the sludge layer r ches Drainfield) 12 inches below the bottom of the outlet baffle, or when the scum layer reaches to All three parts must be working to 3 inches above the outlet baffle. _d provide effective sewage treatment. A Inspections & Compliance pp!,y q �icensed Septic Inspector can determine if a system is co Iiant. Required when selling or transferring a property with a septic syste emodeling mor than 50% of a home, when adding an addition to a home. An inspection involves determining if the septic tanks are watertight and functioning properly, investigating the soil treatment area for leaks or ponding, and sampling the soil to ensure it meets the required separation above periodically saturated soil or bed- rock. 137 of 162 • • • • Low interest loans and Fix Up grants are available to Washington County pr Wasning-Lon UOUMT7= an 1-111 landowners in order to finance the ermitting portal! This can be used by repair or replacement of failing SSTS. septic owners or contractors to apply Applications are reviewed on a rolling for permits, check on the status of a basis and awarded when funds are permit, and even look up past available. i1a nspection reports. Completed or underway projects are AWnot eligible for funding. Install a plastic sheet over any below grade drains and place a sandbag on top to prevent sewage from backing up. Do NOT pump the contents of the septic system. Keep all traffic off the soil treatment area to avoid com- paction It is required to discontinue discharging wastewater to the system. All water use must cease during the flood. If you have a pump tank, remember to disconnect it. EFAM Conduct a visual inspection of the systems components, including tanks, pumps, man- hole covers, and vegetation over the septic tank and soil treatment area to see if there is any damage. After flood waters recede, contact a licensed SSTS Maintainer to have all tanks pumped prior to resuming use. Washington -�--�=C ou nt y 138 of 162 �+ P moo QI I a of H Q W I v) d W O d W UJ UJ 1 O � y Z LL LL J J Q w V) H � ■ a V z 0 . - o IN N L O C 4) 41 O L Q L O O C t c� 4-J ti W Q) - V • •INIMIN �I Z O - / � - qq 'X 4-1 W L1� a, a� MEMO UJ Mom, a� W �, •� - W .� �, - 4--) 4--) c� W ° . Q - s.� Q j U a Z U Q) 4-1 0 - 4-1 .� " , Wo ° '� Z •� O • • - O W � E � cn �+-� , a.) Xcel Energy Media Relations 't-4XcelEnergy 414 Nicollet Mall, 401-7 Minneapolis, MN 55401 (612) 215-5300 www.xcelenergy.com Xcel Energy offers winter heating and energy saving tips as temperatures drop this week in Upper Midwest MINNEAPOLIS (Feb. 4, 2021)—With low temperatures expected to drop below zero this weekend in the Upper Midwest, Xcel Energy wants to give its customers tips on how to save energy this winter. Making a few small changes in energy use habits can lead to a more comfortable home and help customers save money. No Cost Ideas: • Let the Sunlight in and Keep the Cold Out -Open blinds to take advantage of the sun's warmth during the day but close them at night to insulate against the cold air outside. • Lower Your Thermostat - During winter months, set the thermostat between 65-70 degrees while you're home, and 58 degrees when you're away. A programmable thermostat automatically adjusts the temperature based on your routine and could help you save on heating costs. • Make Sure Exterior Doors are Fully Closed—A major source of a home's heat loss is from exterior doors that are left cracked open or not latched. • Use Fans to Your Advantage -During colder months, run ceiling fans -clockwise, so the warm air near the ceiling is forced down. • Keep Your Oven's Heat Where it Belongs - Use your oven light or timer to avoid opening it often while you cook; each time the door is opened even for just a few seconds, the temperature drops 25 degrees. Put lids on your pots and pans while cooking to speed up cooking time and keep the heat where it's needed most. Low Cost Ideas: • Lower Your Water Heater's Temperature or Insulate it -The proper temperature for a water heater is 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and by lowering it 10 degrees, you can save 3-5 percent on your water heating costs; you can also insulate it to maximize efficiency. • Keep Filters Clean -Dirty furnace filters reduce airflow, requiring your furnace to work harder and use more energy. Change the filter once a month during the winter to reduce your heating costs by 5- 15 percent. • Don't Let the Heat Escape -Affordable window sealing kits can be found in most local home improvement stores and can help you save more than $40. Have your home evaluated for leaky ducts, drafts around doors and windows, fireplace dampers, and other places where air might escape. 141 of 162 • Improve Insulation - Improving the insulation of walls, crawl spaces, floors, and heating ducts is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to reduce energy costs, saving you up to 10 percent on your monthly energy bill. Finally, customers can take part in one of Xcel Energy's energy efficiency programs to save even more. Information can be found at www.xcelenergy.comthrnugh our home energy efficiency programs and rebates link. About Xcel Energy Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook. 142 of 162 Energy Mea Xce/E !er c 4141Nicol et Malll,,1401-7 tions 9'Y Minneapolis, MN 55401 (612) 215-5300 www.xcelenergy.com Xcel Energy named a World's Most Admired Company for eighth consecutive year Minneapolis-based utility recognized for innovation, social responsibility and financial soundness Minneapolis (Feb.1, 2021) — For the eighth year in a row Xcel Energy has been honored as one of the World's Most Admired Companies by Fortune Magazine. The Minneapolis-based utility ranked second among the most admired gas and electric companies in the country. The ranking is based on nine criteria including innovation, social responsibility, financial soundness, long term investment value and quality of management. "We are honored to make Fortune magazine's list of the World's Most Admired Companies for the eighth year in a row," said Ben Fowke, chairman and CEO of Xcel Energy. "It's gratifying to be recognized by our stakeholders and peers as leaders in the clean energy transition, while keeping service reliable and customer bills low." Xcel Energy is the first major U.S. utility to announce a commitment to reducing carbon emissions by 80% (from 2005 levels) by 2030, with a vision of delivering 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050. The company is more than halfway to that interim goal. Fortune magazine partnered with Korn Ferry to conduct the survey on corporate reputation, focusing on large companies with revenue of$10 billion or more. The complete list can be found at www.Fortune.com. About Xcel Energy Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook. 143 of 162 From: Mary Mccomber To: Eric Johnson Subject: Fwd: EMWREP-2020 Annual Report+ Feb. updates Date: Monday, February 1,2021 11:24:23 AM Attachments: 2020 Annual Report-complete.pdf imaae014.wa imaoe016.pno imaae017.pna imaoe018.pno imaae019.pna For weekly notes -----Original Message----- From: Angie Hong <AHong@mnwcd.org> To: Angie Hong <AHong@mnwcd.org>; algoodri@hotmail.com <algoodri@hotmail.com> Sent: Mon, Feb 1, 2021 11:19 am Subject: EMWREP -2020 Annual Report+ Feb. updates Hello East Metro Water Resource Education Program partners - Please find attached our 2020 EMWREP Annual Report, which details education programming and activities completed last year. I am proud to say that we adapted quickly and were able to accomplish a LOT in 2020, in spite of COVID and other challenges. You can also find a copy of this report online at: www.mnwcd.org/s/2020-Annua1-Report-complete.pdf As we move forward into 2021, we have a number of exciting changes underway. Most notably, the Lower St. Croix CWMP Policy Committee has approved a 2021-22 work plan that will provide funding to expand our EMWREP education program into Chisago, Anoka, Isanti and Pine Counties (adding a second full-time educator to our program) and create a new agronomy outreach position. Once we have final approval from local boards for this plan, we hope to post position announcements in late February and hire the two new staff positions to begin in early April. We will also be inviting cities and counties in the northern portion of the watershed to join EMWREP as paying partners. I have created a draft 2021 EMWREP education work plan (www.mnwcd.org/s/2021- education-plan.doc) that incorporates current education needs. This plan will be updated later in the year once new staff are on board. In the meantime, here are a few brief updates for the month of February. Angie Program Updates: 1. Native Shoreline Buffer Workshop—Thu., Feb. 25, 6-7pm 2. Shoreline Realtor Workshop— tentative Fri., March 19, Sam-noon 3. MS4 Education —Adopt a Drain promotion 144 of 162 4. East Metro Water— Read the latest articles published in the blog and local newspapers ' = r Native Shoreline Buffer Workshop—Thu., Feb. 25, 6- 7pm (Register here) For lakeshore and wetland-edge homeowners: Learn how to care for your shoreline buffer. Deep-rooted native plants help to prevent shoreline erosion and provide habitat for fish and wildlife. During this webinar we will discuss: • Benefits of buffers and native shoreline plantings • Buffer rules & regulations • Seasonal maintenance • Establishing native species and improving buffer habitat • Resources &funding available to landowners to help protect lakes and wetlands Presenters: Tara Kelly and Cameron Blake (Washington Conservation District), Angie Hong (EMWREP) Shoreline Realtor Workshop - tentative Fri., March 19, Sam-noon Registration info coming soon For realtors and appraisers that sell lakeshore and riverfront properties. This webinar will provide an overview of shoreline rules and programs, including: • Lakeshore development and redevelopment rules • St. Croix Riverway special regulations • Permits required for common building projects (Building a deck, dock, stairway, or home addition) • Planting for Clean Water • Assistance for shoreline planting projects Presenters: Matt Bauman (MN DNR), Monica Zachay (St. Croix River Association), Karen Kill (Brown's Creek Watershed District), Angie Hong (EMWREP) Registration fee - $20. Participants will qualify for 4 CEUs through Minnesota Department of Commerce. MS4 Education—Adopt a Drain 145 of 162 Planning for your spring newsletter or Earth Day community events? March and April are good months to r ' promote the Adopt a Drain program. To date, volunteers r have adopted 14,000+ storm drains in Minnesota and 550 in Washington County. Storm drains in our cities help to protect neighborhoods from flooding, but they also carry litter and polluted Adopt, a runoff from streets and parking lots into nearby lakes and streams. Storm Community residents can make a difference by volunteering just 15-minutes, twice a month, to keep their nearest storm drain clear of litter, leaves, grass clippings and dirt. To sign up: go to www.Adopt-a-Drain.org and use the map to find your neighborhood storm drains—then click and sign-up to adopt. Spend a few minutes each month picking up the garbage and debris near your drain and then go online to report your work so our community can measure its collective impact. To dispose of the waste you collect, separate it into three categories and place it in the appropriate receptacles: trash, recyclables (glass and plastic bottles, cans) and compostables (leaves and grass clippings). Sediment collected in the spring contains winter road salt and should be put in the trash. Adopt a storm drain today to help protect our water and keep our neighborhoods clean: www.Adopt-a-Drain.org. East Metro Water— read the latest articles published in the blog and local newspapers Finding Joy in the Snow—Jan. 15 "My job is to teach people how to keep water clean, and at times, that feels like a minor concern in the jumble of all that is happening. And yet, it occurs to me also that one reason we work so hard to protect our water and natural resources is to ensure that they are there to douse the flames when the world begins to smolder." Online classes for gardeners and nature enthusiasts—Jan. 21 "Explore new interests, build skills, begin planning for a summer landscaping project at your home, or simply enjoy a few hours of escape from the doldrums of winter." What do bugs have to do with it?—Jan. 29 146 of 162 "One of the best measures of stream health is the amount and biodiversity of macroinvertebrates we can find in the water." Please feel free to call or email if you have any questions. Thank you! Angie Hong Water Education Senior Specialist East Metro Water Resource Education Program Representing Brown's Creek, Carnelian Marine -St. Croix, Comfort Lake- Forest Lake, Middle St. Croix, Ramsey -Washington Metro, Rice Creek, South Washington and Valley Branch Watersheds, Bayport, Cottage Grove, Dellwood, Forest Lake, Grant, Lake Elmo, Hugo, Newport, Oak Park Heights, Oakdale, Stillwater, St. Paul Park, Willernie, West Lakeland, Woodbury, Washington County and the Washington Conservation District C/O: Washington Conservation District 455 Hayward Ave. Oakdale, MN 55128 angie.hona( mnwcd.ora Phone: (952) 261-9599 cell www.mnwcd.ora/emwreo KE13013 147 of 162 From: Mary Mccomber To: Eric Johnson Subject: Fwd: Find Out What New Executive Orders Are Critical to Cities,Towns and Villages Date: Saturday,January 30,20218:55:06 AM For weekly notes -----Original Message----- From: National League Of Cities (NLC)<news@nlc.org> To: marymccomber@aol.com Sent: Sat, Jan 30, 2021 6:09 am Subject: Find Out What New Executive Orders Are Critical to Cities, Towns and Villages News,resources and events for local leaders and staff. of Tracking Executive Orders Critical to Cities, Towns and Villages R Tracking Executive Orders Critical to Cities, Towns and Villages In the first few weeks of the Biden-Harris administration, dozens of executive orders and actions have come from the White House, covering issues ranging from the pandemic to the economy to immigration. NLC is keeping track of all executive actions with critical importance to America's cities, towns