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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-0304 March-April23Volume 26, Issue 2 March/April 2023 ANDOVER PARKS SURVEY We would like to hear from you! Each year the Andover Parks & Recreation Commission makes recommendations on how to improve Andover’s parks. Please use the QR Code below to complete a short survey and give feedback on your favorite park. ANDOVER TODAY NEWSLETTER SNOWPLOWING Generally snowplowing operations will start as close to the end of the snow event as possible. Most plowing operations start between midnight and 4:00 a.m. due to reduced traffic on the roadways. This makes operations much safer and allows crews to clear the streets as effectively and quickly as possible. During periods of heavy snow during the day, attempts are made to plow main routes to keep them open, then come back in overnight to do a full plow. Below are some frequently asked questions we receive about snowplow operations. How many miles of streets and how many cul de sacs do you plow? Andover has roughly 206 miles of streets to plow and 364 cul de sacs. How many snowplows and plow routes are there to maintain all the streets and cul de sacs? Currently Andover has 11 plow routes that are completed with single or tandem axle dump trucks for the streets and 9 cul de sac routes that are completed with a fleet of pickup trucks equipped with a front plow. How long does it take to plow all the City streets and cul de sacs? For a 3-4” snow fall, it typically takes 6-8 hours to plow everything under normal circumstances. This can get delayed based on breakdowns, extreme weather conditions or staffing availability. Why do they plow snow into my driveway? Snowplow operators plow snow off roadways in smooth, continuous pass, plowing snow from the center of the road to the right. The snow ends up on the boulevard, in gutters, and sometimes blocking driveways and sidewalks. Unfortunately, there is no way to avoid this inconvenience. As the snowbanks get higher, the snow has nowhere to go and gets carried down the street by the plows resulting in more snow in the driveways. This is why we occasionally wing or push the snowbanks back further into the right-of-way, creating more snow storage along the streets and reducing the amount left in the driveways. Why do I get more snow in my driveway compared to my neighbor? Although plow operators plow the same on every street, certain circumstances result in some driveways getting more snow. Most occasions it is the first driveway on the right in a cul de sac or after a corner that receives the most snow. As the plow turns to the right, the plow picks up a wider section of snow due to the geometry of the plow angles, resulting in more snow in the first few driveways. As the plow then turns back to the left as it rounds the cul de sac, the plowed section becomes much narrower resulting in much less snow getting picked up by the plow and less snow deposited in the last few driveways in the cul de sac. What do I do if my mailbox got hit by the plow? Care is taken not to damage mailboxes while plowing, but it does happen occasionally. If your mailbox is hit by the plow, please contact Public Works Street Department at (763) 755-5100 and someone will follow up with your situation. PARKING ON STREETS Ordinance No. 218 – It shall be unlawful for any person to park on any City street or right-of-way or on the traveled portion of the road or to obstruct the flow of traffic, unless for an emergency between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., November 1st to April 15th, except as provided by this ordinance. It is also unlawful to park on any City street after a 2 inch or more snowfall until such time the snow has been plowed from said street. WINTER POTHOLE PATCHING Crews do repair the larger potholes with a cold mix asphalt in the winter. The cold mix asphalt works good in the deeper damage causing potholes but not the shallower nuisance type potholes. To report a pothole please use the Submit a Request tab from the City of Andover’s Website www.andovermn.gov, or call Public Works at (763) 755-5100. STREET SWEEPING Spring street sweeping will start as soon as weather and temperatures allow. Temperatures need to be consistently above freezing, and curb-lines thawed out before we start sweeping for the year. REMINDERS FROM PUBLIC WORKS Page 2 AndoverToday The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) was conducting routine water sampling near the Andover Waste Disposal Engineering (WDE) Superfund site in the Summer of 2021 when the harmful chemical 1, 4-dioxane was discovered in the Andover Red Oaks neighborhood private well water. The study originally found that 40 homes with private wells had levels of dioxane higher than the health risk limit. The MPCA re-sampled the residential wells in 2022 and the number of wells at the health risk level increased to 53 homes. The city’s municipal water supply has been tested and is safe to drink. The MPCA has created a Mitigation and Monitoring plan for the Red Oaks neighborhood. The Mitigation area is the East side of the Red Oaks neighborhood and is recommended to have municipal water when funding is available. Properties with tests that exceed health risk levels in the Mitigation area are receiving bottled drinking water at no cost to the resident. The Monitoring area is the West side of the Red Oaks neighborhood and is receiving ongoing well sampling at no cost to the resident. The MPCA is conducting an ongoing investigation to determine the source of contamination by installing temporary and permanent monitoring wells, the source of the contamination has yet to be identified. State Legislators to date have failed to approve a bonding bill, which would fund the installation of city water into the neighborhood allowing the mitigation area to connect to city water and have their current well capped at no cost to the residents. Unfortunately, Red Oaks residents watched as the State Legislators could not come to an agreement during the final session of 2022. Fortunately, there is optimism among the affected residents for 2023! State Rep. Harry Niska introduced a bill (H.F. 363) in the House and State Sen. Cal Bahr in the Senate (S.F. 312) that would provide capital investment funds to construct the much-needed municipal water lines to the affected homes. I’m excited by the introduction of these two bills! Also, Governor Walz has proposed funding as well, please review the submitted article from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency in this newsletter. Our Red Oaks neighbors have waited way to long and the funding can’t come soon enough! The City Council and Staff have worked hard to expedite the process by getting a feasibility report and surveying done, so that when the funding becomes available, this issue can be resolved. For more information and updates, including an updated project map, contact MPCA project manager John Hunter at 651-757-2456 or visit www.pca.state.mn/waste/ protecting-andover-residents-contaminated-drinking-water. Andover Superfund Sites: Waste Disposal Engineering (WDE) Superfund Site The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in the process of conducting a five-year review of the Andover Waste Disposal Engineering (WDE) Superfund site. To ensure that the site continues to protect the people and environment the law requires five-year reviews of this site. The EPA’s cleanup of the site was quite extensive and consisted of capping the former landfill, installing a clay barrier around the hazardous waste, installing groundwater extraction & treatment, filling the wetland & creating alternate wetlands, and implementing land & groundwater restrictions. The MPCA conducts ongoing operations and maintenance of the site. This is an opportunity for Andover residents to contact the EPA by the end of April with questions or concerns about the WDE Superfund site. For more information please visit: www.epa.gov/ superfund/waste-disposal-engineering. South Andover Superfund Site The South Andover Superfund site is currently on both the National Priority List (NPL) and Federal Superfund List. The NPL is the priority list of hazardous waste sites in the United States eligible for long-term remedial investigation and remedial action (cleanup) financed under the Federal Superfund program. EPA regulations outline a formal process for assessing hazardous waste sites placing them on the NPL. The NPL is intended primarily to guide EPA in determining which sites are so contaminated as to warrant further investigation and significant cleanup. The EPA is conducting the fifth five-year review of the South Andover site. The Superfund law requires regular checkups of sites that have been cleaned up – with waste managed on-site – to make sure the cleanup continues to protect people and the environment. For more information please visit: www.epa.gov/ superfund/south-andover. COUNCIL MEMBERS REPORT RANDY NELSON IS RELIEF FINALLY ON THE WAY FOR RED OAKS NEIGHBORHOOD? ANDOVER CITY OFFICIALS MAYOR Sheri Bukkila . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(763) 757-4808 cm .bukkila@andovermn .gov POLICE & FIRE All Emergencies . . . .911 Police . . . .(763) 427-1212 Fire . . . .(763) 755-9825 COUNCIL MEMBERS Jamie Barthel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(612) 669-7512 cm .barthel@andovermn .gov Ted Butler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(763) 712-0277 cm .butler@andovermn .gov Rick Engelhardt . . . . . . . . . . . . (612) 889-8097 cm .engelhardt@andovermn .gov Randy Nelson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(763) 862-8878 cm .nelson@andovermn .gov CITY HALL 1685 Crosstown Boulevard NW Phone: (763) 755-5100 Fax: (763) 755-8923 COMMUNITY CENTER Main Phone: (763) 755-3238 Email: accinfo@andovermn .gov AndoverToday Page 3 Page 4 AndoverToday SHERIFF’S REPORT Anoka County Sheriff’s Office • 13301 Hanson Blvd. NW • Andover, MN 55304 • (763) 324-5179 As temperatures start to rise and ice begins to melt, it’s important to keep in mind that the hazards of the winter aren’t gone – in