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2004-11-22 EC Agenda PacketAGENDA GOLDEN VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION Regular Meeting Golden Valley City Hall, 7800 Golden Valley Road Manager's Conference Room Monday, November 22, 2004 7:00 P.M. I. Call to Order II. Approval of Minutes — October 25, 2004 III. December Meeting Date IV. Envision Guide Feedback V. Buckthorn Discussion VI. Program/Project Updates — ➢ Golden Ridge Development ➢ Sunnyridge Lane Soil Contaminants ➢ TH 55/Boone Avenue/General Mills Boulevard ➢ Wirth Lake Berm Repair ➢ Recycling Program ➢ Proposed Developments VII. Commission Member Council Reports VIII. Other Business IX. Adjourn GAEnvironmental Commission\Agendas\112204.doc GOLDEN VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION Regular Meeting Minutes November 22, 2004 Present: Tracy Anderson, Richard Baker, Alan Kuentz, Jon Pawluk Absent: Dawn Hill, Christopher Kaisershot, Al Lundstrom, Environmental Coordinator City Staff: Jeff Oliver, City Engineer; Tracy Pharr, Administrative Assistant I. Call to Order Baker called the meeting to order at 7:04 pm. II. Approval of Minutes - October 25, 2004 No changes. MOVED by Kuentz, seconded by Pawluk, and the motion carried unanimously to approve the minutes of the October 25, 2004 meeting as submitted. III. December Meeting Date The Commission decided to cancel the December 27 meeting. The next scheduled Environmental Commission meeting will be held on Monday, January 24, 2005 at 7 pm in the Council Conference Room. IV. Envision Guide Feedback Baker expressed interest in having this topic added as an agenda item at a future meeting. The Commission mentioned a desire to view "The Complete List" of Supporting Themes for the environmental section of the Envision publication. Discussion ensued about possibly receiving a printout of this list, or accessing a computer at a future meeting to view this list in its entirety. Pawluk questioned the "Hazardous Waste" item; he was curious what this entailed. The City's Environmental Coordinator was not in attendance at the meeting, but will be asked for more details. V. Buckthorn Discussion The Commission read through the draft memo to the Mayor and City Council regarding their report on citizen participation and a buckthorn removal project. Baker asked to amend two items on the memo. Pharr will make these changes and e-mail the revised draft to all Commission Members. Pharr will also contact Baker to advise him of the date of the Council/Manager meeting at which the buckthorn comments memo will appear on the agenda. VI. Program/Project Updates Golden Ridge Development — Oliver stated that work on this project was essentially finished for the season. Volunteers from the community and City staff will be working on the Habitat for Humanity homes over several dates in January and February. Sunnyridge Lane Soil Contaminants — Staff has applied for funding from the County to assist with the expense of the cleanup efforts. The City's cleanup plan has been approved by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The contaminated soil will be treated and stockpiled on City property. TH 55/Boone Avenue North/General Mills Boulevard — Great progress has been made on the TH 55 project. Excavation of the pond for flood mitigation will begin soon. TH 55 will be reopened before winter begins. Wirth Lake Berm Repair— Oliver said that construction will begin in the spring in conjunction with the Park Board. Recycling Program — No new information. Proposed Developments — Plans for the North Wirth Business Center (office condominiums) have been submitted for review. VII. Commission Member Council Reports No Commission Member attended either of the November City Council meetings. Anderson reviewed the November 3 agenda. Kuentz did not see any items of environmental note on the November 16 agenda. Baker asked each Commission Member in attendance to review one of the December and January Council agendas, and determine if Commission presence was warranted at the Council meetings. Pawluk will attend the December 7 meeting if necessary; Anderson will consider the December 21 meeting; Kuentz will observe the January 4 agenda; and Baker will note items on the January 18 agenda. 