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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-06-17 ENR Minutes June 17, 2013 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 1 MINUTES CITY OF MAPLEWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION 7:00 p.m., Monday, June 17, 2013 Council Chambers, City Hall 1830 County Road B East 1. CALL TO ORDER A meeting of the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission was called to order at 7:02 p.m. by Chair Johannessen. 2. ROLL CALL Randee Edmundson, Commissioner Absent Judith Johannessen, Chair Present Carol Mason Sherrill, Commissioner Present Ann Palzer, Vice Chair Present Cindy Schafer, Commissioner Present Dale Trippler, Commissioner Present Ginny Yingling, Commissioner Present Staff Present Shann Finwall, Environmental Planner 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Staff added agenda items 9.e. (Bird Safe Building Guidelines) and 9. f. (Street Sweepings). Commissioner Trippler moved to approve the agenda as amended. Seconded by Commissioner Mason Sherrill. Ayes – All The motion passed. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Chairperson Johannessen requested a change on page 2, item 5.a., third bullet point: the word “their” should be “there.” Commissioner Schafer had a correction on the same page, last bullet point: the sentence should read four “lakes” were removed from the impaired waters list, not four “streets.” Commissioner Trippler moved to approve the May 20, 2013, Environmental and Natural Resources Commission meeting minutes as amended. Seconded by Commissioner Mason Sherrill. Ayes –Chairperson Johannessen, Commissioner’s Mason Sherrill, Palzer & Schafer Abstentions – Commissioner Trippler & Yingling The motion passed. June 17, 2013 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 25. NEW BUSINESS a. Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems Ordinance i. Environmental Planner Finwall introduced the item for the Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (SSTS) Ordinance. ii. Brian Malm, consultant with Bolton & Menk gave the report and answered questions of the commission regarding changes to the ordinance. The commission discussed the ordinance and proposed changes as follows:  Compliance inspection for addition of bedroom: Why would the City give a property owner five years to upgrade their septic system after the issuance of a building permit for a new bedroom?  Hook up to City sewer or an appropriate SSTS when building or modifying a structure that produces sewage: Why would the City give a property owner one year to hook up to such a system after building or modifying a structure?  Amended building permits: Is 15 days enough time to allow an applicant to submit documentation of changes made to a septic system building permit?  Appeals to building permits: Who would an applicant appeal to if a building permit is denied?  Department response: Is ten days enough time for the City to issue a building permit for a septic system.  Permit expiration: The burden of knowing when a building permit expires should be placed on the applicant, not the City.  Maintenance requirements: The City should create a system to monitor whether property owners are obtaining the required maintenance inspections.  Point of sale compliance inspection: The City should research the feasibility of requiring homeowners to have a compliance inspection and make needed repairs prior to the sale of a property.  Location of Existing SSTS: It would be helpful to have a map showing where the existing SSTS are located and if they are within a flood plain or shoreland district. Staff will revise the ordinance and bring it back for review by the ENR Commission in July. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None. 7. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS None present. 8. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS None. 9. STAFF PRESENTATIONS a. Choosing Stormwater Best Management Practices, A Decision Tree for Minnesota Cities. Minnesota Department of Transportation research video spotlighting stormwater best management practices in Maplewood and surrounding communities. b. Future Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Updates Environmental Planner Finwall gave an update on future meetings which include the continued review of the SSTS ordinance; turf management presentation; and tree ordinance. June 17, 2013 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 3 c. Maplewood Fourth of July Celebration The City of Maplewood will be hosting the Fourth of July Celebration on Thursday, July 4, 2013, at Hazelwood Park at 4:00 p.m. with fireworks at dusk. Staff has been working with the vendors on ensuring products they sell can be recycled. d. Nature Center Programs Environmental Planner Finwall presented the upcoming Nature Center Programs. For more information contact the Nature Center at (651) 249-2170. e. Bird Safe Building Guidelines Update In May Commissioner Mason Sherrill brought up the Audubon Society’s bird safe building guidelines. Since then Environmental Planner Finwall contacted the Audubon Society for information on the program. The Audubon Society has forwarded staff information on how to retrofit City buildings to make them safer for birds. Staff will continue to research the feasibility of retrofitting City buildings and share that information with local businesses as well. f. Street Sweepings Environmental Planner Finwall discussed the City’s new process for disposing of street sweepings, which includes sifting the sweepings and using them for street projects. In 2011 the City removed 1,891 tons of street sweepings and in 2012 that amount was reduced to 1,058 tons. This is due to the switch from a sand/salt mix, to the use of pure salt in most conditions. 10. ADJOURNMENT Chair Johannessen adjourned the meeting at 9:15 p.m.