and villages. ■ 148 of 162 Crowd-lending Platform What Cities Need to Know Facing the Collapse of Small Seeks to Close the Gap for About the EPA Lead and Businesses, Cities Need To Oklahoma City Copper Rule Get PPP Right Entrepreneurs • ■ ■ ■ ■ iff Industry News What We're Reading: • Mayors, county leaders 'sounding the alarm' for federal aid - State Scoop (January 28, 2021) • City Facilitates Job Creation, Economic Opportunities For Residents - Tacoma Weekly(January 27, 2021) • Colorado governor says state, local officials key to federal COVID response - The Hill (January 26, 2021) • If Biden wants to be a president for `all Americans,' he should study mayors like me - Washington Post(January 25, 2021) • Mayors say using data effectively is saving lives during the pandemic -Bloomberg (January 22, 2021) Announcements 149 of 162 City Hall 101: The Role of Cities in Moving America Forward On Wednesday, February 3, 2:00 PM ET, join a virtual Capitol Hill briefing, as local leaders from across the nation discuss how their communities are solving the most pressing challenges of our time. Their stories and perspectives will help the 117th Congress consider the best ways to partner with cities to move America forward toward economic recovery. Learn More > February Mayoral Roundtable: Building A Smart City For Everyone Join NLC and IGNITE Cities at our February Mayoral Roundtable, a conversation hosted by Mayor Steve Benjamin with Mayor Aja Brown and Mayor Sylvester Turner as we discuss ways to promote equity through technology, the impact COVID-19 has had on closing the digital divide and more. Learn More > Local Governments Need COVID Relief NOW With the administration's support and movement in Congress to urgently pass a new relief bill, we are calling on municipal leaders to let Congress know that direct aid to state and local governments is essential to economic recovery. We are imploring Congress to pass additional COVID economic relief that is quickly and efficiently delivered everywhere it is needed. Act now! Take Action > Building Trust Around COVID-19 Vaccinations Join NLC on Monday, February 1 at 3:00 PM ET, for a panel discussion on how cities across the country are working with their communities and health departments to provide clarity about vaccine distribution/prioritization and vaccine administration, as well as addressing the challenges of vaccine hesitancy and issues of trust among high-risk communities. Register Now> 150 of 162 Job Openings See who's hiring right now: • Director of Health Trust Services - Maine Municipal Association • Director, Community Development -City of Largo • Chief Engineer-City of Portland, Bureau of Environmental Services ■ Helpful NLC Links: Articles Upcoming Events A AA Resources &Training Advocacy If this message is not displaying properly, please view in browser. National League of Cities 8 You may opt out of email communications from NLC at any time. Update your communication preferences. This message was intended for: marymccomber@aol.com 660 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 450, Washington, DC 20001 Privacy Policy ©2021 NLC, All Rights Reserved 151 of 162 From: Mary Mccomber To: Eric Johnson Subject: Fwd: New Unlocking Homelessness Report and NLC Events Date: Wednesday,February 3,2021 11:46:22 AM For weekly notes -----Original Message----- From: Alejandra from NLC<piers-torres@nlc.org> To: marymccomber@aol.com Sent: Wed, Feb 3, 2021 8:05 am Subject: New Unlocking Homelessness Report and NLC Events Access your weekly NNL��C member roundup! of February121 -Midwest Region Unlocking Homelessness: Who Experiences Homelessness and Why ®� Unlocking Homelessness: Who Experiences Homelessness and Why NEW REPORT: Prior to COVID-19, homelessness was frequently cited as a top concern for cities of all sizes. Now in the midst of the pandemic and the pandemic-induced economic crisis, along with a racial reckoning, homelessness has been exacerbated. From this report, local elected officials and staff will learn the various contributing factors of homelessness, along with distinct challenges and pathways of homelessness for specific subpopulations. ■ ■ earn Morel Upcoming City Hall 101: The Role of Cities in Moving 153 of 162 America Forward Wednesday, Feb 3 -2:OOPM EST Join a virtual Capitol Hill briefing to discuss how communities are solving the most pressing challenges of our time. REGISTER HERE > Reclaiming the Dream Wednesday, Feb 10 -6:OOPM EST NBC-LEO hosts a conversation on building partnerships within 8 and outside the government structure to address disparities. REGISTER HERE > Mayoral Roundtable: Building A Smart City for Everyone Thursday, Feb 18 -3:OOPM EST Hear from Mayors Aja Brown and Sylvester