2 VIII. Other Business Items of Other Business: ➢ The next Environmental Commission meeting will be on January 24, 2005 at 7 pm in the Council Conference Room. The 2005 meeting calendar will be set at this meeting. ➢ January meeting agenda items will include a possible presentation by Greg Klave regarding environmental sustainability in Golden Valley, feedback on the Envision Guide, status of the Commission's buckthorn comments memo, management plans for nature areas and selection of dates for Commission meetings in 2005. No additional business was addressed. IX. Adjourn The next scheduled meeting will be on January 24, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. The meeting was adjourned at 7:53 pm. Respectfully submitted, Tracy E. Pharr Administrative Assistant Department of Public Works 3 o Golden Valley Date: November 9, 2004 To: Mayor and City Council Members am memorandum Environmental Commission From: Environmental Commission - Richard Baker, Chair Subject: Report on Citizen Participation and Buckthorn Removal Project DRAFT Introduction In June 2004, the City Council requested the Environmental Commission "evaluate code revisions, program requirements, financial impact, re -vegetation requirements, etc. to support a buckthorn removal program." This memo is the result of that request. In examining the specific issue of buckthorn removal, we explored the broader issue of citizen participation in city projects on public land. The recent Envision report talks in several areas—Community Engagement, Environment, and Recreation—about city beautification and the valuable parks and nature areas within our borders. In addition, the Envision report encourages citizens to participate in making Golden Valley a city in which they're proud to live. We considered citizen enthusiasm and participation to be as important as the specific issue of buckthorn removal on our public lands. This memo is a result of our two -fold plan. First, we offer general recommendations about actions the Council should take to make it easier for citizens to become involved on City -owned lands. Then, we address how that involvement may be channeled specifically into a buckthorn eradication project. Citizen Participation Recommendations Financial Impact We recommend that $5,000 be budgeted annually to provide City support for at least one citizen project on City land each year beginning in 2005. This budgeted amount is based on a single buckthorn removal project described below. Code Revision We recommend implementation of revisions to Section 7.04 of the City Code, which will legalize citizen participation in approved City projects on public land. GAEnvironmental Commission\Memos\BuckthornComments.doc Liability for Volunteers We recommend that the City purchase additional accident coverage for $1,500, as recommended by Allen Barnard in his letter to Jeannine Clancy, dated October 18, 2004. In addition, we recommend that the City add coverage for up to $1,000 of medical costs at an additional cost of $675. Procedure for Citizen -Initiated Projects The City should make it as easy as possible for groups to participate in projects that improve the City's public lands. The following recommendations are general and should be applicable for a variety of projects. An application form should be prepared that allows groups to describe the scope of the project as simply as possible. It should include such things as: name of the sponsoring entity, location of the proposed project, description of work to be done, expected number of participants, proposed work dates and follow-up plans. Staff should negotiate with each applicant to develop the scope of each project. This coordination is to include cost estimates and revisions as needed to make the project acceptable to both the City and the applicant. Once the initial work is completed, staff should monitor the site and recommend follow up by the city if necessary. Buckthorn Project The desire to initiate a Buckthorn Removal Project in Golden Valley was the impetus for this report. We anticipate that the City's first citizen participation will be a buckthorn removal project based on the recommendations above. Multiple buckthorn removal projects by citizens over a period of years will help control the buckthorn problem, but we realize that it is not a solution to that problem. We recommend that one buckthorn removal project of up to five acres be initiated in 2005. City support should include the following items. (Estimated costs are based on the maximum size project of five acres.) ➢ Provide Weed Wrenches (5 wrenches at an average cost of $200 each) $1,000 ➢ Provide chemicals for treating stumps (5 acres at $250 per acre) $1,250 ➢ Haul pulled and cut material from site and dispose of it (5 acres at $500 per acre) $2,500 Additional costs that the City may or may not incur are described below. Estimates are not provided for these because they will be site specific. ➢ City workers to cut larger trees with chain saws. Required for four -inch and larger trees. ➢ Provide plantings and supervision for re -vegetation if required. Replanting should be required only in unstable soil situations such as steep grades. We expect volunteers to do any required planting, but the City should provide the plants. ➢ Supervise project as needed. Required. Follow-up in the second through fifth years after the initial removal project. Buckthorn is a very