Park Perspective - October 2017

Park Perspective
October 2017 stlouispark.org

Contents General Election November 7

2 Vision 3.0 final stages On the November General Election ballot: Who do I contact if I have questions about absentee
3 Winter parking refresher voting?
4 Home water treatment systems • S t. Louis Park voters in all four wards can vote for their • City Clerk: 952.924.2503
5 Yard waste, brush drop-off update ward councilmember. • Hennepin County Elections: 612.348.5151
6 Setting out carts during the winter • MN Secretary of State’s Office: 1.800.600.VOTE (8683)
7 Tree pruning begins in January • St. Louis Park School District #283 offices.
8 Recycling guide Register to vote
• Q uestion(s) related to the school district facilities To be eligible to vote, a person must be 18 or older on
The Park Perspective is printed on 30 percent post-consumer recycled paper referendum. the day of the election, a U.S. citizen, have maintained
in an effort to meet the city’s environmentally preferable purchasing policy. residence in Minnesota for at least 20 days before the
Who are the candidates for city offices on the election and be properly registered.
5005 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park, MN 55416-2216 2017 General Election ballot?
You must re-register if:
City Hall (7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) .............................952.924.2500 Councilmember, Ward 1 Councilmember, Ward 2 • Your name, address or apartment number changes.
Emergency............................................................. 911 • Margaret Rog • Anne Mavity • You have not voted in four years.
Police (non-emergency)...............................952.924.2618 • Brian Shekleton • Noelle Racette
Municipal Service Center...........................952.924.2562 Check your registration before you vote
Winter Parking Hotline................................952.924.2180 Councilmember, Ward 3 Councilmember, Ward 4 • Online: slpmn.us/elections
The Rec Center...................................................952.924.2540 • Rachel Harris • Tim Brausen • Call the City Clerk’s office at 952.924.2503.
Westwood Hills Nature Center..............952.924.2544 • Jim Leuthner
For city events, activities and news, visit stlouispark.org. Register before Election Day
To remain neutral, the city does not advertise or provide If you are not registered to vote, try to register before
nextdoor.com background information on candidates or political Election Day. In order to be listed as a registered voter
@stlouispark platforms. Candidates appearing on the ballot may on Election Day, voters must submit a valid registration
@stlouispark have their own websites dedicated to their campaign. application by October 17.
stlouispark Information is available on the Minnesota Secretary of • R egister online: bit.ly/2dhgsyr or download a paper
State website, sos.state.mn.us.
Make service requests or receive city information via the app registration application.
Where do I vote? • R egister in person or mail a completed voter
or visit mystlouispark.org.
Enter your address in the Minnesota Secretary of State registration application to the St. Louis Park City Clerk:
poll finder at pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us. The poll finder 5005 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park, MN 55416
also lets you view a sample ballot for your next election, or Hennepin County Voter Registration office:
when available. 300 6th St. S., Minneapolis, MN 55487

When is absentee voting for the General Election? Need to register on Election Day?
In Minnesota, you can register or update your registration
Now through November 6, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., at your polling place on Election Day. Plan ahead and find
Monday – Friday at St. Louis Park City Hall. out what you will need to bring with you to the polling place.
• O nline: Visit slpmn.us/elections to learn about the
The City Clerk’s office will offer extended hours for
absentee voting on the following days: proof of residence options you can use to register
at your polling place on Election Day.
• November 4, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. • Call the City Clerk’s office at 952.924.2503.

• November 6, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Are campaign signs regulated?
Political signs are regulated by MN Statute 211B.045
PRSRT STD How do I apply for an absentee ballot? and City Code Section 36-362(h)(5).
U.S. Postage
• In person: You can request, receive and cast an Keep in mind:
PAID absentee ballot in one visit to city hall. • P olitical signs of any size are permitted in any
Twin Cities
Permit No. 603 • By mail: Call 952.924.2503 to request an absentee number from 46 days before an election.
ballot application OR download from • P olitical signs must be removed within 10 days after
slpmn.us/elections.
the General Election has been held.
Mail, fax or email a completed absentee ballot • P olitical signs should not be placed on the public
application to Hennepin County Elections at:
right-of-way or on any publicly owned property,
• M ail: Hennepin County Elections, PSL 012 Government including boulevard trees and utility poles.
Center, 300 6th St. S., Minneapolis, MN 55487 • P olitical signs must not obstruct the vision at an
intersection or otherwise create a hazard to
• Fax: 612.348.2151 public safety.
• Email: [email protected]
P(Suchboolilcs,lpyubolwic bnueilddinlgas,npdarks, etc.)
Ballot will be issued upon receipt of a completed Traffic islands
application. Street signs, signals, fire hydrants

