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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-12-15 ENR Packet AGENDA CITY OF MAPLEWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCESCOMMISSION Tuesday, December 15, 2015 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. Council Chambers -Maplewood City Hall 1830 County Road B East 1.Call to Order 2.Roll Call 3.Approval of Agenda 4.Approval ofMinutes:November 16, 2015 5.New Business a.Fish Creek Master Plan Update b.Pollinator Resolution 6.Unfinished Business 7.Visitor Presentations 8.Commission Presentations 9.Staff Presentations(oral reports) a.Tree Ordinance Update(December 14, 2015,City Council Meeting) b.State of Maplewood Mayoral Address (January 14, 2016, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.at the Maplewood Community Center) c.Community Solar Garden Collaborative Update d.Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Position Update e.Nature Center Programs 10.Adjourn Agenda Item 4 MINUTES CITY OF MAPLEWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION 7:00 p.m., Monday,November 16, 2015 Council Chambers, City Hall 1830 County Road B East 1. CALL TO ORDER A meeting of the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission was calledto order at 7:02 p.m.by ChairTrippler. 2. ROLL CALL Mollie Miller, Vice Chair Present Ann Palzer, Commissioner Present Ryan Ries, Commissioner Present Tom Sinn, Commissioner Present Dale Trippler, Chair Present Absent Ginny Yingling, Commissioner Staff Present Shann Finwall, Environmental Planner 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Palzermoved to approve the agenda as submitted. Seconded by CommissionerRies Ayes – All The motion passed. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES CommissionerSinnmoved to approve the October 19, 2015, Environmental and Natural Resources Commission meeting minutes as submitted. Seconded by CommissionerMiller. Ayes – All The motion passed. 5. NEW BUSINESS a.Galilee Lutheran Church Community Garden Concept Plan – 1958 Rice Street i.Environmental Planner, ShannFinwall gave the Galilee Lutheran Church Community Garden Concept Plan report and answered questions of the commission. ii.Ron Peterson, Member of Galilee Lutheran Church, 1958 Rice Street, addressed the commission. iii.Sherry Sanders, Lake McCarrons Neighborhood Association, 363 South McCarrons Boulevard, addressed the commission. iv.Katheryn Schneider, St Paul citizen and gardener addressed the commission. November 16, 2015 1 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission MeetingMinutes The commission discussed various aspects of the project including: Vehicle parking Parking surface requirements Fencing Organic gardening Funding Shed and tools Water Stormwater Pedestrians crossing Rice Street Overall, the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission gave favorable feedback for the proposed community garden. The item will be reviewed by the Planning Commission as a concept plan during their November 17, 2015, meeting. b.Promoting Civility in Public Meetings and Parliamentary Procedures i.Environmental Planner, Shann Finwall gave the report. The report was provided to the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission for informational purposes and will be revisited upon completion of the 2016 Board and Commission Handbook. 6.UNFINISHED BUSINESS None. 7.VISITOR PRESENTATIONS None present. 8.COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS None. 9.STAFF PRESENTATIONS a.Tree Ordinance Update –November 23, 2015 City Council Meeting Staff stated the tree ordinance was heard during the November 9 City Council Workshop. The First Reading is scheduled for review by the City Council on November 23, 2015and the Second Reading is scheduled for December 14, 2015. b.Community Solar Garden Collaborative Update The Metropolitan Council has extended the release date due to Data Practices. Cities and counties participating should have a firm lotterydate within the next month. c.Urban Agriculture –Zoning Review Update Staff stated the Urban Agriculture Subcommittee met in October. The Subcommittee also worked with Rochelle Daywho is a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota. Rochelle has offered to assist the City in its research on Urban Agriculture. Staff will bring the Urban Agriculture’s report on the City’s zoning code barriers during a future meeting. November 16, 2015 2 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission MeetingMinutes d.Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Position Update Staff stated Dale Trippler has been reappointed to the ENR Commission and theremaining vacancy has been posted. If you know someone who may be interested in serving on the commission you can go to the City’s website or contact the City Manager’s office to learn more. e.Nature Center Programs Environmental Planner, ShannFinwall presented the upcoming Nature Center Programs. For more information contact the Maplewood Nature Center at (651) 249-2170. 