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09/21/2004 - 00028051CITY OF FRIDLEY ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY & ENERGY COMMISSION MEETING September 21, 2004 C � L' \ � � C � Z � ] :7 � ] � :7 i Chairperson Johns called the September 21, 2004, meeting to order at 7:32 p.m. ROLL CALL: Members Present: Barb Johns, Barbara Kovacic, Rich Svanda, Jack Velin, and Paul Westby Members Absent: Anne Andrews Others Present: Julie Jones, Environmental Planner /_\��:ii��%\�i7�11�1A'f��i�►�iI�L��►D/l:ii7►1►�il�►��_\��1�L\���'E:?��►1�:iH'�K�]►�il►�il��y[�7►�►�ill►l�j��yl MOTION by Mr.Velin, seconded by Ms. Kovacic, to approve the July 20, 2004, Environmental Quality & Energy Commission minutes, as written. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON JOHNS DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. NEW BUSINESS: a. Review of 2nd MN Report Card on Environmental Literacy Ms. Jones reported that she had obtained one copy of the complete Second Minnesota Report Card on Environmental Literacy. She had provided commission members parts of the report that she found to be the most significant information in their meeting packet. She felt the information is a reference for the commission to consider as they pursue environmental education opportunities in the City. Commission members reviewed the material and discussed the results. Ms. Kovacic asked how many Minnesotans were surveyed. Ms. Jones said she understood it was 2,000, randomly selected homeowners throughout Minnesota, meaning there is a rural/urban mix in the results. Some of the questions and survey findings were discussed in more detail. The Commission members agreed that although it was disappointing to see how little people understood about environmental issues, the resource should be used as a reference when creating environmental education materials in the community. b. Tree Disease Concerns Ms. Jones reported that the City has experienced increased incidences of Oak Wilt and Dutch Elm Disease this year. However, the City Forester reports that it has not reached epidemic proportions. More disease is being attributed to recent mild winters and a wet spring this year, which could be attributed to global climate change. Ms. Jones explained that there are likely more cases than the City Forester has documented since there are trees privately removed without City involvement and code enforcement cases regarding dead trees where the type of tree is not evaluated before it is removed. c. Metro Safety Solutions Report ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY & ENERGY COMMISSION MINUTES 12/26/2006 PAGE 2 Ms. Jones reported that she had made another request to the County to get copies of recent inspection reports, but has not received that information to date. She said the City has been trying to resolve an outside storage trailer issue with Metro Safety Solutions, but has not had any other areas of concern about the business. 2. OLD BUSINESS: a. Curbside Recycling Contract Negotiations Ms. Jones reported that the City Council had directed staff to negotiate a contract amendment with BFI for 100% revenue sharing and bring it back to the Council as soon as possible. After developing an amendment that BFI agreed to, staff decided to hire a consultant to aid in refining the curbside recycling contract language as there was concern that the amendment was unclear on price indices for the revenue sharing. Hiring the consultant has been a wise investment as they have pointed out some other areas of concern in the amendment that staff had overlooked. A meeting with BFI to review the revised amendment is schedule for September 23. Staff is planning to present a contract amendment to the City Council on October 4. b. Update on Multi-Unit Recycling Grant Project Ms. Jones reported that the Eureka Recycling Grant project was successful in increasing recycling slightly at each of the three Fridley buildings used in the pilot study. Even though increases were small, the collective total increase amounted to about 10.75 tons per year. The grant project was also an effective way to gain some valuable information and educational tools to use in the future if funding and staff time permits. c. Update on Springbrook Watershed Implementation Project Julie Jones reported that the Springbrook Watershed Advisory Committee recently met and decided to move forward with one of three projects proposed by the consultant to restore the eastern Springbrook Creek streambank into the Nature Center, which is commonly referred to as the Site 3 monitoring inlet. Two of the three possible storm water treatment options proposed involved piping through the Springbrook Apartments complex, which was not well received by the owner. The other option, which is the one selected by the Committee, includes installing a 48" storm water pipe that will run alongside or below the creek bed and carry storm water flows during heavy storm events. Taking the high flows out of the stream will allow for effective stabilization of the streambank to prevent further erosion and sediment deposit into the Springbrook wetlands. This plan also includes installation of a drop structure, which will form a manmade waterfall. The purpose of the drop structure will be to allow those heavier flows to back up and infiltrate in the interior sections of the park, providing further protections for the wetlands. This can be accomplished without interfering with the existing trail system. However, many trees will need to be removed and replaced. Paul Westby asked if mature trees or seedlings would be planted as replacements. Ms. Jones said the committee has not yet gotten that far in the details of the landscaping plan. Mr. Westby also asked if the proposal included bringing in fill. Ms. Jones said there was no detailed line item in the cost estimates for additional soil, so she assumes they must be using the soil removed for the pipe installation to raise the creek bed. Ms. Jones explained that more of these details will be known once the final design plans are developed by the engineering consultant. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY & ENERGY COMMISSION MINUTES 12/26/2006 PAGE 3 The Advisory Committee also directed completion of a second vegetation survey and replacement of the outlet weir structure in the Nature Center, so that future wetland drawdowns could be more easily managed. The Wetland Drawdown Subcommittee's Springbrook Wetland Management Plan has been approved by the DNR. The Advisory Committee needs to meet again soon to complete one more urgent task, which is approving a revised Work Plan. There have been significant changes to the original Plan and budget, so a revised version needs to be approved by the main funders, the Metropolitan Council and MPCA. The most critical debate has been what monitoring to leave in the Work Plan. Ms. Jones said she is working with the Anoka Conservation District and the project's MPCA representative to reach an agreeable monitoring plan, which is a key component of the Work Plan. Consideration of Joint Environmental Commission Meeting Ms. Jones reported that the Lino Lakes Environmental Board is interested in coordinating a joint area Environmental Commission meeting with guest speakers. Chair Johns had been asked to contact them. Commission members agreed that it would be nice to know what other Environmental Commission's are working on. e. Update on Commission Opening Ms. Jones reported that the commission still has one vacant position that needs to be filled. She is hoping to get an advertisement in the next issue of the Your Eco Home show. 3. OTHER BUSINESS: Mr. Svanda asked Ms. Jones if staff has given more thought to how the City would spend the unused 2003 SCORE funds carried into 2004. Ms. Jones explained that the cost of the recycling contract consultant will come out of those funds, but agreed that staff needs to begin planning how to spend those funds. It was agreed that the City should purchase something that could be handed out at next year's 49er's Day parade as an education tool. Ms. Jones said she will also need to get some more recycling brochures printed and some curbside recycling bins ordered before the end of the year. Ms. Johns suggested that maybe the City should have some translations done for the recycling brochure. Ms. Jones said she did that a couple years ago for the apartment brochure, but has only ever had one request for it. She also pointed out that experience has shown that non-English speaking people usually have someone in the household that can interpret print material for them. Mr. Westby suggested that a more effective educational tool may be creation of a high-quality video. He was wondering if the Science Museum or BSWR might have something available. Commission members also wondered if the SCORE funds could be used to conduct another compost bin sale in the community. Ms. Jones said she would have to investigate these options. Mr. Westby requested that discussion of water quality issues be placed on the next agenda. ADJOURNMENT ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY & ENERGY COMMISSION MINUTES 12/26/2006 MOTION by Mr. Velin, seconded by Mr. Svanda, to adjourn the meeting. PAGE 4 UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON JOHNS DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED AND THE SEPTMBER 21, 2004, ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY & ENERGY COMMISSION MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:57 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Julie A. Jones Staff Liaison