Turner how they are bridging the digital divide in their cities. REGISTER HERE > ■ Congressional City Conference 2021 154 of 162 LEe4 JR, What COVID-19 Means for the Local Governments Need Future of Public Pensions COVID-19 Relief NOW This new brief equips city leaders with Cities, towns and villages are an understanding of the city-state approaching one year on the frontlines of relationship heading into the COVID-19 this virus. Direct aid to communities will pandemic, and best practices as cities have a lasting impact on America's navigate this financial and health crisis economic recovery and distribution of and prepare for the future. the vaccine. Take 5 minutes to send a 0 letter to your Member of Congress today! xLearn Morex ■ ■ What Cities Want to See from the New Administration and Congress on Climate Last year, in addition to COVID-19, America's communities faced a record number of climate-related disasters, which increased fiscal pressure on residents and businesses. Here are five things local leaders want to see from the Biden administration and Congress to address climate change ■ ■ earn Morex Thanks for reading the latest articles and events from the NLC, where local leaders and their staff go to learn and grow. 'Til next time! 155 of 162 Sincerely, Alejandra Piers-Torres Midwest Member Engagement Manager, NLC 8 piers-torres@nlc.org Helpful NLC Links: Articles Upcoming Events 8 8 , Resources &Training Advocacy If this message is not displaying properly, please view in browser. National League of Cities 8 You may opt out of email communications from NLC at any time. Update your communication preferences. This message was intended for: marymccomber@aol.com 660 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 450, Washington, DC 20001 Privacy Policy I©2021 NLC, All Rights Reserved Powered by Higher Logic 156 of 162 From: Mary Mccomber To: Eric Johnson Subject: Fwd:YSB February 2021 Newsletter Date: Monday,February 1,20218:17:13 AM For weekly notes -----Original Message----- From:YSB<info@ysb.net> To: marymccomber@aol.com Sent: Mon, Feb 1,2021 7:47 am Subject:YSB February 2021 Newsletter Having trouble viewing this email?View as a web pace. Article Image Helping youth and families learn the skills they need to be more successful at home, in school, and throughout the community. YSB Newsletter February 2021 Now is the Time - Mission Moment Black History Month By Mike Huntley, YSB Executive Director ®� "The time is always right to do Article Image It is with great excitement u what is right." that I write this message to -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 8 all...my journey with YSB As we enter into Black History over the years has led me to this new role Month, we reflect on the powerful in supporting our work and our mission. words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his iconic 'I As we transition into this new year, I Have a Dream' speech. Dr. King begins his extend a sincere word of thanks and speech by acknowledging the signing of the appreciation to all YSB Staff. You have Emancipation Proclamation, while also calling demonstrated resilience in the face of out the staggering fact that, significant challenges, your capacity to adapt has been impressive, and your "One hundred years later, the Negro still is not creative energies to find new ways to free. One hundred years later, the life of the provide our services and connect with our Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of clients is heartwarming. segregation and discrimination... One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the To the supporters and partners of YSB — corners of American society and finds himself an thank you for your support and your exile in his own land. And so we've come here confidence in us. We are here, we are today to dramatize a shameful condition." continuing to work to fulfill our mission, and our staff are enthusiastic about Nearly sixty years later, these conditions remain. providing effective services. We couldn't 157 of 162 Unthinkable and inexcusable, we believe. do what we do without your support. I am Committed to working for diversity, equity, and looking forward to meeting with you inclusion, we stand with Dr. King when he personally sometime soon, and by various proclaims, "We have also come to this hallowed electronic means, as we ride through this spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of pandemic. now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of We have an exciting year ahead of us— gradualism. Now is the time to make real the and we have the capacity to adapt to promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise whatever challenges may come next. from the dark and desolate valley of segregation YSB will continue to find ways to remain to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time relevant and supportive youth and to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial families. Stay tuned for new injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood." developments. If you have questions or Now is the time. suggestions for YSB, please contact Read full article here. me at our Cottage Grove office location. Thank you for your confidence in me. Partner Event 16�1 I We are all experiencing unprecedented, difficult New in 2021,we will have guest articles from times. According to the World Health youth.These messages will give us a glance at Organization, the global rate of suicide has a day or season through a young person's eyes. doubled since the onset of COVID-19, increasing Please email infoQ?ysb.net for more information from the rate of 1 person every 45 seconds to 1 on how you,your child,or students can be a person every 20 seconds. part of a feature message. The good news is that SUICIDE IS This month's feCILUu e is fkU . .4 midca_� PREVENTABLE AND YOU CAN HELP! school youth who has done hybrid and full Join Tara Dahlager, LICSW, and Renee distance this school year. Penticoff, PsyD,LP, for this important suicide prevention training called QPR and learn three steps to help save a life. Please join us to learn 8 HOW to ask hard questions, HOW to persuade an at-risk person to get help, and HOW to refer them to appropriate resources. Click here to register By BB (middle school student) During this whole pandemic and online school it has been a huge change in my life. But it hasn't been a good change, and most importantly for my mental health. I am getting more distracted and spend more time on my phone and this leads to me not doing my homework. My mental health isn't good because I end up being so stressed. I try to stay caught up but I am still behind every week. Another problem is I miss hanging out with my friends or do anything that I I could prior to the pandemic. I wish I could learn and find a way to care for my mental health but I'm not- it just seems like more and more things laying on my shoulders. I struggled with my mental health before the pandemic in that I was sad but this is 158 of 162 making it twice as bad. Chemical Health Corner Importance of Family Connection Substance Use Prevention By Meghan Heffner YouthWhat • What We Are Reading-Black History Month Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi "New board book that empowers parents and U children to uproot racism in our society and in ourselves." Recommended for all ages dedicated to forming a just society. T, i«e Thomas "Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these February is filled with candy hearts, boxes worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the of chocolates, and red roses. However, fatal shooting of her childhood best friend, Khalil, most of us know that love is much more at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed." Recommended for readers 13+ complex, real, and heartbreaking than Dear Martin by Nic Stone your superficial Hallmark card. Lao Tzu "Justyce McAllister is a good kid, an honor captured the depth of what love is when student, and always there to help afriend—but he said, "Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. Despite leaving his rough loving someone deeply gives you neighborhood behind, he can't escape the scorn courage." This truth is illuminated once you become a parent. Maybe even more of his former peers or the ridicule of his new so when we become a parent of a 159 of 162 classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. teenager. Our teens are continually Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they strengthened by our unwavering, hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out." Recommended for readers 14+ compassionate, honest- and sometimes tough - love. The courage love takes and What We Are Watchina the strength love gives is especially true 3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets - as it relates to substance use. "Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving According to 2019 Minnesota Student November 2012, four boys in a red SUV pull into a gas station after spending time at the mall Survey data, students who think their buying sneakers and talking to girls. With music 11 parents care about them "quite a bit" or blaring, one boy exits the car and enters the very much" are 2.4 times less likely to report past-month alcohol use, 2.3 times store, a quick stop for a soda and a pack of gum. A man and a woman pull up next to the boys in less likely to report