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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-14-26 ENR PacketAGENDA CITY OF MAPLEWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION Wednesday, January 14, 2026 6:00 p.m. Maplewood City Council Chambers 1803 County Road B East 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Approval of Agenda 4. Approval of Minutes a. November 12, 2025 5. New Business a. Election of Chair and Vice Chair b. 2026 Work Plan and Environmental Priorities 6. Unfinished Business 7. Visitor Presentations 8. Commissioner Presentations 9. Staff Presentations (oral reports) a. November 24, 2025, City Council Meeting - Church of Pentecost, 1701 Gervais Avenue, Wetland Buffer Variance b. Board and Commission Appreciation Dinner – Thursday, February 5, 2026, 5:00 to 6:30 p.m., North Fire Station, 1530 County Road C East c. Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Calendar 10. Adjourn MINUTES CITY OF MAPLEWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION Wednesday, November 12, 2025 6:00 P.M. 1.CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Lates called a meeting of the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission to order at 6:02 p.m. 2.ROLL CALL Rebecca Bryan, Commissioner Present Joanne Cryer, Commissioner Present Benjamin Guell, Commissioner Present David Lates, Chairperson Present Ted Redmond, Commissioner Absent Wes Saunders-Pearce, Commissioner Present Staff Present Shann Finwall, Sustainability Coordinator 3.APPROVAL OF AGENDA Chairperson Lates moved to approve the agenda. Seconded by Commissioner Saunders-Pearce.Ayes – All The motion passed. 4.APPROVAL OF MINUTES a.October 8, 2025 Commissioner Guell moved to approve the October 8, 2025, Environmental and Natural Resources Commission meeting minutes as written. Seconded by Commissioner Saunders-Pearce. Ayes – All The motion passed. 5.NEW BUSINESS a.Church of Pentecost, 1701 Gervais Avenue East – Wetland Buffer Variance Shann Finwall, Sustainability Coordinator, introduced the subject. The Church of Pentecost had the following representatives speak on the project: •Rob Binder, Civil Site Group Agenda Item 4.a. 2 •Joseph Rief, Civil Site Group •Joseph Gyamfi, Church of Pentecost The Environmental and Natural Resources Commission discussed the following: •Required escrows. •Invasive species outside of the wetland buffer area. •Proof of parking and shared parking. •Usable lawn area. •Increased wetland buffer area. •Wetland buffer mitigation plan. Commissioner Saunders-Pearce moved to approve the wetland buffer resolution for the Church of Pentecost with an additional wetland buffer mitigation strategy including: •Removal and management of invasive species in the wetland buffer and in the open space area located on the north and west side of the church, and overseeding this area with native seed. Seconded by Chair Lates. Ayes – All The motion passed. 6.UNFINISHED BUSINESS 7.VISITOR PRESENTATIONS None 8.COMMISSIONER PRESENTATIONS None 9.STAFF PRESENTATIONS Shann Finwall, Sustainability Coordinator, updated the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission on the following: a.October 27, 2025, City Council Update 1)Resolution of Appreciation for Nancy Edwards 2)Wakefield Park Community Building Solar Project 3)Century Ponds Development b.Board and Commission Appreciation Dinner – February 5, 2026, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. c.Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Calendar 10.ADJOURNMENT Chair Lates adjourned the meeting at 7:04 p.m. ENVIRONMENTAL & NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION STAFF REPORT Meeting Date January 14, 2026 REPORT TO: REPORT FROM: PRESENTER: AGENDA ITEM: Action Requested:  Motion ☐Discussion ☐ Public Hearing Form of Action: ☐Resolution ☐ Ordinance ☐Contract/Agreement ☐ Proclamation Summary: The Environmental and Natural Resources Commission ordinance requires that the Commission elect a Chair and Vice Chair to run the meetings each year. Recommended Action: Nominate a Chair and Vice Chair. Motion to approve the Chair and Vice Chair nominations. Fiscal Impact: Is There a Fiscal Impact?  No ☐ Yes, the true or estimated cost is $0 Financing source(s): ☐ Adopted Budget ☐ Budget Modification ☐ New Revenue Source ☐Use of Reserves ☐ Other: Strategic Plan Relevance: Safety ◊ Focus Area: Foster community engagement and support resident well-being Sustainability ◊ Focus Area: Advance environmental stewardship initiatives ☐Development ◊ Focus Area: The Environmental and Natural Resources Commission was formed to establish environmental priorities and to propose changes necessary to existing environmental ordinances and policies, which ensure that the city’s environmental assets are protected, preserved, and enhanced. The Chair of the Commission is responsible for calling and presiding at meetings and shall have an equal vote with other members of the Commission. If the Chairperson is not at the meeting, the Vice Chair shall assume the duties of the Chair for that meeting. Chair and Vice Chair may also be called on to represent the full Commission at City Council meetings. Background: In 2025, the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission elected Commissioner Lates to act as Chair and Commissioner Edwards to act as Vice Chair. The Commission should nominate a Chair and Vice Chair for 2026 and vote on those nominations. Attachments: None Agenda Item 5.a. ENVIRONMENTAL & NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION STAFF REPORT Meeting Date January 14, 2026 REPORT TO: REPORT FROM: PRESENTER: AGENDA ITEM: Action Requested: ☐ Motion Discussion ☐ Public Hearing Form of Action: ☐Resolution ☐ Ordinance ☐Contract/Agreement ☐ Proclamation Summary: The Environmental and Natural Resources (ENR) Commission ordinance outlines the Commission’s duties and responsibilities to include: The Commission shall establish environmental priorities for the city in partnership with the City Council and recommend changes or new policies that control, protect, preserve, and enhance the City’s environmental assets. Yearly the ENR Commission adopts environmental priorities to help achieve those duties and responsibilities. Recommended Action: Review the 2026 Work Plan and Environmental Priorities and offer comments and feedback. Fiscal Impact: Is There a Fiscal Impact?  