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<br />VOLUME 5, NUMBER 5
<br />
<br />RAMSEY
<br />IDENT
<br />
<br />RE
<br />
<br />
<br />CITY NEWSLETTER
<br />
<br />PUBLIC HEARING SET FOR
<br />
<br />MAY 29 TO CONSIDER
<br />
<br />ZONING OPTIONS FOR ADULT
<br />
<br />ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS
<br />
<br />The matter of the proper location for adult entertainment
<br />centers has been cause for concern for many in the com-
<br />munity. As the residents are most likely aware, advertising
<br />signs were changed to read "Adult Book Store" at a business
<br />location (6710 Hwy. #10 N.W.) in Ramsey on Friday, April
<br />20, 1990. The following Monday the City Council met to con-
<br />sider what, if any, action would be appropriate. At that
<br />meeting, a moratorium ordinance was adopted that would
<br />prohibit the siting or operation of adult book stores in Ramsey
<br />for a period of time not to exceed 180 days. During the 1 ~O
<br />day moratorium period, the City Staff and legal counsel will
<br />study the options before the City.
<br />The City of Ramsey is dealing with this matter as a zoning
<br />question affecting where, when and how adult entertainment
<br />establishments might do business in the community. On May
<br />29, 1990, at 6:30 p.m., the City will hold a public hearing
<br />on this matter at the Ramsey Elementary School, 15000
<br />Nowthen Blvd. NW., Ramsey, Mn. That hearing will be us-
<br />ed as a way of communicating to the residents what the op-
<br />tions are before City Council and provide the citizens with
<br />a time and place to express their views on the matter.
<br />On April 30, 1990, the City received a complaint filed in
<br />U.S. District Court by the ownes of the Adult Book Store
<br />at 6710 Hwy. #10 N.W. alleging that the City of Ramsey
<br />violated their rights under the First and Fourteenth Amend-
<br />ments of the United States Constitution. Their attorney was
<br />also seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent the
<br />City from enforcing it's moratorium ordinance.
<br />On Tuesday, May 8,1990, oral arguments were presented
<br />before federal Judge Diana Murphy in U.S. District Court in
<br />Minneapolis in the lawsuit between the owners of the Adult
<br />Book Store and the City of Ramsey.
<br />On Friday, May 11, 1990, Judge Murphy ruled that
<br />Ramsey's moratorium ordinance appeared to violate the First
<br />Amendment and blocked the City from enforcing the
<br />moratorium.
<br />The City will proceed to plan for the most reasonable and
<br />effective means of zoning for adult entertainment
<br />establishments to minimize secondary impacts of such
<br />establishments on neighboring land uses. Those plans will
<br />be presented to the City Council and the citizens at the public
<br />hearing on May 29.
<br />The City will also enforce all relevant laws regulating adult
<br />entertainment establishment activities. The City realizes that
<br />the constitutionally protected freedom of expression and
<br />speech protects pornography but does not protect obsceni-
<br />ty. State laws have been patterned aft~r the definition. of
<br />obscenity approved by the supreme court In the case of Miller
<br />v. California, Minnesota Law reads like this:
<br />
<br />"to determine that a work is obscene, the trier of fact
<br />must find:
<br />
<br />(i) that the average person, applying contemporary
<br />community standards would find that the work, taken
<br />as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest in sex;
<br />(ii) that the work depicts sexual conduct specifically
<br />defined...(defined in other parts of the statute)...in
<br />a patently offensive manner; and
<br />(iii) that the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary,
<br />artistic, political, or scientific value.
<br />
<br />The City assures it's residents that it will enforce the laws
<br />of the land but will not exceed those laws in an attempt to
<br />respond to the needs of the community.
<br />
<br />MID-YEAR HOMESTEAD
<br />
<br />Residents who own and occupy their property after January
<br />2, 1990, and prior to June 1, 1990 qualify for homestea~
<br />credit. Property owners must file for the homestead credit
<br />by June 1, 1990, at the County Assessor's office, Anok~
<br />County Courthouse, 325 East Main Street, Anoka. The credit
<br />filed in June affects the taxes due in 1991 and could mean
<br />a substantial difference in your property taxes.
<br />
<br />Ramsey Resident
<br />Ramsey Municipal Center
<br />15153 Nowthen Blvd. NW
<br />Ramsey, MN 55303
<br />
<br />MAY 1990
<br />
<br />4TH ANNUAL
<br />COMMUNITY PICNIC
<br />Sponsored by the Ramsey Lions Club
<br />COME JOIN THE FUN!
<br />FOOD, GAMES, DOOR PRIZES, CLOWNS, MUSIC
<br />WHEN:
<br />SATURDAY, JUNE 16th
<br />(Rain Date: June 17th)
<br />TIME:
<br />3:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.
<br />3:00 p.m. Ramsey Run/Walk Mile
<br />4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Carnival rides and games
<br />4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. A visit from the Wizard of Oz
<br />3:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Youth bands
<br />5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. North Suburban Community Band
<br />4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Free Horseshoe Tournament
<br />4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Funny Buddies Clowns
<br />3:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. RYAA Games
<br />3:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Bingo
<br />4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Picnic Meal*
<br />8:00 p.m. City versus Country softball game
<br />(*) Stop at the information booth and pick up your free meal
<br />ticket. The meal includes a hot dog, chips, corn-on-the-cob,
<br />watermelon and pop. Additional servings of any of the above
<br />will be available for $.25 each.
