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2015-12-14 EC Agenda Packet AGENDA , GOLDEN VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION December 14, 2015, Monday 7:OOpm Golden Valley City Hall, 7800 Golden Valley Rd NOTE: NEW LOCATION Manager's Conference Room (next to Council Chambers) 1. Call to Order 2. Approval of Regular Meeting Minutes — a. October 26, 2015 b. November 23, 2015 3. Ideas for 2016 Work Plan 4. Program/Project Updates (Verbal — by Staff) 5. Presentation by Beth Robertson-Martin from General Mills' Pollinator Center (7:30 pm) 6. Commission Member Council Reports (Commissioners) 7. Other Business 8. Adjourn This document is available in alternate formats upon a 72-hour request. Please call 763-593-800b(T1Y: 763-593-3968)to make a request. Examples of alternate formats may include large print, electronic, Braille, audiocassette, etc. GOLDEN VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION Regular Meeting Minutes October 26, 2015 Present: Commissioners: Tracy Anderson, Lynn Gitelis, Dawn Hill, Larry Johnson, and Jim Stremel; Eric Eckman, Public Works Specialist; Council Member Larry Fonnest and Claire Huisman, Administrative Assistant Absent: Commissioners Debra Yahle and Tonia Galonska Call to Order Lynn Gitelis called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. Approval of Reqular Commission Meetina Minutes of September 28, 2015 MOVED by Stremel, seconded by Johnson, and the motion carried unanimously to approve the minutes of the September 28, 2015 regular meeting. Updatinq Tree and Landscape Requirements After reviewing the proposed changes to the City's Tree code, Commission members offered some revision suggestions which included: 1. Encourage tree replacement with trees larger than 4 inches. 2. Under "Prioritizing Mitigation Options", consider removing option #4 pay cash in-lieu of planting, or identify the fund that will hold the money until such time when the City can plant the trees on City property. 3. Under Subdivision 2 Definitions, the definition for "coniferous tree" was removed but should remain. (Standard dictionary definitions are being removed from city ordinances, and therefore coniferous tree was removed.) 4. Better clarification of Hardwoods and Softwoods 5. Change verbiage on Subdivision 3 Permitting Process, Sec B,3 6. Consider adding the Table from the Executive Summary to the Code as an easy reference to the tree code. 7. Under Subdivision 6 Landscaping Requirements, Sec C-Calculations, add new item to allow for larger masses of native "prairie type" plantings and consider reduction of tree and landscape requirements to accommodate these areas. Natural Resources Education/Communication Plan The list of natural resource based educational topics from the last meeting were reviewed and discussion ensued on ways to educate the public on these topics. Ideas revolved around holding workshops (preferably during Earth Days), inviting guest speakers and hosting a booth at the Home Remodeling Fair (held in spring). Larry Johnson offered his expertise on Buckthorn removal during any of the proposed events. Compostina and Oraanics Recvclinq Eric Eckman stated that he spoke with Republic Services regarding Organic Recycling and they said that they are not ready to offer a subscription service for Organics Recycling to the public at this time. The method of collection and G:\Environmental Commission\Minutes\2015\102615 Minutes.doc Minutes of the Environmental Commission October 26, 2015 Page 2 of 2 transfer has not been refined to the point where it is feasible. He noted that the City's current contract with Republic Services goes through 2018. Proaram/Proiect Updates The complete program/project summary is on file. Eckman provided additional verbal updates on the DeCola Ponds and Liberty Crossing Projects. Commission Member Council Reports None Other Business Council member Fonnest gave a brief update on the Metro Blue Line Extension Project. Larry Johnson attended the Green Partners Networking Meeting regarding Organics Recycling in Minneapolis and handed out pamphlets from that meeting. Adjourn MOVED by Anderson, seconded by Stremel, and the motion carried to adjourn the meeting at 8:43pm. Claire Huisman Administrative Assistant GOLDEN VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION Regular Meeting, Minutes November 23, 2015 Present: Commissioners: Lynn Gitelis, Dawn Hill, Debra Yahle, Tonia Galonska, Larry Johnson, and Jim Stremel; Eric Eckman, Public Works Specialist; Council Member Larry Fonnest and Physical Development Director, Mark Nevinski Absent: Commissioner Tracy Anderson Call to Order Lynn Gitelis called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. Approval of Reqular Commission Meetinq Minutes of October 26, 2015 Minutes will be approved at the next meeting on December 14, 2015 MOVED by Stremel, SECONDED by Hill to approve changing the By-Laws to reflect the commissions new meeting time of 6:30pm beginning with the January 2016 meeting. Motion carried unanimously. Natural Resources Education/Communication Plan The list of 12 natural resource based educational topics was reviewed. A meeting was held with Communications and Forestry staff to discuss moving forward with these topics for the next year and to provide to the public the educational information for each topic as it pertains to the current season. Topics will include: Buckthorn removal; Emerald Ash Borer; Dutch Elm and Oak Wilt Diseases; Wet Lands (buffer requirements, etc); Pollinator's & Bees; Urban Wildlife. Information will be provided through the City's website, Facebook, newsletters, etc. The prospect of providing workshops for the public is also being considered. Comprehensive Plan update Eckman presented the Comprehensive Plan Update Overview from the Planning Manager, Jason Zimmerman. It was noted that the last update to the Plan was in 2008. Commissioners are encouraged to browse the City's current Comp Plan as well as those of other cities and to consider ways to improve or enhance the current plan. Also to consider, how can the City involve the public? The required elements in the plan include: Land Use; Housing; Parks & Trails; Transportation; Water Resources (waste water, water supply & surface water); Implementation (how to carry out the plan over the next 10 to 20 yrs). Some possible chapters to add would include: economics; and resilience (climate adaptation, energy sustainability, disaster recovery). Commissioners expressed a desire to have more joint meetings with other Commissions to discuss the Comp Plan and its various elements. Also discussed — Thrive MSP 2040, a regional development guide which documents the Metropolitan Council's vision for the metro area for the next 30 years. This guide gives each city a community designation to help them with G:\Environmental Commission\Minutes\2015\112315 Minutes.doc Minutes of the Environmental Commission November 23, 2015 Page 2 of 2 growth and development. Golden Valley has been designated "Urban". More specific requirements for each city are passed on as a "system statement". The Golden Valley system statement can be viewed at: http://www.metrocouncil orqlcommunitieslplanningllacal planninq �ssistance/systemstatements/system- statements102394924 qoldenvaliey 2015ss aspx Proqram/Proiect Updates The complete program/project summary is on file. Eckman provided additional verbal updates on the Long-Term Flood Damage Reduction study for Medicine Lake & Winnetka Ave area which does include DeCola Ponds neighborhood. Commission Member Council Reports None Other Business None Adiourn MOVED by Hill, SECONDED by Yahle, and the motion carried to adjourn the meeting at 8:OOpm. Joint meetinq with the Open Space and Recreation Commission commenced at 8:05pm Presentation was given by Kathryn O'Brien & staff of the Sochacki Park Metro Blue Line Extension Project. Some key dates and items discussed were: • Dec 9th — Met Council will act to allow staff to begin imp�ementation process • Dec 14th or 15th — plans will be sent to the Cities • Jan 19, 2016 — Joint Public Hearing with Hennepin County and Met Council • 45 days after the Jan 19th meeting, Cities will be ask for municipal consent • June 2016 — Final Environmental Impact Statement published • Blue line staff will continue to meet with city staff on a bi-weekly basis • Estimated cost of the project is $1.496 billion • Two stations proposed: Plymouth Ave and Golden Valley Rd Meeting ended approximately 9:15pm. Claire Huisman Administrative Assistant