HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-07 -- Summer8200 Co. Rd. 116 · Corcoran, MN 553408200 Co. Rd. 116 · Corcoran, MN 55340
763763--420420--2288 2288
www.ci.corcoran.mn.us www.ci.corcoran.mn.us
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Summer Newsletter
July 2011
IN THIS ISSUE
Comp. Plan 2
Sewer & Water 3
Code “Reminders” 4
Home Safety 5
Country Daze 6
Misc. Information 7
Dust Control 8—9
Police Information 10
Recycling 11
Mail Box Standards 12
Triathlon Information 12
City Council Members
Mayor
Ken Guenthner 763-478-6699
Councilors
Rich Asleson, Tom Cossette, George Gmach, Roz Milbrandt
If you would like to speak at open forum, please contact the City Administrator Dan Donahue, at 763-420-2288 ext. 13.
If you have a question or concern for the council, please email: general@ci.corcoran.mn.us
City Staff
Clerk/Bookkeeper - Jeanie Heinecke ext. 15, Office Manager-Jill Smith-Arens ext. 10,
Building Permits/Code Enforcement -Tanya Wagner ext. 29, Public Works 763-420-2652
Planning—Landform—Kendra Lindahl 612-252-9070
Building Inspections—MN SPECT 952-442-7520
Boys and Girls Softball / Baseball
The Corcoran Athletic Association’s 2011 baseball/softball season is
coming to a close. The 15 T-Ball/Near ball teams have finished their
season with the division’s picnic and award ceremony at the City Park
Pavilion. By the time this newsletter comes out, the boys’ traveling
teams and girls’ traveling team will be deep into the state tournaments.
The association signed up just under 300 kids this season, along with 24
head coaches, and over 48 assistant coaches. These coach volunteers
did a great job and deserve everyone’s thanks. I know, as the past presi-
dent of the association, the whole program depends on their volunteer
hours.
Unfortunately, we signed up no new parent volunteers to serve on the
CAA Board of Directors. The current Board of Directors has been volun-
teering for a long time, giving many, many hours to give the kids in the
area a great place to learn to play on a team. They have done a great
job building a better program that encourages fun, fair play, and skill
building.
We, the residents of Corcoran, love the small-town flavor of the city—the
small-town look and feel of our great little city park, with its beautiful
trees, ball fields, creek, pond, and playground. The Corcoran Athletic
Association keeps our kids’ programs just like our town and park, with
family-friendly, small-town fun. Please help keep our association healthy
with a friendly, small-town feel by volunteering to help on the Board of
Directors. We need sales people, banquet planners, inventory control
managers, accountants, and people who love to see kids have fun and
learn good sportsmanship.
Thank you,
Kevin Dale
CAA Board Member
763-923-4154
Page 2
Planning News
On June 23, 2011, the City Council formally adopted the 2030
Comprehensive Plan update as required by The Metropolitan
Land Plan Act, which requires cities to update their comprehen-
sive plans every 10 years. The Plan was distributed to adjacent
communities and agencies for a required six-month review pe-
riod and was reviewed by the Metropolitan Council for compli-
ance with regional plans. Our plan was found to be in compli-
ance with regional plans and adopted by the City Council.
Minnesota Statutes state that cities cannot adopt any official con-
trols or fiscal devices that conflict with their comprehensive plans
or that permit activity in conflict with the metropolitan system
plans. The official controls must be amended by the community
within nine months following the update or amendment to ensure
the official controls do not conflict with the comprehensive plan
(MN Statute § 473.864). Now the City is required to update the
ordinances to create or revise zoning districts to correspond with
the new land use categories and make other necessary updates.
The Planning Commission held a public hearing on the Zoning
Ordinance update and the updated Zoning Map on June 2, 2011.
The Planning Commission took public comment and voted unani-
mously to recommend approval. The City Council considered this
item at their June 23rd meeting and raised several issues. The
Planning Commission and City Council will be working together
to finalize these documents over the summer. Copies of the draft
ordinance are available at City Hall or on the City website at
www.ci.corcoran.mn.us.
Additionally, the City is proposing changes to the Subdivision
Ordinance. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on
June 2nd and voted unanimously to recommend approval. The
City Council is expected to consider these proposed changes
later this summer.
Additional information about any of these planning items is avail-
able at City Hall or by contacting City Planner Kendra Lindahl at
612.638.0225 or klindahl@landform.net.
Assessor’s
Annual Review of Properties
Appraisers from the Corcoran As-
sessor’s Office will be viewing prop-
erties and updating property records
of farms and residential properties
over the next three months. This is
a routine process required by law
every five years. The City is divided
into five areas so that 1/5 of the
properties are reviewed each year.
The area being reviewed this year is
a two-mile strip bounded by City
boundaries on the east and west.
The south boundary of the area is
essentially County Road 50 and the
north boundary is a line extending
from the western portion of County
Road 10 straight across to 93rd Ave-
nue North to the eastern city line.
Rolf Erickson, Lisa Mott or John
Mott will be the appraisers viewing
property. The appraisers wear iden-
tification cards and will introduce
themselves as being from the Cor-
coran Assessor’s Office. If you do
not wish the appraiser to view your
home, you may decline the inspec-
tion, but will not be able to contest
the valuation of the property until
you allow an interior inspection, as
prescribed by Minnesota State Law.
With the changing real estate mar-
ket and aging homes in Corcoran, it
is generally beneficial to allow the
appraiser to view the inside of your
home. A more fair valuation can be
done with an interior inspection.
If you have any questions about this
process, please call the Assessor’s
Office at
763-473-3978.
From the Mayor
Greetings from City Hall. It’s a beautiful Corcoran summer day
and again, finally, we’re surrounded by the bounty of this won-
derful community. I hope that all the gardeners, farmers, run-
ners, riders, bikers, hikers, nature watchers, sports enthusiasts,
and hammock tenders are enjoying the season. Thanks to the
City Staff, Jill Smith-Arens in particular, for putting together this
newsletter. We hope it provides you with the tools to be an in-
formed, involved citizen. You are always welcome at City Hall,
whether at a City Council or Commission meeting or just stop-
ping by during the week. Your input is valued – see you soon!
Ken Guenthner
Wenck Associates, Inc. / Kent Torve
The sewer and water project has been moving forward with discussions with landowners, financial presentations to Council and an update
at every Council meeting. The information below shows the project tasks and month of completion as we move into summer field work.
Summer Tasks: The delineation of wetlands and surveying of property corners and topography will occur in the next few months. The
wetland delineation work is scheduled for June and surveying will be completed by mid-July. At this time we view soil borings as having the
flexibility to be moved to late summer or fall.
Feasibility Report: The feasibility report is necessary should assessments be utilized for funding of non-TIF eligible expenses. Rusty
Fifield of Northland Securities will discuss this in more detail at the July 28th meeting along with an update to financial modeling.
We propose holding an open house for public information at the 2nd meeting in September, with the feasibility report also being reviewed
by Council and calling for a public hearing on November 10th. The project may or may not utilize assessments; however, this schedule
allows the City to maintain all options throughout the year. The water agreement with Maple Grove is expected to be received in July,
which allows the Council to incorporate these costs in the project planning and policy decisions. Ordinances and finances, including cash
flow projections, will be additional information provided for Council review.
Fall and Winter Tasks: The preliminary design will be completed for the feasibility report and final design will take place beginning in De-
cember. The bid process will occur over January and February, allowing for awarding a contract in March. The goal of the winter bidding
process is a May 2012 construction start when road restrictions are removed.
Surveying and preliminary design information will be used to describe the easements for negotiations with landowners. Easements will
need to be acquired by February prior to awarding a contract.
Page 3
PROTECT OUR WETLANDS, LAKES AND STREAMS
No matter where you live, your actions at home have a direct impact on local water bodies. How you manage yard waste, treat exposed
soil and even how you wash your car affects the health of our wetlands, lakes and streams. Fortunately, a few simple practices at home
can help protect water quality.
Tips to Prevent Erosion
Loose soil doesn’t stop when it reaches the edge of your property. Instead it enters nearby ditches and culverts and is carried to nearby
water bodies, where it contributes to sedimentation and pollution. If you have a bare spot on your lawn, cover it—even a temporary cover,
such as landscaping fabric or a tarp, will help. Next, try to establish permanent vegetation, such as by sodding, planting grass seed or es-
tablishing native vegetation. For best results with grass seed, use products that include materials that control erosion, such as compost or
hydro-mulch. Alternatively, protect newly seeded soil with mulch or a biodegradable landscaping fabric, available at some garden centers.
For steep hillsides and shoreline property, deep-rooted native plants are the best defense against erosion. The roots of native grasses,
flowers and shrubs anchor the soil and increase its ability to absorb water. Visit www.BlueThumb.org to learn more about planting your
shoreline property. For more information about controlling erosion, contact the Hennepin County Conservation District at http://hennepin.us/
hcd/. A staff person from the Conservation District may schedule a site visit to help deal with severe erosion.
