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Park Perspective July 2020

www.stlouispark.org

Follow the city’s strategic priorities In 2018, the St. Louis Park City Council adopted the following five strategic priorities. Look for the icons throughout this and future editions of the Park Perspective to read stories about how the city is working to meet these priorities. St. Louis Park is committed to:

State primary election is Aug. 11, 2020 The state primary election is Tuesday, Aug. 11, with polls open from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. Early (absentee) voting started June 26 and continues through Aug. 10.

Being a leader in racial equity and inclusion in order to create a more just and inclusive community for all. Continuing to lead in environmental stewardship. Providing a broad range of housing and neighborhood-oriented development. Providing a variety of options for people to make their way around the city comfortably, safely and reliably. reating opportunities to build social capital C through community engagement.

For city events, activities and news, visit www.stlouispark.org.

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Sign up for email and text notifications: www.stlouispark.org/sign-up Make service requests or receive city information via the app or visit www.mystlouispark.org.

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The Park Perspective is printed on 30 percent post-consumer recycled paper in an effort to meet the city’s environmentally preferable purchasing policy.

Voting rule changes

Voting by mail: why are there so many envelopes?

Rules for voting may change before you vote. To get the most up-to-date information on requirements for voting, visit www.stlouispark.org/vote and sign up to receive GovDelivery elections updates. We will communicate any changes as soon as we know how they will affect you.

Each envelope serves a purpose to secure your ballot. When your ballot comes in the mail you will receive a brown secrecy envelope, a white signature envelope and a white return envelope. Each is designed to help keep your vote private and secure. Here is how they work together step by step to keep your vote secure:

Your vote plan

First, seal your completed ballot in the secrecy envelope. This is like a ballot box. Election officials do not open the secrecy envelopes until it is time to put the ballots through a machine to count them. The secrecy envelope ensures your ballot remains anonymous.

As Election Day approaches, your options for participating are more limited. This year you may encounter additional logistical challenges to cast a ballot, so developing a vote plan may help. A vote plan is simply how, when and where you will vote, so it could be, “by mail, two weeks early, at home” or “in person, on Election Day, at my polling place.” The St. Louis Park elections team is here to support your vote plan. Check out our online voting plan tool at www.stlouispark.org/vote or write down your plan now. We strongly encourage you to plan ahead. Need help with your plan? Here's a helpful guide.

Option A: Vote by mail • A pply for a ballot online or on paper. You can apply for both elections (state primary and general election) at the same time. • A pply early! Additional delays may occur due to a high volume of requests. • V ote! It is best to vote and mail your ballot so it arrives by Election Day. This is the best way to ensure your ballot will be counted, regardless of any law changes that may occur.

Option B: In person at city hall • I n person voting is available 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday, June 26 – Aug. 10 at city hall. • B e prepared to wait. Additional measures to protect elections staff and voters will be in place, including physical distancing, protective barriers and increased cleaning protocols. • H elp us protect each other and consider wearing a face mask when you visit city hall. • C ity hall will be open extended hours for in person voting on Saturday, Aug. 8 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. and Monday, Aug. 10 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Option C: In person on Election Day • Check your polling location before you go to vote as it may have changed. Any service disruptions that force us to move a polling location on short notice will be published on the city website. • Be prepared to wait and dress appropriately. Additional measures to protect poll workers and voters will be in place, including physical distancing, reduced number of individuals allowed in the room used for voting, protective barriers and increased cleaning protocols. This could mean each voter will take longer to process and may have to wait outdoors. • Help us protect each other and consider wearing a face mask when you visit your polling place. • Register to vote online at mnvotes.org. A registered voter takes less time to process.

Next, seal your secrecy envelope in the signature envelope and sign it. A witness may also sign the signature envelope. Requirements on this process may have changed by the time you read this. Visit www.stlouispark.org/vote for the most current information on the use of a witness. This is like a poll worker issuing you a blank ballot at a polling place after you check in and verify your eligibility to vote.

Finally, seal your signature envelope in the return envelope to mail it back. Return postage will be pre-printed on the return envelope. Your right to vote is protected, including when you vote by mail. Tampering with or disrupting U.S. mail is a felony.

Visit mnvotes.org to track when your ballot is sent, received and accepted. When your ballot shows "accepted" status it will be counted. This is like putting your ballot into a machine at a polling place. You can also call the elections office to check on the status of your own ballot. Voting in a partisan primary election Your next election is the state primary on Aug. 11. It is an open primary so you will not need to declare which political party's ballot you would like to vote. Each party's contest will be in one column; vote in only one column.

Vote in only one column Party A

Party B

Party C

Party D

Tip: Do not vote in more than one party's contests; this is called cross party voting and will spoil your ballot. Tip: Remember, not all contests required a primary election. If a particular office does not appear in a column it is because there were not enough candidates to require a primary. The candidate(s) who filed from that party will appear on your ballot in November.

Stay up to date on any Election Day changes through the city’s social media: Facebook, Instagram and Instagram (@stlouispark), or by signing up to receive text or email notifications at www.stlouispark.org/sign-up. Email elections@stlouispark.org or call 952.924.2503 for more information.

Introducing Conservation in the Park Spending more time at home this summer and fall doesn’t have to mean higher utility bills. The city wants to help you save money while keeping your home cool and comfortable. Over the next few months we will share tips, resources and activities that can help you and your family conserve energy, water and gas. You’ll have opportunities to learn about what goes into your utility bills and how you might be able to save money, whether you rent or own. Plus, we’ll share information about rebates and free energy-saving products from CenterPoint Energy and Xcel Energy. Sign up for the city’s Climate Action Plan electronic newsletter at www.stlouispark.org/sign-up to get updates directly to your inbox and follow the city on social media (@stlouispark). What Savvy Energy Consumers Should Know: Webinar Series Join the city’s sustainability division and the Citizens Utility Board of Minnesota for a free webinar about how to be a savvy energy consumer — whether you rent or own! You’ll learn how to read your energy bill, easy ways to save energy and about local programs that can help you save energy and money while making you more comfortable at home. Two webinars will be available with plenty of time for individual questions and answers: • Multifamily building residents webinar: July 8, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Register at bit.ly/multifamily-webinar • Single-family home residents webinar: July 15, noon – 1 p.m. Register at bit.ly/single-family-webinar

Save on solar by pooling your buying power If you’ve been thinking about installing solar power on your home or business, now’s the perfect time! Take advantage of low solar pricing this summer through the limited-time Solar Twin Cities 3.0 group buy program. The program provides group purchasing options for solar that can significantly reduce the up-front costs of installation. To learn more, visit www.stlouispark.org/solar for information about the next scheduled Solar Power Hour event hosted by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association. If you’re unsure whether solar could work on your home or business, visit www.stlouispark.org/solar to view a solar suitability map that displays the solar potential of every property in St. Louis Park.

Complete the 2020 Census! Respond now to the 2020 Census at 2020census.gov or call toll-free, 1.844.330.2020. It’s easy, safe and important! The census affects representation, funding and decisions that have lasting impacts on schools, housing and emergency services. The census form is available in English and Spanish, and language guides are available for Somali, Russian, Hmong and 54 other languages.

Purchase flood insurance for your property Flooding is not covered by a standard homeowner’s insurance policy. A separate flood insurance policy is required to cover damages caused by flooding. Coverage is available for the building itself, as well as for the contents of the building. The city participates in the National Flood Insurance Program that makes federally backed flood insurance available for all structures, whether or not they are located within the floodplain. Note that there is a 30-day waiting period before coverage goes into effect. Contact your insurance agency for more information. Visit www.stlouispark.org/floodplain for more information on flood hazards, risks and building responsibly.

Section 8 and public housing waiting lists opening soon The St. Louis Park Housing Authority will accept online waiting list applications for the following: • Housing choice voucher/Section 8: Aug. 11 at 8 a.m. through Aug. 13 at 4 p.m. • Public housing (five-bedroom): Sept. 15 at 8 a.m. through Sept. 17 at 4 p.m. Applicants must meet income and other eligibility requirements. Visit www.stlouispark.org/rental-assistance to learn more.

Protect your dog and others

Schedule a free virtual home energy visit Have you noticed your energy bills seem higher? Are some rooms warmer than others? Increase efficiency and comfort with a virtual home energy visit!

Many people are out using trails and parks, along with their dogs. Remember that city ordinance requires owners to leash dogs whenever they are off their home property, unless they are in a designated off-leash dog area. Off-leash dog areas in St. Louis Park require a license to use.

When you sign up for a free virtual Home Energy Squad® visit, you’re also supporting the city’s goal to increase energy efficiency in St. Louis Park. The city is participating in the Intercity Home Energy Squad Challenge to encourage residents to sign up for a Home Energy Squad visit.

Visit www.stlouispark.org/our-city/resident-resources/pet-owners for more information about leash laws, dog licenses and off-leash dog areas in St. Louis Park. Parks and trails users who wish to report unleashed dogs can call the St. Louis Park Police Department non-emergency number at 952.924.2618.

Visit www.stlouispark.org/home-remodeling to learn more about the challenge. Sign up for a virtual visit by visiting www.mncee.org or calling 651.328.6220. Home Energy Squad® is provided by Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy, delivered by the Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) and supported by the City of St. Louis Park.

July 2020

Food waste prevention While composting is an important way to deal with food scraps, preventing food waste is the best option to minimize negative environmental impacts and save you money. The average U.S. household throws away approximately $1,500 worth of food every year! Here are a few things you can do to reduce your food waste:

Small business liaison assistance The city’s small businesses liaison is available to assist business owners and managers and be a resource to anyone thinking about starting, expanding or relocating a business in St. Louis Park. For information, contact Julie Grove, small business liaison, at jgrove@stlouispark.org or 952.924.2523.

Free business counseling available Thinking about starting or growing a business? The city’s Open to Business program offers free, one-on-one, confidential business consulting to help entrepreneurs through the process. This program provides small business owners with access to the technical assistance and financing options to succeed. Email Rob Smolund, Open to Business Advisor, at rsmolund@mccdmn.org to schedule a video meeting to discuss your business venture.

Housing assistance available St. Louis Park Emergency Program (STEP) STEP is available to help residents who need help with food or to maintain housing, although the building is currently closed to the public. Visit www.stepslp.org/covid-19-pandemic-response or call 952.925.4899 for more information. For emergency rental assistance inquiries, leave a voice message at 952.234.4323 and a social worker will return your call as soon as possible. Minnesota Multi Housing Association (MHA) MHA is a resource for landlords that offers COVID-19 information even if you are not a MHA member. Visit www.mmha.com/COVID19 to learn more. HOME Line HOME Line, a nonprofit tenant advocacy organization, is hosting legal questionand-answer webinars each Thursday on COVID-19 related housing issues for property owners and managers. Legal question-and-answer webinars for tenants, service providers and other advocates are offered on Wednesdays. Recordings of the previous webinars are also available. The webinars are free, but you must register in advance. Visit www.homelinemn.org to register and learn more.

St. Louis Park EDA awards emergency grants to 46 small businesses This spring, the City of St. Louis Park Economic Development Authority (EDA) awarded $224,000 in small business emergency assistance grants to 46 small businesses. St. Louis Park businesses that met certain criteria could receive up to $5,000 in grants, designed to help ensure the viability of the community’s small business community in the face of the COVID-19 health emergency. Thirty-five of the businesses receiving grants were owned by women, persons of color, people in the indigenous community or veterans. A total of 83 grant applications were received and evaluated during the initial application period. Funds are required to be used within two months of receipt for current payroll obligations, lease or mortgage payments, utilities, accounts payable, property taxes and other critical business expenses that couldn’t be paid as a result of the COVID-19 health emergency. Visit bit.ly/3dlkM7h for more information and a list of grant recipients.

Recreation fire permits required Permits are required for recreational fires (in-ground fire pits, portable fire pits, fire bowls, chimneys, etc.). Natural gas and propane fire pits and fireplaces do not require a recreational fire permit. Visit www.stlouispark.org/firepermit to view or print the permit application and to find complete information and regulations.

• Make a list and stick to it when you shop. This will help you buy less food, reduce the potential for waste and save you money by preventing impulse buys. • Buy “ugly” produce. Misshapen fruits and vegetables may look different than what we are used to, but they are safe to eat. Help reduce food waste by ensuring these items are purchased. • Experiment with food scraps. Many veggie scraps (leaves, stems, peels) are edible, but we’ve been taught to discard them. Consider making roasted cauliflower leaves or vegetable stock. • Understand best by/use by dates. These dates rarely have to do with food safety. Instead they tell you when the quality (taste, freshness) may start to decline. Depending on the type of food, many items (especially shelf-stable goods) can be eaten past the date. Visit www.stlouispark.org/waste-reduction to learn more about reducing food waste and understanding food date labels.

Take advantage of services to

reduce your trash City solid waste service is more than just trash collection. There are several ways to put less in the trash, which can help you save money if you downsize your garbage cart. Visit www.stlouispark.org/garbage-recycling for more information on these options. Are you trashing food scraps? Food scraps

make up more than one-quarter of what you typically throw away. Any household with city solid waste collection can request an organics cart to begin collecting food scraps for composting, at no extra cost. And we provide certified compostable bags for collecting food scraps!

Have you been rolling out one or two lonely bags of trash in your oversized cart each week? It might be time to downsize or choose every-other-week garbage collection, which is an option for households that generate less waste. You’ll save money if you do!

Trashing recyclables that don’t fit in your recycling cart? Say it ain’t so! Request an extra recycling cart at no additional cost. Be sure to follow the recycling guide to avoid wishcycling items that can’t be recycled.

S o, you’ve downsized your garbage cart after all of your super recycling, but have an extra bag of garbage that doesn’t fit in your cart from time to time? You can set out extra bags beside your garbage cart if you put an extra garbage sticker on each bag. Stickers cost $3 each and must be purchased from the city.

What’s that you ask? Is year-round bulky collection a thing? Yes! Waste Management offers collection of bulky items, appliances and electronics at the curb or alley year-round. Request and pay for a bulk collection by calling 763.783.5423.

www.stlouispark.org

2020 tree sale pickup postponed City tree sale pickup dates have been postponed until Saturday, Sept. 12, from 8 a.m. – noon and Monday, Sept. 14, from 5 – 7 p.m. at the St. Louis Park Municipal Service Center, 7305 Oxford St. All trees are sold, and the sale is closed. Look for the next tree sale in March 2021. Visit www.treetrust.org for more information.

Seeking Evergreen Award nominations Do you know of an exceptionally well-landscaped house, apartment or business in St. Louis Park? Consider nominating that property for the city’s Evergreen Award, which recognizes highly visible properties that are well maintained and landscaped. Award recipients will be honored by the city council, recognized on the city’s website and given an Evergreen Award winner sign to post on their property. Nominations are due Aug. 1. Contact Jim Vaughan, natural resources coordinator, at jvaughan@stlouispark.org or at 952.924.2699 to nominate a property.

Transportation projects underway Several transportation projects in the city are underway or scheduled for this construction season. Visit www.stlouispark.org/construction-updates to learn more about the projects and sign up for email and text updates. Southeast bikeway improvements Bikeways will be installed on Wooddale Avenue starting at 44th Street and winding north to Princeton/Quentin Avenue, then to Park Commons Drive along the south side of Wolfe Park to The Rec Center. In addition, advisory bike lanes are going in on 38th Street from Excelsior Boulevard to France Avenue. Construction is expected to start in late summer and be done by fall 2020. Dakota Park bridge and bikeway In fall 2020, a bikeway will be built starting at Cedar Lake Road and heading south on Edgewood Avenue to the railroad tracks. The bikeway will continue on a pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the railroad tracks and land in Dakota Park. From there it will follow Dakota Avenue to Lake Street. The bikeway will be a combination of multiuse trails, dedicated bike lanes and shared bike lanes. Bikeways south of 26th Street are expected to be completed in the fall and construction of the bridge over the railroad tracks will continue into 2021. Monterey Drive/Beltline Boulevard/36th Street bikeway improvements Monterey Drive from Excelsior Boulevard to just north of Park Commons Drive is under construction. The construction will add on-street bike lanes to Monterey Drive and modify the access of Park Commons Drive to exclude left turns from Park Commons Drive to Monterey Drive to improve intersection operations and safety. Phase 2 is expected to occur in 2021 and will continue along Monterey Drive from Park Commons Drive to the intersection of Beltline Boulevard and 36th Street near The Rec Center.

Ride safe with the ABC Quick Check Before every ride on your bike, remember to do your ABC Quick Check to make sure it’s safe to ride. Visit www.bikeleague.org for more information. A is for air • Make sure your tires are properly inflated. • Check your tires, rims and spokes for damage and replace if needed. B is for brakes • Make sure your brakes are working. When applied, you shouldn’t be able to roll your bike. • Check for worn brake pads and frayed cables and replace if needed. • Check your brake pads and make sure they don’t rub your tires when not applied. C is for chain • Check to see if your chain is free of rust and gunk, it should be oiled. • Pull your cranks (levers that connect to your pedals) away from the bike. Tighten if they are loose. Quick is for quick releases • Some bikes use quick releases to secure the wheels to the frame. Make sure your quick releases are all clamped securely. They should be pointing to the back of the bike. • Some bikes have quick releases on their seat post. Make sure that is clamped securely. Check is for check it over • Take a short and slow test ride to check everything is working properly. If your bike has gears, check that your gears change smoothly. • Check your helmet for cracks and make sure it fits properly. • If your bike needs adjustments beyond your ability, get help from your local bike shop.

New online incident reporting tool The police department has a new online incident reporting tool for community members to submit reports of lost property, theft, theft from a vehicle and vandalism at stlouisparkpdmn.policetocitizen.com. Community members are encouraged to submit non-emergency incidents online, and a police officer will follow up after the incident is submitted. Emergencies and incidents in progress should be reported to 911.

Help conserve water Southwest Light Rail Transit Southwest Light Rail Transit (SWLRT) construction is in full swing. The contractor continues to work on bridges for the Cedar Lake Regional Trail and freight line, as well as shifting the freight rail track within the corridor. A new regional trail underpass at Wooddale Avenue and a new trail bridge at Beltline Boulevard are being built to accommodate bikers and walkers. Later this summer you will see the Wooddale Avenue and Beltline Boulevard SWLRT stations start to take shape. With work occurring throughout the corridor, expect some road closures and detours as construction progresses. This year will continue to be busy for major construction activities. Visit www.swlrt.org to sign up for the Metropolitan Council’s SWLRT weekly updates. 2 44

February 2020

In an effort to conserve water, St. Louis Park has some permanent sprinkling restrictions. Lawn sprinkling is prohibited between noon and 6 p.m. In addition, all households and businesses must follow an odd/even schedule when sprinkling lawns. Properties that end with an odd number sprinkle on odd-numbered days; properties that end with an even number sprinkle on even-numbered days. Failing to follow sprinkling restrictions can result in fines. Additional measures may be required during critical water shortages. These measures may include limiting watering to once every five days or banning all outdoor sprinkling. If this happens, a public notice will be given. Exceptions: New sod or seed, and newly planted shrubs, trees and landscaping are exempt from the odd/even schedule. Flower gardens are also exempt. Even in these circumstances, however, sprinkling must be done before noon or after 6 p.m. Contact Jay Hall, utilities superintendent, at 952.924.2557 or jhall@stlouispark.org for more information.