I would be against it too.


David Shove

Perhaps a few clarifications on the Har Mar matter would help inform everybody
on the matter.  As city staff has not seen the flyer I may not be able to
address all of the issues raised in it, but I will try to address the issues
raised in the post.

The City Council is not talking about rezoning the property tonight.  Instead
they are considering a draft of the Comprehensive Plan to release to
surrounding local governmental units for their state-statute mandated review.
No final decisions will be made tonight.  Once the adjacent local governmental
units complete their review, the draft Comprehensive Plan will go to the
Planning Commission for a public hearing and then to the City Council for
adoption.

As I stated earlier, the discussion around Har Mar and Super Target is not
about rezoning but instead revolves around what general land use designation
these areas should have; Community Business or Regional Business.  It should be
noted that these are totally new categories for the Comprehensive Plan. The
current plan designates Har Mar Mall as “Shopping Center” and the Super
Target site as “Business”.

The existing Comprehensive Plan allows for the existing Har Mar Mall and Super
Target developments.  The existing Comp Plan also would allow a Home
Depot/Lowes/Walmart to develop on either site. (Zoning regulations; i.e.
parking requirements, impervious surface restrictions, would regulate the size
and placement of any new development).

For the record, there is not a proposal for a Walmart/Home Depot/Lowes or any
type of “big box” use on either the Har Mar Mall site and/or Super Target
site.

The issue regarding the general land use designation was discussed by the
citizen Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee for at least nine months.
Earlier drafts of the future land use map did show Har Mar Mall and Super
Target as “Community Business”.  Based on a vote at the September 11th
Steering Committee meeting, the draft forwarded to the Planning Commission and
City Council did change the land use designations to “Regional Business”

You can find the complete Comprehensive Plan draft at
http://www.cityofroseville.com/index.asp?NID=544


Patrick Trudgeon
Community Development Director
City of Roseville
(651) 792-7071
<email obscured>

Brian Engman wrote:
> I am a Roseville resident that lives in the shadows of HarMar mall and
> recently have received an email regarding the rezoning on HarMar mall from
> Community Business to more of a commercial zone. Sorry, I don't have the
> flyer in front of me so I do not have the exact wording of the flyer.
>


The current zoning on the HarMar site is Shopping Center, as is its
designation on the current Comprehensive Plan. The draft Comprehensive
Plan (and you can find this on the City's website) outlines three new
retail designations--neighborhood business, community business and
regional business. The Comp Plan Steering Committee appointed by the
City Council discussed the definitions for designations for many months,
and at their last meeting voted 8-5 in favor of designating the HarMar
site as regional business. That designation was reaffirmed by a
unanimous vote (6-0) of the Roseville Planning Commission.

The definitions for all three new designations, also in the draft Comp
Plan, call for businesses to be scaled to fit into their neighborhoods.
The new zoning to carry out that definition has yet to be written.
"Scale" has to do with such factors as the facade of the building, its
size, how many stories are allowed, set-backs from property lines, and
transitions to the adjoining properties.

Brian,

It sounds like you may be a victim of what we call a "funny-flyer" in the
political industry.  That is some sort of message sent by so-called or
mysterious special interest group(s) that most likely are one or two people who
have about 10% of the information correct.  Typically they have the NIMBY
viewpoint to all issues (Not In My Back Yard).

The council agenda tonight is pretty much dominated by Twin Lakes development
projects (yawn).

I don't have the email you have but it looks like you are NOT talking about
rezoning.  You are talking about the comprehensive plan.  That is on the agenda
tonight, but the title "Distribution of Draft 2030 Comprehensive Plan to
Adjacent Jurisdictions" is not a vote on approving the document.

It is my belief that the change being suggested isn't exactly what I would call
much of a change, but maybe a more accurate word to describe what is already
going on there already.  While I haven't paid close attention to it, there has
been a number of recommended "terminology changes" being made to the
comprehensive plan from what I have been told.

I don't believe the claim about this change making it possible for a
HomeDepot/Lowes/Walmart to move in.  The zoning of the property is SC or
Shopping Center if I recall correctly.  So either these kind of places are
allowed already or they are not.  This isn't going to change.

But let's look at this from what I would call a common sense business
perspective.  We all have seen these three stores in other locations in the
Twin Cities.  Think of how large of a footprint of property these stores
require.  Then also think about the "outdoor" storage they have, which
typically is prohibited in Roseville.  Then take a look at the Har-Mar site.
Take a look at highly visible street frontage that all these stores desire.
Take a look at the new Target site which is another store that is in the same
category at these other three.

Maybe I am way off base on this, but it seems to me that you would have to tear
down half of the mall, and I really mean half of it, in order to put one of
these retailers.  If it was Walmart, you know they wouldn't build some sort of
micro-store because they would have to at least match Target across the street.
Then the other two would have to build everything inside under a roof.

