Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004 SeptemberCity Hall 7516 80th Street South Cottage Grove, MN 55016 Open 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday Area Code 651 City Hall ........ ....,....458 -2800 TDD ..... ... ...... 458 -2880 City Council VoiceMall ........458 -6085 r Staff VoiceMail ......: .. ....... 458 -6000 City Info /Jobline..d .....458 -6057 Police & Fire Emergency ...911 Police Non- Emergency 458 -2811 Building Inspections ......... 458 -2804 Public Works, Parks..... ... ... __458-2808 I Recreation Programs .. ........ .'... 458 -2801 24 -Hr Rec Registration ..........458 -2898 Ice Arena ............................ .... 458 -2846 River Oaks Golf Course....... -.438 -2121 River Oaks Clubhouse ............ 438 -3627 Mayor . ..........................Sandy Shiely [ City Council: Jim Wolcott ...................Cheryl Kohis ! Pat Rice .......... .. ..Mark Grossklaus City Admm Ryan Schroeder. ..... 458 -2822 Bldg. Official....Bob LaBrosse ... ..... 458 -2828 City Clerk........ Caron Stransky ... ... 458 -2814 Community Dev.Howard Blin.. .... ....458 -2824 Finance & Administrative Services .. ....... ___ ......... Ron Hedberg_ ...... ..458 -2832 Fire Svcs Chief..Bob Byerly ......458 -2860 Golf Pro /Mgr ..Bruce Anderson...... 438 -21.21 Ice Arena/Rec Zee Dockter. .........458 -2846 Public Safety ..John Mickelson, Jr ..458 - 6011. Publics Works ..Les Burshten .....::...458 -2810: Contains a minimum of 10% postconsumer waste 2B 2,. [I zs 26 25 0 Cl 22 8 O X 12 11 O Celebrate Fire Prevention Week Thank our City's firefighters and celebrate National Fire Prevention Week: Open Houses at all 4 Cottage Grove Fire Stat Thursday, Oct. 7,2004,6:30-9 p.m. Family Fun: Displays, Hands -On Activities, Treats Poster Contest for Grades K -5 Details at Cottage Grove Elementary Schools Halloween Parade - Oct. 30, 11 a.m, All welcome to march or watch! ®� Route: East Pt, Douglas Rd. from District 833 Service Center (across from McDonald's) to District 833 Program Center Costume judging for Infants to age 8 - 10 a.m., District Service Ctr. $5 donation requested from each parade unit to help cover costs. - Thanks to the CG Jaycees for Sponsoring This Fun Event - POSTAL PATRON Carrier Route PreSort Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 1 Cottage Grove, MN Election news, map .........2 Hunting ordinance........ 3 Police news ............ ... . 3 City photo contest... ........3 Halloween Parade, 10/30 .....12 New utility bills ......... ........4 Truth in Taxation Hearing, 12/6 ....1, East Ravine project .........5 Development decisions ....6 CGAA soft ball tryouts ....7 'Share the Joy' . ...... .:... 8 CEE Financial, Head Start ..8 Water Quality Report ........8 Ponds protect ......................9 Public Works Memo Ed. ..10 Hsehold Haz Waste Coll ..10 Fall building tips ................1 1 Dutch Elm disease,,... . ... _1 1 Nat'l Fire Prevention Wk ..12 Halloween Parade ... 12 EVENTS EVENT ..; ..... .. .. ... .Page Fire Prev. Wk Open Houses, 10/7....12 Hsehold Haz Collection, 10/9 ....10 Halloween Parade, 10/30 .....12 Truth in Taxation Hearing, 12/6 ....1, 7 Coming in October! Watch for the new City Services bill, which will replace utility bills next month. Preview on Page 4. City Services September, 2004 3 Cit Co ex pe c ted t o r 2005 tax • " City officials have adopted a preliminary 2005 General Fund Budget, which will result in an estimated 10.3% tax extension rate reduction. The tax rate decline is due to additional tax base from new construction and the appreciation of existing property. The resulting tax revenues represent an increase of 6.78% over 2004 levels. The total 2005 Budget includes General Fund expen- ditures of $11.9 million, a 7.6% increase over the 2004 budget of $11.1 million. Additional budgeted special revenue, capital proj- ects, and enterprise funds total $12.3 million for 2005. Tax levy The total 2005 preliminary property tax levy shows an increase of approximately $663,000 to a total of $10,441,000, up from $9,778,000 in 2004. In 2005, debt retirement continues at approximately 13% of the total net levy. One of the City's ongoing commitments has been a Pavement Management Program to improve aging streets throughout the community. Included in the 2005 levy is $1,093,000 for taxpayer support of this program, an increase of $52,000 from the 2004 levy. Property Taxes Paid IVU Based on the Preliminary 2004 Property After a 15% Tax Levy and Budget, the tax dollars paid to market value the City on a home valued at $200,000 after a increase, taxes 15% market value increase are expected to on a $340,000 increase approximately $31 per year, or 4.5%, home arc This increase results from the combination of expected to a number of variables: increase 1) A reduction in the State of Minnesota approximatelyr Market Value Homestead Credit the property $31 per year, receives as the property increases in value, not the $30 2) The taxable market value of residential Per mouth that property has