fact, new ones just take their place. Anoka County residents are encouraged to remember some spring safety tips that will allow you and your family the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful weather ahead! SPRING RAINS While some would rather have rain instead of snow, rain still presents issues of visibility for drivers on the road. Rainy and foggy days restrict your vision behind the wheel and make it easier for you to be involved in a crash. Always have working windshield wipers and headlights so you will be easily visible to other drivers. Additionally with the melting snow and spring rains, some roads do not drain as well as others. This can leave large puddles in the road causing vehicles to potentially hydroplane and make it hard to brake. As you drive on wet roads, be patient, maintain a safe speed and brake gradually. EXPECT TEMPERATURE DROPS Even though the ice and snow are melting, unexpected freezing can occur during the spring season as well. Remember, just because it’s warm during the day doesn’t mean black ice can’t form at night when temperatures fall. WATCH FOR PEDESTRIANS AND ANIMALS As the temperatures rise, so do the number of pedestrians on the roads. While driving through residential areas make sure to be mindful of walkers, bikers and children playing outside. Drive slowly and give space to prevent any crashes. Wild animals also enjoy getting out and are out feeding on the increased abundance of vegetation. One of the most frequent animals hit by motor vehicles on our roads, deer, are pack animals, and rarely travel alone. If a deer crosses in front of you, chances are there are more nearby. Slow down and keep an eye out for more deer darting across the road. They are most active at dusk and dawn so always having your headlights on is essential. Slow down and stay alert, especially after dark. Enjoy a safe, spring season! Now is the time to mark your calendars to celebrate our great community at our 27th Annual Andover Family Fun Fest (AFFF)! Our committee is already working on another weekend full of the great food, music and activities for the whole family to enjoy. As a committee of all volunteers, we are in need of 5-10 more volunteers to help to ensure we are able to include all events in this year’s AFFF. We’re dedicated to providing the community with a great weekend, but we need your help! If interested, please message us on our Facebook page or email us at: AFFFcoordinator@outlook.com SAVE THE DATE: July 7th & 8th Andover Family Fun Fest Lauren Bertilson, AFFF Committee Member COMMUNITY GARDEN UPDATE By the time you receive this newsletter, more than half of the plots will most likely have been sold for the upcoming season. On April 10th, we will be offering to our current Andover residents that have a garden plot this year a chance to purchase 1 or 2 additional plots (no more than 2) The fee for each plot is $40. Plots will be ready for planting May 1st. Weather permitting. If you have questions about the Community Garden Plot, feel free to stop by City Hall or contact us at (763) 767-5103. The City of Andover and the YMCA collaborated in 2005 to provide the community the Andover YMCA Community Center. The City of Andover operates the indoor ice arena, sports complex and the fieldhouse, which requires no membership. The YMCA leases a portion of the building providing members use of the aquatics and fitness center. Listed below are Andover Community Center activities and programs. Visit www.AndoverMN.Gov/ACC for more information. ADULT HOCKEY Weekday Adult Open Hockey 18+. Gloves and helmets are required. Goalies skate FREE. BASKETBALL All ages shoot hoops. No full court games, team practices or training equipment allowed. ½ court games allowed if space allows. OPEN SKATE All ages welcome. Skate rental available for $3 per pair, sizes available youth 8 – adult 13. Skate sharpening available $5 per pair. PICKLEBALL Drop-in open pickleball times include weekday, evening and weekend hours. Instructional and Skills & Drills sessions are also available. Check website for details. TOT TIME OPEN GYM A non-structured indoor playtime for youth ages 6 & under. No need to pre-register, attend when it works for you! Meet new friends, socialize, and let the kids play with age appropriate toys and sports equipment. Tot Time is held most Mondays and Thursdays from 9:30 am - 11:30 am in the Andover Community Center Field House, Court #4. The cost is $5 per child. Save money by purchasing a punch card. Tot Time does not meet when District #11 is not in session. VOLLEYBALL Volleyball is for participants who are 14 years of age or older. WALKING TRACK The indoor walking/jogging track is open daily from 6:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. Admission is free for Andover residents, however, those utilizing the track between the hours of 6:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday must check in at the information desk to show proof of residency. Create your household account at www.AndoverMN.Gov/ACC for easy check-in. Individuals using the track