COMMUNICATIONS AND NEWS FROM THE WEEK: FEBRUARY 17, 2023
Meetings and Announcements:
Reminder that there will be a Purple Line Engagement Meeting on February 22nd. Mike Sable will be facilitating the meeting. Steve Love is the contact person if you have questions or concerns about the meeting. I will be on vacation starting Monday, the 20th and returning on Tuesday, the 28th. Mike Darrow will be Acting City Manager in my absence.
The next regular City Council Meeting will be on Monday, February, 27th. The Council Manager Workshop will start at 6:30 pm and staff are planning to give you an update on the TIF Plans and Development Agreement for the Enclave Project. Ehlers and CD Director Parr will be presenting this information. In addition Chief Mondor will present information on the Safer Grant Opportunity.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Update on Reuter Walton Project
We’ve been made aware that the MN Environmental Quality Board (EQB) was forwarded a citizen petition requesting an EAW for the Reuter-Walton project. We have not seen the actual petition, but anticipate that the city will receive a copy in the next few days. The EQB has five business days to determine whether the petition is complete and to forward it on to the city. We will evaluate the petition and share additional information once we receive it. It is possible this will cause delays in the project construction schedule and may require City Council action of some kind.
PUBLIC WORKS
Ramsey County All Abilities 2050 Transportation Plan
Ramsey County has kicked off their public engagement effort for their All Abilities 2050 Transportation Plan this week with a press release
Ramsey County is currently conducting an online survey through March 3rd along with opportunities to engage online through introductory videos and two virtual community conversation on March 9th and March 28th. To learn more about this study please see the following webpage link
Ramsey County – County Road D Open House
Ramsey County will be hosting their first open house meeting for the proposed County Road D reconstruction project. The proposed project is located at the northwest corner of Maplewood and runs between Greenbrier Street and County Road D Circle. Attached is a draft version of the post card mailing that Ramsey County will be sending out for the open house meeting. The following is information about the open house meeting:
Open House
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
5:30 – 7:30
Little Canada City Hall
515 Little Canada Road E.
Little Canada, MN 55117
PARKS AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Arbor Day Tree Sale and Tree Program Details
The Arbor Day Tree Sale activities have started for 2023. Hard copies of the Tree Sale order forms are ready for pickup at Maplewood Nature Center and City Hall. Calls for paper forms should be transferred to our AmeriCorps AMPACT Community Forestry Member, Dani LeMire at 651-249-2121.
Non-profit Tree Trust will be administering the Arbor Day Tree Sale again this year. Tree Trust’s online preview of tree species available for Maplewood residents begins on Monday, February 27 at 8:00 am. Residents will have a week to check details for each species before online ordering starts.
Tree Sale online ordering starts Monday, March 6 at 8:00 am. Residents should order early as some species sell out fast. Online ordering ends when sold out or May 5, whichever comes first. The website for both the Preview and Online Ordering is https://mw-tree-sale.myshopify.com/
Paper forms are due to Tree Trust by March 10 at 4:00 pm. The Tree Sale Pickup Dates are:
Saturday, May 20, 9 am. to noon
Monday, May 22, 5 to 7 pm.
The 2023 Arbor Day event will tentatively be held at the City Hall Parking lot on Saturday, May 20, 12:30 – 3:00 pm., after tree pickup.
The annual Tree Care and Shrub Pruning Basics class will be held at Maplewood Nature Center on Friday, March 24, 6:30 – 8:30 pm.
Skating with Cops
The Park Maintenance crew has been hard at work the past few weeks getting our outdoor ice back in shape after all of the challenging weather of late. The annual public safety event at Wakefield is this Saturday, February 18 and they have gone the extra mile to make sure the ice is in the best shape it can be. This includes night flooding on Thursday and Friday and coming in early Saturday morning if needed. Thanks to the crews that make this event possible.
This is the news for the week. Please contact Mike Darrow if you have any questions or concerns. See you on the 28th at our Purple Line Engagement Process.
Melinda