NOTICE AND REMINDER TO ALBANY RESIDENTS

DOG LICENSES

All dogs 6 months and older, owned and harbored within the City annual license fee is $10.00 per dog and must be paid at City Hall by May 1st. Evidence of rabies vaccination must be provided.

BUILDING PERMITS

No building, sign or other structure shall be erected, moved, added to, or structurally altered (includes re-shingle, window replacement, decks, reside) without first obtaining a permit from the City.

STORM SEWERS

It is unlawful to pour rain or ground water into the sanitary sewer lines. Sump pump water must be directed into the storm sewers or on lawn. It is illegal to hook up your sump pump to the City's Sanitary Sewer.

Discharge of Sump Pumps

The Albany Public Works Department would like to remind residents that the discharge of sump pumps into the City’s sanitary sewer system is a violation of City Ordinance 32 and subject to a fine. The discharge of sump pumps into the sanitary sewer system creates excessive flows that may exceed the design capacity of the sanitary sewer system. It also drives up the costs at the wastewater treatment plant which ultimately affects everyone’s sewer bills. Sanitary sewer backups and the flooding of neighboring basements are also possible. All water that leaves your home from sinks, showers and toilets flows into the sanitary sewer system and ends up at the City’s wastewater treatment plant. Please direct all sump pump discharge water to a suitable outdoor location! Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Storm Drains

The Albany Public Works Department does routine cleaning and maintenance of the City's storm drains. Storm drains go directly to the streams and lakes. Do not blow any grass clippings and leaves in the street. Do not dump trash, debris, or liquids down the storm drains, gutters, or streets. Please be aware of run-off from private property, such as soapy water from washing cars and water from over-watering lawns that have been fertilized, as this can also end up in our storm drains. There are biodegradable and environmentally-friendly products for outdoor cleaning and landscape maintenance. If you witness any storm drains that are blocked, please notify the Albany Public Works Department at 845-2388 immediately so we can open up the drains as soon as possible to prevent street flooding.

GOLF CARTS

Obtain permit annually by providing proof of insurance and paying $10.00 fee at City Hall.

NORTH PARK RESERVATIONS

The Jaycee or Lions North Park Shelters can be reserved by calling Diane at City Hall or completing the reservation form from this website. The reservation fee is $50/daily for city residents and $100/daily for nonresidents.

HOUSE NUMBERS

Owners, lessors, or occupants of every residential, commercial, industrial or other building in the City shall have a properly affixed building number. This is very important for police and fire personnel to assist in the correct location in the case of an emergency.

WOOD PILES

Outdoor fuel storage is limited to eight cords of wood stored during the period October 1^st through March 31^st and one cord of wood from April 1^st to September 30^th. Other fuel sources are similarly limited to a volume not too exceed eight cords of wood and shall be set back ten (10) feet from side and rear property line, be neatly stacked, covered, split, and shall not be located in front yard. Fuel may not be stored outside in or on a trailer, gravity box or similar mobile container, or in a vehicle. Any structures constructed to contain or store fuel for Bio-fuel Burners must be constructed in accordance with applicable zoning regulations.

SEWER GAS

What is sewer gas?

Sewer gas is a complex mixture of toxic and non-toxic gases that can be present at varying levels depending upon the source. It is formed during the decay of household and industrial waste. Highly toxic components of sewer gas include hydrogen sulfide and ammonia. Sewer gas also contains methane, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrous oxides. In addition, chlorine bleaches, industrial solvents, and gasoline are frequently present in municipal and privately owned-sewage treatment systems.

How are people exposed to sewer gas?

Sewer gas can enter a home through a floor drain, from a leaking or blocked plumbing roof vent, or (if the gases are in soil adjacent to the house) through cracks in foundations. Sanitary and farm workers can be exposed to sewer gas during the cleaning and maintenance of municipal sewers, manure storage tanks, and home septic tanks.

What are the effects of exposure to sewer gas?

The principal risks and effects associated with exposure are:

Hydrogen sulfide poisoning. Exposure to low levels of hydrogen sulfide causes irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract. Other symptoms include nervousness, dizziness, nausea, headache, and drowsiness. This gas smells like rotten eggs, even at extremely low concentrations. Exposure to high

concentrations can interfere with the sense of smell, making this warning signal unreliable. At extremely high levels, hydrogen sulfide can cause immediate loss of consciousness and death.
Asphyxiation. High concentrations of methane in enclosed areas can lead to suffocation as large amounts of methane will decrease the amount of oxygen in the air. The effects of oxygen deficiency include headache, nausea, dizziness and unconsciousness. At very low oxygen concentrations (<12%), unconsciousness and death may occur very quickly and without warning. Sewer gas diffuses and mixes with indoor air, and will be most concentrated where it is entering the home. It can accumulate in basements.
Explosion and fire. Methane and hydrogen sulfide are flammable and highly explosive.

How can I avoid being exposed to sewer gas?

Flush floor and sink drains with water to prevent the traps in pipes to the sewer from drying out.
Occasionally check the roof plumbing vent for blockage from debris such as leaves or bird nests
Never enter a municipal sewer line, manure-storage tank or any other large storage tank without proper training and equipment.

What should I do if I suspect a problem?

First, following the odor, try to locate the point of entry, such as a basement floor drain. Check for a blocked rooftop plumbing gas vent. By adding water to the floor drain or removing debris from a roof plumbing stack vent you may be able to prevent sewer gas from entering your home. In the unlikely event that a leak in gas vent plumbing is behind walls, a plumber may be needed to find and fix it. Some local public health departments may be able to offer home inspections. Symptoms of headache, nausea, dizziness, or an odorless gas like methane or carbon monoxide, or to hydrogen sulfide, which smells of rotten eggs. Persons experiencing severe symptoms should seek immediate medical care. If you suspect that high concentrations of sewer gas have accumulated in an enclosed space, you should evacuate the area and contact the fire department for assistance. Avoid creating an ignition source such a spark from an electrical appliance, match, or cigarette lighter.

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Community Services

POST OFFICE - Albany has a first-class Post Office. The Albany Post Office has all mail services available, with Express mail overnight delivery.

LIBRARY -

The Albany Public Library, located at 400 Railroad Ave in the new City Hall, is in a newly constructed 3,000 sq. ft. spacious building, and is one of thirty-one libraries that make up the Great River regional Library. With your free library card, you can check out books, videos, cassettes, DVD's, compact disks, books-on-tape, and popular magazines. Using the varied reference resources, your questions will be answered, plus a public Internet station is available for your use. Daily deliveries bring requested items to patrons within several days, and children's programs are presented several times a year.

CHURCHES - Albany has several churches available including:

Immanuel Lutheran Church (LCMS)	(320) 845-2620
Our Savior's Lutheran Church	(320) 845-2405
Seven Dolors Catholic Church	(320) 845-2705
Grace Alive! Evangelical Free Church	(320) 845-7676

HOUSING - Albany has 623 occupied households and a variety of apartment buildings. This diversity provides housing for varied incomes and family sizes. Many housing sites are available in the Sterling Heights Addition and the Highlands Addition. Call City Hall for more details on each residential development.

NEWSPAPERS - The Albany Enterprise is Albany's "official" weekly newspaper. Additionally, the city has daily delivery of the St. Cloud Times, Minneapolis Tribune, USA Today, and St. Paul Pioneer Press.

RADIO - KASM (1150 AM) Oldies and KDDG (105.5 FM) are Albany's radio stations.

TELEVISION - Charter Communications (800-581-0081) is the cable service that services Albany and the surrounding area with a total of 30 channels. Premium channels are also available, such as HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Stars, Encore, and Disney.