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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-07-20 ENR Minutes MINUTES CITY OF MAPLEWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION 7:00 p.m., Monday, July 20, 2015 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 Trippler. 2. ROLL CALL Absent Deborah Fideldy, Commissioner Mollie Miller, Vice Chair Present Ann Palzer, Commissioner Present Tom Sinn, Commissioner Present Dale Trippler, Chair Present Ginny Yingling, Commissioner Present Staff Present Shann Finwall, Environmental Planner City Council Liaison Present Kathleen Juenemann, City Councilmember 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Staff added 9.d. - Environmental Commission Forum under Staff Presentations. Commissioner Miller moved to approve the agenda as amended. Seconded by Commissioner Yingling. Ayes – All The motion passed. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Palzer moved to approve the June 15, 2015, Environmental and Natural Resources Commission meeting minutes as submitted. Seconded by Commissioner Miller. Ayes – All The motion passed. 5. NEW BUSINESS a. Community Solar Gardens – Presentation by Trevor Drake of the Great Plains Institute i. Environmental Planner, Shann Finwall introduced the item and the speaker Trevor Drake. ii. Trevor Drake, Great Plains Institute gave the presentation and answered questions of the commission. July 20, 2015 1 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes iii. City Council Liaison, Kathleen Juenemann addressed the Commission and speaker with questions about Community Solar Gardens. The Commission reviewed the Community Solar Garden presentation and discussed the Community Solar Subscriber Collaborative. Community Solar Gardens create a new opportunity for local government entities to support clean energy, save on energy bills for public buildings, and hedge against the future price volatility of electricity. The Community Solar Subscriber Collaborative is a joint effort for local governments to procure solar garden subscriptions from a single request for proposal. The Metropolitan Council will publish the RFP for developers to provide community solar garden subscriptions to the local governments that signed a Letter of Intent. The Commission recommended that staff submit the letter of intent to ensure the City of Maplewood can review the proposals received. The Commission also discussed forming a subcommittee to review Community Solar Garden subscriptions for the City. Councilmember Juenemann agreed and recommended all of these details be presented to the City Council during a workshop. Commissioner Miller moved to recommend creating a Community Solar Garden subcommittee to review Community Solar Garden proposal and make a recommendation. Commissioners Miller, Yingling, Sinn volunteered to serve on the Community Solar Garden subcommittee. Seconded by Commissioner Yingling. Ayes – All The motion passed. b. 2016 – 2020 Capital Improvement Plan i. Environmental Planner, Shann Finwall gave a brief introduction of the 2016 – 2020 CIP Plan. ii. City Council Liaison, Kathleen Juenemann addressed the Commission regarding the 2016 – 2020. The commission felt that money spent on the Maplewood Nature Center and Wakefield Park was a priority for the future in the CIP. Commissioner Yingling volunteered to represent the ENR Commission at the City Council meeting July 27, 2015. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None. 7. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS City Council Liaison, Kathleen Juenemann addressed the Commission regarding the League of Minnesota Cities Conference in Duluth. During the conference Maplewood was recognized as a Step 4 Pilot City in the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program. Councilmember Juenemann said the convention was well attended and there were some outstanding workshops. Ms. Finwall was recognized for an outstanding job done as a presenter for two workshops representing Maplewood for our Energize Maplewood! and organized trash hauling programs. 8. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS None. 9. STAFF PRESENTATIONS July 20, 2015 2 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes a. National Night Out – August 4, 2015 – Staff invited the Environmental Commission to participate in National Night Out. This year the Commission will promote the Energize Maplewood! project – wearing the Energize Maplewood! t-shirt and handing out brochures advertising events and the energy challenge. b. Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Vacancy – The City Council will hold interviews for the ENR Commission vacancy on July 27, 2015. c. Maplewood Nature Center Programs - Environmental Planner, Shann Finwall presented the upcoming Nature Center Programs. For more information contact the Maplewood Nature Center at (651) 249-2170. d. Environmental Commission Forum – The Alliance for Sustainability is hosting an Environmental Forum on Tuesday, July 28, 2015, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Roseville City Hall. The forum will allow Commissioners an opportunity to share ideas on Complete Streets and other environmental initiatives. 10. ADJOURNMENT Chair Trippler adjourned the meeting at 8:45 p.m. July 20, 2015 3 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes