EC Minutes 06-26-20237800 Golden Valley Road I Golden Valley, MN 55427
763-593-80271 TTY 763-593-39681763-593-8198 (fax) I www.goldenvalleymn.gov goldM
Environmental Commission Vr
June 26, 2023 — 6:30 pm
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
Remote Attendance: Members of the public may attend this meeting via Webex by calling 1-415-655-
0001 and entering access code 1773 93 4642.
Questions/Comments: Members of the public who have questions about the commission or any
items on the agenda should contact the staff commission liaison — Eric Eckman, Environmental
Resources Supervisor, eeckman@goldenvalleymn.gov, 763-593-8084.
1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by Chair Hill at 6:30 pm.
2. Land Acknowledgement
3. Roll Call
Commissioners present: Tonia Galonska, Dawn Hill, Debra Yahle, Ellen Brenna, Sarah Drawz, Paul
Klaas, Kenna Brandt
Commissioners absent: Wendy Weirich, Rachel Zuraff
Council Members present: Sophia Ginis
Staff present: Eric Eckman, Environmental Resources Supervisor;
Drew Chirpich, Water & Natural Resource Specialist;
Ethan Kehrberg, Sustainability Specialist;
Mars Muehleis, GreenCorps Member;
Carrie Nelson, Engineering Assistant.
4. Approval of June 26, 2023, Agenda
MOTION by Commissioner Galonska, seconded by Commissioner Brenna to approve the agenda for
June 26, 2023, and the motion carried.
5. New Council Liaison Sophia Ginis
6. Approval of May 22, 2023, Regular Meeting Minutes
MOTION by Commissioner Brenna, seconded by Commissioner Yahle to approve the minutes of May
22, 2023, as submitted and the motion carried.
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E
City of Golden Valley Environmental Commission Regular Meeting 2
June 26, 2023 — 6:30 pm
7. Old Business
A. Keeping of Honeybees
i. We would like to get this in front of council before Mars is done. Hopefully before the
August 15 meeting.
Where is the push for this ordinance coming from? At the moment, honeybees are
banned because they are considered farm animals.
1. Residents have requested over the years.
2. GreenCorps Member Mueh leis has spoken with interested residents at table
events.
3. Council asked us to consider adding this to your work plan and take a closer look.
4. Three Rivers as an organization is no longer keeping honeybees in its parks.
III. Published an article in the May/June City News and asked for Public Input.
1. We had one for and one against.
iv. Attached to the 6-26-23 EC Agenda is an e-mail from resident Kate Larson.
v. The People for Pollinators Group has not taken a position on this. The recent request we
received came from a family member of someone in the People for Pollinators Group.
vi. This is not limited to only residential homes. Schools, businesses, churches, etc. could
also participate.
vii. Staff is neutral on this. It's not an either/or. It's a yes/and. We can allow people to
engage in hobby beekeeping and having the mechanisms in place to make sure it's done
properly and safely while still creating and endorsing pollinators and native habitat,
creating more habitat, limiting the use of pesticides, providing more education. We
wouldn't just focus on honeybees.
viii. The commission would like to see more information/education going out to the
community.
1. Planting more bee friendly plants/food sources to make sure this doesn't take
away from the native bee species.
1. Unless the hives are placed in a specifically native habitat, they aren't
doing more harm than good. There aren't many areas in Golden Valley
that have native species where honeybees would be helpful pollinators.
2. Included in the draft ordinance under (3)j.
2. It's not about saving pollinators. It's about food supply.
3. Put links/info on Golden Valley website to where you could buy/order native
plants?
ix. There is no notification process for neighboring properties at this moment and no veto
power. We don't have it included in the chicken licenses. If you meet the standards and
requirements in the draft ordinance and you demonstrate that in your plan and on -site
visit you can get a license.
x. Chair asked the commissioners: Is there some way to re-evaluate interest right now?
How strong is the push for honeybees?
1. You have to catch people's eye and they have to feel strongly one way or the
other to provide feedback.
City of Golden Valley Environmental Commission Regular Meeting
June 26, 2023 — 6:30 pm
3
2. If the majority of the people don't have a strong enough opinion either way to
respond, why would we outright ban them?
MOTION by Commissioner Brenna to recommend the draft ordinance language to the Council.
There was not a second.
Is it possible to do what the Council asked of us, which is to discuss beekeeping and draft an
ordinance and not recommend it either way because both sides of the EC have equally balanced
thoughts?
Honeybees do not supplement the work of native bees and other pollinators. Will need to clarify
this moving forward. This isn't a solution to pollinator issues and these are two very separate
things. They can potentially help each other and can potentially hurt each other. There's research
both ways.
Change (3)j in the ordinance to be just `vegetation' not 'native vegetation' and decrease the
number of hives people are allowed to have? If there isn't native vegetation there won't be
native pollinators for the honeybees to affect.
• The hive numbers in (2)b. are based on what other cities do and also a model
ordinance sent by a resident.
• The properties qualifying for (2)b.d. are mostly non-residential. There aren't many
residential 1+ acre lots in Golden Valley.
• Leave (2)b. as is for the Council to discuss.
MOTION by Commissioner Brenna, seconded by Commissioner Drawz to forward this draft
ordinance to the Council for their consideration. With a vote of 6-1 the motion carried with
Commissioner Hill voting against.
B. Composting Code Update
i. Back yard composting will allow properties who aren't a part of the Organics Recycling —
schools, businesses, multifamily properties - to divert their organics from going to the
landfill. It will also allow residents to create compost for gardening.
ii. The City Attorney and Equity Manager will weigh in on this, too. It will be brought back
to the Commission if there are major changes.
iii. Be sure to be clear with communications that this is different from the organics
collection. Backyard composting is gardening. Items that can't go in the backyard
composting would go into the organics bin. The organics collection can be done year-
round.
iv. Compost cannot be sold.
City of Golden Valley Environmental Commission Regular Meeting
June 26, 2023 — 6:30 pm
4
MOTION by Commissioner Yahle, seconded by Commissioner Brandt to approve the Updates to
the Composting Code, with the following recommendations, and the motion carried:
1. Change section (f) to say 'The compost shall be managed in keeping with the
standard compost practices, as set forth in the Hennepin County Composting
Guide, which includes providing adequate air circulation to prevent combustion
and objectionable odors to adjacent properties...'
1. Underlined portion was added.
C. Recycling Report Part 2
i. Sustainability Specialist, Ethan Kehrberg, gave an update on the City's Organics and
Recycling programs.
D. Recap of Compost Pickup
i. This year's load was delivered to Hampshire Park on May 1.
ii. In 2022 it took 2 days for all of the compost to be picked up. In 2023 it took 2.5 weeks
so a second load wasn't delivered. We will deliver a similar amount in 2024 and see how
that goes.
iii. Could we change locations next year? We could consider, but Hampshire Park works
well for being able to continue with other park activities and for storm drain run-off.
E. Recap of Electric Vehicle and Equipment Showcase
i. GV is ranked second to Edina for EV ownership per capita.
ii. Can we require multi -family buildings to have charging stations?
1. We think the legislature said we can now. Planning Commission and Legal will
work on this.
F. Recap of No Mow May —Commission had no concerns so we will continue this initiative in 2024.
8. New Business
A. DEI Update
MOTION by Commissioner Galonska, seconded by Commissioner Yahle to formally dissolve the
EC/DEIC Subcommittee and the motion carried.
L We still want to collaborate with the DEI.
ii. Seth Kaempfer is the City's new Equity and Inclusion Manager.
1. He will be working on creating anew Equity Plan for the City over the next year.
iii. There will be a Building an Equitable Golden Valley forum this fall with a focus on
Indigenous culture.
iv. Carrie forwarded an e-mail to the commissioners from Crystal Boyd, Haha Wakpadan
Project Manager, asking for:
1. One commissioner and one staff member to sign up for 2 community
gatherings — held on July 8 and Nov 11- to brainstorm how community
groups could expand awareness of the creek's Dakota name.
City of Golden Valley Environmental Commission Regular Meeting 5
June 26, 2023 — 6:30 pm
L Commissioner Galonska signed up for both
ii. Staff Liaison, Eric Eckman, will attend the July 8 and Nov 11
gatherings.
2. One commissioner to attend a series of 3 "Listen and Learn" events —held
July 8, August 15, and September 23 - to explore interviews that were
recorded with Native American people in the Aaha Wakpadaq watershed.
Commissioner Klaas can attend August 15.
Staff Liaison Eckman to attend July 8.
B. Program/Project Updates
i. None
C. Council Updates
I. Two new officers were sworn in at the June 6th Council meeting. Two new officers will
be sworn in at the July 18 Council meeting.
ii. Council discussed the City's Parking minimums/maximums and really looked at how
much non -permeable surfaces the City has and looked at ways to improve that.
iii. Concert in the Park— Monday's at 7pm — Brookview Park
iv. Ice Cream Social —July 10 — 7:00 pm — Brookview Park
v. Wells Fargo Site Redevelopment — The project has been approved. The developer came
before Council to ask for Tax Increment Financing to fund the affordable units within the
building.
D. Other Business
Board/Commission Promotion Opportunity
1. Executive Assistant, Melissa Croft, sent out an e-mail asking for one or two
Commissioners to write a paragraph about why you serve and what your
experience has been serving on the EC. They would like to start highlighting
Boards/Commission members on the social media platforms to try and create
more interest in serving.
Work Plan Prioritization Discussion in July
9. Adjournment
MOTION by Commissioner Galonska, seconded by Commissioner Drawz to adjourn the meeting at 8:42
pm and the motion carried.
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