increased at a greater rate than the Washington other properties for 2005. County Bulletin 3) The 15% increase in the taxable market reported in value is the maximum increase for residential error in its property for 2005. Last year the maximum Sept, ',8 issue. was at 12 %. This change results from the State phase -out of the limited taxable market value tax subsidy program. For the next two years the maximum increase will also be 15% for residential property. Over the past few years, property values have been increasing more than the maximum allowed for limited taxable market value increases, so most residential prop- erties have been at the cap for the past few years. Truth in Taxation hearing at 7 p.m. 4) The increase in Dec. 6, City Hall. See Page 7. Cont. on Page 7 -2- Cottage Grove Precinct Map - 2004 PW '- I i = - n ' i I - _ ,-'. I City prepares for Nov. 2 Election Cottage Grove polling places by precinct See the map at left to find out which precinct you are in, then check below for your polling place. NOTE: The precinct polling location may have changed since you voted last. District 57A Precinct No. - Location 2 Pine Hill Elementary 3 National Guard Armory 4 Cottage Grove Elementary 5 Crestview Elementary 6 Park High School 7 District 833 Service Center Board Room 8 District 833 Program Center Lunch Room District 57B Precinct No. - Location 1 Fire Station #3 9 Light the Way Church 10 Grey Cloud Elementary School 11 Crossroads Church 12 Christ the Lord Lutheran Church On Tuesday, Nov. 2, citizens will vote for a variety of offices, including U.S. President/ Vice President, U.S. Congress, MN House of Representatives, and City offices. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Filings for City Offices to be elected during the Nov. 2 General Election were open from Aug. 24 to September 7, 2004. Five individuals filed for office: Sandy Shiely (incumbent) for the Mayor Seat and Myron Bailey, Karla Bigham, Al Beebe, and Chris Reese to fill the two City Council Member seats currently held by Jim Wolcott and Cheryl Kohls, who are not running for reelection. Voter Pre - Registration will be available at City Hall, during office hours, until Oct. 12. A Driver's License or MN ID card is needed. Those registering must be U.S. citizens who will be 18 years old by Nov. 2. Absentee ballots for the Nov. 2 General Election will be available beginning Oct. 1 at Cottage Grove City Hall, 7516 80th St. S. They will be available during regular offices, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and also on Saturday, Oct. 30, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Monday, Nov. 1 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you will be absent from your precinct, ill, or disabled on Election Day, you may vote by absentee ballot. The League of Women Voters will host a Candidates' Forum at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 13, at. the Cottage Grove City Hall. If you wish to get to know the candidates running for the Cottage Grove Mayor and two Council Member seats, tune into the Government Channel (16) for the LIVE presentation at 7 p.m. Fall home checklist The Cottage Grove Building Division offers the following tips for preparing your home and property for a comfortable fc; winter season: Clean out and prepare At your gut -12 tern for wet weather; Check the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors; Shut off and drain exterior water spig- ots to avoid bursting water pipes; Check heating systems - replace fil- ters, cover air conditioners, and light your gas fireplaces; Make sure all appliance cores and fil- ters have been cleaned and /or replaced according to appliance manufacturers' instructions; Assure proper ventilation for wood - burning fireplaces and gas appli- ances; Remove yard waste; prepare lawn and garden areas for wintering; Secure space for storing trash recep- tacles and recycling containers out of public view from neighbor- ing properties and roadways; Clear garages of excess materials to allow convenient access for vehi- cles. Building permits are required for most interior and exterior home improvement projects, including basement finishing, mechanical/ plumbing equipment replacement, lawn irrigation, roofing, sid- ing, and driveway installations. For infor- mation on building permits, contact the Building Division at 651- 458 -2877, or send an email to: bufidingg cottage - grove.org If you have any questions or concerns about property maintenance issues, please call the COMPLAINT HOTLINE at 651 -458 -2827. Dutch Elm disease returns to area 2004 has been a tough year for trees in Cottage Grove. Dutch elm disease has killed an estimated three to four times the number of trees in Cottage Grove in 2004, com- pared to a typical year. The final losses for the year in the metro area communities that have a higher percentage of elms are much worse than in Cottage Grove. The trend is expected to continue through the next several years. Dutch Elm Disease The easiest way