Can I vote by absentee ballot if I’m not a registered Utility poles
voter?
CAMPAIGN SIGNS
Yes. When you apply for an absentee ballot you’ll be If youchonavtaecqt utheestIinosnpsercetigoanrds iDnegpcaarmtmpeanigtnasti9gn5s2.in92S4t..2Lo5u8i8s.Park,
provided with the required voter registration materials.

Can I place my absentee ballot directly into a ballot
counter at city hall?

Yes. All eligible voters can vote at city hall October 31 –
November 6 and place their ballots directly into a ballot
counter. Votes will be counted immediately, but results
won’t be reported until the polls close on November 7.

Direct balloting will be available:
• October 31 and November 1 – 3: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• November 4: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• November 6: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Legal age increased Housing authority opens
one-bedroom public
to purchase tobacco housing waiting list

in St. Louis Park The St. Louis Park Housing Authority will accept online applications only for the
one-bedroom public housing waiting list beginning November 7 at 8 a.m. through
In July the St. Louis Park City Council passed an ordinance raising the legal age to November 9 at 4 p.m. Applications are available online only. Applicants must
purchase tobacco and tobacco products in St. Louis Park from 18 to 21 years old meet income and family size eligibility requirements. For more details on eligibility
and increasing administrative fines for violation of the ordinance. The ordinance and the application process, visit www.stlouispark.org/housingauthority.
went into effect October 1, 2017.

The purpose of the ordinance is to limit availability of tobacco products and to help
reduce the number of youth who begin using tobacco. The ordinance includes an
increase in administrative fines for violations by tobacco license holders in the
city, from $250 to $500 for a first violation and from $500 to $1000 for a second
violation. It also increases the license suspension from three days to 30 days for
a third violation within three years. Compliance checks of tobacco license holders
are conducted annually by the St. Louis Park Police Department, and licenses are
renewed annually.

VISION 3.0 Don’t make recreational fires a
burning issue for neighbors
moves into final stages
The St. Louis Park Fire Department wants you to enjoy your small backyard
Thank you to everyone who participated in St. Louis Park’s Vision 3.0 recreational fire safely. The term “recreational fire” means “cooking fires and
community engagement activities! More than 2,000 people in the community camp fires using charcoal or firewood for cooking or pleasure.” Fires used for
provided 5,000-plus comments on their ideas for St. Louis Park’s future. debris disposal purposes are not considered recreational fires. Yard waste
Community involvement activities included two in-person town hall meetings; including grass, leaves, branches, twigs, garbage and recycling must be
two Facebook Live town hall meetings; a survey; questions of the week on disposed of via your garbage hauler or the city’s brush drop-off site.
Nextdoor, Facebook and Twitter; and “One Wish for St. Louis Park” chalkboards
and sandwich boards at 20 locations and events throughout the community. Be a good neighbor
Additionally, 65 specially trained resident facilitators conducted 38 community
conversations about the future of St. Louis Park. In addition to following the recreational fire permit rules, consider your neighbors as
Now that formal community engagement activities have ended, the Vision 3.0 well. Remember that smoke and the smell of smoke often carries into neighboring
process is in its final stages. The city’s Vision 3.0 consultant is analyzing the homes, even on calm days. Not everyone likes the smell of a campfire, especially
input and future trends to provide recommendations for areas to focus on inside their home, and it can be an irritant. Young children, the elderly and people
for St. Louis Park’s future. The St. Louis Park City Council will review the final with asthma, lung or heart disease are especially vulnerable to wood smoke in the
Vision 3.0 report at an October meeting. Vision 3.0 results will help inform air. If you suspect an illegal burn, call 911 and let us investigate and educate.
development of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan.
What’s required
22
All wood burning recreational fires within the City of St. Louis Park require a
Recreational Fire Permit which is available at www.stlouispark.org/firepermit or
Fire Station One, 3750 Wooddale Ave. S.