evenings and weekends are not required to check-in. Non-resident admission fees are $2 per person, Monday – Friday, 6:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ACTIVE OLDER ADULTS - FOREVERWELL A number of activities are available for active older adults to participate in while at the Andover YMCA Community Center. The Foreverwell Newsletter link can be found on the Community Center’s website under Older Adult Activities or contact Rochelle at the Andover YMCA (763) 317-9044. You do not need to be a member of the YMCA to participate in many of these activities. GROUP EVENTS, PARTY PACKAGES & FIELD TRIPS The Andover Community Center is a great place to host your next group event, field trip, birthday party or bridal/baby showers. ACTIVITIES Monthly activity calendars provide specific dates and times of ACC activities listed below. These activities are open to the public, no pre-registration required. Admission is $5 per person. Calendars available on the website. Cash, credit, ACC Punch Cards and Free Andover Resident Passes accepted for activity admission fees. 15200 Hanson Blvd. NW, Andover, MN 55304 www.AndoverMN.Gov/ACC eMAIL: ACCINFO@ANDOVERMN.GOV 763-755-3238 AndoverToday Page 5 Page 6 AndoverToday The City of Andover has an Adopt-A-City Street Program which allows residents/ groups to adopt and clean up a two-mile stretch of road on one of our City Streets. Cleanup involves a two-year commitment, and cleanup is done twice a year, spring and fall. A sign will be placed on the street with your name or group name of who is responsible for cleaning that street. If you are interested in adopting one of the available streets, please contact Danielle Lenzmeier, Public Works Administrative Assistant at (763) 767- 5175 or d.lenzmeier@andovermn.gov. Thank you for helping us keep the City of Andover looking great. ADOPT-A-STREET PROGRAM The Utilities Department will be flushing water mains for approximately a 2-week period beginning April 17th and running through April 28th. Weather conditions may alter the time frame somewhat, but staff will do its best to complete during this time. The flushing will take place Monday through Friday during regular business hours of 6:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The water may be slightly colored as the process is taking place. It would be wise to check your water prior to doing any laundry as the colored water may cause some staining. The water is safe to use but you may want to store some water for cooking and drinking as it will have a different taste than what you are use to. Please call the Public Utilities Manager at (763) 767-5180. with any questions or concerns. Our early, local spring flooding forecast shows little chance for flooding because the soil, ponds, creeks and wetlands have good capacity for holding or soaking in the snowmelt. This is because we are still in drought! All this snow hasn’t had much water in it. With a month of winter weather yet, capacity for holding floodwaters can change quickly. Watch for several night temperatures above freezing, indicating a fast thaw and potentially large amount of runoff. ADOPT-A-PARK PROGRAM 2023 SPRING FLOODING OUTLOOK SPRING WATER MAIN FLUSHING ADOPTING A DRAIN: FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! Tiffany Esau-McCracken’s family gets involved in cleaning their three adopted drains! Her daughters bring out their garden gloves and mini snow shovels to remove debris from the drains. Removing debris from drains keeps it out of our local waterbodies, preventing pollution. Even debris that seems natural, like sticks and leaves, can be polluting as they are full of nutrients that feed algae and lead to algal blooms. Cleaning drains also helps prevent local street flooding. If your family wants to get involved in the Adopt-a-Drain program, go to mn.adopt-a-drain.org to get started. All adoptions and cleaning reports from March to October of this year will also improve Andover’s standing in the 2023 Anoka County Community Adopt-a-Drain Challenge. Adopting a drain now is a win for your environment and your city! For more information, contact Abby Shea at ashea@cooncreekwd.org or (763) 258-7305. Follow your local watershed and the City of Andover on social media for Adopt-a-Drain updates! The City of Andover has an Adopt-A-Park Program which allows individuals or community groups to adopt a park and keep it litter free for a two or four-year commitment. A sign will be placed in the park recognizing your contribution to the park system. If you are interested in adopting one of the available parks, please contact Danielle Lenzmeier, Public Works Administrative Assistant at (763) 767-5175 or d.lenzmeier@ andovermn.gov. ANDOVER SPRING RECYCLING DAY SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2023 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Andover Public Works 1785 Crosstown Blvd. NW AndoverToday Page 7 HAS YOUR SEPTIC TANK BEEN PUMPED IN THE LAST THREE YEARS? Septic system maintenance will help increase your septic systems life and reduce the chance of a costly repair. The MPCA and City Code requires that the septic tanks are pumped at a maximum of every three years or more frequently if required by your management plan. For some homes, the accumulation of material can take many years; in other homes this process may take less than a year. The accumulation depends entirely on how the system is used. For example, routine garbage disposal use will increase accumulation of material in the tank. The tanks should be pumped through the maintenance holes and not the inspection pipes. Septic tank additives are not an alternative to pumping the accumulated solids from the tank. Licensed Septic Pumpers can be found on the MPCA or City website. Please contact the Building Department at (763) 755-8700 with questions. ACCESS BARRIER REQUIREMENTS FOR SWIMMING POOLS When you are opening your pool for the summer, it is a great time to verify that your access barrier is installed and working properly to ensure the safety of your neighborhood and community. Per Andover’s City Code, all outdoor swimming pools shall be completely enclosed by a non-climbable fence, wall, or equal barrier. The fence shall have no external handholds or footholds and shall be a minimum of four feet (4’) in height. An exception is made for aboveground pools with a side wall height of at least four feet (4’) need not be fenced but shall have removable steps or ladder. The removable steps or ladder need to be removed any time the pool is not in use. Before installation, a building permit is required for above ground swimming pools or spas which exceed both 5,000 gallons in capacity and 24 inches in depth. When a building permit is issued for a pool, the permit includes the required fence or access barrier permit. For more details on Swimming Pools and the required access barriers, please see the Swimming Pool Handout under the Building Department’s Construction Guides & Helpful Information page of the City’s website or call the Building Department at (763) 755-8700. TREE GIVEAWAY The City will be having some larger, bare root saplings available this spring. There are limited quantities available and an order form and all the details are on the the website under the link: TREE GIVEAWAY. Please note this is separate from the seedling giveaway at the Arbor Day Event, which is combined with the Spring Recycling Day, on May 13, 2023. Questions, contact Kameron, Natural Resources Technician at (763) 767-5137. VACANCY FOR COON CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT Persons residing within the watershed district boundaries interested in being appointed to serve on the Coon Creek Watershed District Board of Managers and seeking recommendation from the Andover City Council to the Anoka County Board of Commissioners for appointment may submit their name (via a letter of interest and a resume) to the City of Andover by 4:30 p.m., Friday, March 10th. In addition, you will need to complete an application at www.anokacounty.us/ Advisory-Boards-and-Commissons. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Dave Berkowitz at (763) 767-5133. Term of appointment is for three years. If you have any questions about the role of Manager, feel free to contact Tim Kelly, Coon Creek Watershed District Administrator at (763) 755-0975. 2023 SEASONAL ROAD RESTRICTIONS Each spring Andover places road restrictions (weight limits) on City streets. Limiting vehicle weight minimizes damage to the streets when the frost comes out of the ground. This will extend the life of the street and reduce the need for early (and costly) reconstruction. Road restrictions are typically put into effect in early March (depending on the weather) and kept in place through the end of April. Residential streets are restricted to 5-ton per axle weight limit with some residential streets restricted to 4-ton per axle limit. Road restrictions may prevent you from receiving or scheduling a large, heavy delivery to your home in March & April. To determine if road restrictions/load limits are currently in effect and/or what road restrictions are for your street, please visit the City’s website at www.andovermn. gov and view the Seasonal Road Restrictions Map. The link to the map is located on the lower left side of the home page. ECRWSS RESIDENT Andover, MN 55304 POSTMASTER: TIME SENSITIVE MAIL 1685 Crosstown Blvd . N .W . Andover, MN 55304 DATED MATERIAL PRSRT STD U .S . PostagePAID Permit No . 26 Anoka, MN Andover TodAyAndover TodAy ANDOVER’S ANNUAL CITY WIDE GARAGE SALE May 11th - 13th (Thursday – Saturday) Sale hours: 9:00 a .m . – 5:00 p .m . Registration deadline is May 5th. Maps will be available on the City’s website and at City Hall by May 10th . There is no cost to participate . Advertising will be on the City’s Website, Craigslist and other free sites . 2023 CITY WIDE GARAGE SALE REGISTRATION FORM Name: Address: Phone Email address: Items for sale (list up to 5 items): Days of Sale: (Please circle all that apply) Thursday Friday Saturday Please return completed form to: City Hall, 1685 Crosstown Blvd, NW, Andover, MN 55304