to tell if a tree has Dutch elm disease is sudden and severe wilting. Leaves typically begin turning yellow, then brown, high in the crown of the tree. The disease is caused by a fungus that infiltrates the vessels that circulate sap throughout the tree. Over a period of several weeks to a few months, the fungus travels down the infected branch to the main stem, eventually causing all the leaves to turn brown and wilt. The fungus, which grows like yeast within the vessels of the tree, causes the elm to produce a toxin that gums up and blocks the vessels. The blocked vessels are no longer able to carry water to the leaves, which causes the leaves to wilt and the tree to die. Dutch elm disease is carried from tree to tree in one of two ways: • Elm bark beetles pick up the fungus on their backs as they tunnel through an infected tree, and carry the fungus to uninfected elms as they continue to feed; • The fungus can spread through the shared and grafted root systems of nearby elm trees. Disposal of Diseased Trees While it is heartbreaking to have to cut down a beautiful mature elm tree, early identification and prompt removal of elms infected with Dutch elm disease is the best way to slow the spread of the disease through Cottage Grove's urban for- est. With the large number of trees that have been Lost to Dutch elm disease this year, it is important to remove dis- eased trees. After removal, wood should not be transported or stored with the bark on. The bark should be immediately burned or buried. The Cottage Grove compost site will take Dutch elm diseased trees and dispose of them properly. You may call the NRG Compost site at 651- 458 -1 026 for more information. If you have any other questions or concerns about trees in your neighborhood, please call the Public Works Department at 651- 458 -2808. Check out these Public Safety volunteer opportunities McGruff Neighborhood Crime Prevention V/ Police House Watch Advisory Board Reserve For information- - - - -- 458-6000 - - - -- -458-2811 - -458-6010- _10- Public Works Memo Board Did you know... 90 %of residents recycle? The average Cottage Grove resident throws away 40 pounds of garbage each week? Recycling helps the environ- ment, but it also means prizes for Cottage Grove residents. Each week, a residential address is drawn. If the resi- dent has put out recycling con- tainers, he /she receives a prize. Recyclable materials include aluminum and tin cans, paper products, glass bottles and jars, and #1 and 2 plastic bot- tles with necks. For informa- tion, call 651- 458 -2808. SingleSort Recycling Waste Management, Inc., has chosen the customers of Cottage Grove to participate in a year -long trial of its "Single Sort" recycling program. The company's customers can now place all reeyclables in a single, 64- gallon cart, which was deliv- ered in mid - August. If you have questions, please call Waste Management at 651 - 437 -9201, or Cottage Grove Public Works at 458- 2808. Put snow in its place Minnesota law forbids depositing shoveled or plowed snow on public streets. Snow on the street could result in damage to snowplow- ing equipment, injuries to maintenance personnel, and needless delays in snow removal. The department expects and appreciates the cooperation of all residents in this matter. Keep trash back When the snow flies, the Public Works Department asks residents to refrain from put- ting trash cans in or right next to the street during the plow- ing season. Snowplow drivers need to clear the streets for your safety, and obstacles such as trash cans must be out of the way. Check your mailbox! Before the snow season, residents should check their mailboxes for obvious damage such as cracked boards or posts, missing screws, etc. Also look below ground to make sure the post is still in good condition. A rotted post will not stand up to a Minnesota winter very long, and repairs are more difficult after the ground has frozen. The Public Works Department cannot be respon- sible for mailboxes that are knocked down as a result of snow thrown off a plow at a. weak post. On- street parking ban starts Oct, 1 The Cottage Grove Police Department reminds all resi- dents that the On- Street Parking Ordinance goes into effect Oct. 1, 2004, and will continue to April 30, 2005. During these months, no vehicle may be parked on any residential street between the hours of 2 and 6 a.m. At all other hours during a snow removal period, vehicles parked on the street must be removed within 15 minutes of a request to do so by a City employee for the purposes of removing snow and ice. Parking is permitted at other times as long as it does not obstruct the removal of snow and ice by City plows. Please help our Public Works Department by comply- ing with this ordinance. Household Hazardous Waste collection r- setfor Oct. • r: Residents may drop off items at no charge during the fall Household Hazardous Waste Collection, to be held Saturday, Oct. 9, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the City's