For more information call 952.924.2595 during normal business hours. There is
a one-time fee of $25 for a lifetime permit for the current resident living at the
property.

• R ecreational fires must be 25’ away from any structure and 10’ away from the
property line.

• O nly burn untreated, unpainted, clean, dry, aged firewood that is at least 1”
in diameter. Fires that are unreasonably offensive or injurious to others as
determined by the city will be required to be extinguished.

• R ecreational fires are not allowed when prevailing winds are greater than 10
mph or if the state has issued burning restrictions. Details: dnr.state.mn.us or
pca.state.mn.us.

• P ermit holder is responsible for conducting, controlling and extinguishing
the fire. All fires must be extinguished completely to ensure that there is no
smoldering or potential for reigniting. Never leave a fire unattended and always
have a garden hose or fire extinguisher nearby.

• R ecreational fires are permitted Sunday – Thursday from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
and on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. – midnight.

How will you knowHow will you know if a sn
Register

Sign up for ParkAlert at slpSNOW.org.
Choose how to be contacted: text
message, email, cell phone call, land line

Followcall or all of the above.

CDheocwknthloeacdity’s social media sites:

Download the MyStLouisPark app in the
iTunes or Android store for free.
if a snow emergency is in effect?How will you know if a snow emergency is in effect?
PRegisterRSigengHuisptefoorrwParkwAlerit latlslypSNoOuW.okrg.now if a snow emergency is in effect?
arkAlert
Choose how to be contacted: text
P For city events, activities and newsmessRaegeg,isetmearil, cell phone call, land line

call oSriganlluopf ftohrePaabrkoAvlee.rt at slpSNOW.org.
Choose how to be contacted: text
arkAlert Sign up for ParkAlert at slpSNOW.org.
Choose how to be contacted: text message,
P nextdoor.comDowmcanellslosoaragaeldl,oefmthaeil,acbeollvpeh. one call, land line
arkAlert email, cell phone call, land line call or all of

Download the MyStLouisPark app in the the above. @stlouispark
@stlouisparkFollow
iTuneDsoowr Annlodraodid store for free. Download
Check the city’s social media sites @stlouispark
Download the MyStLouisPark app in the Download the MyStLouisPark app
iTunes or Android store for free. in the iTunes or Android store for free. stlouispark

Follow MOrackaell thseewrvinitceer praerkqinugehosttlsineoart r9e52c.e92i4v.e21c8i0ty info

Check the city’s social media sites @stlouispark

Follow

the winter parking hotline at 952.924.2180.Check the city’s social media sites @stlouispark mystlou
Or callOr call the winter parking hotline at 952.924.2180

Or call the winter parking hotline at 952.924.2180

Get your home ready for winter Winter parking refresher

Don’t wait until the cold hits to work on those winter projects. If you are ready The City of St. Louis Park uses a proactive snow emergency declaration to notify
to update your heating system, add more insulation, or replace your water heater, residents that they must remove vehicles from city streets to accommodate plowing
the Lending Center at the Center for Energy and Environment can help make your operations.
home improvement projects a reality.
Here’s what you need to know:
The City of St. Louis Park has partnered with the Lending Center to provide
low-interest financing for your home improvement projects. Through this partnership, 1. T hree inches of snow or more will still be the guideline for declaring a snow
residents have access to financing as low as 4% (APR 4.416%*). And with flexible terms, emergency; however, instead of the snow emergency going into effect at the
monthly payments will be affordable. Most interior and exterior home improvement time three inches of snow is observed, the city, using a combination of available
projects are eligible, including energy upgrades, remodeling, windows and doors, forecasts, will be able to declare a snow emergency in advance of the storm.
roofing and more. Income limits may apply.
2. E xample: Leading forecasts call for the city to receive 4–7 inches of snow between
Visit mnlendingcenter.org or call 612.335.5884 to get started or learn more about 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. on December 15. The city would proactively announce during
the program. The Lending Center at the Center for Energy and Environment is a the evening of December 15 that a snow emergency will be in effect at 2 a.m.,
Minnesota nonprofit that has been helping homeowners for nearly 40 years. December 16.

