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Home My WebLink About2013-03 -- SpringWhat’s New For 2013What’s New For 2013 Your Government 1 Sewer & Water Project 2 Organization / Advertising 3 Development 4 City Budget 5 Events Activities 6 Events Activities Continued 7 Tree Give Away 8 Codes and Compliance 9 Memory Lane 8 Building / Code Enforcement 10 Fee Schedule 11 Organizations’ Event Dates 12 Ci t y o f C o r c o r a n Ci t y o f C o r c o r a n Council Corcoran started out the new year with their first council meeting on January 10, 2013, when the city’s newly-elected officials were sworn in. City Administrator Dan Donahue and Council members Tom Cossette and Rich Asleson welcomed re-elected Mayor Ken Guenthner; a former Council member, Ron Thomas; and newly-elected Council member Diane Lynch. City staff is excited to work with and educate the new council members about the city’s historic events and activities and continue moving forward for a prosperous new year and future growth. At the first meeting the council also voted to reappoint the contracts for the City engineer, Wenck Associ- ates, represented by Kent Torve; City planner, Landform, represented by Kendra Lindahl; City attorney, Carson, Clelland & Schreder, represented by Jeff Carson; and City financial advisor, KDV, represented by Joe Rigdon. Other discussions focused on the City’s goals and objectives and code enforcement. Council meetings have continued and new members have been approved by council to represent the Planning and Parks and Trails commissions. A lot is on the radar for the City’s wellbeing and growth. Your input, experience and knowledge from living in this community is valuable to help educate the council and commissions, so by attending the meeting you can “let your voice be heard.” Commissions Council approved applications for the Parks and Trails Commission, reappointing Tom Anderson, Kevin Dale, Chad Robran, and a new member, Debbie Regan, to serve the com- munity. The commission is also seeking two high school students interested in serving on the commission as a part of their school’s community service credits. The High School Com- missioners will be an integral part of all activities of the Commission and of sustaining and developing a vision for the community of Corcoran. This is a win-win for the City, the Com- mission, and the student. This is a valuable experience that will add to the life/educational experience of any student and would be a great entry on any work or college résumé. For the Planning Commission, members Dean Jacobs and Dorothy Theis were reappointed. There are remaining open seats on the Parks and Trails and Planning commissions. If you would like to be involved with the City’s future of community parks, land use, and development, see the City’s website for more information or contact the City Administrator, Dan Donahue. SPRINGSPRING NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER MARCHMARCH 20132013 INSIDE THIS ISSUE City Council Members Mayor—Ken Guenthner 763-478-6699 Councilors—Tom Cossette, Rich Asleson, Diane Lynch, Ron Thomas If you would like to speak at open forum, please contact City Administrator Dan Donahue at 763-400-7030. If you have a question or concern for the council, please email general@ci.corcoran.mn.us. “Let your voice be heard.” 8200 Co. Rd. 116 · Corcoran, MN 55340 www.ci.corcoran.mn.us or 763-420-2288 City Hall Office Hours: 8:00 AM — 4:00 PM Monday—Friday Page 2 The City will be putting the finishing touches on its first 1.2 miles of sewer and water lines, becoming the last town in Hennepin County to add them. The $2.1 million sewer line won't become operational until a pumping station is built sometime this year, but it represents the first ripple of urban development in what's been a farm community since the 1850s. Some developers and landowners are hoping the improvements will attract business and boost land values The contrast between metro development and historic farmland is clearly visible along County Road 101, the border between Corcoran and its eastern neighbor, Maple Grove. With about 60,000 residents, most of Maple Grove has filled in, and its side of the road is lined with apartment buildings and single-home developments. Corcoran's side sports an occasional older home, with expansive western views of wetlands and freshly tilled cornfields. Unlike Maple Grove and Plymouth to its southeast, the absence of sewer and water has kept development at bay. Multi-unit housing and retail need pressurized water for fire suppression sprinkler systems and sewer pipes for wastewater disposal. Corcoran's children fan out to attend five different school districts, and its homes are protected by four neighboring city fire departments, which must bring their own water to fight fires. Some people may not think about sewer and water as a big deal, but it affects everything that happens in the development of a city, and nothing happens without it. Corcoran had a minor growth spurt during her City