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2014-09 Experience EaganExperience Eagan • September/October 2014 • 1 September/October 2014 Experience EaganExperience EaganExperience EaganExperience EaganExperience Eagan As land was cleared, traffic improvements were made and entry monuments added. The Keystone Senior Living project and Cedar Grove transit sta- tion were constructed. Nicols Ridge Townhomes developed in several phases. In 2011 the City was approached by a highly regarded developer, Paragon, with interest in 35 acres of the redevelop- ment district for a premium outlet center. It would capitalize on Eagan’s convenient access to metro freeways, the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, and its nearness to other regional attrac- tions such as the Minnesota Zoo, the Mall of America and Eagan’s Cascade Bay waterpark. In 2012, Paragon Outlet Partners purchased land from the City for more than $5 million and later invested another $4.7 million for road improve- Eagan Proud to Usher in Premier Outlet Mall Lake Protection Project Underway at Black Hawk/Deerwood Schools Vision and Preparation Guide Eagan’s New Gateway Mayor Mike Maguire welcomed Governor Mark Dayton and hun- dreds of onlookers to the grand opening for Twin Cities Premium Outlets on August 14. He noted this is a high point of more than a decade of City efforts to create a very inviting and walk- able destination that will serve as the western gateway to Eagan. The nearly $100 million, 100-store development accounts for an astounding 34% of all the new retail in the Twin Cities, accord- ing to Colliers International. It’s already generating another almost $50 million in private investment around the outlet center. More importantly, the new urban mix of shops, homes, restaurants, apartments and bus rapid tran- sit is creating “a vibrant area … a sense of place to live, work, play and shop... a gathering place,” says Mayor Maguire. Efforts to revitalize Cedar Grove began 16 years ago in 1998 when a Cedar Avenue/Highway 13 task force was formed to respond to a Cedar Grove business area that was in decline. A Tax Increment Finance District, quality exterior finish standards and zoning were established. An old mall was demolished and special efforts were made to successfully relocate remaining tenants. This fall and winter, Eagan’s Water Resources staff will engage “student planners” to help analyse, select, and design on-the-ground projects to reduce the effects of stormwater runoff on Blackhawk Lake. This innovative project is designed to enhance community stewardship of lakes and watersheds and will take place within Black Hawk Middle School (BHMS) and Deerwood Elementary School (DES). “By engaging students in a fun and positive way,” says Eric Macbeth, Eagan Water Resources Manager, “we’ll help them understand that high phosphorus levels in urban lakes typically come from organic material, such as lawn clippings, fer- tilizer and debris washing into storm drains which often leads to excessive plant and algae growth. Once they understand this,” he continues, “they will be able to design ways to help combat the problem.” During the 2014-15 school year, CLIMB Theatre will present programs and materials to students This year’s General Election is Tuesday, November 4. City Staff reminds resi- dents to check their polling place location before heading out to vote. An online poll finder is avail- able at www.mnvotes.org. The online poll finder also allows vot- ers to view a sample ballot. Register to Vote Anyone who has moved, changed their name or has not voted in the last four years must register to vote. Pre-registration may be completed before October 14 and can be done in-person at Eagan City Hall, 3830 Pilot Knob Road, or online at www. mnvotes.org. Additionally, voters may register to vote on Election Day. To find out what is required for Election Day registration, visit www.cityofeagan. com/elections. Voting Absentee Absentee voting for the General Election begins Friday, September 19. In-person absentee vot- ing at Eagan City Hall is available 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, November 1 and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, November 3. Voters may also request their absen- tee ballot online via www.mnvotes.org. Voters who submit an absentee ballot online will be mailed their ballot. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on November 4. For more information about elections, call (651) 675- 5000. continued page 2 continued page 2 Election Day is November 4 about healthy lakes and how students and families can personally protect these water bodies. CLIMB will provide classes specifically about the projects. Evaluations of students’ learning will help deter- mine the Project’s effectiveness. The 2013-16 Project also includes community out- reach at events such as Market Fest, surveys to gauge interest and involvement in lake protection, and opportunities to participate in the projects. In 2013, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency awarded Eagan a $46,500 Clean Water Partnership (CWP) grant for Blackhawk Lake Protection Project. A 2012 city study of Blackhawk and Thomas lakes— also provided a CWP grant—identified the ISD #196 school campus along Deerwood Drive west of Pilot Knob Road with potential for cost-effective reduc- tions of runoff phosphorus. “This is a phenomenal opportunity to educate stu- dents in water resource management awareness,” Grand Opening weekend at Twin