*APR is based on a loan amount of $35,000 for a 20-year term. 3. A s always, vehicles parked on a street during a snow emergency are subject to
ticketing. If your vehicle remains on the streets 12 hours after it’s ticketed, it will
Energy Efficient Rebates be towed.

The city matches 50 percent of utility rebates for energy efficient furnaces, water heaters 4. The snow emergency will remain in effect until your street is plowed to the curb.
and air conditioners, in addition to air sealing and insulation. Simply mail a copy of the As soon as your street is plowed to the curb, you may again park vehicles on the
utility rebate you received within one year of the rebate check date to the Community street.
Development Department, and a city rebate check will be mailed to you. Mail to:
5. S now removal operations are not changing. The city will provide the same high-
City of St. Louis Park quality service following the same pattern it has in the past – plowing main roads
Community Development Department and then moving into neighborhoods.
5005 Minnetonka Blvd.
St. Louis Park, MN 55416 6. T he new snow emergency declaration also provides additional flexibility. If the
Attn: Marney Olson city received three back-to-back snow events of two inches each for three days,
for instance, it could declare a snow emergency if needed to plow streets. Or
in the spring if there is more than three inches of snow predicted, but also high
temperatures the following day that would likely melt the snow, the city could
decide not to declare a snow emergency.

When on-street parking is allowed

When a snow emergency has been declared, on-street parking is allowed if your
street has been plowed to the curb. When snow accumulation is less than three
inches, plows may be dispatched but parking is not banned. However, snow plow
drivers can do a better job of clearing streets if you park off the street even during
minor snowfalls. If you aren’t sure if parking is banned, call the Winter Parking
Hotline at 952.924.2180.

Schedule your Home Energy Vehicles can be ticketed and towed
Squad visit this winter
Vehicles parked on a street during a snow emergency are subject to ticketing. If
Minnesotans have grown accustomed to an existence that involves some degree of they’re not moved within 12 hours of being ticketed, they can be towed. Ticket and
discomfort, especially in the winter months. We anticipate the drafts and cold spots in towing charges can include any of the following and can be higher:
our homes the same as we expect the changing seasons. However, that discomfort is
preventable, as some have learned with help from the Home Energy Squad. • $30 minimum parking ticket (fee can be higher)

The City of St. Louis Park pays $50 towards the cost of a Home Energy Squad • $ 115 minimum towing charge, plus administrative fees (additional charges if the
Enhanced visit, a program provided by CenterPoint Energy and Xcel Energy, and vehicle must be shoveled out or weighs more than one ton)
delivered by the local nonprofit, Center for Energy and Environment (CEE). The service
includes a home performance audit plus the installation of energy saving products. • $30 storage fee per day
The Home Energy Squad Enhanced visit is normally $100. St. Louis Park residents pay
only $50 with the city buy down; smart thermostats are an extra upcharge. If you’re plowed in, ticketed or towed

To schedule an appointment, call 651.328.6220 or visit mncee.org/hes-slp. If your vehicle is ticketed or plowed-in, dig it out immediately and move it to a
driveway, garage or plowed street. If your vehicle is towed, call Bobby & Steve’s at
952.944.1690 to find out where to pick up your vehicle.

Avoid ticketing and towing

To avoid the risk of ticketing and towing, pay attention to the weather forecast.
If snowfall is predicted, regardless of depth, don’t take a chance; park on the
driveway or in your garage. If you’re going to be away from home, don’t leave your
car on the street. If you aren’t sure if parking is banned, call the Winter Parking
Hotline at 952.924.2180. Another way to avoid a ticket and towing is to make it your
winter habit to park off the street, especially at night. You can be ticketed and towed
if you park too close to an unplowed area of the street. City ordinance prohibits
vehicles from being parked within 50 feet (about two car lengths) of any snow left
behind when plows went around parked cars.

Have snow plowing questions?

Call Public Works at 952.924.2562 during regular business hours or visit slpsnow.org.