past-month tobacco the station, making a stop for a bottle of wine. use, 2.9 times less likely to report past- The woman enters the store and an argument month marijuana use, and 4.3 times less breaks out when the driver of the second car likely to report any past-month asks the boys to turn the music down. 3 1/2 prescription drug misuse. minutes and ten bullets later, one of the boys is "Prevention programs have proven to be dead. 3 1/2 MINUTES dissects the aftermath of effective, but families and influential adults this fatal encounter." View Trailer here. continue to play the most important role in What We Are Listening To determining how youth handle the lure of urjigcKiiiQ us oieije oiown Podcast Guest: alcohol, cigarettes, misuse of prescription Emmanuel Acho drugs, and illegal drugs. More recent "Interview with Emmanuel Acho, creator, host, studies have shown that parents and and producer of Uncomfortable Conversations guardians (and adults influential in a with a Black Man, a web series about racism youth's life) who speak to their children to drive open and uncomfortable dialogue. His about the issues and have dinner with book with the same name is a thoughtful them on a regular basis, have children manifesto, a mandate, and a playbook that's both with a lower rate of use and abuse." generous and full of love. We get personal, and (www.youth.gov) we talk about what these important questions This tells us that love is practical and mean in context of history and for culture unconditional. Partnership to End today.Helpful resources on bullying, mental Addiction encourages parents to put their health, substance use, the teen brain, and so love into action by: many other relevant topics." Listen here. Staying involved. It's a delicate balance respecting your Partner In Partening Podcast child's growing independence while still needing to set rules and boundaries. Finding the right balance requires On Demand Educational Videos effective communication, making constant adjustments, and staying in touch with Article Image YSB has been finding new ways what's going on in their life. to support youth and families Read full article here FM during the safer-at-home stage. We invite you to view and ESCAPE the VAPE- High School Student share YSB's Partner in opportunity Parenting podcast messages that cover such topics as mental health, chemical health, effects of deployment on the family, and Video Challenge Contest racial equity and inclusion. Please consider Escape the Vape video subscribing to our channel as new messages are challenge contest is open uploaded weekly. If a topic you are seeking isn't to all Minnesota high found here, please school-age teens. 160 of 162 Article Image email: merri.guggisbergO-vsb.net to share your Contestants will be asked topic suggestions. to submit a 30 second PSA video to educate their peers, schools, families, and community on the Follow " ' dangers of vaping nicotine. As remote learning continues, this is a great way to If you haven't already-be sure to follow us engage students to use their creative @YSBKnowsKids on Facebook, Twitter, energy outside of the computer screen YouTube.and Linkedln! and make a difference in their community! AND there are cash prizes for the top five YSB is working to improve its presence on its entries! social media platforms. You can help by following FB TW LI us, friending us, retweeting us, First place is a $500 cash prize for both and sharing our content on your the student and their school or own social media accounts. We organization! can be found at @YSBKnowsKids on Facebook, Submission period: February 1 through witter, YouTube, and Linkedln. February 28 by 4:30 p.m. Find us, friend us, follow us. You will help more Escape the Vape kids and families learn about our services, you website: mnescapethevape.com will help us connect with more partners to expand our network, and you will help us become even more integrated into the How Can YSB Help? communities we serve. Thank you. Leave us a review and share what Contact YSB to find out about you love most about YSB! confidential services, such as: • General Assessments . Counseling Services Visit: ysb.net/resources for more info on: • Chemical Awareness Programs • Parenting tips &tools • Responsible Social Media Use • Social Media Program • Emotional Health Bring a YSB event to your school, faith • Chemical Health group, or community! In-person and • Healthy Relationships virtual options available. Learn More • Partner In Parenting Video Podcast • NEW- Chemical Health newsletter! Cottage Grove Stillwater Woodbu ii (651) 735-9534 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Better Choices. Brighter Futures. ®o - YSBKnowsKids 161 of 162