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EQECM 07/14/2015 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND ENERGY COMMISSION Fridley Municipal Center, 6431 University Ave Ne Draft Minutes July 14th, 2015, 2015, 7:00 p.m. MINUTES Location: Conference Room A (Main Level, Fridley City Hall) Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 8:06 p.m. by Chairman Todd Olin. Introductions Commissioners proceeded with introductions and everyone met new recycling and sustainability intern Max Cowger, who will be working on apartment and parks recycling issues and opportunities through early September. Approve Environmental Quality and Energy Commission Minutes th MOTION by Commissioner Hanson and seconded by Commissioner Westby to approve the May 12, 2015 Environmental Quality and Energy Commission minutes was made. There was no June 2015 meeting due to a lack of quorum. The motion passed unanimously. New Business New Trail Grant received Environmental Planning staff shared the information about the City’s receipt of Federal Highway funds for trail and walk construction around the west side of West Moore Lake. The reconstruction of Highway 65 by MnDOT was unable to accommodate bicycling facilities on the Moore Lakes bridge and this new trail segment helps to move students, transportation cyclists and trail users safely around this area. It will provide a nearby connection to the innovative trail segment installed by MnDOT under Interstate 694 at Hwy 65. Julie Jones and Kay Qualley worked with Public Works Director James Kosluchar on the project. New Website, review EQEC areas The website is still a work in progress and needs many more categories and articles. The websites from the cities of St. Louis Park and Maplewood were reviewed. Bike Education coordination, classes and promotion; Women Who Bike, Seniors Try Bikes The new community education class, Women Who Bike, was a success! Six attendees learned about bike safety and how to get around the trails and recommended bike routes of Fridley. A Seniors Try Bikes event in early September is proposed. Penn Cycle’s corporate office indicated that they would participate in having seniors sample the attributes of various innovative 3-wheel bikes, like the new recumbent styles. Nominations, voting and election of Chair and Vice Chair for the EQEC for June 2015 through May 2016 MOTION by Commissioner Westby and seconded by Commissioner Stoxen to elect existing EQEC Chair Todd Olin as EQEC Chair through May of 2016. The motion passed unanimously. MOTION by Commissioner Stoxen and seconded by Commissioner Westby to elect EQE Commissioner Mark Hansen as EQEC Vice Chairman through May of 2016. The motion passed unanimously. Commissioner Hansen will occasionally represent Commissioner Olin at the Planning Commission meetings, if Commissioner Olin has evening work conflicts. University of Minnesota ESPM class Dr. Gary Johnson of the University of Minnesota Urban Forestry program will be working with Environmental Planning staff from September through December of 2015 with his Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management class. The students will do projects providing research information for the City. Old Business rd Commissioner Hansen gave an update on the first time National Trails Day Event which was paired with the 3 Annual City-wide Bike and Hike and held at Islands of Peace Regional Park. The Fridley Community Band led by Conductor Phil Raaen, performed. The Springbrook Nature Center provided a naturalist, who demonstrated some of the fauna who inhabit the Mississippi River parks and corridor. He led a hike of nine people down to the shoreline and commented on the birdlife. Commissioners Foell and Hansen and their families were joined by City Planning Manager Julie Jones on a bike ride to Riverfront Regional Park and they continued onto a loop th ride which included the 44 Ave. bridge. The riders discovered that the narrow area for bikes was not safe for a rider pulling a child in tandem and that riders came down an incline and were forced to ride through sand. Anoka County Transportation staff, Andrew Witter, Assistant County Engineer, after being contacted about the problem, stated that the bridge area has a 10 foot wide shoulder is available for bicyclists to use. He forwarded Ms. Jones’ comments to the Anoka County Highway Department about the sand so that it could be collected or bituminous pavement filled in in certain locations along the bridge. He mentioned that it wasn’t indicated that this route was on the City’s regional network in our 2030 Comprehensive Plan. The City is constructing a trail in 2016 that crosses Interstate 694 and runs along the west side of the commercial properties on Main St. to this area bridge. Updates: GreenCorp grant A grant from GreenCorp has been received for an eleven month GreenCorp member (similar to a qualified intern) to work on Urban Forestry issues. This individual will start in September and work through the following August of 2016. An Emerald Ash Borer Response will be developed as a chapter in the overall Urban Forestry and Re-Greening of Fridley Plan . This is the equivalent of around $30,000 in labor to advance our city’s tree programs and provide information and assistance to the City Forester and Environmental Planner. Other Chairman Olin said that he would like to have a work session in the first half of the August meeting and staff th noted that the Commissioners should send in any agenda items prior to August 7, 2015. Next Meetings/Announcements th Tuesday, August 11, 2015, 7:00 p.m., Conference Room A (Main Level, City Hall) Adjourn MOTION by Commissioner Westby and seconded by Commissioner Stoxen to adjourn at 8:11. The motion passed unanimously. Respectfully submitted, Kay Qualley Environmental Planner City of Fridley