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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-06-02 ENR Minutes CITY OF MAPLEWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION June 2, 2009 515 p.m. COUNCIL CHAMBERS - MAPLEWOOD CITY HALL 1830 COUNTY ROAD BEAST 1. CALL TO ORDER - the meeting was called to order at 517 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL Commissioner Judith Johannessen Commissioner Carole Lynne Commissioner Frederica Musgrave (Arrived at 526 p.m.) Commissioner Bill Schreiner Chair Carole Mason Sherrill Commissioner Dale Trippler Commissioner Ginny Yingling (Arrived at 530) Staff members present Shann Finwall, Environmental Planner Ginny Gaynor, Natural Resources Coordinator 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Environmental Planner Finwall asked to add the item "Public Contact Information" under Staff Presentations. A motion was made to approve the agenda as amended by Commissioner Trippler, seconded by Commissioner Lynne. The motion carried by a vote of 5 to 0 (Commissioners Yingling and Musgrave were not present yet). 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES February 18, 2009 minutes Commissioner Trippler stated a sentence "the Chair said 'they' would finish their discussion on the Stop Gap ordinance" should be corrected to say "the 'Environmental and Natural Resources Commission' would finish their discussion on the Stop Gap ordinance". The minutes had stated that a motion was carried unanimously; however one of the commissioners didn't arrive until600 p.m. Commissioner Trippler stated that when a commissioner is not present, either the time of the vote needs to be recorded, or it should state that one or more commissioners were not present Environmental Planner Finwall said she would clarify this by listening to the meeting on tape. Chair Mason Sherrill stated a sentence should be changed to read "engage each other 'intellectually and socially', (not just socially) in business with 'mutual respect and stability' ", instead of "order". A motion was made to approve the minutes by Commissioner Schreiner, seconded by Commissioner Trippler. The motion carried by a vote of 4 to 0, with Commissioner Lynne abstaining (Commissioners Yingling and Musgrave were not present yet). May 5, 2009 minutes Commissioner Trippler stated a sentence should be corrected to say "Ms. Szott will send information to the commission on roof top turbines and their impacts on bat and bird populations". Commissioner Musgrave asked a question about whether the "banks of Fish Creek 'were' a bluff or a slope". Chair Sherrill said it should read "banks of Fish Creek 'are' a bluff or a slope". In one paragraph it read "it should be determined how much water is 'shedding' down a slope". This should be corrected to read "how much water is 'shed' down a slope". Chair Mason Sherrill asked for a motion to approve the minutes as amended. Commissioner Trippler made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Schreiner. The motion carried by a vote of 5 to 1 with Commissioner Musgrave voting against (Commissioner Yingling was not present yet). 5. NEW BUSINESS Chair Mason Sherrill stated the commission was asked by the City Council to appoint a commissioner to serve on the Fish Creek Natural Area Greenway ad hoc commission. Environmental Planner Finwall stated that the Parks and Recreation Commission appointed Commissioner Carolyn Peterson to serve on this commission. Community representatives were appointed, and it was hoped that a recommendation for a representative from the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission would be referred to the City Council by June 8, 2009. Natural Resources Coordinator Gaynor announced the appointees from Ramsey County Parks and Ramsey-Washington Watershed District. Ms. Gaynor was appointed as representative for the city. The commission will meet twice a month through December, 2009. She stated that some meetings will be held during daytime hours to accommodate outside agency personnel. Commissioner Trippler said since this commission will meet twice a month, it would be prudent to elect an alternate member. Commissioners Musgrave and Yingling were nominated to the ad hoc commission. The vote was cast by paper ballot and Commissioner Yingling was appointed by receiving 6 out of 7 votes in favor of her nomination. Commissioners Trippler, Schreiner, and Musgrave were nominated as alternates. The vote was cast by paper ballot and Commissioner Schreiner was appointed by receiving 4 out of 7 votes in favor of his nomination. Environmental Planner Finwall said she will present the nominees at the Council meeting on June 8, 2009. 2 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Meeting Times Chair Mason Sherrill stated she was seeking ideas regarding longer meeting times or meeting twice a month in order to finish commission business during the meetings. The commissioners were asked what times and days would work best for them. Environmental Planner Finwall supplied the commissioners with days and dates that were available on the calendar. A final meeting time was not decided on; however Ms. Finwall will revisit this with the Planning Commission members, who meet on Tuesdays at 700 p.m. after the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission, and again at the beginning of 2010 when there will be new commission members. b. Wind Turbine Discussion-to be continued in July Commissioner Yingling stated she had discussed a health department study on wind turbines at the last meeting, and Commissioner Musgrave had