Car Washing Tips Because cleaning your car shouldn’t dirty a river
Outdoor car washing is a common watershed behavior resulting in high loads of nutrients, metals, and hydrocarbons as detergent-rich wa-
ter used to wash grime off cars flows down the street, into storm drains, and directly to surface waters. Many people do not associate vehi-
cle washing with local water quality. If you must wash your car outdoors, here are a few tips to minimize negative impacts:
Remove all trash and debris from the car washing area. Shake car mats into trash cans or vacuum them; do
not shake directly onto the ground.
Use only soap or detergent labeled ―non-toxic,‖ ―phosphate free,‖ or ―biodegradable.‖ The safest products for
the environment are vegetable-based or citrus-based soaps.
Select a site where the wash water can soak into the grass, gravel, or be diverted to nearby landscaping.
This will allow water to filter through vegetation instead of flowing directly into ditches and culverts. (Drive
the car onto a piece of plywood or direct the wheels onto 1x8s to minimize soil compaction from the weight
of the automobile.)
CITY OF CORCORAN
UP TO CODE—”REMINDER”
Keep Our City Looking Good
Residents play an important part in maintain-
ing our city’s quality and appearance. The
City has standards describing how property
owners must maintain buildings and
grounds and relies on concerned residents to
maintain their property and notify the City if a
neighborhood property is becoming a prob-
lem.
When a nuisance is found to exist, the Code
Enforcement Officer will review the violation
and determine what steps will be taken. The
property owner shall be responsible for com-
pliance with all code violations.
Report a nuisance or ordinance violation by
calling City Hall at 763-420-2288 x 29.
On this page are some city codes regulating
your home and neighborhood.
For more information visit our City web-
site at www.ci.corcoran.mn.us.
Canada Thistle
NUISANCES
Refuse, Litter and
Weeds
Waste, debris and refuse must be kept in an enclosed building
or a closed container. This includes wood waste, tree trimmings,
shavings, furniture, appliances, machinery and abandoned vehi-
cles which may become a harborage for rats, snakes or vermin
or which may be conducive to fire, or which endangers the
health, safety or welfare of the public.
All property owners of the city are responsible for the removal,
cutting or disposal and elimination of noxious weeds and rank
vegetation or uncontrolled plant growth on their property. Resi-
dents should look for Canada Thistle and Purple Loosestrife,
both listed as prohibited noxious weeds by the MN Department
of Agriculture. They must be cut before they reach a height of
12 inches.
Canada Thistle and Purple Loosestrife can be controlled a vari-
ety of ways. Check the University of Minnesota Extension Ser-
vice web site (http://www.extension.umn.edu/) to learn more.
City Code Chapter 82 Title VIII: 82-1
In accordance with City code governing junk vehicles ,no
person shall store outside or there shall be no collection
of unused or unusable motor vehicle bodies, parts and
engines and related accessories, with the exception of
appropriately licensed pioneer, classic or collector vehi-
cles. A junk vehicle is any vehicle three (3) years old or
older that does not have valid, current registration and is
extensively damaged and apparently inoperable.
City Code Chapter 80 Title VIII:80-1
HOME OCCUPATION
Certain occupations are prohibited in residential zones, including
manufacturing, retail, where the customer comes to the home, and
repair businesses. Business that operate only by phone or mail are
generally permitted.
If you operate a business from your home, you may need a Home
Occupation License. All home occupations must register with the
City.
ABANDONED AND JUNK VEHICLES
Page 4
Purple Loosestrife
Page 5
Lead Safety Certificate Law Effective August 1
If you’re planning on remodeling a home built before 1978, your contractor will need to be certified by the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) in lead safety. On Feb 17, Minnesota adopted federal regulations requiring lead certification for anyone
doing renovation, repair, and painting in pre-1978 housing or child-occupied facilities. Starting Aug 1, all firms doing work
in such facilities must:
• Employ supervisory certified renovators who have successfully completed an EPA-accredited one-day training course
• Use only trained workers who have received specific on-the-job training
• Use specified lead-safe work practices and provide designated educational material
Renovation is broadly defined as any activity that disturbs painted surfaces and includes most repair,
remodeling, and maintenance activities, including window replacement.
