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2016- 09-26 EC Agenda Packet AGENDA GOLDEN VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION Septmeber 26, 2016, Monday @ 6:30pm Golden Valley City Hall, 7800 Golden Valley Rd Council Conference Room (across from Council Chambers) 1. Call to Order 2. Approval of Regular Meeting Minutes of August 22, 2016 3. Minnesota GreenCorps Member Introduction 4. Resilience/Sustainability Plan —Comp Plan Kickoff Meeting summary 5. GreenStep Cities BP#29—Action 2—Targeted Communication Strategies (Action requestedJ 6. Video—Sustainability Dashboard Tool (Cleveland, OH) 7. Program/Project Updates 8. Commission Member Council Reports 9. Council Updates 10. Other Business 11. Adjourn This tlocument is available in alternate formats upon a 72-hour request. Please call � 763-543-8006 (TTY: 763-593-3968)to make a request. Examples of alternate formats may inclutle large print, electronic, Braille,audiocassette, etc. GOLDEN VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION Regular Meeting, Minutes August 22, 2016 Commissioners Present: Lynn Gitelis, Dawn Hill, Tonia Galonska, Larry Johnson, Jim Stremel, Debra Yahle and Tracy Anderson Staff Present: Eric Eckman, Public Works Specialist and Claire Huisman, Administrative Assistant Also Present: Council Member Larry Fonnest Absent: None Call to Order �"�����, Lynn Gitelis called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm. �`�%. ;,, Approval of Reqular Meetinq Minutes MOVED by Hill, SECONDED by Anderson, and the motion carried unanimously to approve the minutes of the July 25, 2016 regular meeting. Resilience Plan Preparation — Information and Survev Questions Eric Eckman presented to the Commission sample posters for display boards which will be at the Resilience table at the Comprehensive Plan kick-off meeting on September 19, 2016. He also presented a group of 30 questions that would be on the survey presented to the public to help gauge the community's emergency preparedness and resilience to climate related events. Commissioners were asked to email Eric with any suggestions and/or revisions to the material presented within the next week. GreenStep Cities BP #29 —Action 2 —Tarqeted Communication Strateqies A draft of the GreenStep action item in the website format was presented for review. Amendments to the draft will be rendered and a final document will be presented for action at the next meeting. Also, the definitions for "vulnerable population" and for "Resilience" will be edited for clarity and readability. Video —Sustainabilitv and Resilience in Dubuque, lowa Video was viewed at this meeting. Of particular interest was the effort to improve economic growth and resilience by partnering with the business community. The commission briefly discussed how we could inform and engage the business community in Golden Valley. Staff mentioned this is something we have thought about and will be looking at as part of the Resilience Plan. Proqram/Proiect Updates The complete program/project update is on file. Most of the discussion involved questions about the new flood insurance rate maps and floodplain management code updates. Adiourn MOVED by Stremel, SECONDED by Galonska, and the motion carried to adjourn the meeting at 8:30 pm. Claire Huisman Administrative Assistant G:\Environmental Commission\Minutes�2016\8-August\082216 Minutes.doc Gt��' Q� � �'�C��?�'t � � � � �. . � � �t�. �� Physical Development Department 763-593-803U!763-593-3988(fax) Date: September 22, 2016 To: Environmental Commission From: Eric Eckman, Public Works Specialist Hannah Garry, MN GreenCorps Service Member Subject: Comprehensive Plan Kickoff Event Resilience and Sustainability Feedback Summary On September 19th 2016 The City of Golden Valley hosted a kickoff event for the community to provide feedback on the 2040 Comprehensive plan. This is the first comprehensive plan for Golden Valley that includes a Resilience and Sustainability chapter. The event station for Resilience and Sustainability included materials describing climate trends, impacts, and adaptation as well as checklists for home emergency kits. There was also a pilot emergency preparedness questionnaire available based on the recommendations made by the Environmental Commission at its August 2016 meeting. A board listing potential Resilience and Sustainability goals for the city's future was on display and attendees were encouraged to mark which goals were their highest priorities using color coded stickers. 