3

St. Louis Park drinking water
comes in tops in taste test

St. Louis Park’s drinking water finished in the top four at the Great Minnesota Tap Water
Taste Test conducted by the Minnesota Section of the American Water Works Association
(AWWA) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) at the 2017 Minnesota State
Fair. The taste test included drinking water samples from 22 cities across Minnesota. The
winner was Lake Elmo, with North St. Paul, Plymouth and St. Louis Park as the other top four
finalists. Water samples are judged by audience members. Since 2012, the MDH and AWWA
have hosted this event at the Eco Experience building at the State Fair as a way to promote
Minnesota tap water and to educate the audience about public water and water treatment.

Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018 Help keep streets and
10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. waterways clean

Eisenhower Community Center The city cleans city streets to provide safe conditions for all kinds of transportation
1001 Hwy. 7, Hopkins and to protect the environment. All city streets are swept twice a year – in the spring
and again in the fall.
homeremodelingfair.com
Fall street sweeping starts in early October and continues until snow season.
The fair features a wide variety of exhibitors with The goal is to remove leaves from the street to prevent plugged storm drains and to
products & services related to home improvement. ensure streets are as clean as possible prior to snowfall. When leaves accumulate in
the street, sweepers are ineffective so the city first uses equipment to push leaves into
@westmetrohrf a pile and haul them away. Then the sweepers will resume sweeping to do a final clean
up. Weather greatly influences the amount of sweeping that occurs in the fall.
Drug Take Back Day October 28
Help keep streets clear: If possible, avoid parking on streets during daytime hours.
Drop off your unwanted prescription drugs at Drug Take Back Day October 28, The city does not post “no parking” signs for street sweeping since it sweeps on a
10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the St. Louis Park Police Department, 3015 Raleigh Ave. S. continuous cycle while the weather holds. However, crews can do a better job when
For more information call 952.924.2600 or email [email protected]. cars aren’t blocking their access to the curb.

About home water Help local waterways: Grass clippings and leaves in the street end up in our local
treatment systems bodies of water where they decompose and release phosphorous. Algae use this
nutrient to grow, which can turn our lakes green and negatively affect fish. Better
Periodically the city hears from residents who have been contacted by companies alternatives include leaving grass clippings on your lawn or collecting grass and leaves
attempting to sell home water treatment systems. Sometimes, these companies for pickup by the city’s yard waste hauler. Thanks for doing your part to protect our
may raise concerns with residents about the safety of St. Louis Park’s drinking water. local lakes, creeks and rivers!

The City of St. Louis Park supplies its residents with safe, quality drinking water
that meets all drinking water standards set by the US EPA to be in compliance
with the Safe Drinking Water Act. This is confirmed through annual testing by the
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Testing data is published in an annual
drinking water report distributed to all residents via the Park Perspective and
available at stlouispark.org.

Water treatment units are best for improving the physical qualities of water –
the taste, color or odor. To determine if you need a water treatment unit in your
home, or what type of unit would be best for you visit the MDH website page
about home water treatment at http://bit.ly/2vtIJIh, or visit health.state.mn.us
and search “home water treatment.”

24

AMERICA Last week of yard waste
collection is November 27
Recycles Day
The last week for yard waste collection is the week of November 27 – December 1,
November 15, 2017 unless there is a significant snowfall before this week, then yard waste collection will end
at that time. Remember, yard waste must be in containers or compostable bags separate
What will you do from garbage.
to celebrate?
Organics recycling participants will continue to have their food scraps picked up year-round
using the brown-lidded organics carts.

Learn more

and take the #BERECYCLED pledge at
americarecyclesday.org.

Last day for brush drop-off is Oct. 29 Temporary collection change for
organics recycling participants
The city’s brush drop-off site will be closed for the season after Sunday, Oct. 29,
2017, and will reopen in the spring. Location: 2501 Edgewood Ave. S. Entrance at Participants in the organics recycling program will notice a collection change
intersection of Cedar Lake Road and Colorado Avenue South. St. Louis Park during the months of October and November 2017. The city’s hauler, Advanced
residents only; ID or utility bill required. Disposal, will be collecting the contents of organics carts separately from any yard
waste that is set outside of the cart for collection. Organics and yard waste will still
Hours of operation: be collected weekly on the regular collection day for each household. The time of day
• Saturdays: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. that collection occurs for organics carts will be different from yard waste. This is being
• Sundays: Noon – 4 p.m. done to aid the composting process at the composting facility during the peak yard
• Tuesdays: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. waste months. Organics participants are asked to wait until 6 p.m. to report any
missed pickups of organics or yard waste to Advanced Disposal by calling 763.786.7233.
Materials accepted: Branches, brush, logs.
Compost provided by:
Not accepted: Grass clippings, leaves, root balls, lumber, wood scraps, fencing,
trash, sod, stump grindings.