The Dangers of Lead
Lead is a toxic metal used for many years in products found in and around homes. It’s easily released
into the environment if handled improperly. It can cause a range of health effects, from behavioral
problems and learning disabilities to seizures and death. The most common sources of lead poisoning include deteriorating lead-based
paint, lead-contaminated dust, and lead-contaminated residential soil. People can get lead in their bodies if they put their hands or other
objects covered with lead dust in their mouths, eat paint chips or soil that contains lead, or breathe in lead dust, especially during reno-
vations that disturb painted surfaces. Children six years old and under are most at risk for lead poisoning because their growing bodies
absorb more lead and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead. Babies and young children
often put their hands and other objects in their mouths.
Protect Yourself And Your Family
Corcoran inspection officials advise homeowners to avoid working around lead paint themselves. The Minnesota Department of
Health’s Lead Program provides information about home test kits, laboratories that test for lead in paint, dust, water and soil, and con-
sulting firms that perform lead risk assessments. Call 651-201-4620 or go to www.health.state.mn.us/lead or www.epa.gov/lead.
To be in compliance with the law a
carbon monoxide (CO) UL—listed
alarm is required within 10 feet of
each bedroom in single family homes.
Mercury can be found in various devices in residential buildings. When a mercury-containing product breaks and the mercury is spilled,
the exposed mercury can evaporate and become an invisible, odorless, toxic vapor. To prevent mercury releases, these products
should be used and stored safely and managed properly at the end of their useful lives. Mercury-Containing Thermostats
Issue: Some thermostats contain mercury switches. Mercury is contained in one or more glass bulbs inside the thermostat. There is a
risk of a mercury spill if the item is broken.
Recommended Management: Mercury-containing thermostats should be removed, with the covers replaced for safety, and properly
disposed prior to demolition. Your county or solid waste management district may already operate a thermostat recycling program.
A fact sheet specifically addresses pre-demolition removal of mercury-
containing gas pressure regulators, mercury-containing boiler heating
systems, and thermostats. For information on proper removal and
management of other mercury-containing products in homes, go to
www.epa.gov/osw/hazard/tsd/mercury/con-prod.htm.
Page 6
Out of Work
Looking for something to keep yourself busy?
CITY SEEKS VOLUNTEERS
The City’s files go back many years with delicate paper-
work and information. Earlier this spring the City pur-
chased Laser Fiche Software to transfer and store all the
City’s important documents. This software allows staff to
search for documents by just entering key words.
Since this is a big project to take on with a limited staff
and requires extra time and efforts, we are seeking vol-
unteers with previous
office experience who
would be interested in
coming in 2 or 3 days a
week to help move this
project along and help
scan these documents
into the system. If you
are interested in volun-
teering, please contact
the Office Manager, Jill
Smith-Arens, at 763-
420-2288 ext. 10.
DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS
The City’s ordinance requires that special permits be obtained from the Police Department for all persons shooting or hunting on
Goose Lake, or within 500 feet of the surface water. Guest of landowners must have written permission from the land owners for
hunting or shooting upon the land within the City, except that no permission shall be required for members of the owner’s immediate
family or guest in the company of the landowner. A person may not shoot, hunt or discharge or take a wild animal with a firearm
within 500 feet of a building occupied by humans or livestock without permission. For more information see the City’s ordinance Title
XIII:130.03 Firearms or call 763-420-8966 for questions or concerns.
As a reminder to everyone as we prepare for various celebra-
tions, explosive and aerial fireworks are illegal in Minnesota.
Every year the Police Department receives and responds to
countless fireworks complaints. Collection and enforcement is
exercised annually with illegal fireworks being destroyed. We
ask that you respect your neighbors and the laws and stay safe.
EXAMPLES OF FIREWORKS THAT CONTINUE TO BE ILLEGAL
TO SELL, POSSESS AND USE, EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER
THE MINNESOTA STATUTE 624.20
• Any fireworks that are explosive• Ladyfingers• Any fire-
works that are aerial• Firecrackers (any size)• Sky rock-
ets• Bottle rockets
• Missile type rockets• Helicopters, aerial spinners, planes,
UFOs• Roman Candles• Chasers• Parachutes• 1.3G Dis-
play (special or class B Fireworks)• Aerial shells• Theatrical
pyrotechnics (see Minn. Stat. 624.20 to 624.25)• Mines or
shells (heavy cardboard or paper tube(s) attached to a base –
upon ignition stars, balls or reports are propelled into the air).
NORTH HENNEPIN PIONEER SOCIETY
Join us on Sunday, August 14Join us on Sunday, August 14Join us on Sunday, August 14ththth, , , at the Burschville
School House, located 4½ miles west of Corcoran on County Road 10,
from noon to 4:30 p.m. The festival offers live music, entertainment,
kids’ games, pork chops, flea market and a raffle for a two-person swing. The Pioneer Society is a group that meets each month at the Corcoran
Civic Center to share and gather historical information and maintains this
116-year-old school house. The Pioneer Society is continuously seeking
historical documents and photographs of buildings, you may have. They
are also seeking voluntary help with the
grounds upkeep, building maintenance labor
and monetary expenses donations are
greatly appreciated. For more information,
raffle tickets, assistance or charitable contri-
butions, please contact Verneal Klersey at
763-498-8677.
Page 7
ROAD STABILIZATION / DUST CONTROL PROGRAM HISTORY
Wenck Engineer
The City Council conducted the annual ―Dust Control‖ Assessment Hearing on April 28, 2011. This hearing and process has become an annual
event as part of Corcoran’s road maintenance strategies. Several questions were raised during the meeting relating to the origins, history, and in-
tent of the program. The purpose of this article is to update you with regard to the history of the program and past decisions the City has made
leading to our current status.
Initial reasons for assessment program
The program was initiated in 2000 for the following reasons:
Several residents/property owners were already doing dust control applications along their property. The city facilitated this work through a
volunteer program and property owners typically received 300 L.F. of road treatment for a fixed cost.
Certain neighborhoods desired to treat their entire cul-de-sac/road although not every resident in the neighborhood agreed to participate. As a
result, a majority of neighbors would finance dust control for the entire neighborhood. This was not perceived as fair and they requested that
the entire neighborhood be assessed equally to ensure fairness. The Council agreed to this approach in neighborhoods where a significant
majority requested the treatment.
Several collector roads had gaps between areas treated via the volunteer method. Some of the gaps between areas treated by the volunteer
approach were small, which created poor driving conditions (washboard) and difficulties for road maintenance. The grader would need to be
dispatched to grade small stretches, untreated gravel would be mixed with treated areas, etc. It was therefore desirable to treat the entire col-
lector road (including the gaps) to improve conditions and make the road more manageable.
The gravel budget, although significant, was not adequate to keep the required gravel base on several roads since average gravel depth was
decreasing over time. Road stabilization treatments were considered an option to reduce gravel loss. This perception was anecdotal and ex-
pected gravel savings could not be quantified.
The City did not have sufficient capacity in the general fund to finance a dust control program. Also, many residents were already paying via
the volunteer program. An assessment program was considered a viable approach to continue payment from benefitting parties.
2001: The first assessment program
Three categories of assessments were established: Neighborhood Roads, Low Density Collector Roads, High Density Collector Roads. The basis
for these categories is explained further in the text below. The assessment roll and amounts were established with the following considerations:
The City Attorney reviewed Chapter 429 and considered a road stabilization assessment proper and defendable. The city has never had a
property owner appeal a road stabilization assessment.
Only properties with residences were assessed. The Council considered road stabilization beneficial for residents. The dust control benefit to
crops was also discussed but it was decided to not assess farmland and vacant parcels.
Neighborhood roads: Neighborhoods were assessed 100% of the costs to treat their cul-de-sac/street. This was discussed and considered fair
and equitable to the residents of the neighborhood. The cost to each property owner was less than the previous cost of the voluntary program.
Collector roads: Significant discussion occurred relating to the collector roads since collector roads are used by residents living along the road,
residents from other parts of Corcoran, and vehicles travelling through Corcoran. These patterns were acknowledged in determining that it was not
necessarily fair and equitable to have residents along the collector road pay for treatment of the entire road.
Low density: It was determined that residences on low density collector roads would not be assessed any amount higher than the cur-
rent voluntary program rate.
Residences along low density collector roads received an assessment similar to the voluntary rate in the previous year.
Because the costs to complete low density collector roads exceeded the revenues collected via assessments, the City participated by covering
the additional costs via the general budget. The City participation was on the order of $18K to $20K.
Certain neighborhoods receive their only access via a gravel collector road (e.g. Foxline/Treeline, et al.). It was determined that these
neighborhood streets/cul-de-sacs would also be treated and that the residents of these neighborhoods would be assessed as residences
along the collector road. With that assumption their assessment would not exceed an amount consistent with the voluntary program.
High density: Two sections of collector roads (Bechtold – Oakdale to CR 117 and Trail Haven – CR 30 to Oakdale) have several resi-
dences along the collector road and in neighborhoods accessing these sections of collector road. The cost per residence to treat these
neighborhood roads and portions of collector roads was less than the cost per residence via the voluntary program. It was determined that
it was fair and equitable for residences in these situations to pay 100% of the cost for their neighborhood and portion of collector road.
The City did not participate in the cost to complete these areas.
