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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-06-22 ENR Minutes MINUTES CITY OF MAPLEWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION Thursday, June 22, 2023 7:00 P.M. 1. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Bryan called a meeting of the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL Emma Broadnax, Commissioner Present Rebecca Bryan, Chairperson Present Nancy Edwards, Commissioner Present Benjamin Guell, Commissioner Present David Lates, Commissioner Present Mollie Miller, Commissioner Absent Ted Redmond, Commissioner Absent Staff Present Shann Finwall, Environmental Planner Taylor Mathison, Gold Leaf Intern 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Guell moved to approve the June 22, 2023, Environmental and Natural Resources Commission agenda. Seconded by Commissioner Edwards Ayes – All The motion passed. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. April 17, 2023 Commissioner Lates noted two corrections on page one: 1) Roll Call - Commissioner Lates should be marked as present; 2) Approval of Minutes – Commissioner Lates seconded the motion to approve the minutes. Commissioner Guell moved to approve the April 17, 2023, Environmental and Natural Resources Commission minutes as amended. Seconded by Commissioner Broadnax Ayes – All The motion passed. 1 b. May 15, 2023 Commissioner Lates noted one correction on pages one and two: 1) Call to Order – Commissioner Redmond called the meeting to order, not Chairperson Bryan who was absent; 2) Adjournment – Commissioner Redmond adjourned the meeting, not Chairperson Bryan who was absent. . Commissioner Lates moved to approve the May 15, 2023, Environmental and Natural Resources Commission minutes as amended. Seconded by Commissioner Edwards Ayes – All The motion passed. 5. NEW BUSINESS a. Gold Leaf Pilot Project Update Environmental Planner Finwall presented the Gold Leaf Pilot Project update. Maplewood and ten other cities and tribal governments are participating in the nine-month pilot project, ending September 2023. Participants commit to working on and reporting at least two new climate actions. The Environmental and Natural Resources Commission and the Green Team reviewed the climate actions and recommend the City focus on Climate Mitigation Planning and Green Building Code updates. As part of the pilot project, the City of Maplewood is working with Taylor Mathison, a University of Minnesota environmental studies undergraduate. Taylor will serve as an intern to assist the City with its Climate Actions through mid-August. 1) Climate Mitigation Planning Taylor Mathison presented the Climate Mitigation Planning outreach and education opportunities including the Light it Up Event and several other summer events. Taylor went over the proposed survey designed to gather feedback from residents on the City’s climate actions and the proposed Climate Mitigation Planning logo. The Environmental Commission had the following feedback on the survey and logo:  What is the intent of the survey?  We should offer the survey in other languages?  Allow people to choose up to five options, not as many as they want.  Apartment complexes have to offer recycling, we should change that question.  Add a question about business recycling.  Add a general question about what people are concerned about. 2  It might be beneficial to add household size in the demographics.  The Commission agreed that Keep Maplewood Cool is a good tag line and logo. 2) Green Building Code Environmental Planner Finwall presented the history of the Green Building Code, which was adopted in 2013. Taylor Mathison presented her findings of a comparison of cities with Green Building Codes. Environmental Planner stated that additional information and proposed amendments would be presented to the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission at upcoming meetings. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 7. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS None 8. COMMISSIONER PRESENTATIONS None 9. STAFF PRESENTATIONS Environmental Planner Finwall updated the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission on the following: a. Waterfest Recap b. July 4 – Light it Up Event c. July 26 – Celebrate Summer d. August 1 – National Night Out 10. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Lates made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Commissioner Edwards Ayes – All The motion passed. Chairperson Bryan adjourned the meeting at 8:05 p.m. 3