requested a copy of that study. Commissioner Yingling will bring this to the commission when it becomes available. She said this study applies to large wind turbines (tower production scale wind mills) and there is no evidence that suggests inner ear upsets are related to residential scale wind systems. Commissioner Musgrave referred to an article in the St Paul Pioneer Press regarding North St Paul's interest in a wind turbine for their city, and Environmental Planner Finwall said North St Paul is part of a municipal cooperative that is trying to meet their twenty percent energy generation by an alternative source, which is required by the state of Minnesota. There will be eleven cities in Minnesota installing wind turbines. The location for the North St Paul turbine will be near County Road B and South Avenue. c. Environmental Protection Ordinance-to be continued in July 7 VISITOR PRESENTATIONS - There were none. 8. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS a. Subcommittee Reports Storm Water Commissioner Schreiner conducted much research and has planned a Power Point presentation for the next meeting. He said storm water issues are costly, however there are some alternative things they could do to reduce cost He said Maplewood has no requirement for new developments 3 planting seed or seedless trees; this would be a very inexpensive thing to investigate, considering the maple seed problem in Maplewood this spring. Commissioner Schreiner reported cities have done research on commercial development and found there is excessive "paved" parking space. He said average businesses are utilizing 35 percent or less of their paved parking areas- 95 percent of the time. He suggested the city could reduce requirements for parking areas, and businesses could retain more if they built with a pervious or other alternate surface. Greenways Commissioner Johannessen said the subcommittee gave a report at the last Environmental and Natural Resources meeting. They were asking for comments and suggestions from the commission on that report Natural Resources Coordinator Gaynor said the subcommittee is not experienced with zoning and different tools that may be available, so their first step was to take the language from the Comprehensive Plan and interpret what it directs about the greenways. They are bringing forward basic concepts of the definitions of greenways, purpose and use, and goals. Commissioner Yingling displayed a map of the greenways for the viewing public and the commission members. The subcommittee is setting the tone for work in the greenways, and the Fish Creek Greenway ad hoc commission will stay focused on protection, including acquisition, as well as recreational components. Commissioner Musgrave stated she would like to be made aware of the dates of the subcommittees' meetings. Natural Resources Coordinator Gaynor said she will send the dates and times of the subcommittee meetings to all commission members. Chair Mason Sherrill asked if there were any questions on the definitions of greenways, purpose and use, or goals. The commission discussed and commented on this; including acquisitions of land, conservation easements, land protection, improving greenway areas in development projects, pinch points, preservation, and keeping a positive tone in discussions with the public. Natural Resources Coordinator Gaynor and the commissioners agreed that encouraging help, cooperation, and input from citizens in regard to improving or maintaining the greenway systems is very important Trash Hauling Commissioners Trippler and Lynne discussed their findings. They provided an outline of the implications of trash and trash hauling. Commissioner T rippler stated he was employed by the Pollution Control Agency (PCA) and worked on publishing the Minnesota Closed Landfill Program Annual Report to the Legislature. He said there are 93 closed landfills in Minnesota and the state spends over 300 million dollars rejuvenating and protecting citizens from these landfills. These landfills are currently closed and will be present for the next 200,000 years. The state of Minnesota spends approximately 10 to 18 million dollars working on closed landfills. This report is published on the Pollution Control Agency Web site, which is www.pca.state.mn.us . 4 Commissioner Lynne had met with a city engineer and discussed the anatomy of a city street She said when a waste hauling truck travels down a street it unsettles the gravel and the sub-grade. When a second truck comes down the street, it doesn't get a chance to firm up down below. The third and fourth hauler continues to break it down, and streets are grossly undermined by all the weight One trash hauling truck is equivalent to a thousand cars driving on a street Each trash hauler adds 4 to 5 years of breakdown to a street Currently the life of a street is 25 to 30 years, when a street should normally last 100 years. She discussed the breakdown of cars, buses and trucks and compared 2 haulers with 9 haulers. Commissioner Trippler said these ideas and facts are being brought before the commission, and it is up to them to decide if they want to pursue this. Environmental Planner Finwall stated the next step would be to bring alternatives to the commission on how to utilize fewer trucks. Staff will work with this subcommittee and bring this to the commission at the next meeting. b. General Comments Commissioner Trippler had questions for staff. In the Comprehensive Plan, he asked if all the comments were in, had the Plan been sent to the Metropolitan Council, and when was it expected to come back