Cities Premium Outlets drew record crowds and record sales for many of its retailers. Mayor Maguire noted “Everywhere I go, people talk about this mall, how excited they are and how good this is for Eagan.” Governor Dayton, Paragon and Simon representatives joined the Mayor for the ribbon cutting. This year’s General Election is Tuesday, November 4. City Staff reminds resi- dents to check their polling place location before heading out to vote. An online poll finder is avail- able at www.mnvotes.org. The online poll finder also allows vot- ers to view a sample ballot. Experience Eagan • September/October 2014 • 2 Mall...from page 1Lake...from page 1 The Return of Budget Connect Eagan’s Virtual Budget Open House In what is believed to be a first of its kind in the state, Eagan, last year hosted the award-winning Budget Connect Virtual Open House. The event allowed the public to pose questions via email, text and facebook, and to have them answered during a live cable program about the City budget. “We enjoyed taking questions and offering the pub- lic an additional option to interact with us about the budget,” says City Administrator, Dave Osberg. “We want to provide an interesting, convenient and interactive option for the public again this year.” The League of Minnesota Cities named Eagan a “City of Excellence” for its Budget Connect pro- gram, for successfully engaging citizens in the bud- get process. This year’s Budget Connect is set for November 17. People are encouraged to begin thinking about their budget or other City service related inquiries now. Questions can be submitted to webmaster@ cityofeagan.com, via the City of Eagan Facebook page, at www.cityofeagan.com, and new this year, @cityofeagan on Twitter. A text line will also be activated in early November. Watch for more information about Budget Connect in the next issue of Experience Eagan. ments and relocation of major utilities to support their outlet center. In June of 2013 groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the massive construction project. The City also began construction of a 1,530 stall parking garage and conducted traffic studies which revealed there is more than enough parking to support typical shopping days at the Twin Cities Premium Outlets. Under normal conditions there is a surplus of more than 1,300 parking stalls (including temporary park- ing on outlots owned by the City). However, under the highest use conditions like opening weekend and Black Friday shopping, there is likely a parking deficit of some 475 stalls, even when outlots are used. Fortunately, “traffic was much better than Simon, the mall-management company, has experienced at other recent and busy openings,” says Russ Matthys, public works director. That’s despite the fact that the opening weekend may have been the largest in terms of traffic. The City urges continued use of mass transit and car- pooling by incoming shoppers on peak days, and has increased directional signing, and adjusting timing on traffic signals to more quickly move vehicles into and out of the site at key intersections. A high volume of traffic was able to be accommo- dated on Grand Opening Weekend, without signifi- cant impacts to the nearby freeway systems. “The substantial planning efforts paid off during Opening Weekend,” says City Administrator Dave Osberg. “But, like any good game plan, the mall owners and the City will continue to work together and make adjustments as needed.” For more information: www.cityofeagan.com/about- theroute as this portion of the Web site will continue to update information helpful in navigating near the outlet mall. say Richard Wendorff, BHMS principal, and Miles Haugen, DES principal, in a letter of support of the Project. “We fully endorse this project and the idea of a collaborative educational partnership with the City of Eagan.” “Our project focuses on a publicly beneficial, near- by lake for a win-win partnership to address these mutual challenges,” says Macbeth. Real-world, relatively inexpensive efforts with students and their families have high potential for long-term, sus- tainable community stewardship to protect all our lakes and keep them from becoming polluted.” Next spring, the City will wrap up its other current lake-related grant project, an evaluation of the water quality of 12 neighborhood lakes. Eagan has received over $400,000 in CWP funds during its nearly 25-year tradition of comprehensive and pro- gressive water resources management. For more information see the City of Eagan Web site at www.cityofeagan.com/lakesandwetlands If your smoke detector sounds but there is no smoke or fire, do you know what it could mean? Have you considered how easy it might be to trip on power cords, throw rugs or other random items in your home? Have you checked to ensure that your windows have not been painted shut and would still be useful as an escape route? Helping Eagan residents answer these questions and stay safe in their homes is the idea behind Eagan’s new Fire Corps program being developed by the Eagan Fire Department. In an effort to better serve the community, help pre- vent some of the hazards that cause emergency situ- ations, allow seniors to safely remain in their homes and to cut down on 911 calls, the Fire Corps will offer Home Safety Surveys to the community. The Fire Corps is a group of active and retired Firefighters and other community volunteers, trained in the latest fire and injury prevention meth- ods. They schedule home visits to check alarms