City May Memorialize Crichton with Dog Park

Memorializing a ‘hero to the taxpayers’

Several community members have approached City Council Member Dan Kealy about memorializing Charlie Crichton who died in March. Crichton, who served on the Burnsville City Council since 1992, was known for his feisty rhetoric and strong fiscal stands. “He was a hero to the taxpayers,” Kealy said. But what would be a fitting tribute to the man who watched every city expenditure like a hawk?

Mayor Elizabeth Kautz has an idea – Burnsville’s Alimagnet Dog Park. “The one park he enjoyed was the dog park,” she said during the June 14 City Council work session.  She hinted that another reason Crichton favored the park was because it was built with grant money, rather than taxes. A number of ideas were put on the table, but council members concurred that his widow, Terry, should provide further input.

 Absentee voting for council open seat begins June 24

Absentee voting will begin at Burnsville City Hall Friday, June 24, for the July 26 City Council Special Election to fill the vacant seat previously held by Charlie Crichton, who passed away this spring. Nine candidates have filed for the seat holding a four-year term, which will end December 2014.

Absentee ballots will be available at City Hall, 100 Civic Center Parkway, during normal business hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Absentee voting will also be open until 5 p.m. the Monday prior to Election Day (Monday, July 25) and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 23.

According to a city press release, in order to vote absentee, residents must be absent from their precinct on Election Day, ill or disabled, prevented from going to the polling place because of religious discipline or holiday or serving as an election judge in another precinct.

Residents can request an application for an absentee ballot be sent to them by mail by leaving a message on the City’s Election Hotline at 952-895-4433. Any voted ballot must be received (not postmarked) at City Hall by Election Day. Questions should be directed to the City Clerk’s office at 952-895-4490.

The Special Election will be held on Tuesday, July 26, 2011. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Polling information and maps can be found online at www.burnsville.org/elections.

For more information, visit www.burnsville.org/elections or contact Macheal Brooks, City Clerk at 952-895-4490 or macheal.brooks@ci.burnsville.mn.us.

 Input sought on skate part improvements

Skate park users and those interested in the park’s improvement can give their ideas to the Burnsville Recreation staff during a public hearing, Tuesday, June 28 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in city hall.

The City plans to upgrade the skating surface, provide new landscape and add additional skating apparatus. The master plan will be available for review during the meeting.

Construction is expected to begin in the fall of 2011 on the park located adjacent to the Burnsville Ice Center, 251 Civic Center Parkway.

For more information contact Dean Mulso at 952-895-4563.

 Helping DIYers helps the city

Let’s face it, not every do-it-yourselfer has the knowledge to tackle the project they have in mind. The city of Burnsville would like to help.

Any resident wishing to take a class that will help ensure their project’s successful outcome could be reimbursed for the class expense by the city.

The city has one-and-half inspector positions to review permitted projects, and a trained DYI could actually save the city money because better informed DIYers could mean fewer inspections.

Various classes are available through Independent School District 191’s community education program generally at a cost of $19-$29, as well as several retail outlets, according to Burnsville city staff.

“I like the concept,” said Burnsville City Council Member Mary Sherry during the June 14 work session where the idea took hold.

City staff was directed to draft the necessary language to move forward with the reimbursement idea. It would need to be approved during a regular city council meeting before the plan is available for resident use.

Zoning sometimes changes with use

If you move to a neighborhood because you like being surrounded by homes, how can you be assured that an industrial building won’t be built next door? Thus, the importance of a city’s comprehensive plan.

Filled with acronyms representing different zoning uses, this document assists the city in deciding where everything from shopping centers, parks and industrial development should be located. Because Burnsville’s plan spans 20 years (to help give continuity), tweaks sometimes are needed. Take, for example, Dakota Unitarian Universalist Church located at 13001 County Road 5. At one time the building housed a business and is currently zoned for that purpose — B-2/PUD, Neighborhood Business/Planned Unit Development District. But the new use as a church, according to the city, is more appropriate for a Two Family Residential/Planned Unit Development District.

Because state law requires zoning maps be consistent with the current use, a change needs to be made.

The Burnsville Planning Commission recommended June 13 rezoning of eight separate parcels, three of which are privately owned.

The action now moves to the City Council for approval, which could be at its June 21 meeting.

Preview of the June 21 city council meeting

The Burnsville City Council will meet Tuesday, June 21, at 6:30. Here are a few of the items included on the agenda:

• Appointment of election judges for July 26 special city council election to fill the seat open due to the death of Charlie Crichton;

• Consider a two-year labor contract for the fire captains;

• Enter into an agreement with Paragon Odyssey 15 for five films for Movie Night at Nicollet Commons Park on Friday evenings; and

• Several zoning changes.