Hello,
Welcome to a new format for the Ward 4 e-news. I hope it's friendlier for you, the reader, and also makes it easier to forward to neighbors, friends, and others. This new format also allows for a direct response to me if you have questions or ideas about content.
Also new as of this week is my presence on Facebook as an elected official. It will provide a forum for me to communicate with my constituents, regarding policy and other issues on a more regular basis, between editions of e-news. Policy planning, projects, and direct calls or emails to my office will remain a priority.
Best,
Russ 
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 The Challenge of Urban Living, Ward 4 Style
As we enjoy the warmest spring on record in Minnesota, the nature of
calls received by my office shifts from snow and plowing issues to complaints
about loud or problematic neighbors. From large institutions and industries to neighborhood pubs, neighbors we value and who serve a need in our community can still be difficult
to handle when you live next door.
Many people that I talk to about these concerns say, "but
they knew what they were getting themselves into, moving in next door to ..." In some
cases this is true, but sometimes neighbors did not know what they were in for,
or the disturbances have grown worse over time.
 Clearly, many Ward 4 residents think that disruptive neighbors affect their quality of life, and this challenge of city
living seems to be intensifying as our community changes and grows. In many ultra-dense urban communities, noise
and other disturbances are so "normal" residents stop noticing; in St. Paul, we like to
think of ourselves as a quiet big town.
Yes, we do have noise ordinances, but they can prove difficult
to enforce, depending on the source of the noise. While these tools can be effective, they
often take time and patience as they make their way through the system.
These situations call for empathy and civility
from everyone in our neighborhoods. I
welcome your stories and experiences about successful strategies you've used to resolve similar situations of your own.
For your reference, here is a new page about working with the City to resolve problems developed by my legislative aide, Samantha Henningson, who handles many of these issues along with Darlyne Morrow and other staff.
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Light Rail: Taking Stock
The recent preliminary agreement between the University of Minnesota and the Metropolitan Council means that the Central Corridor Light Rail project is still on track. While much of the coverage focuses on the challenges ahead, I think we should take a look back at what we have accomplished:
- Succeeded in getting the Hamline, Victoria, and Western stations added to the official project plan.
- Identified City financing for the full package of streetscape improvements along University Avenue: street lanterns, street trees, permeable pavers in the boulevards, stained concrete crosswalks, median plantings, upgraded catenary poles. We minimized the amount that will be paid by property owners in new assessments. Part or all of these costs may
still be born by the project if project bids come in low or contingency
budget dollars are available.
Some of the proposed median plants.
 | - The project will include an innovative stormwater system for the Avenue, whereby water falling on the street will enter storm drains that will drain into trenches under the sidewalks, thereby watering the street trees before infiltrating down into the ground.
- I initiated the identification of $2 million in City financing to mitigate the loss of on-street parking for businesses on University Avenue.
- The Business Resources Collaborative, made up of dozens of area organizations that serve local businesses, is putting the finishing touches on a business mitigation plan. Many businesses have already been assisted with free marketing and branding services, and funds are being secured to assist some businesses that experience lost profits during construction.
- The
Housing and Redevelopment Authority has secured two sites along the
Avenue for future development of affordable housing, allowing us to
"bank" some land for this important purpose.
- The Central Corridor Bike/Walk Action Plan is being finalized, which lays out needed improvements to improve bicy
Sidewalk amenities image from the Bike Walk Action Plan.
 | cle and pedestrian connections to and along the light rail route. Many area cyclists and I share a disappointment with the lack of bike facilities on University Avenue, and I continue to advocate with City and County staff about how to "program" the lanes on the Avenue once light rail is constructed.
This list is by no means comprehensive, but these are some of the highlights, and I continue to work every day to ensure that the light rail project moves forward on schedule and that the benefits of the project are shared as broadly as possible.
It goes without saying that all of these accomplishments, and anything we achieve moving forward, are done in collaboration with great partners: the Three Stops Coalition, Councilmember Carter III, Mayor Coleman, Ramsey County, the Business Resources Collaborative, and many others.
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Photo credits: Como Conservatory image by Teresa Boardman; Train image by John Filter; megaphone image by Steve Rhodes via Flickr.
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Ward 4 Businesses
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In future editions, I'd like to feature local Ward 4 businesses. Email us a suggestion for a favorite business of yours you'd like to see highlighted, along with a photo if you can.
This month, the spotlight is on Egg Plant Urban Farm Supply, a new business on Selby Avenue.
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