Paved neighborhood roads accessing gravel collector roads: Certain neighborhoods have paved streets but their only access is via a
gravel collector road. These situations were classified as a subset to Low Density and High Density Collector Roads. The neighborhood
properties were assessed as residences along a collector road. However, they only received a 50% assessment to account for the fact
that the neighborhood street was paved.
Assessed residents requested the City to pay the entire cost of the program out of the general fund. It was noted that the City did not assess
for seal coating and crack repair and patching of bituminous neighborhood and collector streets.
It was stated by the City that the savings in gravel expenses, if realized, could be applied to future road stabilization programs, therefore re-
ducing the amount assessed to benefitting properties.
Page 8
Page 9
Subsequent assessment programs (2002 to present)
The road stabilization program has been successful in the following:
The road surface and ride ability has improved.
Gravel loss has been reduced over the years. The gravel saved (i.e., tons/yr) has not been quantified.
Gravel road maintenance time has been reduced. The time saved has not been quantified.
Full neighborhoods and collector roads are treated and assessments throughout neighborhoods has been equitable.
Public Works and the contractor have adjusted application rates from time to time to assure proper application and limitation of
costs.
The City continues to participate in the cost to treat Low Density Collector Roads. The participation amount has remained around $20K.
Increases in program costs have resulted in increased assessment amounts.
Neighborhoods and High Density Collector Road residences have continued to pay 100% of their road treatment costs.
The Council and residents have discussed the potential impacts of chloride treatments. This was discussed in greatest depth in the early
to mid 2000s. No changes were made to the program other than continually seeking to minimize application rates. No negative environ-
mental impacts have been identified.
Certain roads have been added to the program based on requests from neighborhoods.
Certain roads have been deleted from the program as they are upgraded to bituminous pavement. No roads have been deleted only to
revert to untreated gravel.
The City has bid road stabilization services periodically. Typically the bid is for a multi-year contract. The City has received favorable bids
given the quantity/size of the project.
The City has realized savings in gravel and maintenance. These costs have not been quantified as stated previously. The gravel budget
has been generally maintained such that additional gravel can be applied. This has allowed the average gravel depth on all gravel roads
to increase since the start of the road stabilization program.
There are still some gravel roads (neighborhood and collector) which are not part of the road stabilization program.
The City has routinely conducted an assessment hearing in the spring of the year prior to the application of the treatments.
Current status
We have produced a map which graphically depicts the current program status. The map shows:
The current gravel roads in the program. The roads are categorized by: Neighborhood Roads, Low Density Collector Roads, High Den-
sity Collector Roads
All parcels that are currently assessed.
Vacant parcels along treated roads. These parcels appear that they should be assessed, but do not have a residence. Only parcels with
residences are assessed. Vacant parcels and farmland are not assessed.
Parcels that should be reviewed further for potential assessment. During this current review, these parcels along treated roads were iden-
tified as potentially benefitting and thus assessable parcels. They have not been assessed in previous years, but due to oversight or
changes (development), assessments could be considered.
Parcels that should be reviewed further for removal from the program. These parcels have been assessed and are currently assessed,
but due to road pavement the assessment may need to be eliminated or modified.
Paved roads are also shown on the map for references.
Gravel roads not included in the road stabilization program are also shown.
Recommendations
It is recommended Council review this information and create a list of further information needed. The assessment hearing initiated this spring
was continued and will be completed this fall after the work is completed and all actual expenses have been identified. Council questions and
direction will influence the hearing this fall, and residents will be mailed a letter inviting them to another public hearing.
The Council could consider several options ranging from continuing the program as currently structured to paying for all program costs from
City funds. Regardless of the fund source, the road stabilization applications are beneficial as the road condition is improved, gravel is re-
tained, and maintenance time is reduced.
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 won-
dering 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.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Corcoran Police are now on Twitter! You can follow us to check out updates on
emergency information, weekly press releases, special events and other happen-
ings around the community. Point your browser to: http://twitter.com/
As the weather warms up
speeds also increase.
Please obey the speed limits.
For more information about how speed limits
are set, go to www.dot.state.mn.us/speed
ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 81
OF THE CODE RELATING TO DOGS
Due to the increased
calls of lost and found
animals, Corcoran Police
Department encourages
you to make sure you
have identification tags
for your pet. The police
no longer have the capa-
bility to transport lost
and found animals to a
holding shelter.
