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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-12-09 ENR Minutes MINUTES CITY OF MAPLEWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION 7:00 p.m., Thursdav. December 9,2010 Council Chambers, City Hall 1830 County Road BEast A. CALL TO ORDER A meeting of the Environmental and Natural Resources Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chair Trippler. B. 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 Present Absent Present Present Present Staff Present Shann Finwall, Environmental Planner Steve Kummer, City Engineer C. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Commissioner Yingling added HA., Update on Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area Rulemaking Process, and H. 5., Further Discussion on the Emerald Ash Borer. Commissioner Schreiner moved to approve the aqenda as amended. Seconded by Commissioner Yingling. Ayes - All The motion passed. D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Edmundson said on page 2, item E., Emerald Ash Borer Draft Plan, the minutes should reflect that the city should consider taking preventative action prior to the arrival of the Emerald Ash Borer in Maplewood by starting to replace the Ash tree now with a variety of other tree species. Commissioner Yingling stated she would like to add to the minutes that the commission strongly opposes the use of chemicals to treat Emerald Ash Borer. Commissioner Yingling moved to approve the November 15. 2010. Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meetinq Minutes as amended. Seconded by Commissioner Edmundson. Ayes - Chair Trippler, Commissioners Edmundson, Mason Sherrill, Yingling Abstentions - Commissioners Johannessen & Schreiner December 9,2010 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 1 The motion passed. E. NEW BUSINESS 1. Review of 2011 Road Improvement Project: Western Hills (West Side of Interstate 35E) a. Environmental Planner, Shann finwall introduced the item. b. Engineer, Steve Kummer gave the report on the Western Hills street improvements and answered questions of the commission. The commission discussed a number of things with staff regarding the Western Hills project and staff took notes on the commission's concerns which included: a. Curb and gutter b. Tree removal c. Sidewalks d. Bike paths e. Speed limits f. Street width g. Parking lanes h. On street parking i. Tree species j. Working with the city forester during the street project k. Ash trees f. UNfiNISHED BUSINESS 1. Renewable Energy Ordinance a. Environmental Planner, Shann finwall gave a brief update on the Department of Natural Resource's (DN R) review of the draft Renewable Energy Ordinance. The DN R made the following comments about the ordinance: . Bluff setbacks - most counties are adopting a Yo mile setback for freestanding wind turbines from bluffs to ensure they are not visible from below and to protect birds. Maplewood has limited bluff land, but there is a Scientific and Natural Area just west of the southern point of Maplewood - Pigs Eye Rookery SNA - where there is an active heron rookery. . Natural heritage review - The ordinance should require that an applicant contact the DNR for Natural Heritage Information prior to the city issuing a permit. . Color of turbines - The ordinance states under allowable color for turbines as "a color which is shown to protect birds and bats." The ordinance should include a reference or supporting documents to support that there is such a color. . Lighting - If lighting is required, sodium vapor lights should not be used as there have been studies that link this type of lighting to an increase in bird collisions. . Example ordinances - The DNR forwarded Centerville Township's Commercial Wind Turbine Ordinance which has a bibliography section that provides links to many wind-type documents that may be of interest to the city. The ordinance will go to the planning commission for review in January. The city council will be updated on the ordinance during a workshop in March. December 9,2010 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 2 G. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS 1. Dr. Constance Beutel, Benicia, California. Dr. Beutel is a former Maplewood resident and is here visiting her family. She spoke to the city council on November 22,2010, urging the City of Maplewood to lower green house gas emissions and to work with other communities to tackle this problem. The City of Benicia, where she is the sustainability coordinator, has joined the ICLEE program and is benchmarking their emissions. She urged the City of Maplewood to join the program also. Environmental Planner finwall explained that the City of Maplewood is participating in the Minnesota B3 benchmarking program, which is similar to ICLEE. ICLEE requires a yearly membership and extensive staff time to input the data. Ms. finwall will review both programs and bring back additional information to the commission. The commission thanked Dr. Beutel for the information. a. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS a. Subcommittee Reports 1) Collection System Analysis - Environmental Planner finwall said there will be a city council Workshop on Monday, February 7,2011, at 5:15 p.m. to discuss the collection system analysis. During the meeting staff will supply the city council with the information they requested including additional research, data on costs and contracts for cities that are organized, and estimates on consulting costs. 2) Neighborhood Environmental Groups - Commissioner Mason Sherrill gave an update on the neighborhood environmental groups including the group's recent meeting to recap the Energy Efficiency workshop and discuss next steps in motivating residents to join together on environmental projects. Commissioner Johannessen added information regarding her neighborhood's commitment to have the Xcel home energy squad come to their homes in December. 3) Greenways - Commissioner Yingling spoke about Greenways and stated that on May 14, 2011, there will be a presentation and a hike through the priory preserve, which is in the Holloway/Beaver Creek Greenway. 4) Mississippi River Critical Area Work - Commissioner Yingling gave an update about the Mississippi River Critical Area work that has been done to date. 5) Emerald Ash Borer update - Commissioner Yingling shared information she had read regarding research done using chemicals to control the Emerald Ash Borer and the known harm and the unknowns still regarding using chemicals to control this problem. b. STAff PRESENTATIONS a. Gervais Lake Vegetation Management Plan - Environmental Planner finwall stated on January 4,2011, at 6 p.m. there will be a DNR public hearing at Little Canada City Hall to discuss the Gervais Lake vegetation management plan. b. Silver Lake Herbicide Treatment Update - Environmental Planner finwall gave an update on Silver Lake. The DNR is no longer funding the treatment of Curly Leaf Pondweed and Eurasian Water Milfoil. The results of the lake study completed last summer reflect that more natives were disappearing with the treatment. The full study will be available to the commission in early 2011. c. Reschedule January 19, 2011, Environmental Commission Meeting Due to Martin Luther King Holiday (Available Dates: Monday, January 11: Thursday, January 13; Wednesday, January 26; or Thursday, January 27) - staff will follow up with an email about meeting dates. d. Schedule Goal Setting Meeting (Available Dates: See Above) e. Maplewood Nature Center Programs - Staff discussed programs at the Maplewood Nature Center. Staff also discussed the 2011 friends of Maplewood Nature calendars which has December 9,2010 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 3 photographs submitted by residents of the city's open space sites. The calendars are for sale for $10 with all proceeds going to the Maplewood Nature Center and other nature projects in Maplewood. c. ADJOURNMENT Chair Trippler adjourned the meeting at 9:03 p.m. December 9,2010 Environmental and Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes 4