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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCH11-CommunityResourcesPLAN OF STILLWATER Chapter 11 : Community Resources 11-1 Chapter 11 - Community Resources Introduction Stillwater is a full service community, home to many facilities enjoyed and used by the public, including Washington County Government Center and Lakeview Hospital. It is also home to numerous local institutional, recreational and municipal facilities and services. Each of these facilities does its part in providing the necessary services to support residents in the community and beyond. Goals & Objectives During the Comprehensive Plan process the City of Stillwater worked with the community to develop goals and objectives for the public facilities and services provided by the city. Community Resource Goals Goal 1. Efficiently provide quality city utility services at a reasonable cost. Objectives 1. Coordinate public facility improvements with preparation of neighborhood plans, i.e., special streetscapes, neighborhood parks, sidewalk or trail improvements. 2. Coordinate the provision of urban services: water, sewer, storm sewer policy, police and fire protection with adjacent local governments to provide more efficient services and save costs. Chapter 11 Contents Introduction .......................11-1 Goals and Policies ..................11-1 City Services and Facilities ...........11-2 11-2 PLAN OF STILLWATER Chapter 11 : Community Resources Goal 2. Make sure there is adequate supply or capacity of service to accommodate future development. Objectives 1. Provide water and sewer services to areas only as urbanization occurs. 2. Plan for the phased expansion of public services and facilities. Goal 3. Work cooperatively with surrounding jurisdictions to provide new facilities and services that meet the needs of Stillwater and area residents. Objectives 1. Coordinate the provision of urban services: water, sewer, storm sewer policy, police and fire protection with adjacent local governments to provide more efficient services and save costs. 2. Work with the school district to plan for future school facilities while maximizing the use of existing facilities. Goal 4. Promote sustainable use of community resources. Objectives 1. Routinely review city-wide needs for city facility maintenance and new construction improvement and program those improvements in a capital improvements program. 2. Develop water resource conservation measures to preserve deep aquifers. 3. Evaluate low-cost/high-benefit solutions when programming projects. City Services and Facilities The following section provides an overview of Stillwater’s City Services and Facilities. Public Works The Public Works Department is responsible for maintenance of the city’s infrastructure and park system. The department is organized in two divisions: engineering and maintenance. The department has approximately 18 full- time employees with the assistance of seasonal employees and contractors. A variety of services are provided by the Public Works Department and Engineering Department, which include: • Repair, patch and plow 80 miles of streets. • Clean and maintain 120 miles of sanitary and storm sewers. • Operate and continuously monitor 13 sewer pump stations. • Maintain and upgrade over 400 acres of parks and public open space. • Replace and care for over 3,000 city traffic signs. • Trim trees and brush on City right-of-ways and parks. • Prepare and cleanup Stillwater special events. • Provide emergency response and preparedness for disasters. The public works facility is located at 3325 Boutwell Road in the western part of Stillwater, south of Boutwell Road and east of Manning Avenue. Constructed in 2002, the facility was designed to house public works offices, maintenance vehicles, equipment and machinery. Great care was taken to design the structure to fit into the landscape and agricultural/rural atmosphere of the surrounding area. Fire Department The Fire Department prides itself in providing high quality professional service to the communities and citizens, and is responsible for protecting a 61 square mile area and a population of approximately 25,000 people. The Department is configured as a combination Fire Department with eleven full-time staff and 30 part-time paid-on-call staff. Services provided by Stillwater’s personnel include fire PLAN OF STILLWATER Chapter 11 : Community Resources 11-3 Fire Department suppression, code enforcement/inspections, fire prevention/education, fire investigations, technical rescue, and first responder EMS services. The Fire Department is located at 250 Maryknoll Drive North, which was constructed in 2017. The site was selected as part of Fire Service Delivery Study completed in 2005. The study determined a more centrally located facility was needed to address growth. The site is also home to the Minnesota National Guard, also known as the Stillwater Readiness Center. The facility includes an assembly hall, classrooms, offices, commercial kitchen, break and vending areas, toilets, shower/ locker rooms, physical fitness area, military unit storage areas with arms vault, garage, mechanical, electrical and telcom rooms. The building was designed to meet LEED® Silver standards. Police Department The Police Department is located in the lower level of City Hall at 216 North Fourth Street. The department includes 23 full-time officers, 1 part- time officer, 3 full-time non-sworn employees, 4 part-time non-sworn employees, and 10 