council years in the early 1980s, when a number of elderly farmers sold off property, mostly in 10-acre chunks for hobby farms. Since 1990, the population has grown only slightly, according to census data. Goal: Keeping residents. If there was a notion that you could move out to these rural areas and create neighborhoods and nothing ever changes, that's not quite realistic. The City has more than 1,400 individual septic systems and wells. Most of the terrain has poor drainage and many wetlands. Every lot having its own septic system doesn't make sense environmentally, economically, or functionally. Corcoran also has more gravel roads than paved local roads, and that system is both inadequate and expensive to maintain. Council will be working on a solution to these problems while working with the Planning Commission and developers. Currently, Lennar Development has come forward and has been talking with the City Planner, Kendra Lindahl, with interests in developing the southeast corner of Corcoran. More information can be obtained at City Hall by contacting the City Administrator or learning about the facts by coming to City Hall for Council meetings, which are held on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 7:00 PM. “Let your voice be heard.” FROM THE CITY’S ASSESSORS OFFICE Valuation notices for the January 2, 2013 assess- ment for taxes payable in 2014 will be mailed ap- proximately March 15, 2013. As set by Minneso- ta Statute, Corcoran assessors viewed a little over 20% of the parcels in the city for this as- sessment. All commercial and industrial proper- ties in the entire city were reviewed this year along with all the properties in section 26 through section 31. Roughly described, this area is a strip one half mile on each side of Larkin Road (and the imaginary extension of Larkin Road) from Hwy 116 to the Greenfield border. It would also include one half mile on either side of Co. Rd. 19 from Pioneer Trail to the Medina border. The valuation notice contains information on the classification and valuation of your property as of January 2, 2013 compared with the January 2, 2012 figures. It also contains the information needed to appeal your property value or classifi- cation. The Corcoran Local Board of Review will be held on April 11th. If you have ques- tions about your valuation or classification, please start by calling the Corcoran Assessor’s office at 763-473-3978. Page 3 Café & Catering Service Looking for a place to stop for a hot cup of coffee or a sumptuous burger? Need a quick and easy meal for a meeting or a group gathering? Just wondering what a little yellow and red building with the apron-wearing chicken is all about? Over the years, the Countryside Café has become much more than just a comfort place to gather for delicious breakfast or lunch. We’re open 7 days a week, and offer phenomenal food, convenient catering and a decidedly down-home alternative to chain restaurants and fast food. Located on the corner of Hwy. 55 and Co Rd 116 in Medina. SU P P O R T Y O U R L O C A L B U S I N E S S E S SU P P O R T Y O U R L O C A L B U S I N E S S E S SU P P O R T Y O U R L O C A L B U S I N E S S E S HELP DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS BY VOLUNTEERING A SMALL AMOUNT OF YOUR TIME The Lions and Jaycees are always looking for people young (age 18) and old who would like to help in giving back to the community. To become a member, learn more about the organizations or event dates. Go to their websites at -www.corcoranlions.com or www.northwestarea.mnjaycees.org For a small fee as low as $75.00, you can advertise your business in the Corcoran newsletter. This newsletter is distributed to more than1,850 businesses and residences in Corcoran. For more information, contact staff at City Hall. Page 4 St. Cloud State University 55+ DRIVER IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM If you are 55+ this course will be offered at City Hall and surrounding cities to save you 10% on your auto insurance for three years. 4 hour class for refresher repeat students 8 hour class for first time students For more information and to register for these classes, call 1-888-234-1294 Corcoran Public Works Facility Nears Construction The Corcoran Public Works building is successfully moving towards construction this summer. The construction will culminate years of effort and more recently an extensive process involving review of operations, projection of City growth demands, and analysis of cost. Several sites were evaluated in 2012, including the existing City property south of City Hall and properties in rural Corcoran. The search was somewhat limited by size and also to locations along a County road to allow year-round access for snowplows and heavy trucks. A property was eventually identified along County Road 19 and County Road 10 (Roehlke property) near Burschville. This property also fell within a search area for a park, as identified in the Comprehensive Plan. The City has purchased about 12 acres, with an option to purchase another 125 acres for a future park complex. Three Rivers Park District has also entered into an agreement to fully reimburse the City for costs to purchase an additional acre and place a restroom facility and five parking stalls adjacent to the Public Works facility for trail users. The City has used a steering committee consisting of Council member Cossette, staff (public works, city engineer, and administrator) and a design team of architect (Oertel) and Construction Manager (Ebert Construction) to finalize the design and bid process. The architect manages the electrical, mechanical, civil, and landscape design professionals. The Construction Manager has the role of “Owner’s Representative” and coordinates the bid documents and process and will be on site for observing construction and handling change orders and payment for contractors. The bids will be broken into 10 public bids based on contractor skill sets to maximize competition and allow smaller contractors to bid the work. Several smaller competitive bids will also be solicited for landscaping, irrigation, well drilling, etc. for the smaller and support construction needs. This process maximizes public transparency, increases competition, and gives local contractors maximum opportunity to submit bids. The design itself is divided into alter- natives to allow for flexibility in adding space if the $3.8M budget allows. The schedule is set for a March bid open- ing, with construction beginning in May. The facility will be operational in the fall. Shown below is a preliminary drawing of the facility received from Oertel Architects, Ltd. Maple Hills Estates Community Center Update The City hopes to capitalize on a $225,000 Community Development Block Grant awarded to the City last year to develop a small community room(s) facility at the Maple Hills Estate neighborhood. It is expected that this development will also require a significant donation of time, labor, and material to complete the project. The Maple Hills community has a vision of providing space to meet its educational, social, and youth space needs. This facility will go a long way to meet this vision. The owners of the Maple Hills Estates will be donating the land and paying the utilities for the building. To learn more about this project , contact the City Administrator, Dan Donahue. Page 5 2013 City Budget The City passed a balanced 2013 budget last December. Highlights include: Total expenses of $3,175,544, which is an increase of $23,288 or 0.7% over 2012. Total revenues of $3,505,825, which is an increase of $66,796 over 2012. Debt service increased from $274,622 to $330,281, due mainly to last year’s sale of $4 million in bonds for the Public Works Facility. Tax levy increased from $2,781,120 to $2,934,737, which is an increase of $153,617 or 5.5%. Most of the increase is for debt service, to support operations, and to assist in supporting the General Fund surplus, which is low by most standards. The major projects in 2013 are: Beginning the construction of the Public Works facility on Co. Rd 19. Completion is expected in late fall. Completing the first phase of the sewer and water utility lines to Co. Rd 116. Considering a second phase of a sewer and water line extension utilizing Tax Increment (TIF) funds. Possibly starting a comprehensive examination of the transportation plan for the downtown area of the city. More information is on the city’s website in the December 20, 2012, agenda packet. Page 6 RECYCLING BILLS ARE IN THE MAIL Once again staff will be sending out the City's annual recycling bills sometime in March. Please watch for this bill to arrive in your mailbox. The annual amount due for this service is $34.50. To avoid late fees and penalties, please make sure your payment is submitted on time. If you do not receive a bill, contact the City Clerk, Jeanie Heinecke, at 763-400-7032. CORCORAN CLEANUP DAY MARK YOUR CALENDAR and get ready— now is the time to get rid of your unwanted junk. Corcoran will have its annual Spring Cleanup Day on Saturday, May 4,th from 8:00 AM to noon rain or shine. You can bring your items to the City Hall parking lot. Now is a great opportunity for our residents (showing an ID) to get rid of any unwanted appliances, electronics, tires and other items that are hard to dispose of for a minimal fee. All tires must be removed from bikes, mowers, garden trac- tors, etc. The fees for disposal of items are on the City website. (Additional fees may be charged for items not mentioned or disposal of large quan- tities.) We accept residential refuse only—no paint or flammable or toxic chemicals will be accepted. These items can be brought to the Hennepin County Recycling & Transfer Station located at 8100 Jefferson Hwy. in Brooklyn Park. Currently Corcoran does not have a compost site. The nearest one available is in Maple Grove. For a minimal fee, Corcoran residents are permitted to drop off yard waste, which includes leaves, grass clippings, and brush. Corcoran