Public Works Facility, 8635 West Point Douglas Road S. The collection, free to all residents, is held to encourage prop- er disposal of potentially hazardous materials. Items may include used oil filters, paint, aerosol cans, brake fluid, mercury switches, fluorescent lamps, pool chemicals, and more. No business waste will be collected. The Household Hazardous Waste Collection is a joint project of the City's Public Works Department and the Washington County Department of Public Health and Environment. Throughout the year, Household Hazardous Waste items may be dropped off at the County's Hazardous Waste Facility, 1900 Hadley Ave., Oakdale. Hours are noon to 7 p.m. Tuesdays, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays. Please call 430 -6655 with any questions. NOTE: The Public Works Facility is located one block west of Highway 10161, about one block south of Jamaica Avenue. Thanks, Officer Reibel! Cottage Grove Community Affairs Officer /Paramedic Greg Reibel retired on Sept. 17 after 30 years with the Cottage Grove Police Department. Officer Reibel began his career as a police dispatcher, and has served as a community service officer, police officer, and paramedic. For the past 14 years he was the Department's Community Affairs Officer. He has been a D.A.R.E. Program instructor for 14 years, and for the past two years was also the School Resource Officer assigned to Cottage Grove Junior High. He also helped organize Summer Safety Camp and National Night Out. Thanks, Officer Reibel! Resource Officers are back in school Cottage Grove Police Officers Gail Griffith and Kevin Kaszas will assist students as School Resource Officers at CG Junior High and Park High School, respectively. In addition, they will teach a new five -week "Take S.T.O.C.K. in Our Kids" ele- mentary safety program. This newly- developed curriculum, created by the Cottage Grove Pollee Department, will be offered in all six City elemen- tary schools for all students in Kindergarten through Grade 6. CG Hunting Ordinance revised in 2004 The use of firearms for hunting is prohibited in all areas: MW • within 500 feet of any building occupied by any human or livestock; • within 500 feet of any livestock corral; • within 500 feet of any building occupied by any human being on any land without the oral permission of the owner or occupant of such premises; i • within 500 feet of any highway or roadway. Effective June 2, 2004, changes have been made to the hunting permit application process and permit fees. The new process and fees will be the same for both Archery and Firearms applications. In the past, archery hunters with written permission applied directly for a permit to the City. Now, the landowner makes one application for the property to be hunted. Upon approval, the landowner is issued the requested number of hunting permits. The landowner then issues the appropriate hunting permits to individual hunters. Landowners must keep a log of all person(s) they have allowed to hunt their property. The hunting application and first permit fee is $15.00. Additional permits cost 50 cents each. Fees are due when the application is submitted for approval. Landowner application forms, new hunting regula- tions, and a map of 7 City hunting areas are Comments on additional available on the City's proposed changes to website, cottage grove. the City's Hunting \\ org. Hunting permits Ordinance will be taken and maps are available at a meeting of the at City Hall or the Cottage Grove Public Police Department, 7516 80Th St. S. If you have any questions, please feel ` p.m. T uesday, Sept, Zl, ' free to call the Cottage Grove Police in the City Hail Council; Department at 651- 458 -2850. Chambers. All welcome.'I f Whether you hunt with a bow or firearm, you must be in possession of a Minnesota hunting license at all times. Those who choose to hunt outside the scope of Minnesota law and City ordinance could face very serious consequences. Know your State laws and City ordinances before you hunt. And please be safe) Time to focus! It's the City's annual photo contest Oct. 15, 2004, at 4:30 p.m., will be the entry deadline for the Third Annual City of Cottage Grove Photo Contest. Residents are invited to submit photos in any of three cate- gories: Cottage Grove People, Cottage Grove Landmarks, and Cottage Grove Nature. First prize in each category will be $75, and second prize will be $50. Winning photos will be fea- tured in the Cottage Grove Reports. A completed entry form (available at City Hall) must accompany each entry. It Photographs should be 5x7," mounted on a matte backing. All photo entries becomes the property of the City of Cottage Grove, and entrants agree to allow the City to use the photograph in media. Limit of two entries per person. Mail or drop off completed entries to: Cottage Grove Photo Contest, City of Cottage Grove, 7516 80th St. S., Cottage Grove, MN 55016. Utility Bills to have a new look in October Beginning in October 2004, your Water Utility Bill will no longer be your Water Utility Bill. It will be called the City Services Bill and will take on a whole new look. The "City Services Bill" is a more accurate description since the bills include more than charges for water usage alone. The new look is the result of a new utility billing system the City is currently implementing. We have been working for the past few months to get the new system up and running, and air contact inloni Lion Previous hdhalu , pagnrents received,and current charge detail. lr'lisce llemeous information from the Citg of Cottage Benefits 0 1 new system unproved customer service Nandy Bar Graph on Bills Easier -to -read bills More efft b il ls More dent payment pro - ceasing atlon on bill Additional +nfor tints: Future Enhancem abbess Online aaymen Online p t Options Y we're confident you will benefit from improved customer servic- es as a result. 'the new system will stream- line the tracking of utility charges and payments. It will reduce office workload so we can concentrate our efforts on serving you better. The redesigned bills are eas- ier to read and will provide cus- tomers with information that is useful in managing utility pay- ments and anticipating future bills. Your new bills will include a bar graph that will �9 r v o�swwre: b.WMSt% � tlroultaeR0.YAu�iWM .nleaae.cNEacwmz Cuawmm %rrka i MavinO. 83f i5& 206] 6YUng 0vatlanx Bs WS &TS5f © Usage Data DO., Rw+ 4 W', um :.x<mirer M.. +m xe depict a history of your usage. The history will be limited ini- tially, but as time passes, you will be able to use the graph to compare your usage from period to period. In addition to changes on your bill, the new system will eventually allow online access and payment options. Automatic payment from your checking or savings account will continue to be an option, too. Below is an example of the new City Services Bill, with explanations of each section. City Services Currelit bill amount and pagineatduedme. � U611e meterreadings, pr and Uow Mac' Cnrretit usage, and total G N� tim6edurtngW66pe riod.. ® ElIIMg DOUR � WSier Use Hfetary cnnaaa ao.e, xxesmas+ea `_ 00 NOT �LnKf IAYPO kuu9tlrcan WLOi PAT nhNptivMO6 ep.mnmV Se. Pwwa a n muu w,ca�%n x CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE >st8E6ih9t.9wih uramcustausx cmare.csu:u. Hors LOPSAGEGROkF, .. Atu16 MN .4 teJ0W LGL, LLIIdi ,u,n��ItdL,J„tl 6dd1 uvwcn.a+ - s. zags wxi b r,r su«+ux.wa�.._� usm cam �s�aam+v. cltt CiCOttpGE eR9VE cnnaaa ao.e, xxesmas+ea `_ 00 NOT �LnKf IAYPO kuu9tlrcan WLOi PAT nhNptivMO6 ep.mnmV Se. Pwwa a n muu A:eN CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE >st8E6ih9t.9wih uramcustausx t2MEP1MSF5 ! =i LMAI14 .ILO JI Iht,II, IIJI,JAI LOPSAGEGROkF, Atu16 MN .4 teJ0W LGL, LLIIdi ,u,n��ItdL,J„tl 6dd1 Yonrusagehistona. Current bill total. Ni this amountbg date showia pagment address Flew e sire di e addrenslime thrauglithe eevelopewuidosr , Alen pum it rpugwgment Ponds play important role in protecting water quality Cottage Grove is home to many ponds that, are built by developers. They are designed to perform specific functions, and are built in accordance with City requirements. These are known as detention, retention, water quality, and NURP (National Urban Runoff Pond) ponds. These insignificant- appearing watery depres- sions are vital resources for Cottage Grove residents and the quality of the Mississippi River. Ponds collect sediment, pollutants, and nutrients that are flushed with runoff from lawns, streets, and rooftops. They are strategically located to slow the runoff and allow these substances to settle out of the water before it continues to a wetland and the Mississippi River. Cottage Grove's ponds also perform important functions for water quality. They support plants that take up the nutrients carried by runoff, and provide infiltration to help recharge groundwater. 'they also serve as important eco- systems for herons, ducks, frogs, and other wildlife. Ponds often show the wear and tear of their service. Because they are designed to collect nutrients and sediments, they can be murky and green. A plume of sediment at the pond inlet may be an indicator of greater sedimentation, filling the pond and reducing its effectiveness in protecting water quality. The nutri- ent concentration promotes algae growth that makes the pond green and sometimes leads to unpleasant odors. Although these stressed ponds may seem more like an aesthetic liability than asset, it is important to understand that the very substances that spoil them would otherwise do the same to the Mississippi River. Perhaps even more important is the fact that we can improve the appearance and effectiveness of our ponds by adopting some simple practices like the ones listed below. When these practices are employed on all properties that drain into a pond, whether at the pond's edge or down the street, nutrients, sediment, and pollutants are reduced. The result will be a more attractive and effective pond. Here's how to help your nearby pond: Pond at Woodridge Park -8- Elves at work on 'Share the Joy' More than 400 families will have a happier Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, thanks to the "Share the Joy" holiday program of Friends in Need Food Shelf. Friends in Need serves families in Cottage Grove, Newport, and St. Paul Park. The 2004 application and distribution schedule for holiday food and gifts will be as follows: If you wish to receive a Thanksgiving or Christmas basket, you must come to the Food Shell' for an interview on one of these two days: Wednesday, Oct. 20 5:30 -7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28 12:30 -2:30 p.m. Picture ID and a proof of address are required to apply for assistance. No appointment is needed. If you wish to donate to the Thanksgiving Basket program, please contact your church, or call Bobbie Tufenk at 651 -554- 0925. You may send a check for $40 (to cover one Thanksgiving Basket) to Friends in Need Food Shelf, P.O. Box 6, Cottage Grove, MN 55016; "Share the Joy" on the memo line. If you want to assemble your own Thanksgiving Basket, you may contact your church or call Friends in Need at 458 -0730. Please notify Friends in Need by Nov. 3 if you are assembling a basket. Baskets should be brought to American Legion Post 98, St. Paul Park, between 8 and 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 21. Distribution will be from 9 -10 a.m. that day. If you wish to adopt a child or family for Christmas giving, please call Bobbie Tufenk at 554 -0925 by the first week of November. Let her know how many children you want to sponsor, at about $30 per child. Gifts will be brought to the CG Armory on Saturday, Dec. 18, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Food certificates will be given to each family in the Christmas program; donations will be deeply appreciated; they should be written to Friends in Need, with "Share the Joy" on the memo line. If you wish to volunteer: Saturday, Nov. 13, 9:15 to 2 p.m. - Boy Scout Food Drive: Help unpack and sort at the Food Shelf, 255 3rd St., St. Paul Park. Sunday, Nov. 21, 8 to 9 a.m.: Thanksgiving Basket assembly and distribution at the American Legion Post (back door). Saturday, Dec. 18, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., or 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Christmas Gift distribution at the Cottage Grove Armory. Head Start seeks area kids Registration is open for "Head Start," a free, compre- hensive child development program for lower- income families with pre - schoolers. The Anoka /Washington VFW County Head Start Program, with locations in Newport, Oakdale, and other cities, has offerings for infants, toddlers, pre - schoolers, parents, and pregnant women. Please contact Barbara Olson, Head Start Recruitment Specialist, 763 - 783 -4314 for more information. Volunteer opportunities are also available. City mails 2003 Water Quality Report The City of Cottage Grove mailed the 2003 Annual Water Quality Report to all residents this summer to inform them of the testing results on City water, and to update them on the water distribution system. 'Pests were conducted on regulated contaminants (nitrate, fluoride, arsenic, thal- lium, mercury, radium, and others), lead, and copper. They were also conducted on unreg- ulated contaminants (nickel, sulfate, and sodium). In every case, Cottage Grove water was considerably purer than the levels allowed by state and fed- eral regulations. If you did not receive a Water Quality Report and would like to see it, please call the Public Works Department at 651- 458 -2808. CEE Financial offers low -rate loans The City of Cottage Grove is partnering with CEE Financial Resources, Inc., a local non- profit organization, to offer low - interest rates for home improvement loans. Residents may borrow up to $35,000 at a fixed interest rate of 5.25% with repayment terms of up to 20 years. The low rate is available immediately with no application deadlines as long as household income is $88,000 a year or less. Most improvement projects are eligible. The CEE Financial Home Energy Loan, with no income limits, provides up to $1.0,000 at a 5.25°/% interest rate for energy - related improvements. For more information or an application, call Kristin at CEE Financial Resources at 651- 731 -2626, or visit the website at www.mncee.org OM Land use plan will set the tone for area development The East Ravine Pre- Design Planning Project is moving closer to completing a master land use plan for the 4,000 acre area of largely undeveloped land (hat generally lies north of 70th Street, east of County Road 19, and west of Lamar and Kimbro Avenues. Over the past few months, community efforts have focused on refining a land use plan, Concept "D," that will set the area's development direction for the next 20 years. This concept, providing the basis for future detailed planning, was derived with input from a group of area residents on a Community Advisory Team, City Advisory Commissions, and from March and July work- shop