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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-05-16 ENR Minutes MINUTES CITY OF MAPLEWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION 7:00 p.m., Monday, May 16, 2016 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 Miller. 2. ROLL CALL Keith Buttleman, Commissioner Present Mary Henderson, Commissioner Present Mollie Miller, Chair Present Ann Palzer, Commissioner Present Ryan Ries, Commissioner Present Tom Sinn, Vice Chair Present Ginny Yingling, Commissioner Present Staff Present Shann Finwall, Environmental Planner Steve Love, City Engineer Chris Swanson, Environmental & City Code Specialist 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Chair Miller added 6 b. to Commission Presentations (Subcommittee Members). Staff added 9.d. to Staff Presentations (Community Solar Gardens and Trash/Recycling Subcommittee Meeting). Commissioner Sinn moved to approve the agenda as amended. Seconded by Commissioner Buttleman. Ayes – All The motion passed. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Ries moved to approve the April 18, 2016, Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting minutes as submitted. Seconded by Commissioner Yingling. Ayes – Chair Miller, Buttleman, Palzer, Ries, & Yingling Abstentions – Commissioner’s Henderson & Sinn The motion passed. May 16, 2016 1 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 5. NEW BUSINESS a. NPDES Phase II and MS4 Permit, 2015 SWPPP Annual Report – Public Hearing i. City Engineer, Steve Love gave the NPDES Phase II and MS4 Permit and 2015 SWPPP Annual Report and answered questions of the commission. Chair Miller opened up the public hearing. There were no speakers to come forward to address the commission. Chair Miller closed the public hearing. No action was necessary. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Urban Agriculture – Zoning Review i. Environmental Planner, Shann Finwall gave the Urban Agriculture - Zoning Review report and answered questions of the commission. ii. Environmental & City Code Specialist, Chris Swanson addressed and answered questions of the commission. iii. Sarah Cade, 2616 Bittersweet, Maplewood, addressed the commission. Ms. Cade has a chicken permit from the City allowing her to keep nine chickens in her back yard. Ms. Cade proposed a few changes to the City’s chicken ordinance as follows: allow more than ten chickens, remove the requirement for approval from 100% of the neighbors, remove the requirement for chicken coop height, and reduce the cost of chicken permits. iv. Tim Richmond, 865 O’Day Street, Maplewood, addressed the commission. Mr. Richmond applied for a chicken permit, but was denied due to the fact that his neighbor did not give permission as required by the chicken ordinance. Mr. Richmond proposed a change to the City’s chicken ordinance as follows: remove the requirement for approval from 100% of the neighbors and the requirement for chicken coop height. The commission thanked the residents for sharing their experience with the chicken ordinance. The commission discussed possible changes to the City’s codes relating to animal agriculture. Staff will draft those changes to review by the commission in June. 7. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS None present. 8. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS a. Education Subcommittee Report Commissioner Buttleman gave an update on the education subcommittee. The subcommittee met in May to discuss a theme for the Waterfest event. b. Subcommittee Members Chair Miller asked for clarification on the subcommittee members for the Education and Trash/Recycling Subcommittees. Staff confirmed that Commissioners Miller, Buttleman, and Henderson are serving on the Education Subcommittee and Commissioners Sinn, Yingling, and Palzer are serving on the Trash/Recycling Subcommittee. May 16, 2016 2 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 9. STAFF PRESENTATIONS a. Waterfest (Saturday, June 4, 2016 11 am – to 4 p.m.) This event is held at Phalen Park on June 4. Staff will send out an invitation to the commission members. b. Tour of the Mulch Store in Rosemont (Organic Recycling Facility) City Environmental & Code Specialist, Chris Swanson stated that representatives from Republic Services and staff are scheduling a tour of The Mulch Store in Rosemount. The Mulch Store is where the City’s organics are recycled and the tour is part of Republic Service’s work plan for improving the City’s solid waste management program. The tour will take place at 2:30 p.m. on a week day. c. 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. Community Solar Gardens Environmental Planner, Shann Finwall stated the Community Solar Garden subcommittee is still reviewing the subscription agreement. Additional information will be brought to the commission in June. e. Trash/Recycling Subcommittee Meeting Environmental Planer, Shann Finwall stated staff will be scheduling the first Trash/Recycling Subcommittee meeting in July. 10. ADJOURNMENT Chair Miller adjourned the meeting at 8:44 p.m. May 16, 2016 3 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes