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2017-09 Experience EaganExperience Eagan • September/October 2017 • 1 September/October 2017 Comprehensive Guide Planning: Reinvesting, Adapting and Envisioning Future Eagan is currently in the process of updating its Comprehensive Guide Plan; a document that cit- ies must review and adopt every ten years. In a nutshell, comprehensive planning is looking at what has happened in the past, what is happen- ing right now in the market, and thinking about what might happen or develop in the future. Proper planning helps make sure we are pre- pared for what comes. The 2040 Comprehensive Plan will look at land use for the entire city with a focus on designated special areas to examine how they might evolve over the next 10 to 20 years based on the market trends that are evident in the community today. A Look Back A lot of Eagan’s development has happened organically because of our proximity to transportation. For example, central Eagan evolved into a mixed-use district without one developer coming in with a master plan. Instead, developments happened on their own over time to create a varied and vibrant district of retail, office, residential and public uses. Most of the initial development occurred in the 1970s through the early 1990s. What’s Happening Now Currently, many former business parcels throughout Eagan are being redeveloped—like the Lockheed Martin property becoming the Central Park Commons or the reuse of a former Blue Cross office tower into residential, medical, retail, and restaurants—a development that intensifies the use of the land. What’s Ahead The market will determine what will actually happen in the future, but the plan will include concepts based on emerging development trends and what we think may happen. Eagan has a lot of retail and that type of development is continually chang- ing. For instance, in Edina, Lifetime Fitness recently announced plans to take over the for- mer JCPenney space at Southdale. Might we see similar reuse options for some of Eagan’s current retail space? The concept plans show that some of the our retail space could be replaced with an entertainment and activity center surrounded by ground level retail below higher density hous- ing. This idea aligns with comments from Eagan residents as part of the Eagan Forward effort and is similar to what we’re currently seeing develop around the outlet mall. Get Engaged in the Process “We really encourage as many people as possible to provide their comments because the more feed- back we get from residents during this process, the better our plan will be,” says Jill Hutmacher, Eagan’s Community Development Director. To best plan for the future of Eagan, we need to hear from you. Visit the interactive website at www. cityofeagan.com/2040plan to view concept plans that show a potential direction for three distinct areas of Eagan and then share your thoughts about what you like or dislike about the plan. Please note that every- thing shown is illustrative-only and is based on development trends. These do not represent actual pending or planned projects. All feedback will then be consolidated, analyzed and used in our planning process. Public safety needs are driving the proposed 2018 and 2019 City of Eagan budgets reviewed by the City Council in August. The preliminary levy must be set by the end of September each year. A total of 12 new fulltime fire positions and 5 new police officers have been requested over the two years. Many people may not know that Eagan is the second largest volunteer fire department in the state, but with increasing training/certification demands, we’ve seen a decreasing supply of volunteers. Volunteer firefighters have to juggle their fulltime jobs and family commitments, while still meeting the same state certifications as fulltime fire personnel. That already requires about 260 hours of training in basic firefighting and emergency rescue. But in our post-9/11 world, many more certifications—another 100 hours’ worth—are necessary to meet state cer- tification in terrorism-related issues including decon- tamination methods, and hazardous material fires. Eagan’s been losing 17 trained volunteer firefighters a year on average. The Eagan Fire Department is at a pivotal juncture. It has already evaluated a number of ways to keep an all-volunteer force, including dorm-housing options and offering paid shifts to act as standby duty crewmembers at a station. Like every other volunteer department across the country, there have been instances where lack of available firefight- ers has affected response. A recent staffing study by a professional firm confirmed this and recom- mended a small career firefighter force is necessary, supplemented with dedicated volunteers to ensure a predictable response 24/7. Timely fire response matters, because a fire doubles in size every minute. Response times are also a factor in setting business and homeowner insurance rates. The additional police officers would be in the patrol division concentrating on crime prevention and investigations, but the increased staffing will also help alleviate traffic issues in and around new development in northeast Eagan, and meet service demands arising from new retail areas and hotels. While the number of City personnel in Fire and Police would rise under the proposed plan, the pro- posed tax rate would actually go down slightly. If approved, the levy would increase in each of the next two years. In 2018, City taxes on the average value home in Eagan ($277,000) are estimated to rise between three and four percent. New Officers Jacob Peterson and Tyler Goodling joined the Eagan Police force in January and have now completed their department training. Both were sworn in and began patrolling on their own in late August. Their posi- tions opened due to department retirements. Planning Paying Off in Cedar Grove Resident Jeffrey S. reached out on Facebook with apprecia- tion for planning in the Cedar Grove area noting: “After liv- ing in this city for 5 years I’ve been waiting for something like this. I feel like before this bus depot this city was seen more like the suburbs not easily accessible unless you have a car. I feel like that in the 5 years I’ve lived here so much has changed. So much growth and development all around me. Now you can work downtown yet live peaceful south of 494 without feeling isolated. I watched every bit of its progres- sion as I traveled on 77. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. I absolutely love my city.” Public Safety Drives New Budget Photo by Jeffrey S. The Central Commons Special Area concept plan for central Eagan shows a potential conversion of some retail to mixed use and entertainment uses. City Planner Mike Ridley reviews the Central Area concept plan with an Eagan resident during a recent Market Fest. Experience Eagan • September/October 2017 • 2 The Blue Star Program is through the Friends of the Mississippi River in partnership with Emmons & Olivier Resources, Inc. The rec- ognition lasts for five years. Eagan Recognized for Sustainability Efforts Too Program Offers New Path to Police Career Recently, Eagan, like many other cities across the U.S. has seen a decline in applicants who wish to become Police Officers. Like many employers, the police department has looked for different methods of attracting quality candidates who meet the needs of the community. Historically, those wishing to become Eagan Police Officers needed a four-year college degree in crimi- nal justice to be considered. After witnessing dimin- ishing applications, the City partnered with other suburban law enforcement agencies on a program called “Pathways to Policing” in an effort to develop a pool of candidates who do not possess a tradition- al law enforcement education. “I believe this unique program will be a great tool and can eventually help us increase the number and overall diversity of candidates we see in our depart- ment,” says Police Chief Jim McDonald. “I think we’ll benefit from a police force with some addition- al varied education, skill sets and backgrounds.” Already, the program has allowed the City to appoint two candidates with four year degrees in disciplines other than criminal justice. Both are now attending a four-month program at Hennepin Technical College, where they will obtain the knowl- edge and skills necessary to become peace officers in Minnesota. Upon completion, the candidates must pass a State licensing examination, and then can be appointed Eagan Police Officers. Once hired, the police department provides a 16-week field training program where they learn the finer points of being a law enforcement officer here. Both are expected to begin work as Eagan Police Officers by mid-October. Eagan was recognized as a Minnesota GreenStep City and received a Step 4 award at the League of Minnesota Cities annual conference. “This award is a great achievement for Eagan,” said Mayor Mike Maguire. “And by being part of the program, Eagan and our peers are helping to make Minnesota more resilient for the future while also helping our cities thrive economically.” Minnesota GreenStep Cities is a challenge, assis- tance, and recognition program to help cities achieve their sustainability and quality-of-life goals. As one of 113 participating cities and tribal nations, Eagan is leading the way in sustainability across the state. The City has worked hard to implement best prac- tices in order to fulfill sustainability goals. Actions that are taken within the program focus on cost savings, energy use reduction, resource conserva- tion, and the encouragement of civic innovation. “This recognition shows community members and other cities that Eagan is taking great steps in the direction of energy and resource conservation and innovation,” shared Andrew Pimental, Eagan’s Director of Parks & Recreation and the City’s GreenStep Coordinator. To learn more about the GreenStep program, visit