169 stickers were placed on the Sustainability board along with five post-it notes containing comments. The three goals with the highest sticker counts were "Encourage use of renewable energy, including wind, solar, etc." (31) "Encourage waste reduction, recycling and composting" (24) and "Encourage energy efficiency for buildings and lighting" (22). Two of the five comments were placed next to the goal "maintain/increase vegetation" and both referenced promoting the use of native plants in public and residential garden spaces. The other three comments were placed in the "other" section. One expressed interest in recycling education events, another in education and action on protecting pollinators, and one suggested the promotion of residential bee keeping. G:\Environmental Commission\Memos\Comp Plan Kickoff Summary_Sustainability.docx Preliminary results are listed below. ��ais Sticker Courrt Er�ce�urag� �se o�f reo�ewable ener�y, inciuding 3� vvind, solar, etc. Encourage waste r�duction, recycling and �4 composting Encourag� energy efficiency for buildings and 22 iighting Enhance water quality 20 ' Maintain/increase vegetati�n 20 Comments: +� "Prom�te use of native plants" ' � "Native plants in garden spaces and ; parks, offer incentives to some resid2nts t� do the same" Educate and engage the public in 19 ', sustainability opportunities ' Enhar��e air quality 12 F�ster locaf food production 9 Build cammun6ty resi6i�€�ce te� chan�ir�� 8 �limate �ther • "Educate and act to prntect pallinators" (2 stickers) ' � "Promote small, residential h�ney bee keeping" « "Free workshops on recycling; what ' can b� recycled" (1 sticker) , + 1 additional sticker not placed an a post-it note G:\Environmental Commission\Memos\Comp Plan Kickoff Summary_Sustainability.docx Cl�`�' Q� �. +CC;)"�l��'Yl � �1� � , �� ��, �� Physical Develo►pment Department 763-593-803Q/7b3-593-39$8(fax) Date: September 22, 2016 To: Environmental Commission From: Eric Eckman, Public Works Specialist Subject: GreenStep Cities Best Practice 29 Climate Adaptation and Community Resilience Action 2—Targeted Communication Strategies At its July 2016 meeting, the Environmental Commission agreed to move ahead with its next priority action under GreenStep Cities Best Practice 29. This action involves the identification of critical facilities and vulnerable populations that might need targeted communication strategies before and during weather and climate related events. Following is the Action #2, 1 Star Rating as listed on the GreenStep Cities website. Action #2 Prepare to maintain public health and safety during extreme weather and climate-change related events, while also taking a preventive approach to reduce risk for community members. 15tar Rating— Identify vulnerable populations and populations likely to need targeted emergency communication strategies. Below is a draft of this GreenStep action item provided in the website's format. Please review this for discussion at the September Commission meeting. After discussion, staff requests that the Commission consider making a motion to approve this summary for entry into the GreenStep website. IMPLEMENTATION DETAIL The City of Golden Valley is part of the North Suburban Emergency Management Planning Group. The group has established a regional Emergency Operations Plan which describes strategies and mechanisms through which cities will mobilize resources and conduct activities to guide and support emergency management efforts using the National Incident Management System. This includes a crisis communication plan that identifies spokespersons and how public information would be disseminated in the event of a disaster. G:\Environmental Commission\Memos\GreenStep Cities BP29 Action 2 for webpage.docx Hennepin County has an All-Hazard Mitigation Plan which addresses hazards including climate- related hazards such as extreme heat, storms, flooding. The County Emergency Management staff keeps maps that show critical facilities and hazardous facilities which are used to target areas during response, including where vulnerable populations may be present. Hennepin County has a website that utilizes a survey as a proactive process for community involvement and feedback on its hazard mitigation plan in order to assess vulnerabilities to climate change impacts and identify strategies and activities to increase resilience and lessen the impact of future hazards. The City of Golden Valley works hard to serve all of its residents and businesses, and understands that there may be populations that are considered vulnerable or more susceptible to the impacts of weather and climate related events and service disruptions. These populations include elderly, children, persons with mobility or health issues, renters, immigrants, and economically disadvantaged. Approximately 25% of all persons living in Golden Valley are age 65 and older and are spread throughout the community. OUTCOME MEASURES/METRICS The City regularly updates databases and maps that identify critical facilities, hazardous materials, high density employment centers, high density housing areas, and vulnerable populations. Areas where vulnerable populations may be concentrated include properties with health care facilities, nursing home and assisted living facilities, senior housing, group homes, schools, child care centers, high-density housing areas, floodplains and other flood prone areas. High density housing areas include rental properties that may have a higher percentage of persons who are transient, immigrant, young, elderly, mobility-challenged, or economically disadvantaged. The City is in the process of updating its communication strategies for emergencies and weather and climate related events. This work will include strategies for educating and communicating with residents before events (disaster preparedness, weather aware) and targeting specific populations before and during events. Among the vulnerable population areas listed in the section above, focused attention will be given to neighborhood watch groups, rental property managers, schools, and senior programs. Following are communication methods the City currently uses to reach residents, including vulnerable populations, during an event: • GV Emergency (automated call,text, email and landline notification system) • City Website • City Facebook site • Press Release or Press Conference if necessary • Emaillistserve • Public Address system on emergency vehicles In addition to maps and databases kept by the City, Hennepin County Dispatch maintains a database of properties with alert information and special needs, based on prior experiences, for use in an emergency. DESCRIPTIVE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT John Crelly (Fire Chief)/jcrelly@�oldenvalleymn.�ov/763-593-8065 PARTNERS North Suburban Emergency Management Planning Group Hennepin County �t�� Of . ����.. C��G��'�Z . . , r : � . ��, �� Physical Development Department 7b3 593 8030/763 593-3988{fax? Date: September 22, 2016 To: Environmental Commission From: Eric Eckman, Public Works Specialist Subject: Cleveland Sustainability Dashboard As part of its ongoing research and work on sustainability and community resilience, the Environmental Commission has been bringing in experts and reviewing materials and videos from local governments and other valued sources. For the September commission meeting, a video on sustainability in Cleveland, Ohio will be shown and discussed. The video highlights how the City leverages a dashboard tool to drive sustainability action in the community. More information on Cleveland's efforts including the dashboard link can be found at: http://www.sustainablecleveland.or�/dashboard G:\Environmental Commission\Memos\Cleveland dashboard video.docx PROGRAM/PROJECT UPDATES—September 2016 GREENCORPS PROGRAM Staff attended an orientation session at MPCA in preparation for the start of the City's GreenCorps Member.The program year runs from September 2016 to August 2017. GREENSTEP CITIES Work continued on the completion of best practice 29 (Climate Adaptation and Community Resilience) and on the City's overall inventory of GreenStep Cities best practices.Staff also attended a Climate Adaptation workshop which utilized an "open space process" (small groups)for identifying issues and needs and gathering input and direction from a variety of stakeholders to help find achievable solutions at the local level. NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN (NRMP) Forestry Several existing low quality and declining trees were removed and new trees planted in South Tyrol Park to mitigate the impacts of a Metro Council Environmental Services sewer project that was recently completed in the park area. General Mills Nature Preserve This past winter Hennepin County Sentencing to Service crews assisted the City with the removal of a significant amount of buckthorn within the nature preserve. As a follow up to this work, Prairie Restoration was contracted to provide a more focused restoration effort within these areas this fall to promote the growth and establishment of native species.These areas will continue to be monitored as part of the City's adaptive management strategy. WATER RESOURCES Acquisition of Flood Prone property Staff completed the purchase agreement and closing documents for 9450 Olympia Street in August and it is anticipated that demolition will occur this fall. The home was purchased in accordance with a Flood Damage Reduction Assistance Grant from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.This is the first of four potential voluntary acquisitions in the neighborhood to assist property owners that experience repetitive flood damage.After properties are acquired and structures are removed the City will be exploring the construction of a storm water treatment facility in this area to help improve the water quality of Medicine Lake. Floodplain Management Zoning Text Amendment to adopt an updated floodplain management code. Recent updates to FEMA maps and study for Hennepin County require the City to adopt a modified floodplain management code in order to remain in the National Flood Insurance Program.The Planning Commission recommended approval (6-0) at its September 12 meeting. Scheduled for the City Council meeting on October 5. Letters will be mailed to property owners in and near the floodplain to inform them about the new maps and encourage them to look into the need for flood insurance. Long-Term Flood Damage Reduction Study for Medicine Lake Road &Winnetka Avenue Area (includes DeCola Ponds neighborhood) City staff continues to meet with property owners interested in discussing the results of the study. PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS Current Applications 1125 Tyrol Trail—Receipt of Notice of Metropolitan Council Action.The Met Council has approved the Comprehensive Plan amendment which guided the property at 1125 Tyrol Trail from Right-of-Way to a Low Density Residential land use. City Council officially received the Notice of Action on September 20. 26 Paisley Lane—Subdivision request to split one lot into two.The existing home will be demolished and two new homes constructed.The current lot meets the new width and area requirements for subdivisions as adopted by the City Council in 2015.The Planning Commission recommended approval (5-0)on August 22.The City Council had many questions related to the drainage of the site.The current homeowner and one neighbor spoke at the public hearing.The Council approved the Preliminary Plat(5- 0) on September 20.The Final Plat will be considered on October 5. The Liberty(formerly Liberty Crossing)—Minor PUD Amendment to approve a shift in the location of the apartment building. Subsequent to the approval of PUD No. 123,the foundation of the apartment building was shifted 8 feet to the west and 15 feet to the south.The City Council approved the amendment(5-0) on September 20 4805 Markay Ridge—Variance from the location requirements as well as the amount of separation required from a principle structure for a recently constructed accessory structure.A shed was built along the side of the garage with 3" of separation instead of the required 10'. Heard at the August 23 meeting and continued to the September 27 meeting. 1825 York Avenue North—Variance from the front yard setback requirements in order to construct a garage addition. Scheduled for the September 27 meeting. 1115 Hampshire Avenue North—Variance from the front yard setback requirement in order to construct an open front porch. Scheduled for the September 27 meeting. 4601 Elmdale Road—Variances from the front yard setback requirement in order to construct an open front porch and a home addition.Scheduled for the September 27 meeting. Other 2040 Comprehensive Plan—The Kick-off Open House was held at City Hall on the evening of September 19. Roughly 60 residents attended and gave feedback to staff on the goals from the 2030 Comprehensive Plan as well as on each of the specific elements(Land Use,Transportation,Water Resources, Housing, etc.).The information gathered will help inform the goals being drafted for the 2040 Comp Plan. All feedback will be recorded and provided to the Council and City Commissions. Authorization has been given by the City Council to engage consultants for the Housing,Transportation, and Surface Water elements of the Comp Plan.Additional consultants will be hired in the near future. METRO Blue Line Extension—The FTA has issued the Record of Decision for the light rail extension, which indicates the conclusion of the federal environmental review of the project.The Metropolitan Council anticipates granting similar approvals on September 28 which will conclude the state environmental review.This will clear the way for entry into the Engineering phase of the project, expected to last approximately two years. A November Open House is being planned by the Project Office to share the 30% plans and give updates on various aspects of the light rail line and stations. Talo Apartments(formerly the Three•Nine•Four Apartments)—Demolition of the existing Mayflower Apartments is expected in the next two weeks,to be followed by site work in October.As part of the Communications Plan required by the PUD approval,the developer and builder will be holding a neighborhood meeting to update residents and business in the area of the proposed timetable for construction.A public Facebook page will be set up to provide weekly updates on the project and allow for questions and comments to be submitted.