and provide a complete home safety survey by walking through the home looking for fire or injury hazards and providing information. They will merely make recommendations on what residents can do to make their home a safer environment. They do not Eagan Fire Corps Helps Keep Folks Safe at Home require any changes or enforce any codes in single family homes. The Fire Corps’ initial targets are single family homes with baby boomers, a population currently on the rise and the most likely population to be involved in home fires and injuries. The Corps is also focusing on those who have been in there homes for 15+ years, as this is often the point at which alarms have expired, dryer vents become hazardously clogged, etc. For more information or to schedule a Home Safety Survey call (651) 675-5909 or send a message to msegar@cityofeagan.com. Fire Prevention Open House, October 11 Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives Sound the Alarm: Working Smoke Detectors Save Lives is theme of this year’s Fire Prevention Month. The Eagan Fire Department will hold its annual Fire Prevention Open House on Saturday, October 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Fire Safety Center/ Station 2. The event is free and will feature: ◗ Fire Trucks to climb on ◗ Ladder demonstrations ◗ Extrication from vehicle ◗ Hands Only CPR presentation ◗ Jack’s House – fire escape simulator ◗ What it’s like to be a firefighter ◗ Kitchen Fire trailer demonstrations (periodically, 10-noon) ◗ Many more fire prevention and safety dem- onstrations and hands-on opportunities for all ages The Fire Safety Center/Station 2 is located at 1001 Station Trail, (east of Lexington Ave./Yankee Doodle Rd. intersection). Celebrating 5 years! Congratulations Eagan TV www.Eagan-TV.com Experience Eagan • September/October 2014 • 3 Will Your Mailbox Stand Up to Winter? Last year’s extended winter tested us all. Many mail- boxes could not withstand the snow and ice accu- mulations pushed up against posts, or propelled off of plow blades. Be sure your mailbox is ready to withstand whatever winter 2014-15 may bring by inspecting it now. Q: Is your mailbox tall enough? Mailboxes must have a 48-inch CLEAR ZONE between the bottom front corner of the mailbox structure/paper boxes and the valley of the curb. Q: Is your mailbox set back far enough? Structures and support posts must also be located 10-inches BEHIND the back of the concrete curbing. Newspaper boxes or any other attachment cannot extend beyond the front face of the post. Q: Is your mailbox in good condition? An aging or deteriorating mailbox post or structure may not withstand the impact of snow coming off of the plow, or snow accumulating around its base. Check to be sure it is not worn, cracked or unstable and fortify the structure if needed. A detailed diagram of City mailbox maintenance requirements called “Standard Plate 610” can be Eagan Park Goes Solar Some parks have sun shelters to provide shade; Goat Hill Park now has solar panels that capture the sun’s rays and convert them to electricity. Goat Hill Park is one of the most heavily used parks in the City. Amenities included two lighted ball fields, two lighted hockey rinks, a playground and a shelter building that is regularly used for programs and activities in the day and evening. Depending on the season, electrical use can be substantial. Thanks to the generous donation of two SolarPod™ modular panels by Eagan resident Mouli Vaidyanathan, Consulting Engineer and President of SolarPod, a portion of the electrical needs at Goat Hill Park will now be met with the help of the sun. Prior to installation, City staff worked closely with Dakota Electric Association (DEA) to obtain a permit that allows the power to be routed through the found on the City Web site at www.cityofeagan. com/MailboxCheck or contact Transportation Operations at (651) 675-5300. Not a do-it-yourself type? Local home improvement/ hardware stores and contractors have mailbox kits and information and are generally knowledgeable about installation requirements. existing DEA service panels. A meter was approved and installed, designed to accommodate and monitor the new input and allow it to supplement the existing power source. The solar panels were installed by City staff on a small south facing knoll adjacent to the park shelter via an underground cable. The panels will be adjusted seasonally to coincide with the prevailing sun angle. The panel array is capable of producing approxi- mately 9 amps of power depending upon the sky conditions. On a typical days’ building use, that amount of power is sufficient to operate most of the light fixtures. Because the power is blended with DEA power it is not routed to a specific fixture or device but offsets the total electrical draw. On days when on-site electrical needs are low DEA will buy back any excess power generated by the panels and credit the site account. Spooktacular Fun at Halloween Hodgepodge Tips for a Safe & Happy Halloween Advance tickets $5/ child 18 months and over with a food donation at Eagan Municipal Center through October 24th & Eagan Community Center through October 25. Advance tickets allow priority entrance, those purchased at event are $1 more. The Great Pumpkin Drop! Pumpkins brought to this drop-off will be taken for free. The will travel to a special organics recycling facility and turned into compost. Remove candles. No painted pumpkins please. Kids that accompany their parents will get a free treat for “going green