to the City Council for final approval. Environmental Planner Finwall said the comments were in, it has been sent to the Metropolitan Council, and the council has 120 days to review the document The Metropolitan Council could extend this to an additional 120 days. She said the City Council would approve the final document Commissioner Trippler said there was a discussion regarding wind generators, and the minutes of May 5, 2009 stated Ms. Szott would be distributing a report on wind turbines, and asked when they will receive the report Environmental Planner Finwall said the commission will receive the report in July, 2009. Commissioner Musgrave asked about the groundwater protection plan. She said there was a memorandum sent to the Ramsey County Conservation District with recommendations, and some items brought forward by Commissioner Schreiner would be of interest She said there is a timeline and a proposal due in the near future regarding discussions on water usage, because of Minnesota's current drought She proposed more discussions about drought, water usage, and the groundwater protection plan. Environmental Planner Finwall said she will update the commission at the next meeting regarding these issues. She also stated that Maplewood obtains water from the St Paul Regional Water Service, and is the authority on whether to propose a watering ban. Commissioner Trippler said the material in the Comprehensive Plan regarding the greenways and the wetland ordinance determined there is need for more citizen 5 involvement with the establishment of these greenways and providing for habitat Commissioner Schreiner said the need to educate the public about city policies is important The commissioners had further discussion about overuse of water and about materials such as drain oil, making their way into wetlands and sewers. Commissioner Musgrave asked questions about street cleaning. Natural Resources Coordinator Gaynor said the city has a schedule for cleaning streets, however it is always changing. The city sweeps and cleans the streets several times a year in new construction and rain garden areas. Commissioner Musgrave stated in the June issue of the Maplewood newsletter there is an article about community gardens. On Sunday, June 7, 2009 at Cravings, the coffee shop in the Maplewood Library, there will be a meeting regarding community gardens, and former commissioner (Parks and Recreation Department) Julie Binko will be hosting. 9. STAFF PRESENTATIONS a. Wetland Ordinance Update Environmental Planner Finwall said the wetland ordinance was presented to the City Council and there were eight areas of concern the Council had during their first reading. Staff presented this information during a workshop, and the Council was supportive of most of the options; there are three that still need to be examined further. They will keep the commission updated. The second hearing is scheduled for June 22, 2009, however this has been postponed. b. Emerald Ash Borer Natural Resources Coordinator Gaynor said staff is meeting with a city forester to develop strategies for this problem. There will be an article in the July Maplewood Newsletter. She said there is excellent information on the state of Minnesota, the University of Minnesota Extension, the State Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Web sites. The Department of Agriculture and the University of Minnesota have a link to the Emerald Ash Borer on their Web sites. Natural Resources Coordinator Gaynor displayed the bug, which is a 1/3 to Y, inch green metallic bug. The Web site displays look alike insects, along with ash identification, symptoms on trees, and evidence of larvae that have entered the bark. There will be more information on this topic at a future meeting. c. Community Development and Parks Department Bus Tour Environmental Planner Finwall reminded the commission about the Community Development and Parks Department bus tour on July 1, 2009. She would like feedback on what commission members would prefer on the tour. There was more information included in the commissioners' packets, and Ms. Finwall asked the commission to e-mail their ideas to her. d. Rescheduling of Meetings and Reminders 6 Environmental Planner Finwall requested to reschedule the July 7, 2009 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission meeting to July 21, 2009. Ms. Finwall also requested rescheduling the August 4, 2009 meeting, which is the date for National Night Out, to August 18, 2009. She also reminded the commission that Taste of Maplewood is August 13,2009. Eureka Recycling has offered to assist with this event, and volunteers are welcome. e. Updates at Maplewood Nature Center Natural Resources Coordinator Gaynor said there are compost bins for sale; and composting workshops are being held at the Nature Center. Saturday, June 20, 2009 is the next workshop. There is currently a tree rebate program, and a Geo-cashing Workshop. Commissioner Therese Sonnek, Parks and Recreation commission is teaching this on June 13, 2009 from 1000 a.m. to 1200 noon. A wetland program called Peer in the Pond will be held on June 13, 2009. This is a family outing to learn about pond critters. She said to check the Web site or call the Nature Center for information on any of these programs. f Public Contact Information Environmental Planner Finwall said a notice was sent to the commissioners in December, 2008 asking for contact information. She asked the commissioners to check the Maplewood Web site to see if their information is up to date. 10. ADJOURN - the meeting adjourned at 7 p.m. 7