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Environmental Commission 07-25-11 Meeting MinutesGOLDEN VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION Regular Meeting Minutes July 25, 2011 Present: Commissioners, Anderson, Baker, Gitelis, Hill, Stremel,; Jeannine Clancy, Director of Public Works; Joe Hogeboom, City Planner; Mark Ray, Public Works Engineering Technician; and Lisa Nesbitt, Administrative Assistant Absent: Commissioner Sunde 1. Call to Order Baker called the meeting to order at 7 pm. 2. Approval of Regular Meeting Minutes – June 27, 2011 MOVED by Hill, seconded by Anderson, and the motion carried unanimously to approve the minutes of the June 27, 2011 as amended to reflect Commissioner Hills’s absence from the meeting. 3. Residential Solid Waste and Recycling Study Hogeboom met with the City’s property maintenance inspector regarding solid waste hauling and recycling at multifamily properties. A summary of his discussion and the property maintenance code is on-file. Hennepin County reported that owners of multifamily buildings are required to provide occupants with the opportunity to recycle. Hogeboom was waiting to hear from the MPCA regarding regulations on commercial recycling. He will forward the information to the commission when it becomes available. Clancy was unable to get more information regarding the City of Minneapolis’s draft ordinance for commercial recycling, due to staffing changes in the Minneapolis Public Works department. The Assistant City Attorney prepared a draft ordinance, for the commission’s review, amending City Code Sec. 6.35 – Collection and Conveyance of Garbage, Refuse, Yard Waste and Recyclables (on-file). The draft incorporates the commissioners’ request for enhanced licensing requirements and the requirement that all properties (residential and commercial) contract for disposal of waste. Not included in the draft is the requirement that haulers offer group rates as was recommended by the commission. It was the opinion of the Assistant City Attorney that that may fall under the heading of “organized hauling”. The commissioners felt it should be included and requested further explanation. Other comments to the draft included:  The term “multi-family” was used under 2.A and 2.B. The term needs to be clarified and potentially changed under one of the headings  D.1 – change “recyclable materials” to “recycled materials”  D.1 – this needs to be separated into two separate items. 1) Yard waste containers must be provided. 2) Replacement containers must be made from at least 50% recycled material. Minutes of the Environmental Commission July 25, 2011 Page 2 of 2 Clancy updated the commission on the current recycling negotiations. A revised proposal was re-submitted to Plymouth which prompted further discussions with the cities of Plymouth, Minnetonka and Golden Valley. Preliminary discussions indicate that a carted system could be incorporated soon. A carted system would require an every-other week pick-up. Clancy asked the commission if they felt the change would be received positively within the community. The commissioners expressed guarded consensus to move forward with rolling carts. Commissioners also expressed an interest in touring a recycling facility. Staff will research. Clancy spoke to Waste Management about electronics recycling. They can add electronics recycling to their services but suggest it be added as a “subscription” service. The commissioners requested that subscription service be added to the City’s next recycling contract. 4. Program/Project Updates Summary on-file 5. Commission Member Council Reports None 6. Other Business Due to vacation schedules the August meeting will be cancelled. Baker requested that Pawluk’s vacancy be filled as soon as possible. 7. Adjourn MOVED by Hill, seconded by Gitelis, and the motion carried to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 8:15 pm. The next scheduled meeting will be September 26, 2011 at 7 pm.