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02/19/2002 - 00024924CITY OF FRIDLEY ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY & ENERGY COMMISSION MEETING February 19, 2002 CALL TO ORDER: Chairperson Johns called the February 19, 2002, meeting to order at 7:36 p.m. ROLL CALL: Members Present: Barb Johns, Jack Velin, Rich Svanda, Michelle Maher Members Absent: Barbara Kovacic, Mary Gliniany Others Present: Julie Jones, Environmental Planner APPROVAL OF JANUARY 15, 2002, ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY & ENERGY COMMISSION MINUTES: MOTION by Mr. Svanda, seconded by Mr. Velin, to approve the January 15, 2002, Environmental Quality & Energy Commission minutes. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON JOHNS DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. NEW BUSINESS: a. Discussion of Year End Recycling Report Ms. Jones reported that there were many successes in 2001 recycling efforts and that staff is building on those successes this year. Regarding curbside recycling weights falling, she reported that anything the City can do to make the service appear new and different will boost participation. She said staff has gotten many calls from residents wanting to start participating in the program since they noticed on the new utility billing format that they were paying for the service. The 2002 curbside recycling brochure is going to promote a two-sort system, which really isn't anything new since BFI has been accepting material this way for over a year, but they are going to make it appear like a big change. Ms. Jones reported that the Neighborhood Recycling Corporation (TNRC) in St. Paul just finished a curbside recycling pilot project. TNRC studied different recycling program options against control group areas. Their results show that the key ways to boost recycling participation includes mostly what Fridley has already done — going to weekly collection, adding plastics, and allowing commingling of materials. The only other thing they found to be successful was to add carts. Apparently, privacy is an issue regarding what containers people will place at the curb in their recycling bins. Also, an organics pilot option and a single-sort collection system option brought in large increased recycling volumes. However, these programs have their drawbacks. The organics collection is costly and difficult to teach residents. There also aren't any facilities in the Metro area that can process large volumes of organics waste. The drawback to the single-sort recycling collection system is there is a lot more non-recyclable materials placed in the bins that the driver can't remove before tipping. There is also some debate about the broken glass downgrading the value of the paper. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY & ENERGY COMMISSION MINUTES FEBRUARY 19. 2002 PAGE 2 Ms. Jones said she will be touring the newly opened Waste Management single-sort facility on Wednesday to see how it operates. She believed that the City needs to use the new utility bill stuffing option to provide residents with brief recycling information to get them recycling everything they can. Ms. Maher questioned why we can't expand what types of plastics we recycle. Ms. Jones stated there is little the City can do to change the high cost of recycling other types of plastics. Mr. Svanda asked what the utility bill increase will be. Ms. Jones replied that it is proposed to be increased the maximum allowed under the new tax increase limitation requirement, which is 4.2% currently. Ms. Maher suggested creating utility bill inserts that encourage people in a positive way that setting out recycling will make them feel good. b. Discussion of Water Quality Issues in Fridley Ms. Johns expressed concern about the plantings at Moore Lake, wondering if they are going to survive this unusual warm winter. Ms. Jones stated that staff is concerned about a great deal of plant loss due to the dry fall and winter. She said the project organizer did set aside funds for plant replacement, however, so lost plants will be replaced in the spring. The issue of expanding the Moore Lake landscape buffer was discussed. Ms. Jones stated there would likely be opposition on the staff and Council levels to expand the Moore Lake shoreline buffer at this time. She suggested that it might be beneficial for the Commission to obtain more information about native landscaping in general so that well informed recommendations can be made to the Council in the future as other water quality issues arise. Ms. Jones mentioned other water quality issues that are likely to come up in the near future, including the landscaping and maintenance on University Avenue and the Spring Lake Park street reconstruction project in the Springbrook Watershed. Possible means to influence the City of Spring Lake Park to rethink their street reconstruction plans were discussed. The Commission member expressed interest in conducting a water quality seminar for all the City officials involved in the Springbrook Watershed project. Ms. Jones advised that it would be in the four Cities' financial interest to wait until State funding is secure for the project since the water quality education program is one of the "in-kind" contributions the Cities are planned to make in the Springbrook Implementation project. She stated that she would see if she could arrange an educational session for ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY & ENERGY COMMISSION MINUTES FEBRUARY 19. 2002 PAGE 3 just the EQEC in the next few months since she may be looking to the EQEC for input on which program to take to the other three cities. c. 2002 Work Plan/2003 Goals & Objectives Ms. Jones reported that staff has not yet begun the Goals & Objectives process for 2003 since they must wait until the Council/Commission survey results are in. However, she felt that the budgeting process will move forward at an accelerated pace once those results are in since they are so far behind their normal schedule. She questioned whether or not the Commission wanted to create a 2002 Work Plan since they have not used this tool much in the past several years. The Commission members decided to develop a 2002 Work Plan and include the following work items: 1. Rice Creek Watershed study 2. Monitor reports for medical waste facility 3. Curbside recycling improvement analysis 4. Water quality 5. Review Northstar Corridor final EIS 6. Light pollution 7. Monitor wellhead protection planning 8. Commons Park wellfield study (if not already complete) 2. OLD BUSINESS: a. Update on Springbrook Watershed Implementation Project Grant Applications Ms. Jones reported that there has still been no word on the release of State MPCA CWP grant funds. The Commissioner has decided to hold the funds longer than originally thought. The fear now is that nothing will be done until the end of the legislative session which is going to delay the project possibly beyond a timeline where they can still use the currently allocated funds on time. Staff will likely wait only until the end of the month. Then, they will need to call the Springbrook Watershed Advisory Committee members together to decide if and how they could put together a partial project. Recommendations will need to be approved by each municipality involved since it differs from the original plan. This could take several months. b. Discussion of 2002 49ers Day Parade Ms. Jones reported that the 2002 49ers Day Parade will be on Thursday, June 13. She handed out samples of the rulers purchased for distribution at the parade. The State's OEA office has been requested to participate in a 3-R's unit in the parade, as well as BFI with its recycling vehicle. With State budget cutbacks, she would not be surprised if the OEA cancels any parade activities this year. Registration is not due until May 31, so we have some time to register. c. Report on Status of Phosphorus-Free Fertilizer Bill ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY & ENERGY COMMISSION MINUTES FEBRUARY 19. 2002 PAGE 4 Ms. Jones reported that it is not too late for the City of Fridley to offer support of SF1789 since it has not been heard in committee yet. A committee hearing date was set a couple weeks ago, but it was postponed and has not yet been rescheduled. Ms. Jones stated the letter regarding including commercial and industrial properties was sent to the City of Shorewood. She had also followed up the suggestion with a phone call. Ms. Jones stated the concept of supporting the State legislation was well received by the Planning Commission, so she was hopeful for a positive response from the City Council at its next meeting. If the Council approves the letter and resolution, she suspected that they would be forwarded on to the State as quickly as possible. Mr. Svanda suggested some changes to enhance both the resolution and letter to the Governor. Ms. Jones noted the changes suggested. ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Mr. Svanda, seconded by Mr. Velin, to adjourn the meeting. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON JOHNS DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED AND THE FEBRUARY 19, 2002, ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY & ENERGY COMMISSION MEETING ADJOURNED AT 9:08 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Julie A. Jones Staff Laison