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Issue 36 - Heights Highlights Spring 1995PAGE 1 May, 1995 ISSUE 36 TREE PROTECTION IN MENDOTA HEIGHTS In an effort to further enhance and protect the city's natural environment, the City Council has recently taken certain steps to aid in the protection of woodlands. In the past months, the Council has asked the Planning Commission to develop a Tree Preservation Ordinance in recognition of the asset trees are to our community. While the Planning Commission is completing this task, the City Council has enacted a tree removal moratorium which was made effective on March 7, 1995 and will remain in effect until the new ordinance is adopted or until September 1, 1995, whichever comes first. This moratorium covers all property in the city and pro- hibits the removal of trees in the city subject to certain ex- emptions. These exemptions include dead or diseased trees, dangerous trees, and trees on occupied residential lots of less than one acre if the trees are less than 18 inches in diameter. If you desire to remove a tree in the city and none of the exemption categories apply, you will need to apply for a tree removal permit before removing the tree. For further information, please call the Engineering Department at 452-1850. COALITION FORMS TO ADDRESS AIRPORT ISSUES For much of our community, the problem of airport noise continues to be of major concern. Other communities in northern Dakota County are similarly affected by aircraft departing Minneapolis -St. Paul International Airport to the southeast, •and recently representatives from Eagan, Inver Grove Heights, Mendota, Mendota Heights and Sunfish Lake Too much noise? began meeting to explore common airport related concerns. It is hoped that out of these meetings we will be able to develop a collective voice on certain common airport issues-- a voice which should allow us to 1 be more effective in advocating for certain favorable operational changes at the airport. At a recent meeting of the group, the Northern Dakota County Airport Relations Coalition analyzed the "airport noise problem" at length and identified 18 air noise related issues as common concerns. Issues of particular interest to all cities were nighttime restrictions on aircraft operations, take -off procedures used during both busy and non -busy times of the day, and the rate of climb used by departing aircraft. In the coming months the Coalition will work to establish specific goals and objectives relative to these issues and will embark on a work program to see that northern Dakota County receives no more than its fair share the aircraft noise burden produced by the airport. For more information about the Coalition or other ,ort related issues, please contact City Hall. Call the MAC air noise line.... 726-9411 PAGE 2 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES May, 1995 PLEASE HELP OUR PARKS AND LAKES! Spring is here, and we are once again beginning to work in our yards. If we are not careful with what we do to our yards, we can cause negative impacts on nearby ponds and lakes. We offer the following helpful tips that, if followed, will go a long way towards protecting our surface water quality. • Most soils in Dakota County contain enough phosphorous for healthy grass growth. If soil tests show that your lawn does not need additional phosphorous, fertilizers with low or zero phosphorous can be used. Of the three numbers on a bag of fertilizer, phosphorous is the middle number. • To determine what nutrients your soil needs, test your soils. Soil test kits are available from the Dakota County Extension Service office in Farmington. Tests are sent to the University of Minnesota and a report is mailed back to the person sending in the test. Tests cost $7 each. Call 463-8002 for information on soil testing and test kits. Even small amounts of phosphorous entering lakes and ponds can cause significant algae blooms, the green layer on the surface of the water, and promote excess weed growth. One pound of phosphorous can grow 500 pounds of algae in lakes and ponds. The algae and weeds decrease the water quality for plants and animals as well as for recreational use. • It is important to keep all fertilizer products on the lawn where they can be used by the grass and bound by the soil. Once fertilizer is watered into the soil, it becomes immobile and resistant to leaching. • Run-off entering storm drains is a common source of pollutants entering lakes, rivers, and streams. Avoid getting fertilizer on sidewalks, driveways, and streets where it can wash into storm drains after a rain or watering. Sweep up fertilizer that falls on hard surfaces and use it another time or scatter it on the lawn. Do not apply fertilizer on frozen ground. Keep grass clippings and leaves off streets and out of storm drainage areas. Grass clippings and leaves can contribute phosphorous to local water bodies and add to water quality problems. Use a drop type fertilizer spreader where accuracy is important, especially near shorelines. Rotary spreaders are faster but less accurate in putting down fertilizer. • Sound lawn maintenance practices include aerating every year or two, maintaining a mowing height of two to three inches throughout the growing season, leaving grass clippings on the lawn, and providing one to one and a half inches of water per week, including rainfall. Leaving grass clippings on the lawn provides the equivalent of one application of fertilizer per year. A change in seasons always brings a change in lifestyles. Snow shovels and skis give way to lawn mowers and bicycles. It seems so long since spring was last here that we would like to offer some seasonal re- minders. • The city's trails were built for mixed use, to be enjoyed by everyone choos- ing to use them. When you ride your bike on the trails, please be cautions and considerate, keeping your speed to a reasonable level. Walkers, please be alert for bicycles that may be rounding a bend or coming over a hill. • If you walk your dog on city trails or other public property, you are re- Seasonal Reminders quired by city ordinances to carry along a proper receptacle for remov- ing your pet's waste. Signs are posted in the city's parks to remind us of this obligation. Parking is restricted at some city parks. Sibley Park - On -street park- ing is prohibited along Delaware Ave- nue between Marie Avenue and T.H. 110; Civic Center Field- parking is prohibited along Victoria Curve on the north side between Lexington Avenue and Hunter Lane; Mendakota Park - parking is prohibited on the north side of Mendakota Drive be- tween Dodd Road and Mendakota Court. • If you plan to landscape your yard, do not plant bushes or place landscape material within boulevard areas. Heights Highlites is a government news- letter distributed to residents to inform them on events and activities that affect Mendota Heights. All articles, layout and production are done by city staff members. If you know any residents who are n receiving the Heights Highlites, please in- vite them to contact City Hall, 452-1850, to be placed on the newsletter mailing list. PAGE 3 Interchange Update Even though the Mendota Bridge and its connecting roadways were all completed and opened on time last fall, many final touches remain to be completed this year. The following is a partial list of items that still remain to be completed by the Minne- sota Department of Transportation. • An extensive trail system • Updating Pilot Knob Road, north of rerouted Trunk Highway 13 • A traffic signal light at rerouted Trunk Highway 13 and Pilot Knob Road • Final blacktopping for Lexington Avenue and Pilot Knob Road • Overlaying several frontage roads in- cluding Victoria Curve • Establishing the turf by seeding or sodding • Landscaping All of these items are expected to be com- pleted by mid -summer 1995 except the land- scaping. A landscaping plan will be de- signed this summer and completed in 1996. Weeds Be Gone! The City Code Enforcement staff is ac- tively enforcing ordinances regulating weeds. Noxious weeds, grasses, and weeds exceeding 12 inches in height must be cut unless an exemption has been issued by the city. Between May 15 and September 15, the inspector will send notices to people whose properties don't comply with the ordi- nances. Violators will be given a reasonable time to correct the problem. If notices are :cored, the city will contract to have the property mowed, then bill the property owner. HEIGHTS HIGHLITES May, 1995 Summer Building Projects Have you been thinking about starting those spring and summer outdoor projects you planned this past winter? Decks, porches, swimming pools, fences and garden sheds are popular additions to one's property. They can add enjoyment, privacy and utility value. Before beginning any construction, be sure to visit city hall to apply for a building permit. Permits are required by the city in order to ensure safety, proper construction and placement of each of these structures. Handout materials are available at city hall describing the most necessary requirements for successful projects such as these. After be- coming familiar with this information, you can apply for your permit by filling out the application form, submitting two sets of plans showing how and of what materials the project is going to be built, and a site plan showing its proposed location on your prop- J erty. The Code Enforcement Officers will then re ` ( view the plans for code compliance and issue the building permit. These projects can be done by homeowners or by contractors who have either a state or city license. (Con- tractor licenses can be obtained from the receptionist at city hall if necessary.) Once the project is under way, certain inspections are required as it progresses. Depending on the project, the Code Enforcement Officers typically are required to do footing, framing and final inspections to ensure that good construction practices are followed and code requirements are met. If you have any questions about these or other home building projects, feel free to call Paul or Dick, the Code Enforcement Officers, at city hall, 452-1850. They will be happy to answer Dog Gone! Is your dog allowed outside your yard without supervision? Few residents would answer that question in the positive, yet city staff routinely receive complaints about wandering dogs. Your pet may be very spe- cial to you, but unsupervised dogs can be very intimidating to others. City ordinances are specific about the re- sponsibilities of dog owners. Owners may not permit their dogs to be at large in the city and must keep them under restraint at all times. "Restraint" means control by a leash no more than six feet long or control by a competent person and immediately obedient to that person's command. If you own a dog and keep it within the city limits, it must be licensed. Annual licenses, effective from June through May, are avail- able at City Hall for a modest fee. Please bring your dog's rabies certificate along when you apply for the license. Backyard Fires The blue skies and sunshine of spring and summer may bring thoughts of backyard bonfires and wiener roasts. The city's fire- fighters would like to remind you to contact the city before you gather branches and light that match. Recreational fires, fires of a size no greater than three feet by three feet and intended for social or ceremonial purposes, are allowed in the city, but only after a permit has been issued. First-time permits require an on-site inspection. Permits should be requested by contacting Fire Marshal Paul Kaiser at 452-1850 a week in advance of the date of the planned recrea- tional bonfire. He is available Monday through Wednesday, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to conduct an inspection. After completing the inspection, he may issue the permit. PAGE 6 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES May.1995 NATURE CAMP A two day Nature Camp is planned in Mendota Heights on July 27-28. Nature Camp is a popular, fast paced, hands on learning experience for ages 6-12 which teaches basic environmental concepts and awareness using the ponds, mead- ows, and woods in beautiful Valley Park. Activities are designed for the recrea- tional audience and include nature hikes, insect collecting, nature games, animal tracking, natural crafts, wild foods and projects. This camp will be from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., so children should bring a bag lunch and beverage each day. The cost for Nature Camp is $23.00 per child. You may register at Mendota Heights City Hall or call 452-1850 for more in- formation. Space is limited, so register early. NATURAL WONDERS Nature Explorations for Preschoolers and their Parents. Four week session, June 7, 14, 21, and 28 Wednesdays 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Explore nature with your preschooler! This four part series is designed to introduce chil- dren aged 3-5 to the delights of nature, hands-on and face to face. Together, parents and children share stories, songs, simple crafts and trail walks. Be sure to dress for the outdoor weather, rain or shine! Cost: $25.00/pair Location: Valley Park picnic shelter Please register by May 31, 1995 at Men- dota Heights City Hall or call 452-1850 for more information. IN-LINE SKATING In -Line Skating Lessons will be offered in Mendota Heights this summer at Mendakota Park. All ages are welcome! Skate rental is available through Mendota Cycling and Fit- ness at a special discounted price of $10.00 per session. A helmet is required. Lessons will be June 26-28 with a rain make-up on June 29. The Beginners' session is from 4:15-5:00 p.m., Intermediates from 5:15-6:00 p.m. and Adult Beginners from 6:15-7:00 p.m. The fee for the three lessons is $15.00. Space is limited, so register early.You may register at Mendota Heights City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve. For more information, please call 452-1850. Sand Volleyball Three adult Co-Rec sand volleyball leagues will be offered this summer. These recreational leagues will be played in the evenings at Rogers Lake Park. Games will not be officiated. Leagues being offered in- clude: Advanced: Mondays Beginners: Tuesdays Intermediates: Wednesdays Games will start the week of June 5 and will continue through mid-August. The maximum number of teams is 6 teams per league. You may register in person at Men- dota Heights City Hall, Monday through Fri- day, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or call 452-1850 for more information. League availability is based on demand. From: City of Mendota Heights 1101 Victoria Curve Mendota Heights, Mn. 55118 There is still space available for the Junior, Senior and Women's Golf Leagues at Men- dota Heights Par 3 Course. Juniors will play on Wednesdays, June 14 through August 16 with tee times beginning at 11:00 a.m. Seniors play Session I on Mon- days, May 15 through July 17 and Session 11 on Mondays July 24 through Sept. 25 with tee times beginning at 7:00 a.m. The women's league will play on Tuesdays, June 6 through August 29 with tee times begin- ning at 10:00 a.m. Please register at city hall or call 452-1850 for more information. NEED A TREE? The City Council has budgeted funds to continue the boulevard tree program again for 1995. The program provides trees to resi- dents interested in dressing up their bou' vards. For a pre -payment of $50 per tree, home- owners may select from several varieties of trees. They will be from approximately 1-3/4 to 2-1/2 inches in diaemter, depending on the variety selected. The trees will be planted in the fall by a landscape contractor hired by the city. Each tree will be guaranteed for one year. If you are interested in participating, con- tact Diane at City Hall, 452-1850, to place your name on a priority list. The limited quantity of trees are available on a first- come, first-served basis. Bulk Rate U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 6166 St. Paul, Mn. 55118 POSTAL PATRON CARRIER ROUTE PRESORT MENDOTA HEIGHTS, MN 55120 PAGE 5 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES Calendar Markers SPRING CLEAN-UP This issue of Heights Highlites includes a four-page recycling insert. One page of the insert announces the first annual Spring Clean -Up Day which will be held on May 20 at the Mendota Plaza Shopping Center. Participation in this event is limited to Mendota Heights residents. Clean-up day is designed specifically to provide a convenient way for you to dispose of no longer needed items which can be recycled. Certain items will not be accepted, such as yard waste and household hazardous waste. Please retain and refer to the insert for complete details on the activity and information on which items will be accepted. There are many residents who, because of disability or age, would not be able to participate in this community event without assistance from a good neighbor. If you have an elderly or disabled friend or neighbor who could use some help collecting and/or bringing their unneeded items to the drop off site, please offer to lend them a hand. City-wide Garage Sale Have you been thinking about having a garage sale? The Mendota Heights Fire Aux- iliary is sponsoring its Second Annual All Community Garage Sale. Gather a few friends together and plan to have a sale (rain or shine) on September 7, 8 and 9, 1995. To register, please come to the Mendota Heights Fire Station, located at 2121 Dodd Road, on Tuesday, July 11th from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and on Tuesday, August 8th from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Sale Regis- tration fee is $10.00. The Fire Auxiliary will provide all publicity and each participant will be given a yard sign identifying each sale. Summer Concert In The Park The City of Mendota Heights will be spon- soring a FREE family concert at Mendakota Park at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 8th. dcia and the Toons will perform a special mixture of energizing music, puppets and comedic skits. Tricia and the Toons is sure to bring out the "kid in everybody" and evoke laughter from all ages. CPR TRAINING The Mendota Heights Fire Auxiliary is sponsoring a CPR Training session on May 23, 1995 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Fire Station, located at 2121 Dodd Road. An American Heart Certified Instructor will train individuals to perform CPR on adults. The fee is $30.00 per person. Due to equipment needs, the class size is limited to 20 people. To register, please come to the Mendota Heights City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve before May 18, 1995. If you have any questions, please contact Kim Blaeser, at City Hall, 452to - 1850. Annual Community Celebration The Fourth Annual Celebrate Mendota Heights Parks! event will be held on Satur- day, July 22, 1995. The fun and festivities will begin at 11:00 a.m. and last until ap- proximately 5:00 p.m. Mendakota Park is the site of this annual celebration. The park is located on Dodd Road, just south of the Fire Station. Everyone in the community is in- vited to the celebration. Please plan to come and join the fun! This celebration needs the support of vol- unteers and sponsors. Celebrate Mendota Heights Parks! is funded and organized en- tirely by donations and volunteers. If you would like to volunteer to help with this year's events, or if you would like to make a donation, please call Kim Blaeser at the Mendota Heights City Hall, 452-1850. 1995 TORCH RUN Each year for the past nine years, Minnesota police offi- cers have hosted a "Law En- forcement Special Olympics Torch Run" to generate funds for the Special Olympics. All donations are used to sponsor and train Special Olympic ath- letes. The "Torch Run" is held during Law En- forcement Week, May 15 to 20. This year it is scheduled for Thursday, May 18. The Mendota Heights segment of the run is from Highway 494 and Dodd Road northbound to Delaware, a distance of 3.8 miles. The run is open to anyone who wishes to participate. The pace is set at a slow 10 minute mile. The runners' fee is $15.00 and each of them receives a specially designed t -shirt. To further assist in the fund raiser, it would be great if the runners could get spon- sor donations. If you would like to participate or be a sponsor, please contact Officer Larry Bridger at the Mendota Heights Police De- partment at 452-1366. CITY DIRECTORY Council Members: Charles Mertensotto, Mayor 454-3394 John Huber 450-0729 Christine Koch 451-9508 Sandra Krebsbach 454-5696 Jill Smith 688-7444 Staff Members: Tom Lawell, Administrator 452-1850 Kathleen Swanson, City Clerk 452-1850 James Danielson, 452-1850 Public Works Director Dennis Delmont, Police Chief 452-1366 John Maczko, Fire Chief 454-3266 Code Enforcement Officers: Paul Berg & Dick Gill 452-1850 tea Printed on recycled paper iia % PAGE 4 HEIGHTS HIGHLITES PULSE PROJECT UPDATE Work is currently underway to implement a three-part Community Action Plan aimed at preventing youth violence and other illegal and self-destructive behaviors in northern Dakota County. The Commu- nity Action Plan grew out of an intensive two-day retreat hosted by the Northern Dakota County Community Pulse Project on March 9-10 and attended by approximately 50 citizens, including many public and private high school students. Implementation work on the Community Action Plan is being conducted by three recently formed committees and you are encouraged to become involved in any or all of the committees. Opportunities for involvement include: Community Standards Committee - Seeks to formulate, define and communicate acceptable standards of conduct for youth to the north- ern Dakota County community in order to minimize violence and other illegal activities. Mentoring Committee - Seeks ways in which to enable adult and youth community members to get together with one another in healthy, meaningful, interpersonal relationships and to develop a community resource to help provide mentors for area middle school and senior high school students. Youth Activities Committee - Seeks to work with the northern Dakota County community to identify and assist in developing alter- native youth activities and gathering places that promote positive, productive non-violent behavior. 1995 The committees are addressing these issues under the umbrella of the Northern Dakota County Community Pulse Project which encom- passes the cities of Mendota Heights, West St. Paul, Mendota, Lily - dale, Sunfish Lake and parts of Eagan and Inver Grove Heights. The Pulse Project began in 1993 as a collaborative effort between busi- ness, education, government and community agencies to better coor- dinate the delivery of public services. A recent Pulse Project sponsored survey of citizens in norther Dakota County revealed that the top three community concerns amongst residents were crime, drug and alcohol abuse and delin- quency. Recognizing that our youth are particularly at risk relative to these concerns, the Pulse Project organized and conducted the planning retreat to focus on these issues and to develop the Commu- nity Action Plan. To be successfully implemented, the three-part Community Action Plan will require the collaboration of all of the above described agencies, and also extensive community input and active citizen participation. YOUR INVOLVEMENT IS NEEDED AND IS EN- COURAGED! For more information on any of the committees or the Pulse Project in general, please feel free to contact City Hall. WATCH FOR OAK WILT Oak wilt is a disease that is potentially fatal to otherwise healthy oak trees. It is caused by a fungus that travels through a tree's water vessel system. To fight the fungus, oak trees produce gums and resins. Unable to catch up to the quick moving fungus, the tree eventually cuts off its own internal water supply causing the tree to wilt and die. All oaks are susceptible to oak wilt disease, especially pin oaks and red oaks, usually dying within weeks of the initial infection. Oak wilt is spread in two ways. Healthy oak trees, if they are wounded, can be infected by the "picnic beetle" which will deposit the oak wilt fungus while it feeds on open tree wounds. The other method of infection is through the root system of the tree. Nearby oaks, usually of similar species, can have common root systems as roots entangle and graft together. The oak wilt fungus travels rapidly through these grafted roots and can infect trees up to fifty feet away. Root system infections account for approximately 90 percent of new infections. You can tell if your oak is infected by the rapid wilting of leaves in the crown of the tree. The wilting begins in the crown of the tree and spreads downwards. Wilting in a white or bur oak is slower than in a red oak which may wilt in as little as two weeks. You may prevent the spread of oak wilt in a number of fashions. If a wound occurs on your oak tree between April 15 and July 1, apply a nontoxic wound dressing immediately. Wounds can occur in a variety of ways including untimely tree trimming, storm or wind damage, construction damage, or basement excavation. "Picnic beetles" cannot chew through tree bark and will feed only on open wounds that are less than a few days old. It is important that oaks not be wounded by lawn tractors or other activities during the period of April 15 to July 1 when the "picnic beetles" are most active. If oak wilt is present near healthy trees, it may be necessary to protect the healthy trees with root disruption procedures to prevent the spread of the underground infection. To be successful, all grafted roots between healthy and diseased trees must be cut. If healthy oaks of similar species are within fifty feet, root disruption procedures between grafted roots must be done before the infected tree is removed. Oaks originally infected by the "picnic beetle" are capable of producing the fungal spore, and must be removed before April 1 of the following year. The city does not employ a forester, however, we do have referral services available for residents who are interested in obtaining on s' inspections and professional help in dealing with tree diseases. Contact City Hall at 452-1850.