mngreenstep.org. Take the Tour de Trash Do you know where your garbage, recycling and compost goes after you set it out at the curb? The Tour de Trash is an annual field trip to waste and recycling facilities that will show you just that. The outing takes you to a landfill, compost site, recycling center, and The Recycling Zone. Friday, September 29 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Tour will begin at Lebanon Hills Visitor Center $10 cost covers busing and lunch Tour de Trash is open to Dakota County residents aged 16 and over. The deadline for registration is September 27. Register online at www.dakotacoun- ty.us, search trash tour. To ensure a positive learning experience, field trip size is limited to the first 30 people to register. Clean, healthy lakes are an important part of our way of life in Minnesota. In order to maintain the quality of our waterbodies, it is important for cit- ies to follow the state performance guidelines and work to reduce stormwater runoff. Some communi- ties, including Eagan, strive to go the extra mile to protect water resources. This is where the Blue Star Award program comes in. The certification and award program honors municipalities that excel in stormwater manage- ment. Eagan is one of only 23 communities in the state that recently scored high enough to earn the Blue Star award of excellence. In fact, Eagan received the third highest overall score among the 65 cities that participated in the program. The program is an evaluation and recognition of water-friendly development practices, strong stormwater management guidelines, and storm- water pollution prevention programs. Upon presenting the City with this award, Trevor Russell, Water Program Director for the Blue Star Program said “this is a reflection of the great work being done throughout the community.” He contin- ued, “these things don’t happen by accident—they happen because they are the product of committed staff and leadership that value clean water and are willing to do what it takes to protect it.” Eagan also finished in the top three in the Stormwater Standards and Practices category, which recognizes the commitment to strong storm- water management standards to protect our lakes and ponds. Eagan Shines in Stormwater Management GreenSteps work to conserve resources & reduce waste Fall Sweeping - Another Step Toward Cleaner Lakes Since everything that lands in the streets eventually travels through the storm drains to lakes and ponds, our crews will head out to sweep the streets again this fall. Remember that leaves and grass need to stay on your yard and cannot be raked or placed into the streets. This is illegal and harms both lakes and equipment. Instead, try mulch- ing leaves into your lawn, composting them in a backyard compost container, bringing them to a yardwaste drop-off facility or have your garbage/recycling hauler pick them up. Questions? Visit the “At Home” tab of the City website and select “In My Yard” to find lots of information and contacts. City Administrator Dave Osberg and Council Member Meg Tilley accepted the City’s GreenStep Award. Eagan scored highly in a number of metrics rated by the program. Specific initiatives called out include the geothermal heating systems at the Civic Arena and Fire Safety Center, our tree preservation and native landsaping (as shown here at Thomas Lake Park), and LED lighting upgrades of traffic signals and at the Community Center. Photo by Mel F. via Twitter Experience Eagan • September/October 2017 • 3 Emerald Ash Borer Lands in Eagan Water Resources Staff offer Free Class & Lawn Health Tips Healthy lawns need healthy soil. A healthy lawn eas- ily absorbs rainwater, and recycles nutrients back into the soil, meaning it needs little to no irrigation or fertilizer. To help homeowners understand more about some typical lawn problems and how to correct them, the City’s water quality staff answers some common lawn and soil questions and provides some tips on how to improve your lawn’s condition. Here are some things to understand: What is compaction? Many suburban lawns are very low in organic content and are very dense, meaning dirt particles are tightly packed. This type of soil, below a layer of grass, acts like “green con- crete” and won’t absorb rainwater. Instead, rain flows right from the lawn through the storm drains and is carried to lakes and ponds, bringing fertilizers and other lawn debris along with it. How do I know if my soil is compacted? It is easy to check. Using a stiff wire (like a utility-locate flag), see how deep you can push the wire into your lawn. If you can easily push 10 inches or more of the wire into the ground when the soil is moist, (not too wet, not too dry) then there is little-to-no soil compac- tion. If you can’t easily push the wire into the lawn more than three inches, you have some or a lot of compaction. How do I improve this condition? Aeration is one way to reduce soil compaction in the top three inches and the fall is the best