<br />
<br />@
<br />
<br />@)
<br />
<br />nu:E em llSA
<br />
<br />TREE CITIES HONORED
<br />
<br />Ramsey was one of fifty-two communities recently honored
<br />for its outstanding urban forestry program at a banquet spon-
<br />sored by the 1990 Minnesota Forestry Fair. Pictured here
<br />are Bruce Bacon, Ron Hetland, Kathy Peterson and Claudia
<br />Dodge receiving award materials from Jerry Rose, State
<br />Forester and Director of the Division of Forestry, Department
<br />of Natural Resources.
<br />Communities awarded the TREE CITY USA designation
<br />must have a legally constituted tree board or department,
<br />a tree ordinance an active and comprehensive forestry pro-
<br />gram supported'by a minimum of $2 per capita, and an Ar-
<br />bor Day proclamation and public tree planting ceremony. As
<br />State Forester Jerry Rose says, "the fifty-two Minnesota
<br />communities honored this year have surpassed the re-
<br />quirements and are exhibiting innovative urban uses of
<br />trees. "
<br />"The TREE CITY USA award recognizes that a good ur-
<br />ban forestry program is an investment in. the econom!c,
<br />social, and physical well-being of a community," Rose said.
<br />"Trees make a world of difference to our future and I urge
<br />Ramsey to continue to plant, nurture, protect, and wisely
<br />use these Minnesota treasures."
<br />
<br />
<br />Bruce Bacon, Ramsey Environmental Specialist; Ron Hetland, Chairman
<br />of Ramsey Park and Recreation Commission; Kathi Peterson, Keep
<br />America Beautiful (KAB) Committee; Jerry Rose, Director 01 Division 01
<br />Forestry; Claudia Dodge, Community Education Director and KAB
<br />Committee.
<br />
<br />POSTAL CUSTOMER
<br />
<br />CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERING
<br />
<br />AMENDING THE CITY'S
<br />
<br />HORSE ORDINANCE
<br />
<br />After nearly a year of discussion and review, the City Coun-
<br />cil introduced an amended horse ordinance on May 8, 1990.
<br />The purpose of the proposed ordinance is to prohibi~ m?in-
<br />taining horses on lots of record less than 1.5 acres In Size,
<br />to require a conditional use permit to maintain a horse on
<br />lots of record 1.5 to 3.0 acres in size, to require filing with
<br />the City a sketch drawing of how horses will be accom-
<br />modated on lots 3 acres and larger in size, and to ensure
<br />proper handling, treatment and maintenanc~ of horses.
<br />In addition, the amended horse ordinance Includes some
<br />changes to the acreage requirements for keeping horses.
<br />The City's current ordinance requires that property owners
<br />have 3 acres for each horse maintained on a property. The
<br />new horse ordinance would allow for up to two horses on
<br />lots 1.5 to 3 acres in size with a conditional use permit only.
<br />Two horses would be allowed on lots 3 acres in size and
<br />one additional horse would be permitted for every 1/2 acre
<br />over 3 acres.
<br />The amended horse ordinance is scheduled for adoption
<br />at the May 22 Council meeting. If the ordinance is adopted,
<br />it becomes effective 30 days after it's publication in the Ci-
<br />ty's official newspaper (Anoka Union). The June issue of this
<br />newsletter will include a follow up report on whether the or-
<br />dinance was adopted, and if so, describe the ordinance in
<br />detail.
<br />
<br />SUMMER DETOUR SET
<br />
<br />FOR COUNTY ROAD 83
<br />
<br />The County will be completing the long awaited reconstruc-
<br />tion of County Road #83. This reconstruction will cause.a
<br />detour for the traffic in the western Ramsey area that Will
<br />be in effect for the entire summer. Residents of the affected
<br />area should plan accordingly and all residents should take
<br />extra precautions when travelling in this area.
<br />Any questions or problems during construction should be
<br />directed to the Anoka County Highway Department. Refer
<br />to map on page 3.
<br />
<br />
<br />The City would like to take this opportunity to introduce you
<br />to the newest member of it's staff, Nancy Blanchette. Nan-
<br />cy has been a Ramsey resident for the past 13 years and
<br />will be working in the Finance Office as a Data Entry Clerk.
<br />Welcome aboard, Nancy.
<br />
<br />********************
<br />
<br />* Featured Articles *
<br />* *
<br />* Annual Community Picnic................. 1 *
<br />* Adult Ent. Public Hearing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
<br />Cty. 83 Detour..........................1 *
<br />* Community Ed. Summer Program. . . . . . . . . .2 *
<br />* Ramsey on Cable TV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 *
<br />* Ramsey Cleans Up in 90. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 *
<br />* 1990 Arbor Day Report. .. .. .. .. .. . . . .. . .. 3 *
<br />* Brushchipping Application.................4 *
<br />* June Meetings.......................... 4 *
<br />
<br />********************
<br />
<br />CAR-RT -SRT
<br />BULK RATE
<br />U.S. POSTAGE
<br />PAID
<br />PERMIT NO. 131
<br />ANOKA, MN 55303
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