Soccer registration opens April 1, 2013, for our summer soccer league. Corcoran Soccer is a co-ed, mid-summer recrea- tional league serving the cities of Corcoran, Greenfield, Hamel, Hanover, Loretto, Maple Grove, Medina, Rogers, and the sur- rounding areas since 1999. Corcoran Soccer offers affordable recreation emphasizing skill acquisition, conditioning, and most of all, fun, for children ages 5 through 14. Teams will be formed into age brackets according to U.S. Youth Soccer Association guidelines: U06 (5 and 6 year olds): Birthdays August 1, 2006, through July 31, 2008. U08 (7 and 8 year olds): Birthdays August 1, 2004, through July 31, 2006 . U10 (9 and 10 year olds): Birthdays August 1, 2002, through July 31, 2004. U12 (11 and 12 year olds): Birthdays August 1, 2000, through July 31, 2002. U14 (13 and 14 year olds): Birthdays August 1, 1998, through July 31, 2000. Practices and games are held Tuesday and Thursday evenings, starting at 6:30 PM, from mid-July through the end of August. Registration closes May 15, 2013, or when teams are formed, whichever comes first. For registration information, visit our web- site at www.corcoransoccer.org. CORCORAN SOCCER Page 7 CORCORAN LIONS CLUB SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMCORCORAN LIONS CLUB SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM The Corcoran Lions are excited to offer our 25th annual scholarship program. Each year it is a great opportunity to be able to help our youth with the opportunity to further their education. As in past years, the basic rules remain the same and they are as indicated below. Applications can be found on the Lions’ website at www.corcoranlions.com or at the school offices and are due by April 15, 2013, along with a transcript of grades. If a student attends a high school outside of the area or has been home schooled and still resides in the City of Corcoran, he or she is eligible for a scholarship. Please contact Jerry Cain by email if you need an application at jerrycain@visi.com. The Award Ceremony will be held on Tuesday, May 7 , 2013, at 7:00 PM at the Corcoran City Hall. The Corcoran Lions Club awards scholarships to graduating seniors who live in the City of Corcoran. This year the Lions will have the 4th an- nual Bill Schalo Scholarship. Bill’s scholarship is given based on community service in Corcoran. This scholarship is given in memory of the Lions’ fellow member who gave so freely to our community for so many years. The scholarships are based on academic, leadership, service to the community and a need basis. The graduate must attend college, junior college, university, trade or vocational school in the year di- rectly following graduation to receive the award. The Corcoran Lions Club is a service that helps build communities through events, donations and assistance. The Lions Club makes dona- tions to many organizations in our community, which includes the police and fire and City Hall. Their goal is to encourage new memberships and promote events held at the Corcoran Lions Park. If you are interested in becoming a Lions member, email jerrycain@visi.com. Or call Jerry at 763-498-7556 for more information. Corcoran’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt O nce again Corcoran's annual Easter Bunny Egg Hunt will be held on March 30, 10 AM sharp, at City Park ball ﬁelds, located at 20200 CO RD 50 . Don't be late or you’ll miss out! This event is held outdoors, so dress appropriately. The egg hunt is a fun acƟvity for kids ages 0‐10, with treats in each category. The object of this acƟvity is to ﬁnd the hidden eggs, and if you ﬁnd the “prize eggs” you can turn them in for larger giŌs. Bring your cameras and hopefully you’ll capture a picture of the Easter Bunny. The Origin of the Easter Egg The Easter Bunny is a rabbit‐spirit. Long ago, it was called the "Easter Hare. “ Hares and rabbits have frequent mulƟple births, so they became a symbol of ferƟlity. The custom of an Easter egg hunt began because children believed that hares laid eggs in the grass. The Romans believed that "All life comes from an egg." ChrisƟans consider eggs to be "the seed of life" and so they are symbolic of the resurrecƟon of Jesus Christ. Why we dye, or color, and decorate eggs is not certain. In ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Persia, eggs were dyed for spring fesƟvals. In medieval Europe, beauƟfully decorated eggs were given as giŌs. In England, Germany, and some other countries, children rolled eggs down hills on Easter morning, a game which has been connected to the rolling away of the rock from Jesus Christ's tomb when he was resurrected. BriƟsh seƩlers brought this custom to the New World. In the United States in the early nineteenth century, Dolly Madison, the wife of the fourth American president, organized an egg roll in Washington, D.C. She had been told that EgypƟan children used to roll eggs against the pyramids, so she in‐ vited the children of Washington to roll hard‐boiled eggs down the hilly lawn of the new Capitol building! The custom con‐ Ɵnued, except for the years during the Civil War. In 1880, the First Lady invited children to the White House for the Egg Roll because officials had complained that they were ruining the Capitol lawn. It has been held there ever since then, only canceled during Ɵmes of war. The event has grown, and today Easter Monday is the only day of the year when tourists are allowed to wander over the White House lawn. The wife of the President sponsors it for the children of the enƟre country. In Corcoran the Easter Egg Hunt event is sponsored by the NW Area Jaycees. Council and staff wishes to thank them for their generous involvement in our community. InformaƟon obtained from Mary Bellis, About.com Guide Page 8 CORCORAN PARKS AND TRAILS COMMISSION AND CORCORAN JAYCEES TEAM UP FOR ANNUAL TREE GIVE-A-WAY As in the past several years, the Parks and Trails Commission will be giving away shade tree saplings to Corcoran residents in a project funded by the Corcoran Jaycees. Varieties selected for distribution this year include American Elderberry, Red Splendor Crabapple, June- berry (Serviceberry), Paper Birch, Sugar Maple, Black Walnut, Balsam Fir, and Colorado Spruce. Information on these trees and shrubs is available at http://www.wrightswcd.org/docs/treedescriptions2012.pdf. As in the past, trees will be given away at City Hall at the end of April or beginning of May, depending on when they are available. In an effort to increase distribution of these trees, Parks and Trails will accept “orders” for up to 5 trees by email as long as the supply lasts. Email Tom Anderson at tompand@yahoo.com for more information. Trees will be purchased, with funds donated by the Corcoran Jaycees, from Wright County Soil and Water Conservation District. Their web address is http://www.wrightswcd.org,and they will be happy to accept orders from Corcoran residents. The cost of the trees is $1 each, but they need to be ordered in bundles of 25. Twenty-five different trees and shrubs are available, with varieties selected to grow in a wide range of soil and sun conditions. Corcoran residents who would like to purchase larger bare root trees and shrubs are welcome to order through the City of Plymouth web site at http://www.plymouthmn.gov/index.aspx?page=599. Prices vary from $8 to $40 depending on variety. Snow Plowing in the “Good Ol’ Days.” Memories and pictures from Dennis Stieg. Was there or wasn’t there more snow in those “good ol’ days”? Regardless of the statistics, snow plowing equipment was “50ish.” It was large and very slow, which piled banks at the edge of the roads. With the next snowfall or wind, snow would drift over the banks, getting higher and higher and the roads becoming narrower and narrower. By spring, in some places there was no place to push or “wing it” out. When the road became plugged, the driver (Frank Huggert) would back up and try to ram his way through. When that did not work, Ralph Klatt’s cattle truck was attached to the plow truck to break through the drifts. This was especially true on the long farm driveways. After the main roads were plowed, the plow would go back and plow the longer farm roads. This was vital, as almost all were dairy farms and their livelihood depended on getting the cans of milk to the creamery. The cows had to be milked twice a day with no place to keep the milk. Would you like to go back to the “good ol’ days”? If you have information and pictures about Corcoran you would like to share in the City’s next newsletter, contact Office Manager Jill Smith- Arens at 763-400-7031. Page 9 ROAD RESTRICTIONS In the spring of each year, Public Works follows MNDOT’s guidelines for the South Metro Region to apply road restrictions throughout the City. This involves flagging and posting 4 ton signs at the entrances of these roads. (That is, a vehicle cannot exceed a total of 4 tons per axle weight.) This is done because the frost goes out of the ground and traps moisture, making the under layer soft. Heavy equipment or vehi- cles on the roads push the surface up, causing damage such as sinking or crack- ing of asphalt. Allowing time for the roads to dry will help alleviate these issues. During this time the city will not issue permits for overweight vehicles except for emer- gency reasons. If this affects any deliv- eries to your residence, you may want to notify your vendor of this posting to avoid any fines that could be issued to them. Restrictions are generally lifted sometime in May, followed by the Central Region. The following roads in Corcoran are always posted as 4 ton limits and require a permit: Horseshoe Trail—between Willow and Rolling Hills Road Larkin—between Co. Rd. 10 & 116 David A. Foy Corcoran Resident Since 1987 Specializing in Residential and Acreage Properties www.FoyHomes.com 612-990-5400 / 612-990-6000 Do I Need a Certificate of Compliance? A Certificate of Compliance is required for the following: Agricultural Buildings (as defined by City Zoning