Saint Paul Public Works Department has a new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) web page about alleys at http://www.stpaul.gov/index.aspx?NID=4795

The City of Saint Paul's Neighborhood Sales Tax Revitalization (STAR) Program is seeking applicants for the 2012 loan and grant funding cycle. This years program kicks off with an application workshop on February 8, 2012 where information about the 2012 Neighborhood STAR Program will be presented.

The Neighborhood STAR Program awards loans and grants over $5,000 through an annual competitive application process. Eligible proposals include capital (bricks and mortar) improvement projects in Saint Paul neighborhoods that further economic, commercial or residential development and must be matched dollar to dollar with private resources.

Are you a resident of the Twin Cities metro area?  If you answered yes, please take a minute or two to answer the questions on a survey from the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization about winter salt use (your answers anonymous).  Then, forward it to colleagues, students, friends and family in the Twin Cities so they can participate too!

The District 10 Como Community Council's Environment Committee is sponsoring an event on Sunday, February 19 at 2 p.m. at the North Dale Recreation Center. Heather Holm, horticulturist and author of the blog, "Restoring the Landscape with Native Plants," will speak on day-flying moths and butterflies and their native food plants. The talk is free and open to everyone.  You can find more information on the attached flyer.

Community Neighborhood Housing Services, a Saint Paul-based NeighborWorks Home Ownership Center, has been awarded funds to provide home low-cost improvement loans to homeowners living in Ramsey County. A variety of programs are available, meeting the needs of households with incomes up to 120% of area median income as determined by HUD, currently $100,800 for a family of four.   Interest rates are currently below 2%.

On December 31^st, ,2011 the St Paul Senior Chore Service program has ended. This community-based program has aided senior citizens by providing free or low cost lawn care, snow shoveling, housekeeping and other chores since 1988. 

For assistance, contact the:

• Senior Linkage Line at 1-800-333-2433 or if you are in St. Anthony Park, contact the St. Anthony Park Seniors at 651-642-9052. You can also try:
• Disability Linkage line 1-866-233-2466, 
• Veterans Linkageline at 1-888-546-5838.

The St. Paul Senior Chore Service matched workers and volunteers of all ages with senior citizens who needed help.  Many of the workers have been young people who gained work experience and earned money while providing a much-needed service to the seniors in their neighborhood. Interaction between generations has been an important bonus of this program.

If you're planning on doing a winter house clean out, check out Ramsey County's guide to reusing and donating.

Do you have items in good condition that you no longer use? Instead of throwing them in the trash, consider reuse, donation or selling. You can save money through re-sale or including donation amounts on your taxes. Plus, you can feel
good about helping those in need and participating in an environmentally sound cause that saves energy and resources.
For more information, go to www.RamseyAtoZ.com or call 651.633.EASY (3279), available 24/7.

After many years of supporting seniors in St. Anthony Park and several other neighborhoods, the Senior Chore Service closed its doors on Dec 31, 2011.  Thanks to all of the great volunteers who have helped seniors with raking, shoveling, and more.

There are still options for seniors who need help around their home; people can call the Senior Linkage Line at 1-800-333-5863.

Learn more about the closure from the stories on KSTP and from the Star Tribune.

Check out the highlights of the Community Council's work in 2011 in the PDF below!

Light rail transit represents a tremendous opportunity for new investment along University Avenue. The City of Saint Paul welcomes existing business and property owners, and others looking for new opportunities to consider investing in the Central Corridor. The purpose of the Saint Paul Transit-Oriented Development Guidebook is to help you find the information you need to make the most of these opportunities. The Guidebook is a reference that includes key business tips, guiding plans, and design development principles for the Central Corridor in Saint Paul.

The video, Understanding Snow Emergency, produced by ECHO Minnesota, is now available in eight languages: English, Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Vietnamese, Lao, Khmer and Karen. This program educates viewers on what to do with their vehicle when a snow emergency is declared. Viewers will learn about the different rules that Minneapolis and St. Paul have so they can avoid getting their car towed. The program is being broadcast in eight languages on tpt's Minnesota Channel (tptMN) Comcast Channel 243. To view the video and see the broadcast schedule, go to http://www.echominnesota.org/library/understanding-snow-emergency

The City of St. Paul has a free 24 hour hotline to report complaints on public domain issues like graffiti, snow and ice removal, and more. You can fill out the online form or call 651-266-8989.

Sherm Eagles presented the report to the St. Anthony Park Community Council Board in December:

History

The community gardens were started in 1981 and grew out of a neighborhood leaf composting project of the district council. The district council has always been the “responsible” organization for the community gardens, serving as fiscal agent and at first renting the land from the railroad. 

When the railroad said they were going to sell the land for the purpose of constructing a steel coil off-loading facility, the gardeners and district council responded by organizing a political effort to prevent the loss of the gardens and the construction of a disruptive use incompatible with the residential neighbors.  The gardens provide an attractive and “green” buffer between the residences and the transportation corridors of railroad tracks, Energy Park Drive and Highway 280. 

Need an easy way to remind your neighbors that clearing sidewalks of ice and snow within 24 hours of a snowfall is the law in St. Paul? St Paul Smart Trips can help you get the word out in your neighborhood with their snow shoveling reminder doorhangers. Visit their website to learn where you can get doorhangers or download one to print yourself.

The City of St. Paul completed a study to review of current and future transportation needs of the northwest quadrant of St. Paul  based on planned redevelopment, neighborhood goals, local and regional needs. The goal was to develop a balanced area transportation plan.  The final report for the study will be posted below after it is approved by the necessary City entities.

The area covered by the study runs from Larpenteur to 94, and the Minneapolis border (just west of 280) to Snelling.  Representatives from St. Anthony Park, Union Park, Hamline Midway, and the business community met monthly with City of St. Paul staff and a consultant hired to plan, model and engineer to complete the study.

You can learn more about the related West Midway Study here, and find the RFP for the related Snelling study below.  More information on the Central Corridor Transit Service Study including changes to bus routes is on the Metro Transit website.  Information on the Granary Road Corridor study in Minneapolis is on their website.