Free compost available at
the brush drop-off site

Does your soil need a boost before the long winter nap that awaits? Then it’s time
to pick up your free, limited supply of compost! Food scraps collected in the city’s
organics recycling program are composted by The Mulch Store. Finished compost
is provided each year to residents to help build healthy soils in our city.

Compost is available at the brush drop-off site during regular operating hours
(see brush drop-off article above), while supplies last.
• Limit five 5-gallon buckets.
• Bring your own container and shovel.
• Bring proof of residency.
• Compost is located beyond the check-in gate. Look for The Mulch Store sign.

Visit kisstheground.com/thecompoststory to watch a video about the ways that
compost improves soils.

53

Holiday recycling, organics
recycling and garbage schedules

If a holiday falls on the weekend, there will be no delayed collection. Please don’t modify your carts
If a holiday falls during the week, collection will be delayed by one day
all week through Saturday (9 a.m. through 6 p.m.). Solid waste is collected in city-owned carts through the city’s curbside collection
program. Please do not modify the carts by placing stickers on the carts or
Thanksgiving Day relabeling them for other uses. If you relabel your cart for something other than
what it is intended, the material cannot be collected and your cart will be tagged
Thursday, Nov. 23, 2017 as a reminder. Please note that green-lidded garbage carts are for garbage;
No collection on Thursday. Thursday and Friday collection will be blue-lidded recycling carts are for recycling; and brown-lidded organics carts
delayed by one day. are for organics.

Christmas Day If the size of your garbage, recycling or organics cart does not meet your current
needs, please contact Utility Billing at 952.924.2111 to change your cart size or
Monday, Dec. 25, 2017 request an additional recycling cart.
No collection on Monday. Collection delayed one day all week.
Holiday lights recycling
New Year's Day
In the past the City of St. Louis Park collected holiday lights for recycling. Due
Monday, Jan. 1, 2018 to changes with our partner organization, the city discontinued this program in
No collection on Monday. Collection delayed one day all week. March 2017. Please do not bring holiday lights to The Rec Center or Municipal
Service Center.
Contact Public Works at 952.924.2562 for more information.
St. Louis Park will accept holiday lights at the city cleanup events held annually
Holiday tree collection in June and September. Residents who want to recycle strands of lights other
times of the year can take them directly to one of the Hennepin County drop-off
For households that receive city collection service, holiday trees can be set out for facilities (Brooklyn Park or Bloomington). For a closer option, Express Metals
collection at the curb or alley on your regular collection day. in Hopkins also accepts holiday lights; visit expressmetals.net for location and
operating hours.
Real trees: Advanced Disposal will collect real (cut) holiday trees for no charge from
Jan. 1 – 19, 2018. Holiday Train returns to St. Louis Park
• Remove all decorations, wires, stands, lights, tinsel, etc. December 10
• Do not bag your tree.
• Set out by 7 a.m. on collection day.
• Ensure your tree is not stuck in the ice or snow on collection day.

Artificial trees: Donate or give away for reuse or dispose in the trash.
• Smaller trees: Place in your garbage cart, no need to bag.
• L arger trees: Waste Management will accept artificial trees that are too large to fit

in your trash cart through bulk pickup for $7.50, plus tax. You must call 763.783.5423
prior to setting your artificial tree out.

Note: Residents living in multi-family buildings may take real trees to the city’s
brush drop-off site during the month of January on Tuesdays and Thursdays from
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Artificial trees are not accepted.