Ordinance): Although these buildings do not require a building permit, a Certifi- cate of Compliance is required prior to construction and the structure must com- ply with all other Zoning Ordinance standards and permit requirements. Metal Roof on a Residential Home According to Ordinance 1060.050 – Building Standards, metal roof coverings may be allowed by Certificate of Compliance provided they: Meet Minnesota State Building Code standards Have concealed fasteners Are high quality commercial thickness/weight Have been treated with a factory applied color coating system to pre- vent fading and degradation Metal Roof and/or Siding on an Accessory Building According to Ordinance 1060.050 – Building Standards, metal siding and/or roof coverings may be allowed by Certificate of Compliance provided they: Meet Minnesota State Building Code standards Have been treated with a factory applied color coating system to pre- vent fading and degradation *Note: New roofing and/or siding on a residential home or accessory build- ing requires a building permit.. If you have any questions, please stop by City Hall or call Mike at 763-400-7033. Page 10 Enforcing the State Building Code—Not Always a Pleasant Job The Building Official can be compared to a police officer issuing a ticket for speeding. Before driving, a driver is responsible to know traffic laws. Similarly, a contractor or homeowner is responsible to know the building code, and to complete the work in compliance with the code. A police officer is responsible for enforcing the law and, if necessary, issuing a ticket—hopefully preventing accidents. Likewise, the building official is responsible for enforc- ing the State Building Code—hopefully preventing injuries, deaths, and damage to property. Just as most folks aren’t happy when they receive a speeding ticket, most folks aren’t happy when they are told that their construction does not meet the requirements of the Building Code and needs to be corrected. The Building Official and Inspec- tors do not receive any gratification from making people correct their work or get permits. In reality, they have a lot to lose if they do not enforce the code. Minnesota Statute 326B.121 Subd. 3 states, “If the commissioner determines that a municipality that has adopted the State Building Code is not properly administering and enforcing the code . . . the commissioner may have the administration and enforcement in the involved municipality undertaken by the state building official or by another building official certified by the state.” The Building Code is heavy on our minds today as we read about the tragic fire in Brazil last month that took over 230 lives. In our minds, we may think “it couldn’t happen here.” However, in 2003, 100 people died in a similar situation at The Station nightclub in Rhode Island. It appears that both fires were caused by the bands’ pyrotechnics starting a fire on the insulation used to soundproof the structures. These two nightclub fires are extreme examples of how following the Building Code we have in Minnesota might have saved lives. Not all violations are this bad. In 2011, a deck attached to a house in Rosemount, MN, collapsed. Injuries were minor, but could have been much worse. There were no permits issued for the deck, and it was installed incorrectly. Relatively few speeding violations result in accidents and/or injuries, but the speed limits are enforced to prevent those incidents. Likewise, not all building code violations will result in injury, but the State Building Code is enforced to prevent incidents that could cause harm to you, your family, your guests, or emergency responders. Code Enforcement Are You In Violation? Our Code Official, Mike Pritchard, continues to work with residents, elected city officials, and staff to keep our community free of violations and a great place to live. With spring and summer approaching, Corcoran's City-wide cleanup day is May 4. This would be the time to attend to your unwanted items or exterior junk storage. You can bring in many of your unwanted items to dispose of then. Below is the ordinance to guide you for this cleanup task. Exterior Storage According to City Ordinance, 1060.010: “As otherwise regulated, all outside storage is prohibited . . ..” The excep- tions are:  Clotheslines  Construction and landscaping materials if they are used on the premises within 6 months  Swings, slides, and other play equipment  Outdoor furniture and lawn and garden equipment  Wood for burning in a fireplace, stove, furnace, or recreational fire pit Must be in a neat and secure stack not exceeding 4’ in height Must be in side or rear yard Must be free of rodents and other infestations Storage of recreational vehicles and unoccupied trailers and RVs less than 30 feet in length, boats, all-terrain vehi- cles, and snowmobiles owned by the legal resident of the property may be stored in the side or rear yard, pro- vided they comply with a minimum setback of 10 feet. Agricultural equipment and materials can