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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-10-18 ENR Minutes MINUTES CITY OF MAPLEWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION 7:00 p.m., Monday, October 18, 2010 Council Chambers, City Hall 1830 County Road BEast 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Trippler called the meeting of the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL Dale Trippler, Chair Randee Edmundson, Commissioner Judith Johannessen, Commissioner Carole Lynne, Commissioner Carol Mason Sherrill, Commissioner Bill Schreiner, Commissioner Ginny Yingling, Commissioner Present Present Absent Absent (Leave of Absence) Present Present Present Staff Present Shann Finwall, Environmental Planner 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Schreiner moved to approve the aqenda as submitted. Seconded by Commissioner Mason Sherrill. Ayes - All The motion passed. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Approval of September 20,2010, Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes. Commissioner Trippler had a revision to page 4, item 6. A. 3. It should read "Terminology was standardized to include references to only commercial and residential turbines, not noncommercial or micro/macro." Commissioner Yingling moved to approve the September 20 . 2010. Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meetinq Minutes as amended. Seconded by Commissioner Edmundson. Ayes - Chair Trippler, Commissioners Edmundson, Mason Sherrill & Yingling Abstention - Commissioner Schreiner The motion passed. October 18, 2010 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 1 5. NEW BUSINESS None. 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Renewable Energy Ordinance Environmental Planner, Shann Finwall gave the Renewable Energy Ordinance report and answered questions of the commission. The commission discussed the ordinance and offered feedback as follows: Commissioner Mason Sherrill stated that research has shown that insects are drawn to the wind turbines based on the color, which then attracts the birds and bats that eat the insects. The research stated that the one color that insects are not attracted to is purple. Different areas of the country have higher bird and bat mortality rates from turbines. Additionally, it has been shown that the time of day and season the turbine is operating can also impact the bird and bat population. Commissioner Yingling said most bird and bat mortality studies are done on large wind turbine farms. The research shows somewhere between three to five birds and bats are killed per wind turbine structure. There are about 1,300 commercial wind turbines which would equal about 7,500 birds and bats that die. Those numbers may be off by as much as 50% so there may be more like 10,000 birds and bats that are killed due to wind turbines. Comparatively, in the state of Wisconsin cats kill 39 million birds a year. The turbines the city is considering are not the major source of bird and bat mortality rates, so any restrictions due to this concern need to be evaluated carefully. The DN R had recommended large setbacks on wetlands, especially wetlands used by waterfowl. The DNR recommends that wind turbines should be placed 1,400 to 1,600 ft away from bodies of water and forest edges. However these should be significant bodies of water and significant forest edges. Staff will make the noted changes and invite representatives of the DN R to review the ordinance and request their presence at an upcoming meeting to discuss their review and suggestions on the ordinance. 7. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS None. 8. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS a. Subcommittee Reports Greenways - Environmental Planner, Shann Finwall said there was limited staff time to work on this goal during the year, so not much movement has been made except for designating the Priory as the Greenway the city should initially focus on. There are several projects that are planned in the Priory Greenway in 2011 that the ENR Commission can spotlight. Trash Hauling - Commissioner Trippler reported on the October 4 Special City Council meeting which was held to take public testimony on the city's review of our current trash hauling system. There were approximately 150 people who attended, with 40 some October 18, 2010 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 2 people speaking to the matter. The city council will continue the discussion during a workshop scheduled for November 15 at 5:15 p.m. Neighborhood Environmental Groups - Commissioner Mason Sherrill stated there will be an Energy Efficiency Workshop at the Maplewood Community Center from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on October 19, 2010. The Neighborhood Environmental Group subcommittee is sponsoring the free workshop, which is being conducted by the Metro Clean Energy Resource Team and Xcel Energy. There will be tips shared on how to save and reduce energy in your home. 9. STAFF PRESENTATIONS a. Update on Recycling Proposals Ms. Finwall stated the city council directed staff to begin contract negotiations with Tennis Sanitation. Staff hopes to bring the contract to the City Council on November 8, 2010. Ms. Finwall thanked the commission for all their hard work on the RFP process and asked if there were any comments regarding the council's decision. Chair Trippler said he felt the city council was focusing in on the "price" and the council decided to approve Tennis Sanitation rather than the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission's recommendation to go with Eureka Recycling. Commissioner Edmundson said her big concern was the contract accountability, making sure the city has access to records of where things are being recycled and that the companies are actually recycling the items. She asked if they are willing to hire a third company to provide that accountability and documentation. Commissioner Edmundson said you don't get "something for nothing". The value of having a recycling company that holds themselves accountable and makes sure their customer has access to that is critical. Why recycle if the things you are recycling never actually get recycled. You don't want to pay for a service the city is not getting. The city has to hold Tennis Sanitation accountable. She stated when she called Eureka Recycling she could find out exactly "where" her recycled goods were going and "how" they were being recycled. As a consumer you should have access to that information. If the recycling isn't recycled with the highest quality she will take her recycled goods to another location to be processed properly. Commissioner Mason Sherrill shared her disappointment in the city council's decision to choose Tennis Sanitation as the city's new recycling contractor. The commission spent a considerable amount of time working on the RFP, listening to the contractor presentations, and designing the rating system. The commission stressed there were things that were very important to commission such as the dual sort system, the residuals, the education piece, and the accountability. She personally felt they spent a lot of time on this and the advice the commission gave to the city council was disregarded. It was disappointing that it boiled down to money. It is true - you get what you pay for. She hopes Tennis Sanitation fulfills the contract and that the city is pleased. She said she is going to feel bad when she places her recycling all together rather than having it individually sorted so there is less cross contamination. Chair Trippler said there should be an escape clause in the contract so if Tennis Sanitation isn't fulfilling the terms of the contract the city has the right to void the contract and go with another company. Ms. Finwall said staff is proposing a yearly performance review with the ENR Commission and the city council to ensure Tennis Sanitation is meeting the performance standards. October 18, 2010 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 3 b. Update on Chicken Ordinance Environmental Planner, Shann Finwall stated the ENR commission recommended approval of this ordinance to have up to 10 chickens with a permit in a residential zoning district. After the two planning commission meetings the ordinance was denied by a vote of 4-3. Staff is proposing to bring the ordinance to the city council during a workshop and would request that those residents who support the ordinance to attend. c. Maplewood Nature Center Programs Ms. Finwall said Saturday, October 30, 2010, at 9:30 a.m. there is a Buckthorn Battle sponsored by the Ramsey Watershed District, City of North St. Paul, City of Oakdale and the Maplewood Environmental and Natural Resources Commission at Silver Lake Joy Park. There are a lot of improvements made at Joy Park such as a new fishing pier, new plantings and a trail. If you are interested in helping out with this Ginny Gaynor, Maplewood's Natural Resources Coordinator is coordinating this. 10. ADJOURNMENT Chair Trippler adjourned the meeting at 8:05 p.m. October 18, 2010 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 4