Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-09-21 ENR Minutes MINUTES CITY OF MAPLEWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION 7:00 p.m., Monday, September 21, 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 Ryan Ries, 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 Commissioner Trippler added 9 e. CIP Discussion and asked staff to give an update on the CIP. Commissioner Sinn 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 July 20, 2015, Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting minutes as submitted. Seconded by Commissioner Miller. Ayes – Chairperson Trippler, Commissioner’s Miller, Palzer, Sinn & Yingling Abstention – Commissioner Ries The motion passed. September 21, 2015 1 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 5. NEW BUSINESS a. New Member Orientation i. Environmental Planner, Shann Finwall gave the new member orientation report welcoming the newest member of the ENR Commission, Ryan Ries. Each commission member stated their name, background, what they do for a living, and how long they have served on the ENR Commission. The commission members welcomed Commissioner Ries. b. Farm Program at Harvest Park i. Environmental Planner, Shann Finwall introduced the Farm Program at Harvest Park. ii. Ann DeLavergne, Director of Our Community Food Project gave a presentation and answered questions of the commission. iii. Joel Kellum, organic farmer with the Minnesota Food Association addressed the commission. iv. City Council Liaison Kathleen Juenemann addressed the commission and asked questions of the speakers. The commission members had questions and gave positive feedback regarding this project. Staff stated the farm program at Harvest Park will begin in the spring of 2016. c. Urban Agriculture – Zoning Review i. Environmental Planner, Shann Finwall gave the report on Urban Agriculture – Zoning Review and answered questions of the commission. The subcommittee members will be Mollie Miller, Ginny Yingling and Tom Sinn. Mollie Miller will put together a report. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None. 7. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS City Council Liaison, Kathleen Juenemann addressed the commission regarding supporting the commission and the farm program and urban agriculture. 8. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS a. 2015 Goals (No Report) 1) Urban Agriculture 2) Environmental Education 3) Stormwater Management Staff discussed the 2015 goals with the three goals listed as well as the energy challenge business tune up program and outreach programs. 9. STAFF PRESENTATIONS a. Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Terms - Staff stated Chairperson Dale Trippler’s term expires September 30 but Chairperson Trippler stated he has reapplied to renew his term. Commissioner Deborah Fideldy has resigned from the commission due to moving out of town so there is an opening on the September 21, 2015 2 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes ENR Commission. Contact the City Manager’s office or the city website for information on how to apply to be on the ENR Commission. Organics Tour – Tuesday, October 6, 2015, 9 to 10 a.m. (Specialized Environmental b. Technologies, Inc. The Mulch Store, Rosemount) - Staff will follow up with an email to the commission regarding the tour and invite the city council as well. Community Solar Garden Update c. – Staff stated a presentation on Community Solar Gardens was given in June by Trevor Drake of the Great Plains Institute. The purpose of the community solar gardens is to 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 City of Maplewood was approached by 2 private organizations. There was a letter of intent submitted to the Met Council for this collaborative project they are working on. There was an update received from the Met Council, they received 31 letters of intent from counties and cities who are interested in subscribing to community solar gardens. The Met Council put out the request for proposals which are currently out for review. That will be released in October so the subcommittee will have an opportunity to review that then. There will be a lottery process and depending on the amount of community gardens proposed verses the amount of kilowatt hours people are requesting and organizations will get a lottery ticket. Each lottery ticket will be worth 240,000 kwh hours and only 15 days to respond so it’s a tight schedule. These are 25 year contracts so this is a big commitment. d. Energize Maplewood! Update Environmental Planner, Shann Finwall updated the commission on the Energize Maplewood program. An event was held at the Maplewood Community Center on September 15, 2015 called Energize your Business sponsored by Xcel Energy where local businesses were invited to attend. There were 25 business owners or around 35 people that attended. Xcel Energy updated people in attendance on rebates and programs that are available. Four applicants who applied for the building tune up program were also invited which included Straus Skates, Specialty Engineering, Gethsemane Lutheran School and The Dog House. Those applicants attended except The Dog House. The applicants along with Jennifer Lewis from the Maplewood Mall sat on a panel and gave their take on various energy challenges and successes such as solar arrays on the rooftop. This event was a positive start to the energize outreach program with businesses. GreenCorp Intern Update – - Staff mentioned they are excited to have the new GreenCorp Intern who starts Monday, September 28, 2015 and will be working with energy challenges and outreach in the community. Commissioner Palzer recommended doing something to thank the former GreenCorp intern, Joe Ballandby for his good work such as with a Resolution of Appreciation. Staff stated Joe did a great job for the city and has now moved to Utah to work with troubled youth on an outward bound program. Staff will put together the Resolution of Appreciation for approval at the next ENR Meeting. Maplewood Nature Center Programs - - Staff mentioned the upcoming Maplewood Nature Center programs. For further information visit www.maplewoodnaturecenter.com or call 651-249-2170. Chairperson Trippler asked if staff could ask the Maplewood Nature Center if they will be doing the black bag program to get rid of buckthorn. Chairperson Trippler said he saw a demonstration done on the news on how to remove buckthorn by using black bags. Staff added that she spoke to the Natural Resource Coordinator, Ginny Gaynor who was aware of the program that was studied by the U of M but the City of Maplewood has not done such a program yet. The city will be offering free buckthorn pick up in October. For more information contact the Maplewood Nature Center to find out about the exact date. September 21, 2015 3 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes e. CIP - (this item was added to the agenda but was not discussed at the end of the ENR Meeting) 10. ADJOURNMENT Chair Trippler adjourned the meeting at 8:56 p.m. September 21, 2015 4 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes