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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980 SeptemberSafety tips for fireplaces., With the heating season coming up, the Cottage Grove Building Department and Fire Department have released reminders to the public concerning the safe use of fireplaces and woodburing stoves. To insure that the work is done properly and to protect the health and safety of residents, Cottage Grove requires building permits for the installation of fireplaces and woodburning stoves. The Building Department has available at City Hall free printed information on the proper installation of woodburning appliances. In case of a chimney fire, call the Fire Department (458 -2815) immediately. To try to put out a fire, dump large amounts of coarse salt on the fire in the fireplace or stove and then hold a wet blanket over the hearth opening to keep air from entering the chimney. Other woodburning tips are: *Keep the fire under control at all times. *Keep the area near the fireplace free from items that could ignite. *Use only seasoned wood that has dried for at least six months. Seasoned means the moisture has dried, so that cracks show at the ends of the logs. The more cracks, the r drier the wood. Burning green, wet, unseasoned or resinous wood causes a tar - like creosote deposits to form in chimneys. Creosote can easily ignite, causing chimney fires. *A slow burning fire is more controllable and more energy- efficient than a roaring fire. *Make sure the damper is working properly and leave the damper open until the fire is completely out. *A fresh air intake installed in or near the fireplace or stove or a nearby window left open while the fire is burning assures adequate air for the fire and cuts down on heating air being drawn from the rest of the house. *Don't use combustible liquids such as gasoline to start a fire. * Don't burn charcoal in your fireplace because it gives off dangerous carbon monoxide fumes. *To prevent sparks and to save energy, use your fireplace glass doors or a screen. *Don't cook food in a fireplace or woodburning stove. Grease builds up in the chimney and may catch fire. ❑ Arena season opens Oct. 1 with ice t The Cottage Grove Ice Arena will kick of the fall season with a free exhibition of amateur ice skating at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1 at the arena. Oct. 1 also is the last day to register for Session I classes, which begin the week of Oct. 6. The Cottage Grove Figure Skating School, directed by Wendy Leimbek- Danielson, will offer group lessons for children as well as precision line skating, adult classes and private lessons. Each class includes 30 minutes of instruction and 30 minutes of practice time. Saturday afternoon classes will begin Oct. 11 and will include preschool, beginner, intermediate and free style sessions. Preschool classes stress gliding, stopping balance and stroking skills for the very young skater. Beginners classes will be grouped by age and are for children who have taken no previous lessons. Intermediate classes refine the basic skills in beginners and free style classes introduce musical interpretation and solo program skating. Intermediate and free style classes also will be offered Tuesday evenings, beginning Oct. 7. All these classes include 10 weekly lessons and cost $30. Precision line skating is open to all qualified free style skaters and will be offered Tuesday afternoons, beginning Oct. 7. The fee is $20 for 10 lessons. An adults only mini session from Oct. 7 to Nov. 11 will offer beginner and intermediate classes. The beginners class is an introduction to correct skating skills, use of edges, forward and backward stroking, crossovers and turns and the intermediate class furthers those skills. The fee for five lessons is $15. Private lessons will be offered Tuesday afternoons and Thursday evenings, beginning the week of Oct. 7. This individual instruction is open to all levels of skaters and costs $4 per 15 minutes. Arena memberships are available for one year beginning Sept. 1 and may be purchased at the arena. Family memberships cost $30 and entitle every member of the family to skate free at public skating sessions and offer reduced prices on group classes and other skating sessions. Individual memberships offer the same benefits and cost $15. ❑ N m Uo` = 71 � -Eon U i September 1980 Cottage Grove, Minnesota 55016 The Cottage Grove Planning Department and Planning Commission currently are reviewing three development proposals for land located north of Woodridge Park and another near Pine Hill School. Murrey Realty is proposing a planned unit development consisting of single family homes, townhomes and quadhomes in Area A on the map. Applications for a planned unit development will be submitted and public hearings are expected to be held this fall. Land in Area B is owned by Vernon Eide of Eide Realty, who has filed an application for a subdivision consisting of 80 lots. Eide has asked the city to approve the lots for typical single family development or twin homes, which are attached single family homes with a common wall on the lot line. Eide said individual lots would be sold and property owners would contract Census shows 18 , 7 16 popul Preliminary 1980 census counts for Cottage Grove show a population of 18,716 residing in 5,191 dwelling units. Planner Anne Hurlburt said census figures for dwelling units are very close to city projections but that population figures are about 1,300 less than projected. She said the steady decrease in household sizes since 1970 is one of the trends that may explain why population projections were higher than the actual count. The following chart shows results of the 1970 census, a special 1977 census and the preliminary 1980 census. 1970 1977 1980 Population 13,419 17,429 18,716 Dwelling Units 2,877 4,488 5,191 Density 4.7 persons 3.9 persons 3.6 persons Preliminary figures show that the number of persons per household in the newest housing areas of the city is slightly higher than in older additions or in the rural areas. The population in the Thompson Grove Additions declined from 6,127 in 1970 to 4,565 in 1980, a decrease of 25.5 percent. The average household size for this area decreased from 5.06 in 1970 to 3.81 in 1980. Population and dwelling unit increases of 58.1 percent and 65.3 percent respectively were shown in areas west of Highway 61, excluding Thompson Grove Additions. This reflects housing constructed in the Pine Coulee and Countryside Additions and in the rural areas of the tract, Hurlburt said. construction of the homes. A public hearing on this project began July 28 and will continue at the Aug. 25 meeting of the Planning Commission if further testimony is available by then. Gene Minea is the owner of property in Area C and is proposing a development consisting of 63 residential lots. His proposal will be reviewed by the Planning Commission this fall. Westward Construction Inc. has submitted a proposal for four twin homes (eight units) to be constructed in the area of 94th Street and Hadley Avenue South. A public hearing on this proposal will be held at the Planning Commission meeting Aug. 25. Property owners in the vicinity of all these projects will receive notices advising them of public hearings be Planning Commission. All interested persons are encouraged to attend the hearings. ❑ The preliminary count listed a dwelling unit vacancy rate of 1.4 percent in 1980, compared to 3.1 percent in 1970. ❑ Pre - reg ister to vote A word of advice has been issued to persons who are not registered to vote and who don't want to wait in line on election day: pre- register. City Election Official JoAnn Kuntz said long delays are common for persons who wait until election day to register. She said persons may pre- register for the Nov. 4 general election until Oct. 14. Registration cards are available at the Park -Grove Branch of the Washington County Library, Cottage Grove City Hall and from most candidates, she said. Persons who have never registered, who have changed their name or address since they last registered or who have failed to vote in the past four years must register to be eligible to vote. Qualifications for voters include being a citizen of the United States, a resident of the state for 20 days preceding the election and 18 years of age by election day. ❑ '.. The Mayor's View by Roger Peterson (Guest columnist for this issue is Washington County CommissionerJoe Fogarty, who represents District IV.) I appreciate this opportunity provided by the mayor and city to bring the residents of Cottage Grove items of interest occuring at the county level of government. One recent change that will have a dramatic impact on county government in the future is the Community Social Service Act. After considerable study, the 1979 Legislature decided to change the method of planning and funding the broad range of social services by the counties. Prior to 1980, the Legislature provided funds by directing the counties to spend the dollars on a list of specific activities and services as directed by the state Department of Public Welfare. The county's role was primarily one of implementing these dictates. Beginning in 1980 -81, the county will direct its social service efforts where it sees fit, with the state contribution coming in the form of a "block grant" of funds. In preparing for this effort, Washington County conducted a survey to determine areas of need as perceived by the residents of the county. The County Board is gratified by the more than 3,000 people who made the effort to respond to this survey. The accompanying chart is your response to service levels. The county will be using this survey in reviewing the Social Service Plan which is scheduled to go to public hearing at the County Board meeting on Sept. 16. The county has tentatively adopted the following as social service goals for the 1981 -82 plan: 1. To promote the achievement or maintenance of economic self- support. 2. To promote the achievement or maintenance of self - sufficiency. 3. To promote the prevention or remedying of neglect, abuse, or exploitation of those unable to protect their own interest. 4. To promote the preservation, rehabilitation, or reunification of families recognizing the parental role as interruptable only in emergency situations. 5. To promote the prevention or reduction of inappropriate institutional care by providing for community based care, home care, or other forms of less intensive care. 6. To promote the securing of referral or admission for institutional care when other forms of care are not appropriate. 7. To promote the provision of service at convenient locations and education of key community contacts with availability of service to encourage referrals. 8. To promote the provision of a solution based on individual needs and not just program structure. Those wishing to receive a copy of the proposed Social Service Plan or a copy of an individual program portion of that plan are invited to call County Administrative Office at 439 -3220. Individual program plans are listed for your convenience. They are: Youth Program - -child protection - intervention including child abuse coordination, Cimmaron Project and unmarried parents service, day care, adoption and permanency planning and ■ 1 ! ' � `+' t Service Area More than Necessary Needs im- Don't Adequate provement Know Child Abuse, Neglect 162 614 1,022 1,457 Services for Youth 314 871 1,014 1,055 Low Income Housing 380 757 986 1,034 Services for Elderly 254 1,038 958 1,004 Alcohol, Drug Abuse 357 1,000 895 1,005 Employment 265 1,072 874 1,044 Transportation 325 971 756 1,202 Handicapped Services 210 933 628 1,483 Mental Health 222 1,049 526 1,460 Financial Support 445 817 514 1,479 Family Relationships 271 1,139 485 1,361 Mental Retardation 218 1,006 465 1 Health 343 1,559 434 919 ! Cottage Grove Reports Published quarterly to inform the public Mayor: Roger Peterson Council: Bill Amundson, Jil Berndt, Jack Denzer, and Richard Hammero. Administrator: Carl Meissner Police Chief: Robert Oszman Fire Chief: Denis Erickson Public Works: Carl Carlson Planning Director: Richard Lewis Finance Director: Ron Ube Park, Recreation: John Fredrickson Arena Manager: Tim Johnson Assessor: Les Matula Inspector: Everett Anderson Editor: Mary Elrod City Council meets at 7:30 p.m. the first and third Wednesdays of the month. foster care; Adult Program -- adult protection, foster care, employability including WIN, money management, homemaking and chore services and educational assistance; Senior Citizen Program - -aging coordinator, senior companion and home delivered meals; Mental Retardation Program -- developmental achievement including early intervention, preschool and adult, residential treatment, MR guardianship, deinstitutionalization and MR coordination; Mental Health Program -- outpatient services including child, adult, sexual assault and special services, day treatment and residental treatment including children and halfway house; Chemical Dependency Program -- outpatient services including formation and assessment, Women for Women, elderly and employee assistance, residential treatment, detoxification, public education, deinstitutionalization and prevention; and Support Services Program -- housing, legal assistance and transportation. o • • • • j • r An Ad Hoc Committee on Commission Membership, made up of representatives from each of the city commissions, was established this spring to study methods of filling vacancies on city commissions. The committee met in June, July and August and now is proposing that the City Council retain the group on a quarterly meeting basis. Committee members believe the involvement among members of various commissions helps each commission keep in touch with actions and interests of the others. They also said the committee is a source for finding new commission members who have demonstrated interest in a particular area. Currently, commission members are chosen primarily from a list of those who apply to serve. With this arrangement, persons often are not placed on the commission to which they are best suited. Cottage Grove has six commissions, Planning and Zoning, Human Services, Public Works, Public Safety, Economic Development and Parks and Recreation. Each commission has nine members and serves the City Council in an advisory capacity. The Human Services Commission is seeking volunteers to serve three -year terms. The commission's activities include: providing information to the community about human rights and human services; advising the City Council on human rights issues; receiving complaints of discrimination from Cottage Grove residents; and attempting to mediate a "no fault grievance" settlement. The commission meets at 7:30 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month in City Hall. Economic Development The Economic Development Commiss ion, which meets the first Thursday of each month, also is looking for applicants. This commission confers, advises and assists the City Council and Planning Commission on all matters concerning the economic development of the city; cooperates with all city businesses in resolving community problems that relate to the economic development of the city; cooperates with and uses the facilities of the state Department of Economic Development; and attempts to encourage new businesses to settle in Cottage Grove. During the past few years, the commission has been involved in Whirlpool Corporation's decision to locate in Cottage Grove, formation of a cable television committee for this area, the City Council's decision to issue industrial revenue bonds for new businesses and meetings concerning the proposed Highway 61 interchanges. The commission is developing a list of all businesses in the city for use by citizens and other businesses. Persons who want more information and who wish to serve on these or any of the city commissions are urged to contact Ron Uhe at City Hall, phone 458 -2821. [in Firefighters needed The Grove Estates Fire Department is seeking volunteer fire - fighters to assist the full -time staff in responding to fire and rescue calls. The department currently has eight full - time firefighters and 29 volunteers, but more are needed to maintain an adequate fire supression force, according to Fire Chief Denis Erickson. Volunteers are expected to attend weekly training sessions and to answer fire calls when possible. Volunteers are paid $6 per call and $5 per training session. All necessary gear is furnished by the department. Persons interested in becoming volunteer firefighters should phone the department at 459 -2955 or 458 -2809 or stop in at Fire Station No. 1, 8183 Grange Blvd., between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays. o r .. Residents of Cottage Grove are reminded that on- street parking is prohibited from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. between Oct. 1 and April 30. This ordinance was adopted to make sure that vehicles parked in the street will not interfere with snow - clearing operations. The Department of Public Safety will issue citations for violations of the ordinance, regardless of weather conditions. Persons having over -night guests or parties at homes should notify the department so these short -term parkers will not be tagged. o we�Esrj� 011 Cottage Grove Jaycee Women have scheduled two community events for September. A Flea Market is planned for Sept. 13 in the Cottage Square Shopping Center. For information on renting space, contact Sue Kainz at 459 -8442. The group's annual used book sale will be held Sept. 12 and 13, also in Cottage Square. Persons who wish to donate books for sale should contact Gayle Tauscher at 459 -3978 or Jan Liedle at 459 -6250. o •: i •r • •; r The Planning and Zoning Commission, shown above, worked with the Planning Department and citizens committees in developing the future land use plan for Cottage Grove. Commission Members, pictured from left to right, are: front row, Joe Schnide, Dennis Plan and Rickie Ressler, and standing, Patti Armstrong, Ken Wiemann, Jim Wolcott, Glen Brown and Ed Kviz. ❑ COTTAGE GROVE PARKS RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE SCHOOLS COTTAGE GROVE . . . ISM Aland use plan that will guide Cottage Grove's development to the year 1990 has been developed during the past two years and will be the topic of public hearings September 29 and 30. The City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission will be present at both meetings to discuss the plan and to hear public testimony. Future land use for the area north and east of Highway 61 will be discussed on September 29 and for the area south and west of highway 61 on September 30. Both hearings will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the council chamber of City Hall. If a large crowd requires moving the hearings to a larger facility, that information will be posted at City Hall. City Planning Director Richard Lewis said a printed report and map describing future land use will be available at City Hall in early September for citizens who would like to become familiar with the plan before the public hearings. The report will be sold at a price that will cover printing costs, Lewis said. Many factors were analyzed in development of the plan, including population trends, housing projections and needs and natural land use features. Based on Cottage Grove's steady population increase since 1960, the population is expected to reach about 28,000 in 1990. In 1960, there were 1,250 dwelling units for 4,800 people and it is expected there will be a need for 8,500 dwelling units for 1990's population. The number of persons per household increased from 3.9 in 1960 to 4.7 in 1970 and then decreased to 3.6 in 1980. Based on these projections, Cottage Grove will need 3,300 new dwelling units by 1990. Available land that can be serviced with public sewer, water and roads was analyzed to determine where these homes should be located and how much land they will require. A major factor in planning future residential development was a desire to keep growth compact to avoid using prime agricultural land needlessly and to economize in extension of public services, Lewis said. Land use requirements also have been projected for agriculture, commercial, industrial and open space needs If the proposed future land is adopted by the City Council and approved by the Metropolitan Council, it will become the city's guide for a new zoning map and for reviewing development proposals. The accompanying map shows the proposed general categories of land use being suggested in the plan. Area 1: Based on the concept of a staged growth plan, it has been determined that the city's anticipated growth for the next 10 years can be contained in an area of approximately three square miles. Of the 32 square miles in the city, about one -third probably will be urbanized in 1990. The primary area for residential development is projected for areas east of Jamaica to Keats and south of 70th Street to Highway 61. It is anticipated that these areas will contain a mix of housing, including single family homes, townhouses, quad homes, twin homes and apartments. Apartments would be located south of 90th Street and north of City Hall. Additional commercial development is expected in the vicinity of Jamaica and Highway 61. The industrial park, located south of Highway 61 and west of Jamaica, is expected to experience additional growth in the next 10 years. Area 2: Rural development areas will allow limited development in areas that are predominatly rural in character. In Area 2, homes will be permitted on larger lots, provided soil conditions are favorable for on -site sewer systems. Areas 3, 4 and 5: One of the major development concepts of the city is to attempt to preserve prime agricultural land by preventing premature urban development. Based on a study by a citizen's committee, Areas 3, 4 and 5 have been identified as prime agricultural land or agricultural land that has potential for long -term agriculture. Agriculture will be encouraged in these areas and no public services such as sewer and water are projected until after 1990. Area 6: Residential development and some industrial expansion will be allowed, provided that restrictive regulations established for the area are met by property owners. The Mississippi River runs through this area and the river corridor has been designated as a critical area by the state to preserve the natural character of the area. 0 Future •I Use Sept. Public Hearings 2 • 0 COTTAGE GROVE !MINNESOTA