Lake Ann beach to open June 7

Beaches With Lifeguards on Duty

Lake Ann Beach, located in Lake Ann Park at 1456 West 78th Street, is staffed with lifeguards daily from early June to the third weekend in August from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Minnewashta Regional Park (operated by Carver County) is located on Highway 41 (Hazeltine Boulevard) between Highways 5 & 7. Lifeguards will be on duty daily from June 9-August 19, 2007 from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Beaches Without Lifeguards on Duty

Carver Beach on Lotus Lake, 6891 Lotus Trail
Greenwood Shores Beach on Lake Ann, 7110 Utica Lane

Lake Susan Beach in Lake Susan Park, 903 Lake Drive East

Roundhouse Park Beach on Lake Minnewashta, 3950 Kings Road

Fairview clinic proposed in Chanhassen

The City of Chanhassen received a request last Thursday for the site plan approval of property on the southeast corner of Powers Boulevard and Highway 312 for a new Fairview medical clinic.

According to City Manager Todd Gerhardt, the development would take place in two-phases beginning with the construction of an 82,000 square-foot clinic. The second phase would be a 76,000 square foot expansion to be determined in the future as medical needs grow in the community.

A Fairview spokesperson could not comment on the project, and United Properties, the property developers, did not immediately return a phone call asking for comment. United Properties would build the facility and then lease it back to Fairview.

Chanhassen Community Development Director Kate Aanenson said city planners would review the application for about one month, will write a report for the planning commission. It is on the Aug. 5 planning commission agenda and after receiving planning commission approval would move on to the city council.

Council holds off restricting firearms
By Forrest Adams

Responding to pressure from property owners in Chanhassen who allow recreational slug hunting on their property, councilors Monday night (July 28)voted not to restrict it.

A proposal before them would have eliminated slug hunting in the community. However, after listening to testimony from hunters who said that using slugs for deer hunting does not threaten public safety, councilors decided to hold back.
A shotgun slug is a single large projectile that’s fired rather than a large number of smaller ones. It is used for hunting large game, including deer. There is land in the Minnesota River Valley where property owners allow such hunting for recreational purposes.

In defense of those in the community who would prefer that the council pass an ordinance restricting this type of hunting, Todd Hoffman, director of Chanhassen Parks and Recreation, told councilors: “We have people in the community who see people in orange with guns, and they wonder what is going on and why we allow this in our community,”

Councilors decided it would be better to allow the slug hunting to continue, they said, in the interests of controlling the deer population. Mayor Tom Furlong added it’s up to individual hunters to practice the necessary precautions.

Last year there were more than 50 car vs. deer accidents in the city, said Sgt. Peter Anderley at a city meeting this spring.

“I think we should revisit this and look at it on a year-to-year basis,” said Councilor Bethany Tjornhom.

At the same time, the ordinance was amended to allow for more bow and arrow hunting to take place within the city; and the permit fee to discharge a firearm or bow and arrow within the city increased from $10 to $20.

Park and Ride facility

City Manager Todd Gerhardt laid out plans Monday night (July 28) for a future $7 million SouthWest Transit Park and Ride facility in downtown near Chanhassen Dinner Theatres.

In 2006, SouthWest Transit secured $7 million in federal funds to be used for the construction of a new park and ride in this location.

Gerhardt said he has been developing these plans in cooperation with Bloomberg Companies during the past four months. The ramp would have four levels. It would have the capacity to accommodate up to 450 vehicles and be located southwest of the dinner theater parking lot. This would require relocation of the dinner theater scene shop, the elimination of the eastern portion of the Market Boulevard SouthWest Transit Park and Ride and the construction of a new road with access to the ramp from both the east and west.

City officials estimate that to acquire the land from Bloomberg and then construct a road on it would cost more than $1.1 million. The total cost, including utility improvements, would likely be around $1.5 million, but only $1,126,000 would be assessed, said Gerhardt. The city would bond for the money up front and then repay it with funds from the assessed properties.

According to Gerhardt, both SouthWest Transit and Bloomberg Companies have agreed to be assessed for all the roadway costs including the land acquisitions. The exception is that the city would pick up the outstanding assessments for Bloomberg if new developments enhance the tax base for parcels owned by Bloomberg Companies.

Gerhardt said the city and Bloomberg Companies would enter into a Master Redevelopment Agreement and create a new tax-increment financing district that would be used to write-down the special assessments for the new roadway.

The TIF district is a public financing method that is used for redevelopment and community improvement projects. Gerhardt called it one of the only tools to help cities engage in development projects like this. He referred to it in this situation as an incentive to Bloomberg Companies to redevelop their site. If Bloomberg Companies would not enhance the tax base with new developments, they would be responsible for 100 percent of the assessments.

The next step in this project is for the city to hire an engineer to do a feasibility study and then bring the findings to the City Council, said Gerhardt. He guessed the city would get the feasibility study done by September and bring it to the council sometime in October. He also expects SouthWest Transit to bring a site plan for the facility to the city sometime in November.

Fall fitness and fun fest scheduled at Chanhassen Recreation Center on Saturday, Sept. 6, 1 to 3:30 p.m.

Prizes, trial classes, information booths, open gym and fun will be a part of the day. Other events are scheduled as follows.

Tae Kwon Do from 1 to 1:10 p.m.
Yoga for everyone from 1:15 to 1:30.
Lakewinds Nutrition seminar from 1:35 to 1:50
Stott Pilates sampler from 1:55 to 2:10
Zumba Latin dance aerobics sampler from 2:15 to 2:35
Brad Pluth personal trainer and golf fitness specialist from 2:40 to 2:55
Dance for fun demonstration from 3 to 3:10 p.m.
Jazzercise sampler from 3:15 to 3:30

The Senior Commission will hold their 4th Annual open house on Friday, Sept. 12, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This year’s focus will be health. The Senior Commission partnered with the Healthy Living Education Series for Seniors, CAP Agency, and Carver County. We will have a series of screenings including Osteoporosis, Hearing, Mini-Mental/Alzheimer, Blood Sugar, and Blood Pressure.

Presentations will include:
• Ridgeview Heart Center Update
• Early Warning Signs for Diabetes
• Communities for a Lifetime.

Businesses in the community have donated the following items:

Open House Donations to Date

Establishment Type of Donation Commissioner/Person Responsible Purpose
American Legion 4 $25 Gift Certificates (Total $100) Fred Prinz Door Prize
Chanhassen Cinema 6 Free Movie Passes Barbara Nevin Door Prize
Lake Winds Reusable tote bag and $50 gift Card Barbara Nevin Door Prize
Cub Foods $25 gift card Barbara Nevin Plates and Juice
Seattle Sutton 60 Muffins Virginia Prior Breakfast
Klein Bank 96 Bottles of Water, Napkins, Bags, Cups Charlie Robbins Breakfast
Einstein Bagel Bagels Barbara Nevin Breakfast
Caribou Coffee 5 gallon brewed coffee Barbara Nevin Breakfast
CAP You-The Owner’s Manual Jillian Barth-CAP Door Prize
CAP 4 Achieving a Healthy Balance Certificates Jillian Barth-CAP Door Prize
CAP 60 Free Lunches Jillian Barth-CAP Lunch