No ☐ Yes, the true or estimated cost is $0 Financing source(s): ☐ Adopted Budget ☐ Budget Modification ☐ New Revenue Source ☐Use of Reserves ☐ Other: n/a Strategic Plan Relevance: ☐Safety ◊ Focus Area: Sustainability ◊ Focus Area: Advance environmental stewardship initiatives ☐Development ◊ Focus Area: Choose a development focus area. Establishing environmental priorities will allow the ENR Commission to operate effectively by setting an agenda and work plan for the year. It also assists the City in meeting its environmental stewardship strategic priority. Background: Work Plan Last year’s work plan included the Trash and Recycling 2025 Annual Review, Trash and Recycling Request for Proposals, Climate Mitigation Plan, and Green Building Code. Following is a list of 2026 work items and possible dates for review: Agenda Item 5.b. 1.Trash and Recycling 2026 Annual Review: The contracts with Republic Services for residential trash collection and Tennis Sanitation for residential recycling collection require that they submit an annual report for review by the ENR Commission and City Council. The ENR Commission also reviews a work plan that outlines system improvements yearly. The annual review is currently scheduled for review by the ENR Commission in March. 2.Trash and Recycling Request for Proposals: The residential trash and recycling contracts end June 30, 2027. The contracts were extended for two years in 2024, from the previous end date of June 30, 2025. Therefore, any new contracts should be the result of a request for proposal (RFP) process. The creation of an RFP, proposal review, and contract drafting process takes approximately 18 months to the beginning of a new contract. The ENR Commission should begin work on the residential trash and recycling RFP in the first quarter of 2026. 3.Climate Mitigation Plan: Two members of the ENR Commission were appointed to the Climate Mitigation Planning (CMP) Team. The CMP Team began their work in June 2025 to collaboratively explore needs and actions to address climate mitigation of both municipal operations and community-wide, with the result being the creation of a CMP to assist the City in reducing GHG. The Team drafted several preliminary climate mitigation goals and action items over a series of meetings. Since that time a group of City staff engaged in a detailed review of all preliminary goals and action items and refined them to ensure alignment with the City’s strategic priorities and departmental capacities. The CMP Team is scheduled to review the final draft in January. The ENR Commission is tentatively scheduled to review the draft and final plans in February and April. 4.Green Building Code: The Green Building Code establishes enhanced energy-efficiency requirements for City-owned and City-funded buildings. The ENR Commission has proposed updates to better align the code with the City’s sustainability goals. These updates are currently paused while the State of Minnesota moves toward adopting the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which is expected to take place in 2027. The state energy code is expected to significantly strengthen energy-efficiency standards for all buildings in Minnesota. To avoid conflicts or redundancies, the City will wait to revise the Green Building Code until the new state energy code is finalized. Environmental Priorities 2025 Environmental Priorities Following are updates on the 2025 environmental priorities: 1. Tours: a. Ramsey County Environmental Service Center – July 21 b.Capital Region Watershed District Building – June 16 2. Presentations: a.Ramsey County Climate Action Plan – February 25 b.Friends of Maplewood Nature – June 11 c.BizRecycling/Waste Wise – September 10 d.Maplewood Municipal Stormwater Plan – not complete 3.Environmental Education and Outreach on the City’s tree programs: a.Spring Clean Up - May 3 b.Waterfest - May 31 c.Celebrate Summer Events – 1)Afton Heights Park – July 26 2)Edgerton Park – August 21 3)Friday Fireworks – September 19 2026 Environmental Priorities To help guide environmental priorities for 2026, the Commission should review the City Council Strategic Priorities, Commission duties and responsibilities, 2040 Comprehensive Plan (Natural Resources and Sustainability Chapters), Climate Adaptation Plan, and the GreenStep Cities and Gold Leaf Programs. Those details are found on the attached document entitled Environmental Policy Guide. Summary Review the 2026 Work Plan and determine if there are other environmental priorities the Commission should address this year. Once the environmental priorities are determined, the Work Plan and Environmental Priorities will be included in the Commission’s annual report to the City Council. Attachments: Environmental Policy Guides 2026 Environmental Policy Guide Strategic Plan and Ordinance When reviewing yearly environmental priorities, the Environmental and Natural Resources (ENR) Commission should refer to the City’s strategic plan and ENR Commission ordinance for guidance as follows: City Council Strategic Priorities The Maplewood Strategic Plan serves as the community’s roadmap and is used to prioritize initiatives, resources, goals, and department operations and projects. The strategic plan is a big- picture document directing efforts and resources toward a clearly defined vision. 