be stored outside if used on the property within 12 months. Agricultural uses, as defined by the City Code, are exempt from these requirements. If you have any questions or concerns regarding zoning, permits, ordinances, complaints or violations, please contact Mike at 763-400-7033. Page 11 PermitWorks and Laser Fiche On January 1, 2013, the City began using a new software program called PermitWorks. Many municipalities are already using this software to track and issue all types of permits. We will be using this for many of our permits, including building, mechanical/HVAC, plumbing, utility, overweight vehicles, signs, grading/fill, and driveway permits. You can expect to see some new, hopefully better, procedures, permit forms, and applications being developed as the year progresses and as we find what will work best for the City and its residents. PermitWorks also links directly with our Laser Fiche archiving software to automatically store issued and completed permits. For the past couple years, we have been using a digital archiving program called Laser Fiche. This program works much like the large cabinets, hanging folders, and paper filing system we use today, but the information is scanned and stored digitally. Because of this, we can recycle the paper and do not need file cabinets, giving us an almost infinite amount of storage and taking up less space than one of our file cabinets. This year we will continue to scan and backlog our old records, as well as new ones, into Laser Fiche. Currently we are still stor- ing public information both in Laser Fiche and in its paper form. Eventually, we will make this information availa- ble through a public computer kiosk at City Hall and not have the need for paper files. Permits/Fees The City’s most requested building permit fees: Reroofing, Re-siding $95 each permit Windows (in same openings) $95 General Plumbing $55 Gas Fireplace $105 Furnace or A/C unit $80/unit Water Heater $25 Water Softener $20 *All of the above fees include the State Surcharge ($5) and can be issued “over-the-counter” at City Hall. Reminder: Fences over 6’ in height require a building permit. Any fence to be constructed within 6’ of a property line requires a zoning application and review. Other frequently requested permits and fees: Grading/Fill Permit Under 300 cubic yards $35 Over 300 cubic yards $300 + Surety Certificate of Compliance $80 Hobby Kennel (4+ dogs) $75 annual fee Burning Permit (Issued by PD) 10 days $10 120 days $50 Facility Rentals Civic Center Rental (includes kitchen) Sunday-Thursday $150 + damage deposit Friday and Saturday $300 + damage deposit Park Shelter/Picnic Facility $75 + damage deposit Please call Mike at 763-400-7033 or stop by City Hall with any questions or to fill out a permit/ application. To view a complete 2013 fee schedule, stop by City Hall or visit our website: www.ci.corcoran.mn.us. Memorial Garden Rocks, benches, and stones can be ordered at City Hall to be placed in the City's Memorial garden in remembrance of your loved one. City of Corcoran 8200 Co Rd 116 Corcoran, MN 55340 Change Service Requested PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 28 HAMEL, MN 2013 CORCORAN CALENDAR OF EVENTS2013 CORCORAN CALENDAR OF EVENTS The following events are sponsored by the Lions or other organizations and are held at the Corcoran Lions Park located at 7205 CO RD 101 (intersection of CO RD 101 & 10). Tractor Pull June 1st 7:00 PM Hennepin County Fair June 13th-16th See their website @ www.hennepincountyfair.com for details. Hamel Rodeo July 11th-14th See their website @ www.hamelrodeo.org for details and times . Regional Tractor Pull Aug. 24th 7:00 PM Demo Derby Sept. 7th 7:00 PM Hamel Lions Haunted House Weekends in October See their website @ www.hamellions.org for details and times OTHER CORCORAN EVENTS OTHER CORCORAN EVENTS Held at different locations. Lions Chevy Dinner April 5th Social from 6:00-7:00. Dinner at 7:00. Raffle Top prize $1,000. Tickets are available through any Lions member or call Tim Holmquist at 612-804-8146 / $100.00 per couple Corcoran Country Daze August 16th & 17th See their website @ www.countrydaze.org for details and times Maple Grove Triathlon August 24th Seniors 50 Plus: Come Join Us!  Are you 50 or older and looking for something to do or occupy your Ɵme? Do you like to play cards or just socialize? Are you looking for someone to go to lunch with once a month? Would you like to eat great food and share the recipes? Are you and/or your companion or friend looking to meet or add some new people to your circle of friends? If you answered YES to any of the above, then you should look into joining the Seniors 50 Plus. The ﬁrst Monday of each month, they meet at the City Hall Civic Center for a potluck lunch followed by cards and BINGO or just siƟng and chaƫng and catching up on the good old days. You don’t have to be a Corcoran resident to join. For more informaƟon, contact City Hall staff and they will be happy to escort you to your ﬁrst gathering.