meetings of the City Council and Planning Commission. The East Ravine's topography, transportation corridors, greenways, and development patterns offer opportunities to establish new and exciting neighbor- hood areas, distinct to Cottage Grove, interconnected by a network of parks, trails, and storm water drainage features. Evolving Major Plan Features Housing - Large areas of predominantly Single Family residential housing are interspersed with a com- bination of medium and higher density attached residences to provide a balance of housing opportunities and meet the lifecycle housing needs and desires of the community. Commercial - The draft plan identifies two commercial areas or "nodes." One in the Cedarhurst area at 70th Street and Keats Avenue would have a smaller scale, integrated neighborhood commercial empha- sis. The Cottage View area node in the south near Highway 10/61 is being oriented toward larger scale community commercial uses."��fl € r Transportation - One of the primary goals of the planning process is to design an efficient, safe, and interconnected system of local and collec- tor streets. One of the major features to meet that goal to emerge from the n process is the East Ravine Parkway. The parkway will provide both a transportation corridor and a major design feature for the project. As a new collector street, the parkway will traverse the entire project area beginning in the northwest and meandering east and south towards Highway 10/61. Portions of the parkway will include natural landscaped areas, trailways, ponds, and wetlands. Other portions will appear more like Summit Avenue in St. Paul with large green boulevard and median areas. Along the parkway, local residential street loops will create neigh- d borhood focal points and amenities out of green island areas. Sidewalks and trails, linking area homes to the parkway, will allow safe and conven- c -.--. Tent movement throughout the eastern portion of Cottage Grove and con- nect to the remainder of the community. Transportation planning also includes the proposal to realign portions of Military Road to correct system design inefficiencies. The proposal would use a realigned portion of existing Jamaica Avenue to connect southward to 70th Street. Given the historic role of Military Road, the character and location of the former road alignment will be reflected in a East Ravine Project Area new system of local streets and trails. Green Corridors - Major roadways and streets including 70th Street, 80th Street, and Keats Avenue (County Road 19) will be established as green corridors throughout the project area. Expanded right -of -way and easement areas will create larger scale open spaces that will provide buffers to adjacent land uses and a continuation of the community's open space heritage. These green corridors will include trails and landscap- ing treatments that will vary in form and style depending on the specific location in the project area. Surface Water Management - The City is utilizing current management practices and policies to plan for local pending and surface water management needs in the planned neighborhoods. The City is also coor- dinating with the South Washington Watershed District to address regional storm water drainage needs to minimize redundant expenditures and loss of taxable development area. Next Steps - Planners and engineers are continuing to refine the detailed elements associated with the East Ravine Plan. The next public open house will be held in early November. Another newsletter will be published prior to that time with plan update and meeting information. The overall project is still on course to be completed in the spring of 2005. _6_ How does the City decide where homes, businesses can be built? (This is the second in a series of articles by City Administrator Ryan Schroeder on "how devel- opment happens" in the City of Cottage Groue.) The City holds the responsi- bility for designating areas for future land uses and zoning designations for current land uses. The City completes this legal mandate by periodically revisiting its Comprehensive Plan for long -term planning or its zoning ordinances for a short -term review of individual property designations. These reviews are ALWAYS done at an open public meeting with notices of these meetings pub- lished and posted in public places (such as the Washing- ton County Bulletin). From time to time, the City reviews its Long -tern plan for either the entire community, as occurred in 1998 -2000 or a. large portion of the community as is occurring right now. In those cases, the City pro- vides a number of opportunities for input by any member of the public with an opinion. For instance, the City is currently studying future land uses that will be developed over the next 30 years in our East Ravine Planning District (see article on Page 5). This district consists of the 3850 acres that. straddle County Road 19 from the Woodbury border south to Highway 61. In this case we have already had