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EC Agenda Packet 11-24-14AGENDA GOLDEN VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION Regular Meeting Golden Valley City Hall, 7800 Golden Valley Road Council Conference Room, Monday, November 24, 2014 7:00 PM Joint Meetin_g 1. Natural Resource Management Plan a) Commissioners will be given hard copies of the draft plan. A file copy is available for review at the Public Works Department in City Hall. Individual Commissions Adjourn to Separate Rooms 1. Call to Order 2. Approval of Regular Meeting Minutes — October 27, 2014 3. New Proposals For Greener Practices 4. 2015 Meeting Dates 5. Program/Project Updates (Staff) a) TMDL b) 1/1 c) Private Development Update d) Decola Ponds e) Recycling Update D Wetland Management g) Bottineau Transitway h) Community Center Update 6. Commission Member Council Reports (Commissioners) 7. Other Business 8. Adjourn t.;j f� Frf A Date: November 19, 2014 Public c Works Department 763-593-80301763-593-3988 (fax) To: Golden Valley Environmental Commissions . From: Eric Eckman, Public Works Specialist f v Subject: Natural Resources Management Plan —1St Draft In preparation for the joint meeting with the Environmental Commission and Open Space and Recreation Commission on November 24, a draft Natural Resources Management Pian (NRMP) is being distributed for review. Because the size of the electronic file is large, hard copies are being delivered to the residence of each commission member this week. This is the first draft of the NRMP and it has not been formatted for final production. The focus of this plan review should be on content rather than spelling, grammar, pagination, etc. Commissioners are encouraged to review the draft plan and come to the joint meeting with questions and comments. It would be helpful if commissioners write comments in their plans so that they can be picked up after the meeting on November 24. Q\Environmental Commission\Memos\EC_memo_NatResPlan112414.docx GOLDEN VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION Regular Meeting Minutes October 27, 2014 Present: Commissioners Tonia Galonska, Lynn Gitelis, Dawn Hill, Larry Johnson, Jim Stremel, Debra Yahle; Eric Eckman, Public Works Specialist, Veronica Anderson, SEH; and Lisa Nesbitt, Administrative Assistant Absent: Commissioner Tracy Anderson Call to Order Stremel called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. Approval of Regular Meeting Minutes — September 22, 2014 MOVED by Yahle, seconded by Gitelis, and the motion carried unanimously to approve the minutes of the September 22, 2014 meeting. Natural Resource Management Plan (NRMP) Veronica Anderson reviewed a sample of the Chapter 5 of NRMP (on -file) with commissioners. One suggestion was to clearly distinguish the difference in actual existing conditions vs. conceptual ideas. Next month a draft of the full plan will be presented at a joint meeting with the Open Space and Recreation Commission. The sample will not include all of the pictures that will be in the final version however, the commissioners are encouraged to read the text of the plan with a critical eye; looking for words or phrases that may be too technical or not clear to the average reader. Forty residents have responded to the survey. The survey will remain open until November 7th New Proposals for Greener Practices Staff will prepare the matrix for the November meeting. Program/Project Updates DeCola Ponds Study: Hill suggested that an update on the study be sent to residents in the area. Bottineau Transitway Update: Galonska and Yahle attended the recent meeting. An open house is scheduled for November 12tH Community Center Update: Gitelis reported that the recommendations from the architect, for both site options, are not meeting the desired LEED ratings. Council is requesting cost development for both sites. The complete program/project summary is on file. Commission Member Council Reports None. Minutes of the Environmental Commission October 27, 2014 Page 2 of 2 Other Business Eckman reported that the Hennepin County Bike Plan is available for comment until December 5th. The Wirth Park Master Plan is open for comment as well. Adjourn MOVED by Hill, seconded by Yahle, and the motion carried to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 8:30 pm. Lisa Nesbitt Administrative Assistant Suggestions for Greener Practices Commission