10.ADJOURNMENT Chair Trippler adjourned the meeting at 8:05p.m. November 16, 2015 3 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission MeetingMinutes Agenda Item 5.a. MEMORANDUM TO: Environmental and Natural Resources Commission FROM: Ginny Gaynor, Natural Resources Coordinator Jim Taylor, Parks Manager DATE: December 10, 2015 SUBJECT: Fish Creek Master PlanUpdate INTRODUCTION Maplewood City Council approved the Fish Creek Master Plan in October 2012. City andCounty staff are proposing updates to the Master Plan. DISCUSSION The 70-acreFish Creeksite was acquired by the City of Maplewood in December 2013. Ramsey County owns 142acres adjacent. The CityandCounty are working together on management and plans for the site.Funding is available for constructing a portion of the trail system in 2016. During discussions on the trail, City and County staff discussed possible updates to the Master Plan(Attachment 1). These changes were brought before the public at a December 2nd open house, and will also be reviewed by the Heritage Preservation, Parks, and Environmentaland Natural Resources Commissionsat their December meetings. The proposed updates willbe presented to City Council in early 2016. Why are we considering updates to the plan? Funding is available for the first phase of trail development at Fish Creek. Maplewood anditspartners have done many educationalprogramsand volunteer eventsat the site over the past five years. Programs have included: Spring and fall wildflower hikes with naturalist Celebration – Fish Creek Community event in September 2013 Archeology – Community program Numerous volunteer events with corporate groups (Thomson Reuters, 3M), school groups, and the public Invasives Species Blitz Pollinator Monitoring Pollinator Program – Began Fall 2015 and over next 3 years will bring 800 School children to site To sustain this type of programming it hasbecome clear that a shelter or interpretive center is needed at the site. In addition, when the plan was completed it was not clear whether Maplewood would keep the eight acres along Carver Avenue, so the plan did not address that area. The new concept plan includes amenitiesin that area. In addition, the approved Parks System Plan gives us guidelines on how to move forward with the development of Fish Creek. In Chapter 5 under the Natural Area and Greenways, the recommendation states: 1.Establish Community Preserves as integrated, multi-purpose areas set aside for preserving natural resources, connecting people to nature, and providing educational programming and historical interpretation. a.Categorize Maplewood Nature Center, Prairie Farm, and the Fish Creek Preserve asCommunity Preserves. b.Use natural resource management plans to guide preservation, management, and restoration of natural resources. c.Use individual master plans for each Community Preserve to define each preserve’s ability to accommodate natural resource-based recreation opportunities such as play areas, sitting areas, picnic shelters, paved trail networks, community gardens, educational programming, and camping. d.Provide historic interpretation to share history of the site. Also, in the same section: 5.b. Explore opportunities to create satellite locations for nature-based programming in select preserves. What are the changes? The key changes are the addition of parking and a shelter building on the south side of Fish Creek, amenities near Carver Avenue, and a programmed camping area on County land to teach camping skills (not open camp rentals).Minor adjustmentshave been made on the trailsystemas it is developed based on standards to ensure accessibility. Deed restrictions require 62 acres of the site to remain as conservation land (does not include eight acres near Carver Avenue). We are allowed to put trails, parking, and sitting areas on the conservation land. In addition, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is open to receiving a proposal that includes a building or shelter for nature programming in the former home site on Henry Lane. RECOMMENDATION The Environmental and Natural Resources Commission should discuss the update to the Fish Creek Master Plan and make a recommendation. Attachments: 1.Updated Fish Creek Master PlanConcept 2.Fish Creek Master Plan Concept Approved in 2012 2 Attachment 1 Attachment 2 Fish Creek Master Plan Concepts 10/12/12 The City of Maplewood and Ramsey County have prepared this Master Plan for the 70-acre parcel of land south of Carver Avenue. This Master Plan was prepared jointly to ensure protection of natural resources, to provide public access to the site, and to ensure connectivity of habitats and trails. The Master Plan includes a map showing Trail Concept, a map showing Site Use and Activities This site is a natural area for wildlife and a place for people to experience and enjoy nature. Grants received for acquisition of the 50 acres south of Fish Creek restrict the land to passive uses. Hiking, bird watching, and nature study are appropriate uses at the site. The area north of the creek does not have these restrictions. However, much of the northern section is pr the north section remains natural. The 8 acres adjacent to Carver Avenue may be developed If that area is not developed, it could remain natural or be used as active. Master Plan Process Three public meetings were held in summer 2012 to develop the site plan, which was then drafted by city and county staff. The Master Plan will be reviewed by three Maplewood commissions for their recommendation: Parks and Recreation Commission, Environmental Commission, and Heritage Preservation Commission. The Plan wilted to Maplewood City Council. Parking Parking Lot on Henry Lane. The plan calls for a small parking lot of approximately 20 stalls on Henry Lane, sited north of the Fish Creek. This location will provide a direct connection to the rustic trail along the creek and will help constrict illegal vehical access to the site since the creek is a pinch point. Parking Lot Near Point Douglas Road. The plan