To be very frank, it isn't going to happen in my lifetime and I am 36.

As far as the comments about out of state owners, the fact of the matter is
that most major companies are NOT located in Minnesota.  Target is about the
only one that comes to mind.  I bet most of their shareholders do NOT live or
are headquartered in Minnesota.  The owner of "Roseville Properties" doesn't
even live in Roseville anymore, but their office is.  As far as rent goes, and
claims that certain retailers have been "forced" out, I don't have their
balance sheet.  It isn't my worry how they conduct business.  As long as they
pay their taxes, it isn't any of our problem.



John M. Kysylyczyn
K Solutions LLC, owner
3083 Victoria Street
Roseville, MN  55113
email: <email obscured>
home office: (651) 484-1384

www.ksolutionsllc.com
Mayor of Roseville, MN  2000-2004

Mr. Engman / Others

Information is included in tonight’s City Council Packet under Item 10.a
titled, "Distribution of Draft 2030 Comprehensive Plan to Adjacent
Jurisdictions."

If you have an opportunity to review the information in the packet, it should
give a good background as to the process to date.

Thanks
Bob Willmus

I am a Roseville resident that lives in the shadows of HarMar mall and
recently have received an email regarding the rezoning on HarMar mall from
Community Business to more of a commercial zone. Sorry, I don't have the
flyer in front of me so I do not have the exact wording of the flyer.

The flyer said that this could pave the way for a possiblity of a
HomeDepot/Lowes/Walmart type store to possibly move in. This sounds kind of
'fishy' with all the changes that have occurred with HarMar over the past
few years as HarMar has a new out-of-state based owner and has raised the
rent which has forced many businesses out of Harmar including Northwester
Bookstore, TJ Max, a nice small bookstore, a scrapbooking store, and others.
The real fishy part is it sounds like these changes were added in at the
very end of a meeting.

Supposedly the city council may vote on this tonight. I looked through the
city council packet last night and did not see any reference to this
although I didn't have time to view all of the links. I am unable to see the
packet this morning as the website is just clocking.

Does anyone have more information to share with the forum?

I for one am completely against such a move.

I'd appreciate any information that anyone would like to share.

Thanks,
Brian Engman
Rose/Retailville Resident.

I grew up in Saint Paul and used to go to Roseville a lot.

1. Places I visited often were Har Mar, Rosedale, and the Ramsey County
Library. Less often Lake McCarrons and the McCarrons shopping centre. I took
the bus, mostly the Snelling Ave. line and what was then called North Suburban
Lines on Rice St.

2. I don't think of suburbs as being seperate places from their central cities,
so I thought of Roseville more as a Saint Paul neighbourhood than a seperate
city. I guess I would consider the legal boundaries to be Roseville's
boundaries.

3. I've never lived in Roseville though at one time I wanted to.

4. Not in Roseville. I am on the NRP Steering Committee in Minneapolis.

5. As far as "institutions" go, defintely Har Mar and Rosedale shopping
centres.

John Wilson
Whittier, Minneapolis

NESG ( North East Suburban Greens) presents James H. Fetzer, Ph.D.,
McKnight University Professor Emeritus, in a forum "Wellstone: Accident?"

Dr Fetzer will tell the results of his extensive research into the death
of Paul and Sheila Wellstone in the small plane crash in Minnesota. Dr.
Fetzer, retired from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2006, is the
author of 20 books and more than 100 papers on various subjects, such as
the philosophy of science, artificial intelligence, among others.

Thursday October 9, 7pm
Maplewood Library
3025 Southlawn Drive
Maplewood Mall  (North of St Paul)
651-704-2033
Admission is free but donations to help defray costs will be appreciated.

 DIRECTIONS:
1. Fastest and most direct .. ten minutes from St, Paul
94 to 35 E north to 694 East -
Take White Bear Avenue Exit - go south (or right)
Immediately another right at stop light (Co Rd. D)
Continue three blocks, turn left (Southlawn Drive)
Shortly, the library will be on the right.
OR
2. Less freeway ....  fifteen minutes from St, Paul
94 to 35 E north
Get onto Hwy 36 going East
Go to Hwy 61 -  Turn left or north.
Drive to Beam Avenue (across from Toyota) and turn right.
Drive past the hospital to Southlawn Drive, and turn left.
Maplewood Library is on the left side of Southlawn ...
drive til you see it.

Contacts:
Dori Ullman 612-414-9528 <email obscured>
David Shove 651-636-5672 <email obscured>

Just a reminder that there is Plastics Recycling this Saturday @ the HANC from
9am - noon.

Looks like the last collection day went well!
http://www.ci.roseville.mn.us/index.asp?NID=1357

First of all, I'm glad to hear there was an arrest in the burglary of
Ken Yokanovich's home and congrats to the officers involved.

Second, I wonder if anyone has asked the police department what is
the most common complaint that they get from the citizens.  I suspect
it's the same as in most communities:  speeding traffic.  If this is
the case, it would help explain why the police are involved in
traffic enforcement ... they're being responsive to the community's
desires.

But, I have to confess that the Roseville police have not struck me
as a high -- or unfair -- traffic enforcement department.  (While
I've seen Roseville squads on 35-W running radar, it had been my
understanding that was part of a state/federal program where
Roseville was being reimbursed for the additional enforcement.  And
generally, when I've seen Roseville squads on 35-W, it's been part of
a "saturation" program with squads from the State Patrol, New
Brighton, Ramsey County Sheriff, etc)

When I'm going through/to Roseville, I typically drive along arterial
streets/county roads/highways.  I don't recall having seen much/any
radar enforcement on Snelling Avenue, Lexington or County Road C.  I
do recall seeing some squads on arterial streets where there's
residential areas (e.g. County B2 between Rice and Lexington and
County Road B between Rice and Hamline).  And, I've seen squads with
radar/laser operating in residential areas.  But it seems to be about
the same that I see here in Shoreview's residential areas (by the
Sheriff's Department).

So from my vantage point, I'm a bit puzzled about the complaint of an
overemphasis on traffic enforcement in Roseville.

Roger, with all do respect... I have to defend the police here a little.  If
they had been patrolling our neighborhood and our street sometime between
the hours of 10 and noon, they likely wouldn't have seen anything.  These
are the approximate hours between which the initial report
of suspicious activity was reported and the suspects apprehended. Neither of
my direct neighbors who live on the street and that are home during the day
noticed anything unusual about our house.  Nobody noticed anything until all
of the police cars were at the house.
I received a direct response earlier today stating that it is a good example
of "community" working together.  I couldn't agree more!  That is the reason
for my sharing of the experience.  The fact is that knowing who your
neighbors are and taking the time to actually DO something when things seem
out of the ordinary is key.

I cannot speak to the comments pertaining to squads sitting stationary for
hours.  One might have wondered why there was a squad potentially sitting in
the neighborhood watching an empty car for 2 hours :)

Sometimes, one can catch more fish sitting stationary with a line in the
water than trolling waiting for the fish to catch up with the hook?

i'm glad to hear that someone finally has been caught. hopefully this will cut
into the number of burglaries happening in roseville.

i sometimes wonder if our police department should stop putting so much of
their time into monitoring traffic hoping to hand out citations that raise
money for the city, and spend more time patrolling our neighborhoods.

as far as i can tell, it is very rare for a person to die in a traffic accident
in roseville, but burglaries happen all the time. whenever i see a police squad
monitoring traffic from one spot for an hour or two, i wonder if maybe it would
be better if that squad was driving through our neighborhoods.

maybe in stead of buying speed boards, it would have been better to spend the
money on more overtime hours for officers to patrol our neighborhoods.

it might be time for our council to provide guidelines to the police department
as to which crimes should be getting more attention. which is more important to
prevent, home burglaries or someone going 34 mph in a 30 mph zone? which is
more important to prevent, someone being assaulted in their home or someone
driving without wearing a seatbelt?

since police funds are not unlimited, we need to decide, as a city, where our
priorities lie.

According
to the news story in the Star Tribune story by TIM HARLOW Last update:
September 17, 2008 - 5:53 PM:
"Police seek public's help in catching Roseville home burglars"

"Roseville Police have not been able to catch the perpetrators
responsible for a rash of daytime residential burglaries in the past
three months...
police said they need more to go on if they are to catch the culprits
who are believed to be responsible for breaking into up to 20 homes
since June"

Full article can be read here:
http://www.startribune.com/local/28524709.html?elr=KArksUUUU

Well, thank you to someone who took the time to call Roseville police yesterday
when they noticed two suspicious individuals park a car in the neighborhood
and set off on foot.  A police officer was dispatched to watch for the
individuals to return.  Once they drove off, they were followed to our home
where the suspects were eventually apprehended in the act of loading our
household goods into their car.

I hope
that these are the miscreants that can somehow be tied to the previous
crime-spree and be prosecuted.  I hope the families and individuals
that previously lost goods might be able to recover some things.  We
feel fortunate that with the exception of some cash and jewelry taken
into evidence we have our possessions.
 We've managed to calm down our daughters and put the house back in order.
 The cretins had "disconnected" our home entertainment system and
television by brute-force.  Pulling cords and forcefully pulling the
built-in entertainment center from the wall.  I'd love to send the
bill to these thugs for the 3  hours of time and the cost of new
audio visual cabling costs that it took to re-assemble everything last
night.