a couple of public informa- tional meetings, we have asked all of the State and Regional agencies (such as the DNR, PCA, MnDot, and the Met Council) to provide recommen- dations to us, and we have ini- tiated a citizens' task force of volunteers to help us make decisions through the process. The City's advisory commis- sions (such as Planning, Parks, Public Safety, and others), which are also comprised of cit- izen volunteers, will also be asked for recommendations for this very important planning project. Upon completion of this planning process, the City Council will decide how the East Ravine will be developed by an amendment to our Comprehensive Plan. Once that decision is made, owners of property within that district will have a right to develop their property in accordance with that plan. It is for this reason that we ensure that the public has many opportunities for input as the plan is being developed over the next year. While that plan can be amend- ed from time to time in the future, any of those changes would not be expected to change in any wholesale man- ner from the initial plan. Once the Comprehensive Plan provides a land use desig- nation for a given area of the community, it should be expected that future use of that land would be in accordance with that plan. Hence, if property near your home has a commercial designation in the Comprehen- sive Plan, you should expect that at some point a developer would propose a commercial project on that land. So long as that proposal meets or exceeds City ordinance requirements, the developer can build that commercial project. That is why it is important for citizens to pay attention to revisions of the Comprehensive Plan. It is also a good reason to find out what that plan cur- rently says about land that is near your home. To find out more, visit our website at Cottage - Grove.org or contact our Community Development Department at 651- 458 -2827. (Cont. from Page 1) the levy to support the Pave- ment Management Program. Parcel specific notices for - each property will be sent out by Washington County during the month of November. These will show the tax dollars paid tc each of the taxing jurisdictions. Property Tax Rates The property tax extension rates for the City are expected to decrease for taxes payable in 2005. 'the preliminary tax extension rate for 2005 is 39.083 %, a 10.3% reduction from the 2004 extension rate. 2005 Budget Highlights The City of Cottage Grove's preliminary 2005 budget includes funding for three posi- tions, including: One Police Officer; One Records Clerk in Public Safety; One Public Service Worker in the Streets Maintenance Division. Other 2005 budget initia- tives include over $1.2 million in equipment purchases, including $597,000 for Street and Park Maintenance, $348,000 in Public Safety, $154,000 in enterprise funds and $104,000 in other pro- gram areas. The 2005 budget also continues to include $100,000 per year for the replacement of playground equipment and park shelters. The preliminary 2005 budget also continues setting aside funds to be used for future pavement management proj- CGAA Traveling Team Softball tryouts ects; in 2005 this additional amount is $50,000. In the enterprise funds util- ity staff will continue efforts to install automated meter -read- ing capabilities, which will in turn increase future efficiencies in the meter reading area, help- ing to hold down costs. Traveling Team tryouts for all 2005 Cottage Grove traveling softball teams, A, held this fall. No spring tryouts are scheduled. Tryouts will be held at the Bielenberg Sports Center, 4125 Tower Drive, Woodbury, at these times: Sun., Oct. 10 Sun., Oct. 17 Under 12 9 a.m. 9 a.m. Under 14 10:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. Under 16 12:30 p.m. 12:30 p.m. B, and C levels, will be Under fig 2 p.m. 2 p.m. (Those who want to play 18 -Under should contact K. Strauch, 458 -0289, or the Softball Hotline, 458 - 6086.) Players must attend all tryout sessions to be eligible. Tryouts will begin promptly; please be there 30 minutes early to register and warm up. Registrations will be taken at the tryouts, along with a $50 registration fee (refundable if the player is not selected). An additional $140 traveling fee will be due in January. The CGAA will use the player's age on Dec. 31, 2004, to determine her appropriate team. Anyone want- ing to play on an older team must submit her request in writing to the Traveling Director, and must be approved prior to the tryouts. Girls wanting to play up must complete tryouts for both age groups; they must finish in the top three of the older team to be eligible. Medical waivers must be approved by the Softball President prior to tryouts. A participation form must be signed by parents and brought to the tryouts. Other regulations apply; they are available from CGAA Softball, P.O. Box 337, Cottage Grove, MN 55016; or call the Softball Hotline at 651- 458 -6086 for information. 'Ruby Tuesday' to open in November, east of Kohl's.