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Environmental Commission
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October 25, 2021— 6:30 pm
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
Remote Attendance: Members of the public may attend this meeting via Webex by calling 1-415-655-
0001 and entering access code 1773 93 4642.
Questions/Comments: Members of the public who have questions about the commission or any
items on the agenda should contact the staff commission liaison — Eric Eckman, Environmental
Resources Supervisor, eeckman@goldenvalleymn.gov, 763-593-8084.
1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by Chair Weirich at 6:30.
2. Roll Call
Commissioners present: Scott Seys, Wendy Weirich, Debra Yahle, Tonia Galonska, Shannon Hansen,
Jim Stremel
Commissioners absent: Dawn Hill, Felix Fettig
Council Members present: None
Staff present: Eric Eckman, Environmental Resources Supervisor;
Ethan Kehrberg, GreenCorps Member;
Carrie Nelson, Administrative Assistant.
3. Approval of Agenda
MOTION by Commissioner Stremel, seconded by Commissioner Galonska to approve the agenda for
October 25, 2021 and the motion carried with the following addition:
• Add Environmental Justice Collaboration as 5C to Old Business.
4. Approval of September 27, 2021 Regular Meeting Minutes
MOTION by Commissioner Seys, seconded by Commissioner Hansen to approve the minutes of
September 27, 2021 as submitted and the motion carried.
S. Old Business
A. Partners In Energy
i. The City received 200 LED lighting kits from Xcel Energy through the PIE Program. They
have a variety of different LED lightbulbs, night lights, information on how to improve
energy efficiency in your home. They're available to all residents to pick up for free at
City Hall. We will give them out at community events going forward. We also gave
PRISM a bunch of kits to give out.
ii. There is a business mailer that will be going out in November that will talk about the
action plan, programs available to businesses, and goals. It will emphasize that we need
This document is available in alternate formats upon a 72-hour request. Please call
763-593-8006 (TTY: 763-593-3968) to make a request. Examples of alternate formats
may include large print, electronic, Braille, audiocassette, etc.
City of Golden Valley Envirom-mental Cc, emission Regul r 1 eting
Sept ?-7, 2020 •- 6:30 pm
businesses to help the community achieve its goals. It will be signed by the City
Manager and/or Mayor and to have Xcel Energy look it over before it's sent out.
iii. We're working on an award or recognition program to recognize businesses that are
taking steps to improve energy efficiency and help us make progress on our Energy
Action Plan.
iv. The next GV business council meeting is scheduled for Dec 9. There will be a
presentation by Xcel Energy and maybe a business partner from the Energy Action Team.
v. Also working on creating a window cling for businesses to display.
vi. Other things Ethan is working on:
1. He's gotten Smart Salting Certified through MPCA to help with education and
outreach related to salt use.
2. He's been working with Golden Valley Housing & Economic Development
Manager, Cherie Shoquist, on Energy and Recycling Outreach to multi -family
buildings.
3. Reached out to school teachers and social workers about collaborating with
students and getting educational materials out to them.
4. Finished a survey of City Employees about energy efficiency practices and
attitudes in the office. Waiting to see results.
5. Working on getting GreenStep Cities road signs to be put up around the City
advertising our participation in the program.
B. MN Cities Climate Caucus
L They are working to influence state policy and regulations to help cities reach their goals
related to climate and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to spread city level best
practices and policy ideas.
ii. Our City Council has not officially said we're a part of this group, but Council Member
Fonnest has been part of the meetings and staff has been following along.
iii. The group has been discussing an interest in coordinating a multi-city/entity declaration
of a climate emergency to bring awareness to the situation.
1. A number of cities have already declared a climate emergency and a number of
other cities that have mentioned considering it. Golden Valley is considering
looking into and exploring this.
1. A resolution is customizable for every city.
2. They are looking to get a lot of cities to adopt a resolution January 241h or 251h to
call for immediate action at all levels of government to address the climate crisis.
They're wanting to get that critical mass and attention so the state and federal
government will recognize and see that and want to invest in planning and
infrastructure or help to free up funds to invest in local communities.
3. Any questions/comments from the EC on the draft Climate Emergency
Declarations/Resolutions? Is it something you're interested in exploring?
Potentially our City Manager or Council might be interested and could ask staff to
bring it forward.
EC comments included:
City of Golden Valley Environmental Commission Regular Meeting
Sept 27, 2020 — 6:30 prn
1. Should we have a formal climate action plan in place before we declare
emergency?
2. Only a few communities along with Hennepin County actually have a
climate action plan in place. This could be a starting point to creating
one. We could add certain items to our declaration that are specific to
our City and Work Plan such as:
i. Follow our energy action plan.
ii. Assist Hennepin County with implementing their climate action
plan.
iii. Continue with GreenStep Cities.
iv. Carry out our resilience and sustainability plan, and natural
resource management plan.
v. Develop a commission work plan that addresses climate impacts.
4. Build in some Golden Valley and environmental specific wording into the
resolution.
5. Where does all of the data come from in the template? Make it more local.
6. Include more local storm water information.
7. Use positive not negative language.
8. Protect life and property, and also health and equity. Talk about the health
impacts.
9. Support it but say the City needs another FTE.
10. Tie this into local metrics.
11. There seems to be some interest in pursuing this as a commission.
12. If we do this we would want to make it more specific to Golden Valley; be
cognizant of polarizing language; use as much local data as we can find.
C. Environmental Justice Commission Collaboration
L Staff will update the maps we're using based on new 2020 census data.
6. New Business
A. Transportation Option
L 2021 Work Plan — Explore ways to minimize vehicle usage and expand alternate
transportation options in the City. Also, to support and contribute to the City's bus rapid
transit efforts along Hwy 55.
ii. Transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions
affecting climate change in urban areas.
iii. Try to make better, more efficient use of the resources we have and identify gaps.
iv. Other ideas to consider:
1. Local & affordable ride sharing program. Perhaps a local shuttle. Maybe do this
along with the DEI Commission.
2. Add more bus routes in GV.
3. Add bussing for Loppet and MPRB With Park events.
v. Ways to reduce vehicle usage and expand transportation options:
1. Bike & Pedestrian System
City of Golden Valley Environmc.i, e' Ct imis Jo ugular Meeting
Sept 27, 2020 -- 6:30 pin
1. Bike lanes, signed bike routes, sidewalks, trails, ped
bridges/tunnels/underpasses, ped crossings, etc...
2. We have over 50 miles of trails and sidewalks in GV.
3. A task force was developed to put together a bike and pedestrian plan
and build out a bike network. The plan was adopted as part of the 2040
Comprehensive Plan. Currently being implemented.
2. Micromobility or Shared Mobility
1. Short term use — scooter or bike rental. Can use these for the last mile
from the bus to the store.
2. We currently have Byrd Scooters.
3. Transit:
1. Highway 55 Bus Rapid Transit
L Regular, frequent service with limited stops.
ii. Area has been studied and was determined to be a corridor that
scored high for bus rapid transit. Funding has been allocated for
all day bus service on Hwy 55 and is expected to begin in 2025.
1. Elected officials and staff are starting to meet and take
step to advance this and the planning/designing. Funding
will be available for this.
2. Meetings will be held by Metro Transit.
3. How do we connect residents with the bus/LRT without
having to drive to the stop?
2. Metro Mobility
L Shared public transportation service for people with a disability or
health condition that keeps them from riding the regular bus.
ii. 24hrs, 7 days a week availability.
3. MnPass and HOV 2+
L MnPass is now E-ZPass.
ii. Trying to incentivize EV usage — If you purchase or lease an EV
between 2019 and Oct 31, 2022 there may be lower fees for the
E-Z Pass lane.
4. Rideshare
L Uber, Lyft, Taxis, Limos, other
5. Car -Sharing Service
i. Cars available for short term, by the hour rental.
ii. New HOURCAR service. Might coincide well with our equity goals
and initiatives.
6. Land Use
i. Areas of change planned near high -frequency transit route that
could support high density housing.
7. Connected & Automated Vehicles
L "Driverless" vehicle technology.
City of Golder�'4 IIIIL-y Environmental Corrtmissica `,PgLIlar Meeting
Sept 27, 2020 — 6:30 11 n
ii. Automated — You can take your hands off the wheel for a period
of time, the car can make corrections, the car can parallel park
itself.
iii. Connected — The care is in constant communication with the
vehicles around it, trucks, signals that signalize intersections, with
buildings, cell towers.
8. Electric Vehicles part of the clean and renewable energy focus in our
energy action plan.
9. GreenStep Cities Actions
i. Efficiently use existing fleet of City vehicles.
ii. Retrofit City diesel engines or install auxiliary power units and/or
electrified parking spaces utilizing Project GreenFleet.
4. Possibly coordinate shuttles through the community to sporting events
downtown.
B. Program/Project Updates
i. The pollinator garden in front of City Hall was cut back. It's better for the pollinators to
leave it. The City does leave the native buffer habitat areas around the area for the
pollinators over the winter. We clean up those areas in the spring. We also encourage
residents in the community to do the same. With City Hall we partner with the Golden
Valley Foundation and they hired the company to do the work before the City could
communicate possibly leaving it. Staff will reach out.
ii. Yard Waste collection would be a separate truck coming from recycling, organics, and
trash for pick up. It would be 4 different trucks, and 4 different carts.
iii. A City campus, facility, or park that already has recycling carts will also have organics
carts.
C. Council Updates
i. None
D. Other Business
Could we ask staff if it may be worth looking into changing the best practices of the
water restrictions. Draft a policy that says possibly always having the odd/even watering
days, or always having set hours of watering.
7. Adjournment
MOTION by Commissioner Yahle, seconded by Commissioner Galonska to adjourn the meeting at
8:32 pm and the motion carried.
ATTEST:
Carrie Nelson, Administrative Assistant Wendy Weirich, Chair