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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-07-16 ENR Minutes MINUTES CITY OF MAPLEWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION 7:00 p.m., Monday, July 16, 2012 Council Chambers, City Hall 1830 County Road BEast 1. CALL TO ORDER A meeting of the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission was called to order at 7:02 p.m. by Chair Edmundson. 2. ROLL CALL Randee Edmundson, Chair Judith Johannessen, Vice Chair Carol Mason Sherrill, Commissioner Ann Palzer, Commissioner Bill Schreiner, Commissioner Dale Trippler, Commissioner Ginny Yingling, Commissioner Present Present Present Present Absent Present Present Staff Present Shann Finwall, Environmental Planner 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Yingling added 8.a. Update on Fish Creek Commissioner Trippler added 8 b. Plastic Bottles Staff added 9.c. Maplewood Mall Rainwater Management Extreme Makeover Grand Opening Commissioner Trippler moved to approve the aqenda as amended. Seconded by Commissioner Yingling. Ayes - All The motion passed. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioners Trippler and Yingling recommended minor changes to the June 18, 2012, ENR Commission minutes. Staff took notes on the changes and will update the minutes for the record. Commissioner Trippler moved to approve the June 18. 2012. ENR Commission Meetinq Minutes as amended. Seconded by Commissioner Yingling. Ayes - Chair Edmundson, Commissioners Johannessen, Trippler & Yingling Abstentions - Commissioner Mason Sherrill & Palzer The motion passed. July 16, 2012 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 1 5. NEW BUSINESS a. Keller Golf Course Renovations - Approval of the Removal of Two Incidental Wetlands and Reclassification of One Wetland i. Environmental Planner, Shann finwall gave the report and answered questions of the commission. ii. Ramsey County Representative, Kevin finley, addressed and answered questions of the commission. iii. Ramsey County Consultant Chad Lockwood of Loucks Associates out of Maple Grove addressed and answered questions of the commission. Keller Golf Course Renovation Comments bv Members of the Commission Included: Why will the County spend $12 million on this project, and then threaten to close down its County Workhouse landscape operation? Parking spaces at 9 feet wide are too narrow. The County should follow the City's parking code of 9Y:! foot wide parking spaces. The County could widen the parking spaces if they reduced the number of parking spaces. It appears that the County is constructing too many parking spaces in the new design. There are two heritage trees that will be removed with the construction of the clubhouse. Why weren't these trees considered when the County did the planning for the site? Can these trees be saved? The landscape plan shows some of the replacement trees near the clubhouse to be nonnative to Minnesota. There were concerns expressed about impervious surface area. The County explained that an old golf course road within the course is being removed entirely. This will offset any new impervious planned for the site. Since the golf course is certified by the Audubon Society, is there a way that the County could install signage or use the site as an education source for people who golf the course or school groups? The revegetation maps submitted are unclear. The County should explain where new native grasses are being planted around the wetlands. The County explained that native grasses will be planted around Wetland 5, creating a 75-foot buffer, and in areas of the golf course. Wetland 10, which has been determined to be an incidental wetland, will be deepened for irrigation purposes. Turf grass will continue to be located around that irrigation pond. Commissioner Yingling moved to approve staff recommendation to: 1. Add Wetlands 1 and 2 to the city's wetland map as stormwater ponds. 2. Downgrade Wetland 3 from a Manage B wetland to a stormwater pond. 3. Remove wetlands 7 and 10 as they have been shown to be incidental wetlands. Seconded by Commissioner Palzer. Ayes - Chair Edmundson, Commissioner's Johannessen, Palzer, Trippler & Yingling Nay - Commissioner Mason Sherrill The motion passed. This item goes to the City Council on August 13, 2012. July 16, 2012 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 2 b. fish Creek Master Plan and Management Plan i. Environmental Planner, Shann finwall gave a brief report on the fish Creek Master Plan and Management Plan which is required as part of the grant funding for the site. Staff and commissions will hold public meetings to gain feedback on the plan over the next few months. Staff is asking for volunteers from several commissions to attend each of the meeting dates. 6. UNfiNISHED BUSINESS None. 7. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS a. Mike Bryan, 1928 Kennard, Swimming Pool Variance Mr. Bryan stated he will be presenting an application to the ENR Commission for a wetland buffer variance to construct a swimming pool at his residence in the next few weeks. He inquired what information the commission would like to see. The commission responded that it is important to have maps which reflect the location of the pool to the wetland, and any improvements that Mr. Bryan is doing to the buffer and to mitigate the variance. 8. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS a. fish Creek Update Commissioner Yingling indicated that the fish Creek group will be holding a barbeque, bingo, beer fundraiser at the Maplewood Community Center on July 26, 2012, from 6 - 9 p.m. for more information contact the Maplewood Nature Center. b. Commissioner Trippler discussed plastic bottles Commissioner Trippler said he read an article dated June 20,2012 from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency that every minute 2,900 plastic bottles are sold in Minnesota and 75% of those plastic bottles are not recycled. The state needs a deposit law to help with this issue. He would like to see the commission address this issue on an upcoming agenda. Staff indicated that during the July 4th celebration at Hazelwood Park the city used its existing park recycling bins and placed about 60 additional clear stream recycling containers out for us. The city collected 240 pounds of recycled materials - mostly beverage bottles. There has to be a place in public spaces for people to recycle bottles in order for it to happen. 9. STAff PRESENTATIONS a. National Night Out - Tuesday, August 7,2012. The ENR Commission will again be attending National Night Out parties and distributing recycling bins and other environmental literature. Tennis Recycling representatives will be joining the commission this year. Commissioners should let staff know if they are interested in participating. b. Maplewood Nature Center Programs - Staff listed upcoming programs at the Maplewood Nature Center. Contact 651-249-2170 for further information. July 16, 2012 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 3 c. Maplewood Mall Rainwater Management Extreme Makeover Grand Opening - The Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District is planning a grand opening for the stormwater improvements at the Maplewood Mall on September 15, 2012, from 11 :00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. They have asked the City and several commissions to participate in this event. 10. ADJOURNMENT Chair Edmundson adjourned the meeting at 8:48 p.m. July 16, 2012 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 4