|
<br />
<br />
<br />Printed on
<br />Recycled Paper
<br />
<br />RAMSEY
<br />
<br />IDENT
<br />
<br />RE
<br />
<br />
<br />CITY NEWSLETTER
<br />
<br />VOLUME 5, NUMBER 6
<br />
<br />JUNE 1990
<br />
<br />CITY CONTINUING TO PURSUE
<br />
<br />REGULATIONS FOR ADULT
<br />
<br />ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS
<br />
<br />As we conveyed to you in the May issue of the Ramsey Resi-
<br />dent, on May 11 the U.S. District Court ruled against Ramsey
<br />Ordinances #90-7 and #90-8, establishing a moratorium on
<br />the siting of adult bookstores in the City. In the court's opi-
<br />nion, there are no alternative avenues for this type of
<br />business in the City of Ramsey if the ordinances stand and
<br />freedon of expression cannot, even for a temporary period,
<br />be prohibited.
<br />
<br />In response to the court's decision, City Council adopted Or-
<br />dinances #90-9 and #90-10 amending Ordinances #90-7 and
<br />#90-8 on May 22. In summary, the amendments: a) expand
<br />the scope of the ordinances to include a variety of adult enter-
<br />tainment type businesses versus just adult bookstores; b)
<br />. establish regulations for the siting of such adult type
<br />businesses during the moratorium period; c) reduce a viola-
<br />tion of said ordinances to a misdemeanor. With respect to
<br />siting regulations, the amendments basically state that dur-
<br />ing the moratorium period, no adult entertainment centers
<br />may be located less than 750 feet from any residential district
<br />and 1,000 feet from churches, schools, youth facilities or
<br />any other adult entertainment uses. This distance require-
<br />ment is intended to satisfy the courts that the City is not
<br />prohibiting but rather providing alternative avenues for these
<br />types of businesses within the City. The reduction of a viola-
<br />tion to a misdemeanor was also in response to the court's
<br />determination that the threat of criminal prosecution impacts
<br />and restricts freedom of expression of an adult bookstore
<br />operator.
<br />
<br />The siting regulations established in the ordinance amend-
<br />ments are based on information obtained from various
<br />reports and studies that have been compiled regarding the
<br />secondary impacts of sexually oriented businesses. Two of
<br />the studies used as reference material in the drafting of the
<br />ordinance amendments were: "The Report Of The Attorney
<br />General's Working Group On The Regulation of Sexually
<br />Oriented Businesses" date June 8,1989 and "Adult Enter-
<br />tainment Research Report" by the Rochester/Olmsted Plan-
<br />ning Department dated March 2, 1988.
<br />
<br />The City has also hired Northwest Associates Consultants,
<br />Inc. to develop licensing and zoning regulations, sign regula-
<br />tions and an implementation/enforcement program. North-
<br />west Associated Consultants will prepare and present their
<br />report at a workshop and public hearing on dates yet to be
<br />determined.
<br />
<br />On June 1, oral arguments for and against the amended or-
<br />dinances were presented before the U.S. District Court Judge
<br />by the City of Ramsey and the owners of the adult bookstore.
<br />
<br />On June 19, the Judge rejected the bookstore's complaint
<br />that their first amendment was violated by the City's amend-
<br />ed moratorium ordinance. For the City to enforce its current
<br />moratorium ordinance, it must file suit in State court.
<br />
<br />ATTENTION
<br />
<br />RAMSEY RESIDENTS
<br />
<br />The City of Ramsey is currently seeking five (5) candidates
<br />to fill the newly created Horse Care Commission for a one,
<br />two or three-year term, serving as advisory to the Ramsey
<br />City Council. The position requires meeting on an as-needed
<br />basis. Ramsey residents interested in serving on the Com-
<br />mission are requested to submit a letter of application by
<br />5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 31, 1990 to Kay McAloney,
<br />Personnel Coordinator at Ramsey Municipal Center, 15153
<br />Nowthen Blvd. NW., Ramsey, Minnesota 55303. Letters of
<br />application should contain the applicant's name, address,
<br />telephone number, work experience, education, and any ex-
<br />perience in horse care and/or municipal affairs. In addition,
<br />applicants should include a statement listing their reasons
<br />for seeking appointment to the Horse Care Commission. The
<br />position in not salaried.
<br />
<br />Ramsey Resident
<br />Ramsey Municipal Center
<br />15153 Nowthen Blvd. NW
<br />Ramsey, MN 55303
<br />
<br />[l
<br />
<br />
<br />(Lefllo Righi: Peggy Wolf, Mike Marquart, Chris Thibodeau).
<br />
<br />This summer, Ramsey hired 3 interns from St. Cloud State
<br />University. The City will gain the expertise of these interns
<br />in the completion of special projects and the interns will earn
<br />credits toward their future degrees. Peggy Wolf is assisting
<br />the Finance Office in developing an operating procedures
<br />manual. Mike Marquart is working on the brush Chipping pro-
<br />gram. Chris Thibodeau is working with the Economic
<br />Development Commission on the Star City program.