time to do this. Lawn aerators can be rented at most home and garden or hardware stores and equipment rental locations. How do I check organic content? It is also easy to test for organic content in your lawn. Collect a soil “core” using a kit the City loans out. If the soil core looks very black and is crumbly, your lawn might be in fine shape. If the soil core looks gray or tan, it is probably lacking organic material. To find out for sure, you can send a core sample to the University of Minnesota Soil Testing Lab and for a small fee. They’ll send back detailed results. How can I increase the organic matter? Spreading a thin layer of compost on top of your lawn is an easy way to add organic matter. Very nice compost that is well broken down and free of weed seeds is available locally at home and garden stores or at a compost facility. The fall is the best time to add this material over your grass. Got Any Good Dirt? It’s been moving at a steady pace from its first discovery in Michigan in 2002, taking out hundreds of millions of ash trees in its wake. Now the nasty little green bug—the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has made landfall in Eagan and Lebanon Hills Regional Park. “We knew it was just a matter of time,” says Supervisor of Forestry Gregg Hove. Forestry staff has been preparing for the pest’s arrival since it was first spotted in Minnesota in 2009. Our management efforts have included inspecting hundreds of ash trees throughout the city, preventively treating high value trees in select- ed parks, removing poor quality ash trees in parks and boulevard areas, and replacing trees where appropriate. Also, the Forestry staff investigates suspected EAB infested trees (by request) on both public and pri- vate property in Eagan. In March, 2017, staff discov- ered approximately 75 EAB infested ash trees in the southern portion of Eagan (east of 35E and west of Pilot Knob Road). Additional EAB infested trees have been identified throughout the city including areas near Gemini Road and Lexington Avenue; North of Bur Oaks Park (near Hwy. 55); at Pilot Knob Road south of Lone Oak Road; Hickory Lane north of Cliff Road, east of Johnny Cake Ridge Road. What You Can Do First, you need to identify the species of trees you have in your yard. Ash trees have a bark pattern as seen in the photo below with a characteristic dia- mond pattern. In autumn, trees of all varieties are starting to go into winter dormancy so symptoms are tough to identify. The Emerald Ash Borer beatle is also mov- ing through it’s life cycle as it enters the larval stage under the tree’s bark, so it won’t be visible. But come winter, there are EAB symptoms you can look for, including branch and trunk bark “blonding” and the presence of woodpeckers. The blonding is caused by the woodpeckers scraping bark to access and eat the EAB larvae which grows and feeds under the bark of the tree. If you suspect you have ash tree(s) that are infested with EAB, or if the ash trees are located near an area of known EAB infestation, please contact Eagan Forestry Staff. We can offer advice on which trees to preventively treat, which trees to remove and timing of removal. We can also provide a list of licensed and approved tree contractors offering preventive treatment and removal services. For more information, visit www.cityofeagan.com/ eab, follow the City of Eagan on social media or con- tact the Forestry staff at (651) 675-5300. How do you know if the City is thinking about changing a portion of the City Code—the local laws we’ve adopted for Eagan? A new process has been adopted for Cities in Minnesota that may help you stay informed. “Previously, we posted information about City Code changes, also called ordinance amendments, in the local newspapers,” says Eagan City Clerk, Christina Scipioni. “While we will still publish there, now we’ll also post proposed amendments on the City web- site and send out an email to people who sign up. We hope it will be another option to help people stay connected with what we do here at City Hall.” So now, before the City Council considers changes to City Code at a Council meeting, the proposed lan- guage is posted on the City’s website for 10 days. Visit www.cityofeagan.com/proposed-amendments to view proposed ordinance amendments and find a link to subscribe to receive notifications of pro- posed amendments as well. City Code Notifications Have questions? Eagan’s water resources staff will hold a class on Thursday, September 21, at 6:15 p.m. at City Hall. The class is free but regis- tration is needed. Sign up at www.cityofeagan.com/watersmart. Even little hands can take a lawn core sample. It’s that easy. PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGEPAIDTWIN CITIES MNPERMIT NO. 4902* * * * * ECRWSS * *Residential Postal Customer3830 Pilot Knob RoadEagan, Minnesota 55122Page 1 Public Safety Drives New Budget Comprehensive Guide Planning: Reinvesting, Adapting and Envisioning Future Planning Pays Off in