this Halloween.” Visit www. DakotaValleyRecycling.org or call (651) 675-5011 for more recycling information and opportunities. Eagan Community Center, southwest parking lot 1501 Central Parkway, Eagan, MN 55121 Saturday, November 1st 9:00 a.m. to Noon Keeping kids safe at Halloween can be a little bit “tricky.” Here are some tips to keep them safer. Adults ◗ An attentive adult should ALWAYS accom- pany children when Trick-or-Treating ◗ Watch out for children in the area if you are driving on Halloween ◗ Make sure flashlights have fresh batteries Costumes ◗ Children’s costumes should be short and snug to avoid tripping or brushing against candles ◗ Costume props such as walking sticks, knives, swords, etc., should be flexible and soft ◗ Masks should allow full vision. A better option is face painting instead Streets ◗ Drivers should be able to see your child in the dark. Create a glow in the dark costume. Add reflective tape, glow sticks and stickers ◗ Always trick-or-treat in a group ◗ Always cross the street a crosswalks and intersections. Look both ways before crossing Sunday, October 26, 3-7 p.m. Eagan Community Center www.cityofeagan.com/halloween PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGEPAIDTWIN CITIES MNPERMIT NO. 4902* * * * * ECRWSS * *Residential Postal Customer3830 Pilot Knob RoadEagan, Minnesota 55122Page 1 Election Day is November 4 Eagan Proud to Usher in Premier Outlet Mall Lake Protection Project Underway Page 2 Eagan Fire Corps Helps Keep Folks Safe at Home Fire Prevention Open House The Return of Budget Connect Page 3 Will Your Mailbox Stand Up to Winter? Eagan Park Goes Solar Halloween Hodgepodge The Great Pumpkin Drop! Page 4 Lone Oak Days Celebrate 100 Years at Eagan’s Historic Town Hall New Flavor Festival 4 All Mayor Mike Maguire Councilmembers Paul Bakken Cyndee Fields Gary Hansen Meg Tilley City Administrator Dave Osberg City Hall (651) 675-5000 • (651) 454-8535 TTY www.cityofeagan.com Experience Eagan New Flavor Festival Set for Sept. 6 Move over Minneapolis and St Paul; Eagan is bringing on the food trucks. Food on 4 Wheels is Eagan’s newest community celebration on Saturday, September 6 from 3 to 7:30 p.m. Nearly 20 food trucks will roll into the Festival Grounds at Eagan Central Park bringing gourmet flavors galore. From pasta to pork, mexican to mac & cheese and cupcakes to curry there is a tasty treat to satisfy almost any palate. “Right now there is a concentration of food trucks and a lot of media attention about food trucks in the downtown areas—and it’s a really fun experience,” says Asher Miller, operator of Andrew Zimmern’s AZ Canteen, one of the participating food trucks. “People in suburban areas, like Eagan, want this experience too and we can’t wait to bring it to them.” The crew at Motley Crews Heavy Metal Grill, spends many lunch hours serving up their food truck fare at Eagan businesses such as Thomson Reuters and, Coca-Cola. They say they love the Eagan crowds and can’t wait to bring their food truck to this event. In fact, they would love to spend all of their time serv- ing south of the river! But wait, there’s more! Food and music are a perfect pairing and we’ve got two great bands on tap. Retro Soul 5 and the Westside Horns will play at the Rotary Band Shell from 3 to 5 p.m., bringing their blues/rock original style as well as 60s, 70s and 80s classic R&B tunes. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The Mill City Players featur- ing Adam Levy, Noah Levy, Katie Geary and their band of local, stand-out talent, together in this highly sought-after ensemble. Their heavy, rock/ funk sound is sure to bring the crowd to its feet and dancing. A full list of food trucks, directions and other details can be found at www.cityofeagan.com/ foodtruck. Fall Fun on the Farm The annual Lone Oak Days Festival at Holz Farm Park will give you a taste of 1940s farm-life on Saturday, September 20 and Sunday September 21, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Help churn and then taste homemade butter on freshly baked bread. Kids will love washing clothes on an old washboard, or learning how honeybees help crops grow. Families can help harvest pota- toes, enjoy a hayride and more. New this year, teens can participate in old fash- ioned farm games to win prizes (while supplies last). Admission is free both days. Some activities require a $.50/ticket purchased at the event. Visit www.cityofeagan.com/holzfarm for more information. Celebrate 100 Years at Eagan’s Historic Town Hall on Sept. 8 From a time when people came by horse and buggy to an annual Town Board Meeting, the little white Town Hall has sat up on the rise overlooking Pilot Knob Road and Wescott. Come celebrate all that the little building has seen at its 100-year celebra- tion hosted by the Eagan Historical Society on Monday, September 8, from 4 to 7 p.m. Enjoy a free root beer float, old fashioned games and music, history displays, food for purchase and much more. To memorialize the milestone, artist Larry Landis has created a beautiful painting of the Town Hall as it might have looked 100 years ago—including the local milk route truck. The Historical Society will formally accept the donation of his painting at 6:30 p.m. Prints in various formats will be available for sale or to order (depending on print type chosen). Visitors will also be able to purchase copies of the book “The Lone Oak Years; a history of Eagan, MN” and “History on Deck” playing cards. Visit www.cityofeagan.com/history for more information.