Setting out carts during winter months The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train will return to St. Louis Park Sunday, December
10, 2017, stopping at West Lake Street and Library Lane. The event time will be
On your collection day, garbage, recycling and organics carts must be placed at announced in mid-October.
the curb or alley by 7 a.m. where collectors can easily get to them. Carts cannot be
placed in the streets, alleys or sidewalks because they get in the way of vehicles The Holiday Train’s mission is to bring awareness of hunger and collection
and pedestrians and obstruct snow removal. donations for agencies like the St. Louis Park Emergency Program (STEP).
Last year, the Holiday Train event resulted in almost $25,000 and more than
Setting out your carts for collection 5,000 pounds of food donated to STEP. The train’s 14 cars are brightly decorated
During winter months you must keep the area where you place your carts for with thousands of LED lights and holiday designs, with live musical entertainment
collection clear of snow. This helps collectors safely access your carts. Make and a short program at each stop. An announcement of Holiday Train
sure your carts are out by 7 a.m. as collection times may vary due to weather entertainment and a full schedule of stops, including times, will be available
conditions. in mid-October. To learn more about the Holiday Train, visit
• I f you have curbside collection, place carts on your driveway or on the boulevard cpr.ca/holiday-train/schedule-united-states.

between the street and sidewalk. Pre-train musical entertainment at the St. Louis Park stop will feature
• I f you have alley collection, place carts on your property, driveway or beside Minneapolis-based Tim Mahoney. The event is free; participants are asked to
bring a food or financial donation for STEP. For information about how to become
your garage next to the alley. a sponsor of this year’s Holiday Train, contact the Host Committee at
[email protected] or call 952.925.4899, ext. 17.
Storing your carts after collection
Put carts away promptly after collection. If you store your carts outdoors, please
be considerate. The city requires that carts are not stored adjacent to the street
and are at least four feet from property lines shared with a neighbor.

26

Refrigerator insider:

help your refrigerator save food

Top shelf Freezer Door

This area has the most Prepare and freeze items The warmest space in City hosting Minnesota

consistent temperature for use throughout the the fridge. Good for GreenCorps member

in the fridge. month. Freeze foods you condiments, but not good The City of St. Louis Park is hosting a Minnesota GreenCorps member from
September 2017 to August 2018. Minnesota GreenCorps is an AmeriCorps program
Store cheese, butter, and won’t be able to eat in for perishables (like milk created and coordinated by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency with projects
focused on improving environmental outcomes. The city’s GreenCorps member will
cooked meats here. time, such as bread, sliced and eggs) primarily focus on improving recycling in multi-family buildings and parks, as well
as increasing participation in curbside organics collection.
Bottom shelf fruit, or meat. Crisper drawers

The coldest part of the fridge. Can help control humidity

Store eggs, milk, and raw levels for better storage

meat here. (e.g., high humidity for

lettuce, low humidity for

fruits and veggies).

Keep your fridge temp at 40 degrees or below.
Bacteria do not like the cold.

Keep fridge temp at 40 degrees or below.

Tips to fight food wasteBacteriadonotlikethecold.

Food waste is a big issue – 40 percent of food is wasted in the U.S. But people don’t Tree pruning to
often think they contribute to the food waste problem. Most consumers think they begin in January
waste less food than the average person. The reasons they waste food are related to
good intentions – people want to eat healthy, be a generous host, be good caretakers
and be adventurous eaters.

With some simple strategies, we can all help cut back on food waste – it’s good for the
wallet and good for the environment. Here’s just one of many strategies to consider.

Help your refrigerator save food
Your fridge can help to extend the life of food. It comes down to where you place your
food within your fridge and keeping your fridge at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below.

Here’s what to store in your refrigerator and where:
• T op shelf: Has the most consistent temperate in the fridge so store butter, cheese and

cooked meats here.
• D oor: This is the warmest place in the fridge, so keep condiments and hard-to-spoil

items here.
• B ottom shelf: The coldest area of the fridge, so keep eggs, milk, raw meat, and other

perishable items here.
• C risper drawer: Controls humidity for better storage (e.g. high humidity for lettuce,

low humidity for fruits and veggies).
• F reezer: The freezer should obviously be used for frozen goods, but also use it to

freeze now/use later items. If you won’t be able to eat bread, meat or fruit before they
go bad, put them in the freezer and use them later.

More tips can be found on Save the Food’s website, savethefood.com.