Cedar Grove Page 2 Program Offers New Path to Police Career Eagan Shines in Stormwater Management Take the Tour de Trash Eagan Recognized for Sustainability Efforts Too Page 3 Got Any Good Dirt? Emerald Ash Borer Lands in Eagan City Code Notifications Page 4 Every Second Counts: Practiced at Fire Open Houses Upcoming Events Mayor Mike Maguire Councilmembers Paul Bakken Cyndee Fields Gary Hansen Meg Tilley City Administrator Dave Osberg (651) 675-5000 • (651) 454-8535 TTY www.cityofeagan.com facebook.com/CityofEagan @CityofEagan Every Second Counts: Practice at Fire Open Houses The smoke alarm wakes you with its blaring noise in the middle of the night. Do you know what to do? Do your family members hear this sound and know how to get out safely? October is Fire Prevention Month and this is a great time to talk about fire safety skills with your family and practice what you would do if a fire breaks out in your home. Learning and practic- ing can even be a fun exercise, especially if it begins at one of the Fire Department open houses. These events are designed to help you learn in a fun environment where you’re surrounded by firefighters. You can climb up in fire truck, try on firefighter gear, and kids can learn how to safely climb out a window ladder if they need to escape an upper level during a fire. We’re on Instagram! Upcoming Events Harvest of Art Celebration Welcome fall and enjoy the bounty of art in Eagan. Activities include the premiere of the “Art Doors” commmunity art project and the “Welcome Home” art exhibit plus Raku pottery firing, artist demon- strations, live music and free refreshments. Sunday, September 10 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Eagan Art House 3981 Lexington Avenue South 1914 Town Hall Open Houses Learn about Eagan’s history through displays, pho- tos and stories from our past. Kids can take part in a fun, historical scavenger hunt to win a prize. More open dates and info at www.cityofeagan. com/history. Sunday, September 17 - 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 26 - 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. 1914 Historic Town Hall 3805 Pilot Knob Road Lone Oak Days at Holz Farm Experience 1940’s era farm life in Eagan. Try your hand at old-fashioned farm activities, take a pony ride and more. Admission is free but some activi- ties require a ticket(s). Tickets are 50 cents each. Saturday, September 23 Sunday, September 24 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Holz Farm 4669 Manor Drive Fitness Center Open House Try out our Fitness Center for free in October and see if you want to become a member. Enjoy the indoor walking track or take advantage of a wide variety of group fitness classes, cardio equipment and free weights. Sunday, October 1 - Saturday, October 7 Eagan Community Center Fitness Center 1501 Central Parkway South Metro 55+/Senior Expo This year’s South Metro 55+/Senior Expo will be bursting with businesses and organizations focus- ing on healthy, active aging. Free healthy snack bar and prize drawings throughout the event. Tuesday, October 3 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Eagan Community Center, Oaks Room 1501 Central Parkway Halloween Hodgepodge Dress up and take part in this Eagan Halloween tra- dition. This family-friendly event features carnival games, trick-or-treating, a glow-in-the-dark dance, family photo station and more! Advance tickets are $5/child with food donation. Full event info at, cityofeagan.com/halloween. Sunday, October 29 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Eagan Community Center 1501 Central Parkway Pumpkin Recycling Drive through drop-off site at the Eagan Community Center, recycle your pumpkins and receive a free treat. Saturday, November 4 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Eagan Community Center 1501 Central Parkway Tuesday, October 10 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Station 2 1001 Station Trail Wednesday, October 11 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Station 4 4200 Dodd Road Monday, October 9 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Station 1 4200 Blackhawk Road For more info about the open houses and to download “7 steps to practicing your escape plan”, visit www.cityofeagan.com/fire-prevention. Exciting news! We’re now on Instagram as @cityofeagan. You can help us showcase our beautiful city and highlight the places, people and projects that make Eagan such a great place to live. If you’re a fan of Instagram, be sure to follow us and share your pics of Eagan. Tag @cityofeagan or use #onlyineagan and we might share on our page. And don’t forget, you can also find the City of Eagan on Facebook, Twitter and Nextdoor. Find links to our social media sites at www.cityofeagan.com/socialmedia. ties require a ticket(s). Tickets are 50 cents each. Fitness Center Open HouseFitness Center Open House art exhibit plus Raku pottery firing, artist demon- strations, live music and free refreshments.