2020-08-24 EC Minutes7800 Golden Valley Road I Golden Valley, WIN 55427
763-593-8027 1 TTY 763-593-3968 1 763-593-8198 (fax) I www.goldenvalleymn.gov
Environmental Commission
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
city of
goldvall�
Y
August 24, 2020 — 6:30 pm
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1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by Chair Seys at 6:31.
2. Roll Call
Commissioners present: Scott Seys, Debra Yahle, Tonia Galonska, Dawn Hill, Jim Stremel,
Shannon Hansen, Wendy Weirich
Commissioners absent: None
Council Members present: None
Staff present: Eric Eckman, Environmental Resources Supervisor;
Drew Chirpich, Environmental Specialist;
Carrie Nelson, Administrative Assistant.
3. Approval of Agenda
MOTION by Commissioner Hill, seconded by Commissioner Stremel to approve the agenda of
August 24, 2020 and the motion carried.
4. Approval of June 22, 2020 Regular Meeting Minutes
MOTION by Commissioner Galonska, seconded by Commissioner Weirich to approve the minutes
of July 27, 2020 as submitted and the motion carried.
5. Old Business
A. Partners in Energy Update (PIE)
i. Commissioner Galonska is the representative from the EC.
ii. There was a survey for the team members to get to know each other and their
backgrounds/experience/knowledge before the first meeting.
iii. First meeting was August 25. Facilitators are from Xcel Energy and the Center
for Energy and the Environment (CEE).
1. There will be an overview of the entire program and plan developed
over the next 6 months.
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City of Golden Valley Environmental Commission Regular Meeting '
August 24, 2020 — 6:30 pm
2. Team will review the demographics and energy consumption data in
Golden Valley.
3. Team will create an energy vision statement for the community from a
proposed draft vision.
iv. Groups represented on the team:
1. Business
2. Schools and Institutions
3. Residents
4. Prism
5. Corporate — General Mills, Allianz, and Mortenson Construction
B. Curbside Organics Collection Update —All in —Everyone Pays
i. Looking to send out the Request for Proposals (RFP) by December/January
along with draft contracts for both organics and mixed recycling.
ii. Will share with EC in September before sitting down with Council.
iii. There is a chance the organics and mixed recycling company could be the same
contractor.
1. It wouldn't cut down on the number of trucks. Separate trucks to
separate places. Pushing companies to look into things such as smaller
bins, and trucks the can accommodate more than one stream of waste
and recycling.
2. Carts couldn't be shared.
3. Better pricing for residents?
C. Environmental Justice Collaboration
i. A time to meet hasn't been scheduled yet. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
ii. Anyone else interested in joining the sub -committee?
6. New Business
A. Using Goats for Vegetation Management
i. Looking to provide a recommendation in September or October to bring to council.
ii. Using goats would cut down on the amount of chemicals used. It would also
reduce our carbon footprint by not using machines
iii. Questions to consider:
1. Is there a way to keep them from eating the good native plants?
2. How do you choose the location?
a. City Forester and Drew will look at each location.
b. We have a natural resources inventory and can look at areas with a
higher percentage of buckthorn.
c. Would use in targeted areas with double -row of fencing.
3. Cost? Using Goats vs. Paying a Company or, if residential, Doing it Yourself.
4. How can we decrease seed spread?
a. Possibly remove the large berry producing trees before using the
goats.
5. How many goats and for how long per area size?
6. How can we keep goat waste out of waterways?
City of Golden Valley Environmental Commission Regular Meeting
August 24, 2020 — 6:30 pm
a. Use a vegetative buffer as well as two rows of erosion control
barrier before the water.
iv. Residential Goat Use:
1. Make it clear that goats are to be rented from a licensed herder who
manages them and can only be on the property for a certain amount of
time.
2. Residents will need to submit a permit application to propose the area
goats will be used for staff to review and advise.
3. The City will send notices to adjacent properties. These homeowners will
have the option to object. If a certain percentage of properties object the
permit would go before the Council for approval.
4. There will be a limitation to how many goats can be used based on the size
of the property.
v. Hold off on Sheep for now. Look at allowing them in the future after we see how
goat use goes.
vi. Look at the other City Codes as examples of what we would like to model ours to
look like.
B. Energy Update
i. Solar Production Data:
1. The City has installed four — 40-Kilowatt solar arrays on top of buildings at
the City Hall Campus. The arrays produce about 10% of the energy
consumed by the City each year — this helps offset our GHG emissions.
ii. GreenStep Cities Step 4-5 Energy Metric
1. Made improvements from 2016 to 2017 in every area with the exception of
Annual Renewable Energy Purchases by the City (14.4).
a. This is the purchase of renewable energy generated by, for
example, solar or wind from Xcel or a 3rd party. Can purchase
credits and invest in big solar farms or community solar gardens
outside of Golden Valley.
b. The previous Council's thinking was that we are producing energy
already with the solar arrays so it wouldn't make sense to purchase
it from outside the City.
c. We spoke with the Council a couple years ago and they decided we
wanted to do more locally and invest in the community.
d. Wait to see what the Energy Action Team comes up with for energy
goals and plans.
e. Do we track how much solar power from the Cities arrays is being
sold back to the grid? Credits back?
f. Do we have enough to get a Step 5?
i. We have to fulfill the green sections to achieve step 5.
We're working to document year over year to maintain Step
4 status and accumulate multiple Step 4 years.
City of Golden Valley Environmental Commission Regular Meeting 4
August 24, 2020 — 6:30 pm
ii. Green Step Cities Program keeps evolving. 14.4 may not be
a requirement forever. If it comes down to needing it to get
to Step 5 maybe the council would be receptive to that and
there will be a program we could buy into that would make
sense and could save the taxpayers money.
MOTION by Commissioner Hill, seconded by Commissioner Yahle to approve the
Energy Metric as submitted within the GreenSteps Program and the motion
carried.
C. Program/Project Updates
i. Wildwood Park / SEA School Survey
1. Potential Above/Below Ground Floodwater Storage in under-utilized areas
of the park.
2. Communication Staff put together a Community Input Report available on
the website. This was used to put together three different concept plans
for the community to review.
a. A letter will be sent out with the concept plans and to point people
to the Community Input Report and ask for community input on the
concept plans.
3. Possible for the Commission to have input?
4. Come back to this next month?
5. Eric will need to ask about this to see if it's something that can have further
discussion. Will it need to go to council to amend the 2020 workplan?
6. Commissioners can take the survey online and give feedback that way.
D. Council Updates
None
E. Other Business
i. Light Rail
1. Leasing from Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad and co -locating the
light rail with the freight rail, no agreement could be reached.
2. Will need to take a fresh look at the route and alignment. The Committees
are starting to meet.
7. Adjournment
MOTION by Commissioner Fettig, seconded by Commissioner Hill to adjourn the meeting at
8:24 pm and the motion carried.
ATTEST:
City of Golden Valley
August 24, 2020 — 6:30 pm
Carrie Nelson, Administrative Assistant
Environmental Commission Regular Meeting
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Scott Seys, Chair