successful plant that requires several years of follow-up eradication effort to allow other vegetation to flourish. However, we do not believe that the buckthorn situation will be worsened even if volunteer groups do only a one- time removal and do not follow-up. The worst case situation for the City that we have identified is up to $5,000 per year for four years for a five -acre project site for which volunteers do not provide follow-up eradication efforts and the City opts to provide that function by contracting with outside contractors. We feel that this is an unlikely scenario. OUR VISION FOR THE Ful preserves its balance o f natu ' Golden Valley, a Tree City, is noteI park, woodland, and wetland. Ou Creek—are pollution -free jewels. Residents, government, industry, environment. We embrace new technologies and innovative practices to manage waste and pollution at the source. a The City sponsors haz- ardous waste disposal for homes and private businesses. 4 The community recycles 50 percent of its waste materials. Alternative energy sources reduce air pollu- tion. See Transportation tic and storm ommunity. 0 er ee i.golden- posting Vaste • Transit • ice • Lawn g • Native rrMlifflity 'hands Surface `ion Things You Can Do Now e Reduce, reuse, and recycle to minimize waste; start a compost; adopt a neigh- borhood park or storm drain (www. ci.golden valley.mn.us/environment). ♦ Properly dispose of hazardous mate- rials (www.co.hennepin.mn.us). ♦ Attend a Hennepin County environ- mental seminar (www.co.hennepin. mn.us). ♦ Reduce application of fertilizer, deicer, herbicides, and pesticides in your yard. ® Use native plants for landscaping. Plant trees, shrubs, or ground covers to increase the amount of water that soaks into the ground. e Use alternative or mass transit. ♦ Practice water conservation. ♦ Learn about Golden Valley's watershed (www.bassettcreekwmo. org) and how to help protect local waterways (see links below). ♦ Celebrate Arbor Day, Earth Day, or World Water Day by doing something for the environment. ♦ Start a family, neighborhood, or service club tree planting program. ♦ Create an environmental awareness group. Learn More Use resources at local libraries and universities or online (try the web sites below for a start) to learn more about waste management, green practices, surface water protection, and other environmental issues. www.dnr.state.mn.us www.epa.gov www.greenguardian.com www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh www.mepartnership.org www.metrocouncil.org www.moea.state.mn.us www. nextstep.state. mn.us R www.pca.state.mn.us/backyard www.wef.org www.worldwatercouncil.org For more information about environ- mental issues in Golden Valley, contact the City's Public Works Department at 763-593-8030. Wednesday. November I7, 2004 7pm to 8:30pm Brookview Community Venter 200 Brookview Parkway Golden Vallev. MN Turn right 2/d mile south of i�Tinnetka & Hwy 55 Citizens in local communities around the world are using the Natural Step Framework, developed in Sweden to move their towns and cities rapidly toward environmental, social and economic sustainability. It uses the 4 ecological principles to map a plan for a system that is ecologically sound, economically viable, socially just and humane. Sean Gosiewski, the Executive Director of the Alliance for Sustainability will give a short introduction to the Natural Step framework for sustainability and short examples of sustainable city efforts around the world. Sean give a short update on current sustainable city efforts in the Twin Cities. For the second half of the meeting everyone will divide into sub groups use the natural step framework to create a sustainability vision and action steps for Golden Valley and surrounding communities for specific topics they are interested in. A representative from Envision Golden Valley will explain how our new Long Term Sustainability volunteer team can plug into the citizen participation efforts of Envision Golden Valley RSVP and/or for more information contact: Call or email Greg Klave , 763-287-8444 GregKlave vmsn.com For more information also see • Twin Cities Sustainable City efforts see — wvcrw.all ianceforsustainabilitv.net "Neighborhood Sustainability" • The Natural Step Framework and planning for sustainability— wrw°w.ulannin,=.or�ipolic�iguides/sustainabihty.htr� y and http:/"/santa-monica.orgeud/scp/g *din htm • Envision Golden Valley - http:/iNww .ci.oltfen^tiallev .mn.lis/comjiiunitvlFniision.htny Brought to you by Northwest Suburb Greens Environmental Commission Proposed 2005 Meeting Dates January 24 February 28 March 28 April 25 May 23 June 27 July 25 August 22 September 26 October 24 November 28 (Monday after Thanksgiving) December 19 (December 26 - not available; holiday for City staff) GAEnvironmental Commission\Miscellaneous\2005ProposedMtgSched.doc