1. Safety - Enhancing community well-being through proactive systems and infrastructure: a.Ensure public safety and effective emergency response. b.Foster community engagement and support resident well-being. c.Strengthen regulations and code compliance. d.Maintain and enhance infrastructure and environmental systems. e.Leverage technology and manage public assets strategically. f.Expand accessibility and mobility for all residents. g.Invest in prevention strategies and resource readiness. 2. Sustainability – Building long-term resilience and organizational strength: a.Cultivate a connected, engaged community. b.Support and develop staff and human resources. c.Advance environmental stewardship initiatives. d.Maintain strong financial health and stability. 3. Development – Shaping a thriving, inclusive, and forward-looking community. a.Promote residential development and thoughtful redevelopment. b.Expand life cycle housing options for all demographics. c.Grow a vibrant and resilient business community. d.Invest in people and placemaking. e.Strengthen human connection and community growth. ENR Commission Duties and Responsibilities The ENR Commission ordinance outlines the Commission’s roles. In order to protect, preserve and enhance the environment of the City of Maplewood, the Commission will: 1.Establish environmental priorities for the city in partnership with the City Council. Attachment 2 2. Recommend to the Community Design Review Board, Planning Commission and City Council changes necessary to existing policies, operating procedures and ordinances that control, protect, preserve and enhance the city’s environmental assets. 3. Actively participate in and support the mission and goals of the Maplewood Nature Center and Neighborhood Preserves by promoting environmental awareness through educational programs, communications and co-sponsored activities. 4. Proactively promote greater use and appreciation of the city’s environmental assets. 5. Review the role of other city groups and how they might assist, support and advise the ENR Commission. 6. Sponsor environmental projects to enhance, repair, replace or restore neglected or deteriorating environmental assets of the city. 7. Develop educational programs and materials that foster the mission of the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission. 8. Develop and promote the use of “sustainable practices” for city policies and procedures. Environmental and Natural Resources Goals and Policies Many of the goals and action items listed below have been complete, or are currently under review. The items listed are intended to generate thought and discussion on environmental priorities for the year. 2040 Comprehensive Plan Following are the environmental goals and action items adopted in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. Natural Resources Develop and implement a Maplewood Tree Plan to cover boulevard trees, park trees, woodlots, and forests. Energy Goals a. The City will follow the state energy goal guidelines of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 20 percent of the City’s 2015 baseline levels by 2050 (an 80 percent reduction). b. The City will establish interim goals every 5 to 10 years to assure City emission reductions track against the primary goal outlined above, and to adjust policies and strategies as needed. Future interim goals will be established by the City at the completion of the first interim timeframe. c. The City will encourage and support renewable energy. d. The City will obtain a minimum of 50 percent of all electric energy from renewable sources by 2040. This includes having a minimum of 20 percent in on-site solar photovoltaic generation within the City, with the balance being met through Xcel Energy’s 31.5 percent renewable portfolio requirement. 3 e. City facilities will be powered by 100% renewables by 2040. Actions (highlighted items have been addressed) a. Modify the City’s operating procedures and annual budgets to implement the Climate Action and Adaption goals. b. Conduct a site-specific solar energy capacity study to identify the 20 most beneficial sites for solar PV development. Use the site-specific study as the basis of outreach to the owners of the top 20 sites, educating them on the opportunities and benefits of installing solar PV within the existing timeframe of the Federal Tax Incentive. Study should occur by mid-2018 to support leverage of tax incentive potential. c. Coordinate with Ramsey County and Minnesota PACE to develop a communications plan to review the financing opportunities and financial advantages available to utilizing PACE financing for solar PV, especially while the Federal Tax Incentive remains in effect through 2021. d. Develop and distribute an informational brochure outlining the current incentives available to Maplewood residents and businesses as well as the potential short and long-term benefits of installing solar PV. Work with City businesses and community groups to assure broad distribution. e. Coordinate with Ramsey County to explore the