So, thank you to the Roseville citizen that made the call!  Thank you to the
Roseville Police Department and officers who were extremely helpful in the
circumstances.  Congratulations in apprehending these "suspects."

There will be plastics recycling again at the HANC, Oct 4th 9am - noon.

http://mn-roseville.civicplus.com/index.asp?NID=1331

I stumbled upon this when visiting HANC with the kids. Hopefully they do it
again in the future! We're also saving our plastics for the Eastside Food Coop
in N.E. Mpls (they take all plastics from #1-5 whereas HANC was taking #6 but
not #1 or #3). I mentioned this to Nancy, HANC volunteer, and I think she's
looking into expanding their program to include #1-6. And yesterday at the Wild
Rice Festival they were composting! And I see Roseville did this at an earlier
event this year reducing trash to a single pound. Way to go Roseville!

Hello, Art Enthusiasts,
    The Doll Dreamers of St. Paul will host a one-day art doll show at the
Roseville library on Saturday, September 6th, from noon until 4:00 p.m.  The
dollmakers expect to display about 100 dolls.  These unique dolls showcase the
talents, creativity, and sewing skills of their makers.  The members
participate in frequent challenges and make dolls from many different
materials.  These are art dolls, not Barbies or American Girl Classic dolls.
    Admission is free.  No dolls for sale at the show.
    I am not a member of the group, but I know some members and have seen their
dolls.


Best wishes,
Wanda Shelton
County Road B & Victoria, Roseville

Hello!

I'm a student working on a project about asset-based community development, and
if you have a minute, I would really be interested in your answers to the
questions below.

1. What would you put on your personal map of Roseville (i.e. places you visit
often, roads you use, important landmarks, etc.)?

2. What do you identify as Roseville's boundaries?

3. How many neighbors do you know and how often do you have contact with them?

4. Do you belong to any clubs, organizations, or associations in the
neighborhood? If so, which ones?

5. An asset is defined as "the gifts, skills and capacities of individuals,
associations and institutions within a community," (Kretzmann and McKnight
1993:25). What do you think Roseville's key assets are?

Thanks in advance for all of your help!

Haden Bowie

This is great!  I took some items over to the Eastside Food Coop in N.E. Mpls,
they are also piloting a collection project.  But H.A.N.C. is much more
convenient.

I hope there is great participation and this catches on as a regular recycling
opportunity!

And I hope manufacturers start making some of those numbers bigger.  Some are
pretty tough to read.

Great way to recycle the plastics that usually go in the trash!  Hopefully
there will be a great turnout so the service is more readily available.

From: http://www.cityofroseville.com/index.asp?NID=1331

Roseville is making it easier for you to recycle your plastics. The City is
holding free Plastic Collection Days, on Saturday, September 6 and Saturday,
October 4, 2008 at the Harriet Alexander Nature Center, 2520 N. Dale St, from
9:00 am to noon. Plastic items will be accepted on the collection days only.

Bring your rinsed-out plastic items that are not accepted in curbside
recycling. Items that will be accepted have a number 2, 4, 5, or 6 on the
bottom. Examples include grocery and bread bags; yogurt, margarine and cottage
cheese containers; “clamshell” containers for fresh berries; ice cream
pails; and syrup bottles. Automotive product containers, toys and Styrofoam
will not be accepted.

You will need to sort the items by the plastic number; volunteers will be on
hand to assist and everyone’s cooperation will be appreciated. This is a
pilot program, initiated by the HANC Advisory Committee and the City’s
Recycling Program, with the gracious cooperation of the Parks and Recreation
Department. If the pilot program is deemed successful, the City will consider
offering this service on a regular basis starting in the spring of 2009. Costs
are paid for with money from the sale of recyclable collected through the
curbside program.

AGSI Recycling will collect the sorted plastics and ship them to various
manufacturers.

Roseville High School is getting a FIRST Robotics team for the 2008-2009 school
year!

FIRST Robotics involves students building a robot to complete a specified task
in a competitive arena.  Students will be building and using the robot to
compete, and developing the team infrastructure needed to support that task.
They will be using engineering, hardware, software, mechanical design/CAD,
machining, leadership, marketing, finances, and team building.  This is done
with guidance of mentors from the community who have skills in the previously
mentioned areas and are willing to share their time during January and
February.

Our primary sponsor will be Boston Scientific who has made a generous donation
to enable our participation.  Additional sponsors are welcome.

More information on FIRST Robotics can be found at their website:
<<http://www.usfirst.org/what/frc/default.aspx?id=366>>  Last year over 2500
teams from around the world competed in this competition.

I have posted this as a community announcement.  If you have questions and/or
would like to volunteer as a mentor, please contact me.

Tom Lageson