Electronics recycling Each year the City of St. Louis Park hires a licensed tree service to prune a portion
of the city’s boulevard trees. This “rotational” pruning takes place from January
Have old electronics you need recycled? There are many options out there, but be through March. The city-hired tree service contractor, S & S Horticulture and
sure to verify that the business or individual who takes your item is registered with Tree, Inc., will be starting the first week in January 2018 finishing the Sorenson
the state of Minnesota. It is illegal for any non-registered entity to collect or accept neighborhood, then moving into the Birchwood, Bronx and Lenox neighborhoods.
TVs, computers (including laptops) and monitors, keyboards, printers, fax machines They will prune through the end of March 2018. This work is intended to improve
or DVD/VCR players for recycling. the health, safety and function of boulevard trees; each boulevard tree is pruned
once every nine years. Visit stlouispark.org to see a map of when pruning will
Hennepin County charges $10 per TV, laptop, or computer monitor at the drop-off occur in your neighborhood.
facilities in Brooklyn Park and Bloomington. Other electronics are accepted at no
charge. Learn more at hennepin.us/green-disposal-guide/items/electronics. Property owners are responsible for the full cost of pruning trees on private
property, and may use only tree services licensed by the city. By licensing tree
For additional registered collectors, check the MPCA’s list at http://bit.ly/2vSWxYs. contractors, the city is assuring its property owners that these companies have
adequate insurance and qualifications to perform safe and professional tree
work. Pruning of trees is strongly recommended during tree dormancy, November
through March. Visit stlouispark.org for a list of licensed tree services.

73

Stick to the recycling guide

Recycling is an important way for our community to reduce the negative impact we have on the environment and to support job
creation. Curbside recycling is available to all residents who receive city collection services. State law and local ordinance also
require that recycling service be made available to multi-family residents by their property management.

This recycling guide lists the most common recyclable materials that are accepted in the city’s recycling program and programs offered through multi-family
buildings. If you’re not sure if something can be recycled, check the guide first. If you don’t find it there, please don’t toss it in the recycling bin for someone
else to figure out! Doing so can cause contamination and lower the value of recyclable material. Plastic bags, electronics and diapers should never go in your
recycling bin, no matter where you live. If something isn’t listed on the guide, ask for help or put it in the trash.

Questions about curbside recycling?

Contact Kala Fisher at 952.924.2183 or [email protected].

Questions about multi-family recycling?

Contact Emily Barker at 952.924.2187 or [email protected].

Paper Plastic Cartons Glass Metal

• Mail, office and school Bottles & jugs: • Milk cartons • Food and beverage • Food and
papers • Water, soda and juice bottles and jars beverage cans
• Juice boxes
• Magazines and bottles • Aluminum foil
catalogs • Milk and juice jugs • Soup, broth and and trays rinsed
• Ketchup and salad wine cartons clean
• Newspapers and
inserts dressing bottles ! Reminder: Plastic bags cannot be recycled in your
• Dishwashing liquid curbside recycing cart. Please check with your local
• Phone books retailer or grocer to see if they collect plastic bags
• Books (remove hard bottles and for recycling or visit plasticfilmrecycling.org for
detergent jugs more information on how to recycle plastic bags.
covers) • Shampoo, soap and
• Shredded paper in lotion bottles Don’t place in your recycle cart: Styrofoam™ • plastic
Cups and containers: bags/wrap • microwaveable food trays • paper soiled with
closed paper bags • Yogurt, pudding and St. LoufoisoPda•rpkaper plates and towels • drinking glasses • dishes,
marked “shredded” fruit cups
Boxes: • Disposable cups and Recymcirlrionrsgo,r OconrtgaianenrsitchsatRheeldchyazcalridnougs p&rodGucatsr.bage
• Cardboard bowls
• Cereal and cracker boxes • Margarine, cottage
• Shoe boxes, gift boxes cheese and other
and electronics boxes containers
• Toothpaste, medication • Produce, deli and
and other toiletry take-out containers
boxes Packaging:
• Clear packaging from
toys and electronics

This guide includes useful tips andPRSRT STD
information for residential recycling,U.S. Postage
organics, yard waste and garbage
collection.PAID
Twin Cities, MN
8 Permit No. 603

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