shows trail access from the west at Oakwood Church, 1388 Point Douglas Road. In the past, the church indicated a willingness to explore being a trailhead for the rustic Fish Creek Hiking Trail and allowing pePrior to trail development, the city and county should pursue discussions of this with Oak. If this option does not come to fruition, the county owns land along Point Douglas Road north of the church and the trail could come to this point. However, parking on this parcel of county land would likely be limited to just a few stalls, rather than a parking lot. Trails Paved Trail Loop. An 8 to 10-wide bituminous trail will take visitors from the Henry Lane par lot on a loop to the bluff top. Some of this trail takes advantage of old driveways reduce disturbance and need for grading. The trail would comply with the American with Disabilities Act standards. Two alternate trail sections are shown on the Master Plan, which would depend on funding. Fish Creek Hiking Trail. A rustic trail will take visitors along the creek from Point Douo Henry Lane. This trail would be graded to minimize erosion and would be mowed grass in areas and soil surface in wooded areas. A portion of the trail would be on both sides of the creek. Additional Rustic Trail Loop. A rustic trail (graded, mowed) is planned for the southern portion of the site and continues on the county open space. Additional Discussion. During the public meetings a suggestion was made to have a secti paved trail from Oakwood Church going south to the most scenic section of the creek  the canyon. This is not shown on the map but it is an idea worth further dis Church. Overlooks and Benches The Master Plan shows three vista locations. Benches would be benches would be installed along the trails as needed. Water and Bathroom Facilities No drinking water or bathroom facilities are planned for the sit However, the parking lot on Henry Lane should be constructed to allow for a porta-potty, in case a porta-potty is needed in the future. Signage At a minimum, signage at the site should include an entry sign w sign, a map of the trail system, and boundary markers where necessary to delineate public and private land. (Also see Site Interpretation below.) Target Vegetation The Master Plan shows the target vegetation planned for the site. This site was historically woodland, and was later cleared for farming. An aerial photo from 1940 shows only two small areas of trees on the site. Today the site is a mix of pasture grasslands, degraded woodlands, and a pine plantation. The restoration plan for the site is to transition the open grasslands to prairie and oak savanna and to 2 enhance the existing wooded areas by removing non-native trees and brush and planting species that are native to oak woodland. History and Archeology In 2005, Summit Envirosolutions, Inc. conducted a Phase I archae-acre Fish Creek site for CoPar Development. Summit recommended one archeo Phase II archaeological testing to determine eligibility in the ic Places (NRHP). This archeological site consists of fragments of ceramics, lithi topography along the creek, this is also the preferred location creek. To preserve the history of this site and protect archeological artifacts, the City sh the following measures. Conduct a Phase II Archaeological investigation for site 21RA005 If site 21RA0054 is deemed eligible for NRHP listing, follow Maprocedures for listing a site  recommendation by Heritage Preservation Commission and approval Any trail or amenities near site 212RA0054 should be positioned artifacts. Encourage Ramsey County and landowners adjacent to the creek to support archeological survey work in flat areas near the creek. Such work could be done by a could be done in conjunction with a university. The City shallble. Prior to trail or other construction projects on the site, devel explaining what to do if artifacts are encountered during constr Support efforts of Maplewood Area Historical Society and Mapleworvation Commission to document and better understand the history of this submitted to conduct additional archeological work and to resear Site Interpretation Once the history of this site is better documented, an interpretive plan should be developed thighlight site history, natural resources and restoration activities. Discussions at the Master Plan public meetings favored an interpretive trail with numbered posts that would correspond to printed material and web information about the site, rather than having extensive interpretive signage at the site. 3 Fish Creek Trail Concept rustic trail Archaelogical site Need further study Proposed parking Paved Trail Alternate Paved Trail Paved Trail Alternate ` ^ ` ` ^^ rustic trail ^ ` Vista locations ± 0275550 Feet MEMORANDUM TO: Environmental and Natural ResourcesCommission FROM: Ginny Gaynor, Natural Resources Coordinator DATE: December 9, 2015 SUBJECT: Pollinator Resolution INTRODUCTION TheCity of Maplewood is interested in becoming a pollinator-friendly city. Staff has drafted a Pollinator Resolution for review by selected commissionsprior to submission to City Council. DISCUSSION On October 22, 2015, Representative Leon Lillie hosted a pollinator forum in Maplewood, moderated by Representative Rick Hansen. A panel of scientists, agency personnel, and activists helped raise awareness and understanding of the importance of pollinators and the difficulties they are facing. Several cities in the metro area cities have adopted pollinator resolutions, pledging to adopt practices that help protect pollinators. These cities include: Shorewood, Lake Elmo, St. Louis Park, Stillwater, Minneapolis, South St. Paul. Their resolutions can be viewed at: http://www.hummingforbees.org/index_files/Page1539.htm. Mapl ewood staff from several divisions met to discuss best management practices for pollinators andtodraft a pollinator resolution. Attached is the proposed pollinator resolutionfor Maplewood (Attachment 1). This proposal will be reviewed by the Parks and Recreation Commission (PRC) and the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission prior to being submitted to City Council. What are pollinators and why are they so important? Pollinators are animals that help transport pollen from the anther to the stigma of flowers, assisting in pollination which is neededfor reproduction andfor the production of seed, fruits, and nuts.Pollinators includeinsects such as bees, beetles, flies, and butterflies, as well asother animals such as hummingbirds and bats. Bees in particular are excellent pollinators and much of the focus on pollinators is devoted to bees. About 1/3 of the foods we eatdepend on pollination by insects. In the United States, the non-native European honeybee is the most commonly used bee commercially. Growers often hire contractorsto bring honeybeehives into their fields or orchards to pollinate the crops. Many species of native bees are also excellent pollinators of food crops and as knowledge of these species increases, their use incommercial food productionwill likely increase. In addition to their importance to production of food for humans,pollinators are an essential part of natural ecosystems. Over 85% of the world’s flowering plants rely on animal pollinatorsfor reproduction.Without healthy pollinators our plant communities would degrade and wildlife that depends on those plants for food and habitat would decline. Whatare the issues facing pollinators? Pollinator declines in health and populationwere first notedin commercial honeybees in the early 2000’s with the adventof Colony Collapse Disorder. In 2007,a National Research Council Report “Status of Pollinators in North America” documented the decline of honeybees, and found that major risk factors were pests and pathogens, poor nutrition, pesticide exposure and lack of genetic diversity. Additional research suggests a strong link between the decline of bees toa particular group of insecticides known as neonicotinoidsthat are used in commercial nurseries and agriculture.In addition, pathogens that have spilled over from commercially produced bumble bees for greenhouse pollination appear to have contributed to declines in some native bumble bees.Research and monitoring programs were recommended to determine the status and health ofour native bee populations. How do past and existing Maplewood programshelp pollinators? Maplewood has many programs and practices that help protect pollinators. 1.Preservation of habitat. The City has preserved hundreds of acres of natural vegetation. Our woods, wetlands, prairies and grasslands all provide habitat for pollinators. In addition,the city hasmany gardenswith native and non-native plants that provide food and nesting forpollinators. 2.Habitat enhancement. Increasing the diversity of native plant species is a primary objective ofimprovinghabitat for native bees and other pollinators. Since the 1980’s the city has been managing and enhancing its natural areas.Native plants are used heavily in our city gardens. 3.Education and Outreach. Since the founding of Maplewood Nature Center in 1978, the city’s naturalists have presented dozens of programs on insects(including pollinators), native plants, and local ecology. In 2000, our naturalistsbegan teaching classes onlandscaping with native plants, including butterfly gardening.In 2013, Maplewood Nature Center held its first pollinator series, with programs for families and for adults. 4.Monitoring. Maplewood Nature Center staff havebeen tagging monarchs for over 20 years, typically as part of a public program or open house. In 2015, staff began citizen monitoring of bees at Fish Creek (see Fish Creek Pollinator Program below). 5.Rareuse of insecticides in landscape. The city almost neveruses insecticides in the landscape. Insecticide use has been restricted to spraying bee or wasp nests in work or play areas. In addition, in 2010,City Council approved an Emerald Ash Borer Plan, which prohibited the use ofinsecticides to manageEAB on trees at city- owned land. Fish Creek Pollinator Grant In 2015, Great River Greening received a Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources grant to partner withMaplewood Nature Center and Xerces Societyona pollinator program: Citizen Engagement for Pollinator Habitat Restoration and Monitoring.The grant runs from July 2015 through June 2018. There are four key components to the program. 1.Habitat enhancement. The grant includes funds for Great River Greening to help with habitatenhancement at Fish Creek. This work will focus on planting plugs to increase the diversity of native plants at the site. Most of the planting will be done by volunteers. 2.Education –K-12. Thegrant includes $34,000 forMaplewood Nature Center to conduct pollinator education at the Fish Creek Natural Area. During the 3-years of the grant, naturalists will take 800 school children to Fish Creek to observe and learn about pollinators and to help enhance habitat at the site. The program launched this fall with five classrooms visiting the site. 3.Education –Adults. The Nature Center and Xerces Society will present four workshops for adults focusing on bee monitoring and pollinator-plant interactions. The first workshop was presented in Fall 2015 and focused on bee identification and monitoring.As part of the grant, Xerces Society developed a bee identification and monitoring guide for our region, which is being used in the workshops. 