2021-01-25 EC Minutes7800 Golden Valley Road I Golden Valley, WIN 55427
763-593-8027 � TTY 763-593-3968 1 763-593-8198 (fax) I www.goldenvalleymn.gov
Environmental Commission
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
city of
goldvall�
Y
January 25, 2021— 6:30 pm
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1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by Chair Seys at 6:33.
2. Roll Call
Commissioners present: Scott Seys, Debra Yahle, Tonia Galonska, Jim Stremel, Dawn Hill,
Shannon Hansen, Wendy Weirich, Felix Fettig
Commissioners absent: None
Council Members present: Larry Fonnest
Staff present: Eric Eckman, Environmental Resources Supervisor;
Story Schwantes, Green Corp Member;
Carrie Nelson, Administrative Assistant;
3. Approval of Agenda
MOTION by Commissioner Galonska, seconded by Commissioner Hill to approve the agenda for
January 25, 2021 and the motion carried.
4. Approval of November 23, 2020 Regular Meeting Minutes
MOTION by Commissioner Stremel, seconded by Commissioner Weirich to approve the minutes
of November 23, 2020 as submitted and the motion carried.
5. Old Business
A. Recycling and Organics Update
i. The RFP will only be sent to all current licensed haulers in the City to keep the
amount of trucks to a minimum on the streets and keep within City
Code/Ordinance for number of total licenses allowed.
ii. The RFP will be sent out late January/Early February.
iii. Proposals will be reviewed in February and March.
iv. The contract will be awarded in the Spring.
v. Both new Recycling and Organics contracts will begin in January 2022.
vi. There is one RFP for two services. The City would like both to be through the same
contractor to keep time and expenses down. If it's in the best interest in the City
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City of Golden Valley Environmental Commission Regular Meeting 2
November 23, 2020 — 6:30 pm
to break it down into two contracts it could potentially be two different
contracts/contractor.
B. Partners in Energy Update
i. Workshop 4 was in mid -December— Strategies & Tactics
1. Talked about the big goal of how much electricity and greenhouse gas
emissions they'd like to reduce.
2. Also talked about strategies for how to get to the goal.
a. Reducing energy cost burdens for residents.
b. Energy efficiency for residents and businesses.
c. Clean or renewable energy promotion and development.
3. Long term goal: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and
lowering/reducing the electricity consumption in GV.
a. Need numeric and date specific goals. Goals need to be S.M.A.R.T.,
specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound
i. How to off -set household growth and the coordinating
energy consumption growth?
ii. We need our energy efficiency savings to exceed the current
trend so we can outpace our household growth over the
next 10 years. How?
1. Xcel and CenterPoint Programs — need more
participation. Need to promote them.
a. Can we grow the participation by 5% per
year? This would create substantial
reductions. Examples of programs:
- Home efficiency rebates
- New home construction rebates
- Low income weatherization
- Commercial/Industrial Programs
- Energy Squad — request council to
budget $ to help residents with
energy squad visits.
b. Growth in subscriptions to wind/solar
programs.
2. Additional savings coming from outside this plan —
Other City -Lead initiatives:
a. Community Solar Garden
b. City Policy/Code Changes — Energy policy for
any kind of project that receives City
approvals or financing.
c. Building energy code — State is looking at
trying to accelerate the code changes to get
more efficient new buildings.
City of Golden Valley Environmental Commission Regular Meeting
November 23, 2020 — 6:30 pm
d. Participating in Hennepin County's Efficient
Building Program for existing private buildings
in certain zoning districts, over a certain size.
ii. Workshop 5 is Jan 27 — Final Workshop
iii. Finalize the plan in the 3-5 weeks following Workshop 5.
iv. Then there will be 18 months of implementation with the PIE Team Members —
Xcel and CenterPoint staff and Clean Energy & Environment staff, along with Story
Schwantes.
C. EC/HRC Environmental Justice Collaboration
i. Speaker is Thursday, Jan 28.
Looking to tie in a joint community event in the spring to plant some trees and
provide more green space — native vegetation, edible plants, rain gardens,
community gardens... Storm Water Management for drainage/flooding. Partner
with Metro Blooms, too (could possibly have grants available)? Partner with the
garden club or the pollinators group?
D. Ordinance Allowing Goats for Vegetation Management
MOTION by Commissioner Hill, seconded by Commissioner Galonska to send the
Ordinance and License Application to the council and the motion carried with the
following revisions:
i. Look into the different goat breeds and determine if we'll only accept certain
breeds.
ii. Add in language that goats must appear to be humanely managed and cared for.
iii. Under section 4b. Add the word "be" in the 2nd sentence.
iv. Be sure the language between the ordinance and the application are the same.
6. New Business
A. 2021 Work Plan
We will discuss in February and develop the draft of the work plan for approval by
the commission in March and council consideration in April (instead of May this
year).
1. Look at 2020 work plan to see what should stay on the list and continue to
be worked on and what we've accomplished and can take off the list.
2. Brainstorm what new ideas we could add. Ideas suggested:
a. Item from the Natural Resources Management Plan.
i. City would have budget for supporting a habitat restoration
project. Looking at the Briarwood Nature Area next.
ii. Also, City will have money from the Parks capital
improvement program.
b. Stormwater/Flood Water management.
i. City has a 5-year permit with the MN Pollution Control
Agency and all cities over 10,000 are required to get it to
discharge stormwater into our wetlands, lakes, and streams.
We need to be in compliance with their 6 minimum control
measures. 60-70 best management practices to do this.
City of Golden Valley
November 23, 2020 — 6:30 pm
c
d
e
f.
Environmental Commission Regular Meeting 4
Help develop and update the City's Storm Water
Management Program.
Some kind of goal for transportation — Bike/Ped, Bus Transport —
Get people out of cars.
Support the Energy Action Plan - Help guide the implementation?
Open to doing more joint work with other commissions.
Do some work with/for butterflies.
g. Student outreach for their ideas for environmental initiatives.
B. Program/Project Updates
i. Georgia Pond Dredging
1. Project added additional benefits to area:
a. Improving water quality treatment capacity.
b. Expanding flood storage.
c. Removal of invasive species.
d. Planting of native vegetation, shrubs, and trees.
2. All sediment is tested before leaving the site for polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAH). PAH Levels determine what will happen to the
sediment as follows:
a. >23 — sediment goes to landfill
b. 3-23 — sediment can be re -used at commercial or industrial sites
c. <3 — sediment can be re -used at residential or recreational sites
d. The sediment from the Georgia Pond was in the 3-23 range and will
be re -used at a commercial or industrial site.
C. Council Updates
i. None
D. Other Business
i. None
7. Adjournment
MOTION by Commissioner Yahle, seconded by Commissioner Hill to adjourn the meeting at
8:45 pm and the motion carried.
ATTEST:
Carrie Nelson, Administrative Assistant Scott Seys, C air