development of new incentive programs, particularly those aimed at low and moderate income residents. Program opportunities may include development of Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) based funding sources. f. Conduct a Green Economy Business and Economic Development Potentials study to identify strategies in leveraging economic opportunities in the Green Economy and emerging renewable energy field. Study should focus not only on national, state, and metro area trends, but should identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats unique to Maplewood. The goal of establishing a robust business atmosphere capable not only of serving Maplewood renewable energy and green economy needs but fulfilling a unique economic niche within the Metropolitan area. g. Adopt a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan that includes strategies for dealing with the effects of climate change. Local Food Access Goals a. Create a healthy, walkable community by providing healthy food options and accessibility for all people, regardless of income. b. Support development patterns that decrease the distance between households and healthy retail food options. c. Encourage healthy retail food options such as food stores and farmers markets that are located in places easily reached by bus, bike or foot. d. Support the establishment and maintenance of community gardens throughout the community to provide residents with easy access to healthy food. 4 e. Support the establishment of urban farms in appropriate areas. f. Encourage edible and pollinator-friendly landscapes on all properties. g. Support the keeping of bees, chickens, goats and other animals appropriate for the size and location of the property. h. Support food-related business and initiatives that advance the development of local and regional economies. i. Support innovative practices such as mobile food markets and mobile food pantries/shelves to bring food closer to under-resourced consumers. j. Support the efforts of small food stores to sell more healthy and fresh foods. Actions a. Conduct a community food security assessment to identify barriers and gaps in healthy food access and community assets. b. Complete an urban agriculture zoning review to remove barriers and promote local food access in all zoning districts. c. Allow and encourage single-family subdivisions and multi-family developments to incorporate community gardens. d. Integrate community gardens into public housing developments and create incentives for community gardens in affordable housing developments that receive public assistance. e. Encourage townhome and other types of housing associations to allow gardening as part of allowable activities. f. Analyze and address sidewalk and trail gaps near food stores, hunger relief programs, farmers markets, community gardens, and other healthy food sources. g. Require new developments that will have food options to provide safe, internal circulation for pedestrians and cyclists and bike racks. h. Explore partnership opportunities to provide education and skill development for families around healthy food selection and preparation. i. Collaborate on equipment-lending libraries and seed and seedling programs to support garden efforts of families. j. Identify and educate on options for testing of soil of contaminants to ensure new gardens are safe. k. Review and modify as needed healthy food options available at city facilities. l. Explore how to add community supported agriculture delivery sites to serve multi- family developments. m. Modify land use policies to support pollinators through city ordinance and city operations/maintenance. 5 n. Partner with the business and school communities to promote health and well-being within worksites. o. Review management of locally owned public land, and take steps to increase its contribution to pollinator health. p. Partner with local food retailers to market a buy local food campaign. Climate Adaptation Plan The May 2021 Climate Adaptation Plan establishes the ENR Commission as the main citizen-body to support the implementation of the Climate Adaptation Plan. Green Step Cities Program Minnesota GreenStep Cities is a voluntary challenge, assistance and recognition program to help cities achieve their sustainability and quality-of-life goals. Maplewood is a Step 5 Green Step City, the highest award category. To maintain this status the City must measure its sustainability best practices and make improvements on those metrics. The ENR Commission serves as the oversight committee for the City’s sustainability best practices, with the Green Team serving as the steering committee. There are 29 best practices outlined in the program in the areas of buildings and lighting, land use, transportation, environmental management, and resilient economic and community development. Gold Leaf Challenge The Gold Leaf Challenge is the next step in the Green Step Cities program. It is a new program that will focus on pathways for communities to take local climate actions. In 2023 Maplewood participated in the pilot program along with ten other communities. Participants of the pilot Gold Leaf program will be recognized as they achieve 'gold leaves' for completing any new climate action from 44 high-priority, high-impact climate actions under the categories of: 1. Climate mitigation 2. Climate planning 3. Climate adaptation 4. Community connectedness for Minnesota's changing climate Maplewood has been working on the Climate Mitigation Plan and Green Building Code as part of the Gold Leaf pathway program.