Council Mayor How to Implement Incentives/ Disincentives Recycling/Solid Waste Hauling/Compost Expand recycling programs X x Business and multi -family X Work with Hennepin County and MPCA X Compost, recycling and zero waste bins in public areas Reconsider organized hauling and collection of organics X X Provide compost bins X X Encourage Bokashi home composting X Explore Henn. Cty. Zero waste program for city events X Solar Look at solar options _ X x Consider community solar groups X Designated eco -mixed use areas (solar powered sidewalks, green housing, community gardens) X Water Water conservation (e.g. home audits) X X Incentives for using compost bins, rain barrels, converting portions of lawn to native prairie or rain gardens. X Implementation of rain water diversion system X Incentives/education on gravel or paver driveways _ Protect residents/community from cloudburst storm water runoff with additional green spaces X Energy Conservation Work with school districts and bus companies to identify greener practices (idle reduction) X Electric or hybrid vehicle that makes regular circle route of City. X Replace aging fleet with energy efficient vehicles X X City operates on renewable energy (10-20% in 5 yrs) X Develop a sustainability plan X Incentives for hanging clothese outside to dry X Research "Nice Ride MN" for Golden Valley X Suggestions for Greener Practices Commission Council Mayor How to Implement Incentives/ Disincentives Reduce traffic, growth of car usage (limit parking spaces for large businesses; creat goal for larger companies to reduce employee car usage by a certain percentage; additional metro transit route/usage at large companies) X Work with local large businesses to learn of their best green practices to be shared with others, plan for additional green practices for future X Green Space Incentives for growing/planted trees on south side of homes --- — X Plant native prairies on city-owned vacant lots. X If city-owned vacant lots are sold, require new owners to plant native prairies X Incentives/education for employee and apartment gardens X Community gardens X Allow bee keeping X X Che micals/Poll uta nts Scum Check vs. IPM and disciplined less use of chemical pesticides, herbicides X Impose fee for using non-organic/hazardous weed prevention or fertilizers _ Consider ban of neonicotinoids (chemical insecticides that threaten bees) X Incentives/education on bat houses vs. mosquito spraying X Add a Hennepin Cty. Medicine Disposal drop box in GV X _ Have restaurants phase our styrofoam containers X Grocery/convenience store plastic bag fee X X Environmental Commission 2015 Meeting Dates January 26 February 23 March 23 April 27 May 18 (third Monday of the month) June 22 July 27 August 24 September 28 October 26 November 23 December 14 (second Monday of the month) GAEnvironmental Commission\Miscellaneous\Meeting Schedule\2015MtgSched.doc PROGRAM/PROJECT UPDATES — NOVEMBER 2014 TMDL No updates II No updates PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS 1801 Noble Drive (Sweeney Lake Woods)—Preliminary PUD Plan. Subdivision to create three residential lots with a shared driveway. Planning Commission recommended approval on November 10. Scheduled for City Council on December 2. 7200 & 7218 Harold Avenue (Marie's Woods)—Preliminary PUD Plan. Demolish two single family homes and construct five single family homes. Planning Commission recommended denial on September 22. City Council sent back to Planning Commission with a suggestion to reduce the number of units from five to four on October 21. The Applicant determined that a four unit plan would not work financially. The five unit plan will return to City Council on November 18. 250 Paisley Lane (Paisley Hill)—Minor Subdivision. Split one lot into three. Scheduled for Planning Commission on November 24. 108 Brunswick Avenue North (Brunswick Estates)—Minor subdivision. A software glitch omitted some neighboring properties from the official notifications, so this application is being brought back to Planning Commission and City Council to allow for additional public comment. Scheduled for Planning Commission on November 24. Central Park West (formerly Towers at West End)—Preliminary PUD. Master plan for development of two office towers, two residential buildings, a hotel, and a parking ramp on the vacant St. Louis Park and Golden Valley land east of the West End. The parking ramp and a portion of one of the residential buildings are proposed to be located within Golden Valley. Scheduled for Planning Commission on November 24. 305 & 345 Pennsylvania Avenue South (Laurel Ponds)—Final PUD. Demolish existing buildings and construct 27 detached townhomes. Scheduled for Planning Commission on November 24. 905 Decatur Avenue North—Conditional Use Permit. Allow retail services incidental to a permitted use in an Industrial zoning district. Scheduled for Planning Commission on December 8. 6701 Country Club Drive (Struthers Parkinson's Center)—Preliminary PUD Amendment. Construction of outdoor memory care walk and building expansion. Scheduled for Planning Commission on December 8. DECOLA PONDS Barr Engineering is continuing to evaluate potential flood mitigation projects for effectiveness and cost. RECYCLING UPDATE Memo from Mark Ray WETLAND MANAGEMENT No updates BOTTINEAU TRANSITWAY (Metro Blue Line Extension) A public workshop/open house was held on November 12 to display a range of preliminary concepts for the first four station areas in Minneapolis and Golden Valley. The items primarily discussed at the Plymouth station included the location of the station platform, a potential roundabout at the intersection of Wirth Parkway and Plymouth Avenue, and potential redevelopment along Plymouth Avenue. Much of the discussion on the Golden Valley Road station centered on potential changes to land uses, increased building density, and access to the station. More information on specific neighborhood desires and concerns will be provided with the METRO Blue Line Extension update to City Council at the November 18 Council meeting. COMMUNITY CENTER TASK FORCE Date: November 16, 2014 Public Works Department 763-593-8030 / 763-593-3988 (fax) To: Environmental Commission From: Mark Ray, PE, Street Maintenance Supervisor/Recycling Coordinator Subject: Recycling Program Update Recycling Tonnage The amount of material collected January through October of 2014 was 1,798.78 tons. This is down 3% over the same time in 2013. The City has received $11,510.46 in revenue sharing from the sale of the recycled materials. Multi-family/Commercial/Institutional Recycling Currently, there are four commercial properties participating in the program. Recycling in the Parks Recycling in the Parks is done for the season. The program will resume April 1, 2015 (weather permitting). Mighty Tidy Day The annual Mighty Tidy Day was Saturday, October 11, at Brookview Park. During the event 487 vehicles made 543 trips to the event. This is an average of 1.1 trips per vehicle. Of interesting note, seven vehicles made three trips each to drop off items. Approximately 7% of the eligible residential properties participated in the event. Items collected: • 9,726 pounds of paper shredded • 75% of a 48 foot trailer filled with items donated to Bridging (valued at $8,775) • Over 1,500 pounds of food, clothing, and household items to PRISM • 117 appliances • 5,950 pounds of CRT monitors • 5,805 pounds of electronics • 299 pounds of batteries G:\Environmental Commission\Memos\Recycling Program Update 11.16.14.docx • 532 fluorescent light bulbs • Over 30 tires Fall Leaf Drop As with past years, the annual Fall Leaf Drop Events occurred over three weekends in late October and early November. A summary of the attendance is as follows: • Saturday 10/25/14 8am to fpm, 326 vehicles made 650 trips (average 2.0 trips per vehicle) • Friday 10/31/14 8am to 4pm, 193 vehicles made 353 trips (average 1.8 trips per vehicle) • Saturday 11/1/14 8am to fpm, 327 vehicles made 625 trips (average 1.9 trips per vehicle) • Saturday 11/8/14 lam to fpm, 392 vehicles made 639 trips (average 1.6 trips per vehicle) Overall, this year 2,267 trips were made to the Fall Leaf Drop events. Each vehicle made an average of 1.8 trips per day to drop off leaves, this is the same average as the past two years. Another interesting note, this year's attendance was nearly identical to the attendance in 2012 (65 more trips were made this year) when the leaves also fell earlier in the fall. Also of note, if it is assumed that each property only came to one Fall Leaf Drop event, then approximately 18% of the eligible properties participated in the program. That said, since I was checking IDs at the gate, I do know that people came back over multiple events so the actual participation rate is less than 18%.