<br />
<br />PUBLIC HEARING IS
<br />
<br />SCHEDULED REGARDING
<br />
<br />STREET LIGHTS
<br />
<br />For more than a year, City Staff and the Planning and Zon-
<br />ing Commission have been researching the standards and
<br />costs for installing street lights in existing and newly develop-
<br />ing areas, policies regarding funding sources for initial in-
<br />stallation and ongoing maintenance of street lights, and the
<br />amount of lighting that would adequately address safety
<br />Issues. Based on that research, a proposed city pOlicy and
<br />ordinance regarding street lights was drafted. The City Coun-
<br />cil will be conducting a public hearing on Tuesday, July 10,
<br />1990 at 7:30 p.m. regarding the proposed street light or-
<br />dinance. Copies of the proposed ordinance and policy are
<br />available at City Hall upon request. All residents are welcome
<br />to attend the hearing and comment on the issue. Written
<br />comments will be received until 5:00 p.m. on July 10. Writ-
<br />ten comments should be addressed to the City Council,
<br />Ramsey Municipal, 15153 Nowthen Blvd. N.W., Ramsey,
<br />Minnesota 55303.
<br />
<br />HOURS FOR THE SALE
<br />
<br />OF LIQUOR AMENDED
<br />
<br />Effective April 24, 1989, the Minnesota Legislature expand-
<br />ed the hours of operation for off-sale and on-sale liquor
<br />establishments.
<br />
<br />In January of 1990, it was determined that the expanded
<br />hours do apply to Ramsey since the City incorporates State
<br />Statutes by reference in its ordinances. Based on that deter-
<br />mination, liquor establishments were permitted to begin
<br />operating under the new State Statute.
<br />
<br />On June 12, City Council took formal action and adopted
<br />ordinances to expand the hours of operation for off-sale and
<br />on-sale liquor establishments in accordance with State
<br />Statutes. Off-sale liquor stores are now permitted to be open
<br />on New Years Day, January 1, and on Independence Day,
<br />July 4. On-sale liquor establishments are now permitted to
<br />stay open until 1 :00 a.m. on Mondays wherease the closing
<br />time used to be midnight on Sundays.
<br />
<br />POSTAL CUSTOMER
<br />
<br />1990 ELECTIONS
<br />
<br />JULY FILINGS FOR MAYOR
<br />
<br />AND CITY COUNCIL
<br />
<br />The State Primary Election will be held on September 11 and
<br />the State General Election will be held on November 6. City
<br />Elections for Mayor and Councilmembers will be held in con-
<br />junction with the State Elections. Filing for the positions of
<br />Mayor and two Council member at-large seats will open on
<br />July 3 and will close on July 17 at 5:00 p.m. Any eligible
<br />person may become a candidate for the position of Mayor
<br />(two year term) or Councilmember (four year term) by filing
<br />an affidavit with the City Clerk between July 3 and July 17
<br />at City Hall. In order to file for candidacy the candidate must
<br />be an eligible voter, be 21 years of age or older and have
<br />maintained reSidency in the City for 30 days before the
<br />General Election. A fee of $5.00 is to be paid at the time
<br />of filing.
<br />
<br />Campaign signs may be placed in any district and the max-
<br />imum size allowed is 32 square feet. Candidates must pay
<br />a sign permit fee of $30.00. Such signs must be removed
<br />with seven days following the election.
<br />
<br />For more information regarding the upcoming election, con-
<br />tact Penny Curtis, Administrative Coordinator, at 427-1410.
<br />
<br />ELECTION JUDGES NEEDED
<br />
<br />Election judges are needed for the Primary and General elec-
<br />tions to be held in September and November. If you are in-
<br />terested in serving as an election judge, contact Penny Cur-
<br />tis, Administrative Coordinator, at 427-1410. Training is pro-
<br />vided and election judges are compensated for their time
<br />including training.
<br />
<br />RAMSEY'S COMMUNITY
<br />
<br />SPIRIT SHINES
<br />
<br />The Ramsey City Council would like to thank those residents
<br />that contributed towards making the 7th Annual Ramsey
<br />Clean-up Day and Arbor Day celebrations a big success.
<br />Whether you cleaned up the parks or roadsides, planted a
<br />tree, or helped in any other way towards the beautification
<br />of our City, we appreciated your efforts. Once again we
<br />showed that by working together, we can make Ramsey a
<br />better community in which to live and work. THANK YOU!
<br />
<br />********************
<br />
<br />: Featured Articles :
<br />
<br />: Adult Entertainment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 :
<br />* Street Lights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 *
<br />* Filing for Office. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 *
<br />* Composting Strategy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 *
<br />* KAB Grants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 *
<br />* Burning Permits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 *
<br />* Community Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 *
<br />* New Horse Ordinance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 *
<br />Sewer Back-Ups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
<br />: Gopher Reimbursement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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
<br />
|