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BACK to News Sunfish Lake Quarterly Spring 2005 Vol. 3, Issue 2 Dear Friends & Neighbors Did you know? As distinguished from a town, a village comes into being at the initiative of its inhabitants. Sunfish Lake came into being through a hotly contested election on June 10, 1958. The final vote was 58 to 48. Several of the large landowners were very opposed to becoming a village, because they wanted to divide their property into small lots. City Council Molly Park, Mayor Joel Bennett Cathy DeCourcy Judy Macmanus Richard Williams Planning Commission Tom Votel, Chair Eberhard Bulach Andrea McCue Arnulf Svendsen JoAnne Walstrom The miracle we call SPRING is finally here and we can at last enjoy the glorious sights and scents that surround us in our lovely community. I hope that you've been well. As spring progresses, it's good to see so many yard and home improvement projects in the works. Please remember to check with Building Official Russ Wahl to follow proper procedure for your renovations. Dakota County has lifted the burning ban and now that Forester Mark Johnson is back in town, please call him to secure proper burning permits. Another reminder: please remove any party streamers or balloon strings from street signs when your event is over. We all will benefit when "good housekeeping" rules are applied. In March, WSB, our engineering consultants, presented the Storm Water Management Plan prior to the city council meeting. With our three lakes (Horseshoe, Hornbeam and Sunfish), protection and promotion of healthy water bodies is essential. WSB will test the lakes in the spring and the fall and construction projects will continue to require stringent water run off management. For those of you who lie in the Shoreland Overlay District, you can appreciate why some of our ordinances are strict: we must maintain our precious natural resources and long range planning continues to be necessary. I recently spoke with West St. Paul Mayor John Zanmiller about all of the new development on Robert St.: larger, new Menards and Target stores, new Wal-Mart, Applebee's and Starbucks stores and the addition of a Lowe's Home Improvement store. Mayor Zanmiller told me that when developers initially looked at this area, they were impressed by the surrounding communities that could provide a solid base of clientele for the new stores. I assured Mayor Zanmiller that the renaissance of Robert St. can only be beneficial to SFL and our citizens would be encouraged tc patronize the new and improved stores. Your City Council continues to monitor the proposed work on the Delaware/Hwy. 110 interchange which Engineer Sterna promises should begin this summer. I also plan to visit with Inver Grove Heights Mayo George Tourville about any development along Interstate 494 and south Delaware and will report back to you as soon as possible. That's it for now. Stay well and enjoy the weather. Warmly, Mayor Molly Park On Arbor Day, SFL residents picked up 550 conifers and deciduous seedlings for planting on their property. Forester Mark Johnson made the day even more special with bottled water and doughnuts for all. Over the last 15 years, we have planted and grown more than 7000 seedlings, Mark reported. SFL Land Costs Studied Richard Braun. realtor, Coldwell Banker's Robert St. office, and SFL resident, recently did a retrospective study of the cost of lots sold in the past two years in Mendota Heights, North Oaks and Sunfish Lake. Dick found that the average cost per acre of land sold in Mendota Heights in the past two years was $234,974. In North Oaks, lot cost per acre averaged $270.085 and in SFL, during the same period, property sold on an average for $!57,091 per acre. Dick believes SFL property is really more valuable than land in the other two communities. He said our city offers a unique rural ambience while being more conveniently located to both downtowns and the airport. Possible Meth Waste Dumping Alert Acting West St Paul Police Chief. Bud Shaver, reported to the City Council recently that SFL residents should be watchful of toxic methamphctamine waste possibly being dumped in the city. Shaver said there is a growing "meth" problem in Dakota County and that since SFL is fairly secluded, waste from illegal "meth" labs might be easier to dispose of in our community. Shaver cautioned area residents about touching or moving suspicious powders or liquids dumped in isolated areas of our city. Residents should report suspicious findings to the police for proper and safe disposition. News Briefs... News Briefs... News Briefs... News Briefs... • SFL recently was named a "Tree Citv t'SA" for the seventeenth year by the National Arbor Day Foundation. "1 am gratified that our community forestry effort is nationally recognized," said Mayor Molly Park. "Many of our citizens work hard to plant, prune, groom and nurture these natural resources and their results continue to attract national recognition". • Alarm calls in the Citv of SFL dropped_42_percenl from 26 during the same quarter last year to 15 this past quarter. Other calls to the West St. Paul Police Department during the past three months included: five suspicious incidents and vehicles, two each of found property, illegal dumping, fires and motor vehicle accidents. There was one call each for medical, domestic, dog complaint, parking and burglary. • Who needs a building permit? According to Russ Wahl, SFL Building Official, you need a building permit from the city if you are constructing anything that costs over $1000. Be on the safe side and call Russ at 651-454-4035 before you begin a project. • Burning permits are required in SFL. According to Mark Johnson, SFL City Forester, the DNR has lifted its traditional spring statewide burning ban. Mark said the permits cost $30.00 and recipients must first alert the Mendota Heights Fire Department before they begin to bum brush. Residents also must have a water hose next to the fire to extinguish sparks. Forester Johnson's phone number is 651-221-1085. Call before you burn. Coyotes Caution Urged Coyotes have been sighted in the SFL area. And while they can be pesky to suburban homeowners, wildlife expert Pete Cleary from the Dodge Nature Center says they are not as scary as some might think. He suggests that if we follow several simple rules of prevention, potential coyote problems in SFL can be reduced. "Keep garbage lids tightly closed and bird feeders tidy. Coyotes, like raccoons, love to rustle around in the trash." He also recommends eliminating rabbits from your property through the destruction of rabbit habitat, such as brushy areas in your yard. No rabbits - no coyotes. Mr. Cleary also recommends monitoring your pets when they are outside. Coyotes have been known to attack cats and small dogs. He believes the coyote population is not growing in Dakota County. What is happening is that as we develop more land, we see more coyotes. If you have other questions on this topic, call Pete Cleary at the Dodge Nature Center. 651-789-5205. DATES TO REMEMBER June 7 City Council June 15 Planning Commission —•' July 4 Annual 4"' of July Parade July 6 City Council July 20 Planning Commission August 2 City Council Recycling Tip Some states are installing recycling bins at rest stops and travelers like the idea. People are glad to clean out all the recyclables in their car when they have a chance and it makes the state look good. When you are traveling in Minnesota, keep our state clean.
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