volunteer non-sworn employees (reserves). The service area of the police department is the city limits. The police department offers numerous services including gun safety classes, vehicle lockouts, speed trailer, vacation/house watch, car seat safety inspections, crime prevention, and commercial/ residential alarm checks. City Hall Stillwater City Hall is located at 216 North Fourth Street. The original building was constructed in 1966 and renovated and expanded in 1997. The City Hall is home to the Fire and Police departments as well as Finance (5 full-time employees), Administration (6 full-time employees), Community Development (5 full-time employees), and Civil Engineering. The Mayor has an office in City Hall and all City Council and City Commission Meetings take place in the City Council Chambers. Stillwater Water Department The Water Department is owned and operated by the city, but is under the control and management of the Board of Water Commissioners and located at 204 North Third Street. The Water Board is responsible for day-to-day operation of the city’s water supply which maintains over 90 miles of water main (2018), eight wells, 3,000 manholes, 13 lift stations, and four water reservoirs. The purpose of the Water Department is to do any and all things in and about the city which it may deem necessary for the proper sanitary, healthful and economical operation of all water works. Stillwater Public Library The Stillwater Public Library was established in 1897. The original building was constructed in 1902 on the current site with funds provided by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation. An addition was built in 1973 with financial support from the Margaret Rivers Foundation. The building was completely renovated in 1987 and 2006. The building’s features include: • Stillwater’s 100-year-old Carnegie library has been preserved, while adding space in a complementary style. • The underground parking ramp provides convenient parking no matter the weather. • With its splendid view, the roof terrace is the site of relaxed reading and exciting programs, and it is available for rent. • There is space for shelving, seating, computers, and study. • Teens have their own area with seating, computers, and a group study room. • The children’s library has its own program space for story times, class visits, and homework. • The library has automated features and greater staff efficiency. • The enhanced library is able to serve all ages and segments of the community. 11-4 PLAN OF STILLWATER Chapter 11 : Community Resources The St. Croix Collection is the local history resource of Stillwater Public Library. Focus of the collection is Stillwater, the St. Croix Valley, and Washington County, Minnesota. A variety of materials make up the collection, including books, photographs, maps, clippings file, audiovisual items, and more. Additional resources helpful to the Stillwater history researcher are available in the regular reference collection and circulating collection of the library. Public School District Property Minnesota’s first schoolhouse was built in Stillwater in 1848, a year before Minnesota became a territory. Located on Olive Street between Second and Third Streets, the schoolhouse was a one-room building. Stillwater became the State’s first school district just two years later, a full four years before the City of Stillwater was incorporated. This district, now known as Stillwater Area School District (834), stretches for 30 miles along the west bank of St. Croix River from Afton to Marine, with the school district office located in the city. As the oldest K-12 public school district in the state, it serves over 8,400 students and staffs more than 1,100 employees. Other attributes associated with the School District include: • 7 elementary schools (PreK-5) • 2 middle schools (grades 6-8) • 1 high school (grades 9-12) • 1 alternative learning center (ALC) • 1 early childhood family center serving families with young children, from birth to age 5 Washington County Government Center Stillwater is the county seat for Washington County. Consequently, the Washington County Government Center is located here. The government center provides most of the administrative services of Washington County, including the courts. Washington County Historic Courthouse In the aftermath of the Civil War, Washington County turned its attention to rebuilding and westward expansion. Lumber prospects in the St. Croix Valley never looked brighter. The opening of the new county courthouse in 1870 was cause for celebration. Located on “Zion’s Hill”, it overlooked the bustling commerce of Stillwater and the river. Its grandiose exterior reflected the wealth of the Valley. Designed by Augustus Knight of St. Paul, the courthouse favored the Italianate style of architecture. Limestone foundation and brick façade were capped by an imposing dome, cupola, and flagpole, which soared as a landmark above the river city. Jutting skyward were eleven chimneys, necessities for the potbellied stoves that provided heat for the building. The courthouse complex, which included the jail and sheriff’s residence, served as the administrative and judicial center of the county for over a century. In 1971, the Washington County Courthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, as the oldest standing courthouse in the state of Minnesota. In 1975, the County offices moved to a new location along Highway 36 and plans were underway for an adaptive re-use of this historic building.