HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-04-21 ENR Minutes
April 21, 2014 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 1 MINUTES CITY OF MAPLEWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION 7:00 p.m., Monday, April
21, 2014 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 7:00 p.m.
by Chair Palzer. 2. ROLL CALL Randee Edmundson, Commissioner Present Deborah Fideldy, Commissioner Absent Judith Johannessen, Commissioner Present Ann Palzer, Chair
Present Cindy Schafer, Commissioner Absent Dale Trippler, Vice Chair Present Ginny Yingling, Commissioner Present Staff Present Shann Finwall, Environmental Planner
Melinda Coleman, Assistant City Manager/Environmental and Economic Development Director 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Staff had two staff presentation additions to add to the agenda
including Urban Agriculture and Spring Clean Up Summary. Commissioner Trippler moved to approve the agenda as amended. Seconded by Commissioner Edmundson. Ayes – All
The motion passed. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES One correction on page 2, item 5. a. (2013 Annual Report): in the last sentence it should read “In 2013 the RRT facility diverted 20,000
tons of metals from 400,000 tons of trash collected.” Commissioner Trippler moved to approve the March 17, 2014, Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting minutes as
amended. Seconded by Commissioner Johannessen. Ayes – All The motion passed.
April 21, 2014 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 2 5. NEW BUSINESS a. Conducting Open – Public Meetings i. Assistant City Manager, Environmental
and Economic Development Director Coleman addressed the commission and gave a presentation on the commission’s responsibilities under the state’s public meeting law. b. Overview
of Gladstone Phase II Improvements i. Environmental Planner, Shann Finwall introduced the item. ii. Todd Halunen, Landscape Architect, Kimley-Horn addressed the commission and gave
the presentation on the Phase II improvements proposed for Gladstone. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Tree Ordinance i. Environmental Planner, Shann Finwall gave an update on the
tree ordinance amendments. The Commission discussed the following: Definitions – language changes How to measure trees - caliper versus diameter. Specimen trees – use
a greater constant for replacement of these trees Staff will make the changes requested and bring back suggestions for calculating replacement of specimen trees. 7. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
None present. 8. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS None. 9. STAFF PRESENTATIONS a. Enhancing Ambient Groundwater Quality Monitoring in Minnesota i. Environmental Planner Finwall
gave an update on the ambient groundwater quality monitoring program in Minnesota at Geranium Park in Maplewood. Commissioner Trippler recommended the city get the well records of
the monitoring well at Geranium Park in case there are any problems with the site. b. Waterfest (May 31) i. Environmental Planner Finwall discussed the Waterfest event which is
scheduled for Saturday, May 31, 2014, from 11:00 – 4:00 p.m. The Environmental Commission will have a booth at the event. This year we will focus on urban agriculture, in particular
the effects pesticides are having on pollinators. c. Maplewood Nature Center Programs i. Environmental Planner Finwall presented the upcoming Nature Center Programs. For more
information contact the Nature Center at (651) 249-2170.
April 21, 2014 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 3 d. Urban Agriculture – The Nature Center is hosting a community garden open forum on Monday, May
12, 2014. This would be a good opportunity for members of the Urban Agriculture subcommittee to meet with residents interested in community gardening. e. Spring Clean Up Summary
– staff gave an update on the Spring Clean Up event April 19, 2014, at Aldrich Arena. 10. ADJOURNMENT Chair Palzer adjourned the meeting at 8:55 p.m.