Ramsey Resident - 2009 - July/August (2)

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\. Public Notice Dog Regulations The Ramsey City Council recognizes that dogs are ail impOltaIlt pmt of the community in that they provide companionship, recreation, aIld protection for maIlY citizens. However, if not properly treated aIld controlled, a dog may become a nuisance aIld a hazard to persons and property. One way the city controls dogs is through licensing. The City Code requires all dogs to be licensed. Licenses are available, from the city. for a fee. upon proof of rabies vaccination. Licenses are valid for a two-year period. The city limits three dogs per residence. Four or more dogs require a conditional use permit for a kennel license. Call the Community Development Depmtment at 763-433-9824 for additional information on a kennel license. An owner or keeper of a dog must require the dog to be under the control and in custody of a person of sufficient age to adequately control the dog at all times while the dog is off the premises of the owner. Control and "custody" mean on a leash of not more than six (6) feet in length. It is legal to have a dog in an automobile without a leash, but it must be on a leash if taken out of the vehicle. Remember to take a scoop along when walking your dog! City Code requires any person who owns or has custody of a dog to clean up dog excrement and place it in a proper receptacle. To protect citizens, no person may keep a dog that howls, yelps or barks to the reasonable aIlllOYaIlCe of aIlother person. The city's Animal Control Of- ficer may request the person to stop or prevent the ann;YaIlce. and if they refuse to comply, a citation will be issued. If the officer needs"to stop the anno)'ance, the dog may be taken to the Animal Pound. Call the Animal Control Officer at 763-427-6812 for additional infor- mation regarding dog regulations. Oak Wilt Reminder How are your oak trees looking? Do you see aIlY leaves wilting? If so, is it at the top of the tree and moving downward? This may be oak wilt. which is a deadly fungal disease that attacks all types of oaks, but is most devastating to red and pin oaks (the oaks that have pointed tips on tlleir leaves). To prevent daIllage to oaks, avoid pruning oaks from April through July unless there is an imminent safety hazard (which should be addressed immediately aIld if so, use a non- petroleum based wound sealant to cover the fresh cut within one hour). Remember, the best time to trim your oaks is from October through March. when the trees are dormant. If you suspect you have oak wilt, or if you have any concerns regarding oak or any other tree species. you CaIl contact Envirolllllental Coordinator Chris Anderson at 763-433-9905 or by email at canderson@ci.raIllsey. mn.us for more information aIld/or for a site visit. What's Wrong with the Pine Trees? Pines, primarily the red or Nor- way pine. have been under consid- erable stress lately for a number of reasons. The trees have experienced dry winter winds. Many of them are in over-crowded stands creatinG b intense competition for light, water aIld nutrients. Their needles have been attacked by the European pine sawfly in the months of May and June. And, an untimely hail storm swept thru pmts of Ramsey, Andover aIld other neighboring communities during the Memorial Day weekend of 2008, which essentially pushed maIlY of these trees over the edge. The combination of all these fac- tors has left thousaIlds of pine trees either dead or severely stressed. This has created a significaIlt concern for multiple reasons. These include in- creased risk of disease spread to otller healthy pines, increased potential for daIllaging insects, aIld a potential increase of fire hazard. Arguably. most impOltaIlt step for property owners with declining or stressed pine trees is removal and proper saIlitation of the wood and brush. This will reduce the chance of harm to healthy pine trees. RaIllsey, in conceIt with the city of Andover, has applied for graIlt funding to assist property owners in addressing this situation. If awarded the grant monies, there will be a joint community workshop to update aIld educate attendees of possible maIlagement options. If you have concerns about trees on your prop- erty, you CaIl contact Chris Anderson, Environmental Coordinator at 763- 433-9905 or by email at canderson@ ~ .~ '/ Cl.ramsey.mn.us. 8 www.ci.ramsey.mn.us