4.Citizen Monitoring–Bee Surveys. Xerces Socity and Maplewood Nature Center will conduct six citizen bee monitoring events at Fish Creek. In Fall 2015, we tested the protocol with volunteers trained at thefall adult workshop. Five transects were set up on at the Fish Creeksite and volunteers will monitor bees along those transects once each month during the growing season. What is in the proposed resolution and what would it mean for Maplewood? There are four main actions in theproposedresolution. 1.The City shall undertake its best efforts to become a pollinator-friendly City by undertaking best management practices to protect pollinators on public lands within the City. 2.The City shall develop a policy for the use of insecticides and utilize best practices to limit the use of systemic insecticides on city property including insecticides from the neonicotinoid family and will request commercial applications are free of systemic insecticides including neonicotinoids. 3.The City shall undertake its best efforts to plant native plants and plants favorable to bees and other pollinators in the City’s public spaces. 4.The City shall undertake its best efforts to communicate to Maplewood residents the importance ofcreating and maintaining pollinator-friendly habitat and will encourage residents and businessesto use pollinator-friendly practices. In the resolution, we use the term insecticide, rather than pesticide. Pesticide is an umbrella term that includes herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, rodenticides, etc. This resolution just targetsinsecticides. Staff uses herbicides (pesticide that kills plants) in turf management, gardens, preparingsites for prairie restoration, buckthorn removal, and invasive species control. We try to minimizeherbicide use by practices such as mulching and using sustainable turf management to grow healthy grass that can outcompete weeds.The wording regarding limiting insecticide use reflects the need for occasional targetedisolated use of insecticide, for example, to kill wasps or bees in a play area or work area. The resolution pledgesto use best management practices for pollinators. In addition to retricted insecticide useand planting pollinator friendly plants, best practices include adjusting mowing and burning practices on natural areas and in native gardens, and whenever possible purchasing plants and seed grown without neonicotinoids. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the Parks and Recreation Commissiondiscuss the proposed pollinator resolution and make a recommendation to City Council. Attachments: 1.Proposed resolution Attachment 1 RESOLUTION ENDORSING THE PROTECTION OF POLLINATORS AND ENHANCEMENT OF POLLINATOR HABITAT WHEREAS, the City of Maplewood is dedicated to the protection of pollinators; and WHEREAS, the City of Maplewood has many established programs and practices that help protect pollinators including preservation of natural areas, enhancing habitat including prairie restoration and use of native plants in gardens and plantings, very limited use of insecticides in the landscape, pollinator education and outreach to the community; WHEREAS, bees and other pollinators are integral to a wide diversity of essential foods including fruits, nuts, and vegetables; and WHEREAS, native bees and honey bees are threatened due to habitat loss, pesticide use, pathogens and parasites; and WHEREAS, research suggeststhat there is a link between pesticides that contain neonicotinoids and the die-off of plant pollinators, including honey bees, native bees, butterflies, moths, and other insects; and WHEREAS, neonicotinoids are synthetic chemical insecticides that are similar in structure and action to nicotine, a naturally occurring plant compound; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds it is in the public interest to demonstrate its commitment to a safe and healthy community environment through the implementation of practices that protect pollinators on city parks, open spaces, and city property. NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED for and on behalf of the City of Maplewood, Minnesota and its citizens that: 1.The City shall undertake its best efforts to become a pollinator-friendly City by undertaking best management practicesto protect pollinatorsonpublic lands within the City. 2.The City shall develop a policy for the use of insecticides and utilize best practices to limit the use of systemic insecticides on city property including insecticides from the neonicotinoid family andwill request commercial applications are free of systemic insecticides including neonicotinoids. 3.The City shall undertake its best efforts to plant native plants and plantsfavorable to bees and other pollinators in the City’s public spaces. 4.The City shall undertake its best efforts to communicate to Maplewood residents the importance of creating and maintaining pollinator-friendly habitatand will encourage residents and business to use pollinator-friendly practices. Passed by the Maplewood City Council on_____________, ______________________________ Nora Slawik, Mayor Attest:________________________________ Karen Haag, City Clerk