81.02 DOGS.
1. Running at Large Prohibited – It shall be
unlawful for the dog to run at large. A person
who owns a dog that runs at large shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor. Dogs on a leash or
otherwise under direct control of a responsible
person shall be permitted in streets or on pub-
lic land unless the City has posted an area with
signs readings ―Dogs Prohibited.‖
2. ID Required – The owner of a dog over
the age of six months kept, harbored, or main-
tained in the City, shall provide the dog with a
collar, and shall see that the collar is constantly
worn. An identification tag shall be affixed to
the collar showing the name, address and
phone number of the dog’s owner. A rabies
vaccination tag shall be affixed to the dog’s
collar showing the date of
vaccination.
3. Vaccination – All dogs
harbored, maintained, or
transported within the City
shall be vaccinated at least
once every three years by a
licensed veterinarian for Ra-
bies and Distemper. A cer-
tificate of vaccination must
be kept which states the date
of vaccination.
SAVE MONEY ON YOUR AUTO INSURANCE
“DRIVER IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM”
Once again… The City of Corcoran has partnered with the
Minnesota Highway Safety & Research Center to make avail-
able classes that will help you save 10% on your annual auto-
mobile insurance. Classes will be at the City Hall on the fol-
lowing dates and times:
Sept 12th Tues 5:30 to 9:30 PM
4 hour refresher
Nov 2nd and 3rd Wed / Thurs 5:30 to 9:30 PM
8 hour refresher
December 1st Thurs. 5:30 to 9:30 PM
4 hour refresher
You may make reservations by calling toll-free
1-888-234-1294. Payment will be made at the class by check
or cash. Cost is $20 for 4 hour refresher and $24 for 8 hour
initial. There is a $3.00 discount if you are a member of AAA.
The Corcoran Police Department
will be offering AMBER Sticks™
free at Corcoran Country Daze. If
you already have an AMBER
Stick™, remember to bring it with
you so the Police Department can
assist you in updating your child’s
photo, weight and height while
you’re at Corcoran Country
Daze. AMBER Stick™ is an identi-
fication program that you can enter
your family’s personal information,
digital photos and more on a secure, programmed software flash drive.
The flash drive is portable so you can take it with you wherever you go.
Look for the Police Command Trailer and a representative from the
police department will assist you.
AMBER Sticks™ are available at our Police Administrative office for a
small fee. Call 763-420-8966 to set up an appointment to get your AM-
BER Stick™.
Page 10
Don’t Throw Away Your
Batteries; They’re TOXIC
In Minnesota, it’s illegal to throw certain
types of batteries in the
trash. Some contain mer-
cury, lead, and cadmium,
which are toxic to humans
and harmful to the envi-
ronment if disposed of im-
properly.
Even small batteries can pack a toxic punch.
For example, if batteries end up at an incin-
erator, they can release harmful chemicals
during combustion.
Recharge And Recycle
The first and simplest thing you can do
to keep batteries from harming the environ-
ment is to buy rechargeable batteries.
Americans purchase almost three billion dry-
cell batteries per year. That’s a lot of toxic
metal getting thrown away. Rechargeable
batteries can be recharged 500 to 1,000
times. This not only reduces waste, it saves
you money in the long run. Just be sure to
recycle the batteries when they’re done.
When rechargeable batteries, or any other
kind, lose their power, you can dispose of
them in the recycling container outside the
front doors at City Hall. Batteries are also
accepted at the Hennepin County’s collec-
tion sites at 8100 Jefferson Hwy in Brooklyn
Park.
Batteries are collected from households
only. No batteries are accepted from busi-
nesses. A depleted battery may still contain
a residual charge. Place each battery into an
individual plastic bag or place non-
conductive tape over the battery terminals to
prevent short-circuiting during storage and
transport.
Recycle Your Electronic MediaRecycle Your Electronic Media
Hennepin County now accepts electronic media at its drop-off
facilities at 8100Jefferson Hwy in Brooklyn Park and at 1400 W.
96th St in Bloomington.
Materials accepted include:
• computer disks
• DVDs, CDs, and Bluray discs
• flash drives and Secure Digital
(SD) memory cards
• game cartridges
• ink jet and laser toner cartridges
• plastic cases and jewel cases
• video and audio cassettes and
tapes
vinyl records
Before recycling media, please remove and recycle any card-
board boxes. The US Environmental Protection Agency esti-
mates that in the United States, approximately 100,000 pounds
of CDs become obsolete each month and more than 5.5 million
boxes of software are discarded each year. Hennepin County is
the first local option to accept such a wide variety of electronic
media for recycling. In the first month of the program, 700
pounds of media was collected. For more information about recy-
cling electronic media, contact Kristin Pierskalla at
kristin.pierskalla@co.hennepin.mn.us or call 612-348-4787.
Page 11
Recycling Payment is Due
All residents should have received annual recycling invoices
early April 2011. Any amount not paid by July 20, 2011, will be
considered past due and subject to a $10.00 penalty. Any
amount not paid by November 1, 2011, will be reported to
Hennepin County and assessed to property taxes due in 2012.
Please contact the City Clerk at 763-420-2288 ext. 15 with
questions.
For a missed pickup call Waste Management and speak to the
route manager at 1-320-485-4065.
DID YOU KNOW THAT RECYCLING A SINGLE ALUMINUM CAN SAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF ENERGY NEEDED TO POWER A
TV FOR FOUR HOURS?
When everyone works together, we can make the best use or our planet’s natural resources. When you recycle the products you use everyday, like
cardboard boxes, milk jugs, and aluminum soda cans, you give new life to items that used to be thrown away, saving energy and helping lower green-
house gas emissions in the process. Rinse all materials thoroughly and throw away all caps, lids, pumps, and metal handles. No need to re-
move labels. Commingle (mix together) materials in your recycling crate and place at curb on collection day.
Do’s — Corrugated cardboard (boxes), magazines, office paper, newspaper, paper-board (cereal boxes) mail, phone books, foil, empty aerosol cans,
clear glass jars (rinsed), colored bottles. How can you tell whether to put a plastic container into your recycling bin? Products labeled Code 1 and 2 are
widely accepted. Turn the product over and look for the recycling symbol, a triangle with the number from 1 to 7 inside. (http://www.thinkgreen.com/
recycle-what-detail?sec=plastics)
Don'ts — Waxed paper, food-contaminated paper (such as pizza boxes), light bulbs, mirrors or window glass, ceramics such as dishware, products
labeled with Code 3, 6 or 7, (typically includes window cleaner, dishwashing detergent, some shampoo bottles, cooking oil, squeezable bottles), bread
wrappers, frozen food bags, yogurt containers, syrup and prescription bottles, some clear food packaging, disposable coffee cups, plastic egg cartons
and aspirin bottles.
PRST STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO.
28
HAMEL, MN
City of Corcoran
8200 Co Rd 116
Corcoran, MN 55340
Maple Grove Triathlon Plans For Season Two - August 27, 2011
The award winning Maple Grove Triathlon: Dare to TRI is preparing to host 750 athletes to compete in the Sprint and
Olympic events after the successful launch last summer. The triathlon was named a top five race in the Minnesota Tri
News "2010 Tri-athlete's Choice Race of the Year," and event producers Lindsey Kurhajetz and Jeanette Neumann re-
cently announced their global partnership with Monaco based Star Production to bring a new race format to the US. The
Maple Grove Triathlon will be the first of its kind in the US and offer a third distance spanning 111km (approx. 69 miles) of
total racing.
The triathlon's bike course extends through scenic Corcoran and is supported by the Corcoran Police Department led by
Ryan Burns. Residents are encouraged to mark their calendars and prepare for cyclist traffic on the morning of Saturday,
August 27. ROAD CLOSURE County Road 30 between County Road 116 and County Road 101 in Corcoran will be
closed from approximately 07:30AM to 11:00 AM
To learn more about the event or to register, visit: www.mgTRI.com or www.tristarminnesota.com.
SWING AWAY MAIL BOX SWING AWAY MAIL BOX SWING AWAY MAIL BOX
POSTSPOSTSPOSTS
You can still buy a You can still buy a cantilevercantilever along with the along with the
sign post directly from City Hall for $65.00 sign post directly from City Hall for $65.00
or cantilever /sign post and installation for or cantilever /sign post and installation for
$150.00. These heavy steel constructed $150.00. These heavy steel constructed
and galvanized posts are designed to meet and galvanized posts are designed to meet
the MNDOT’s speci-the MNDOT’s speci-
fications for swing fications for swing
away mailbox sup-away mailbox sup-
port posts . The port posts . The
swing away design swing away design
reduces or elimi-reduces or elimi-
nates damage done nates damage done
by snowplows or by snowplows or
heavy snow buildup. heavy snow buildup.
For more informa-For more informa-
tion contact City tion contact City
Hall at 763Hall at 763--420420--2288. 2288.
If you will be replac-If you will be replac-
ing your current ing your current
mail box with any mail box with any
other structures please follow the required other structures please follow the required
height regulations by the Postmaster as height regulations by the Postmaster as
shown. shown.
POSTAL REQUIREMENTS FOR