HomeMy WebLinkAboutEC Minutes 7.14.2025 - Approved
City of Falcon Heights
Environment Commission
City Hall
2077 Larpenteur Avenue West
Minutes
Monday, July 14, 2025
6:30 p.m.
A. CALL TO ORDER: 6:30 p.m.
B. ROLL CALL: Beth Mercer-Taylor (Chair) _X_ Georgiana May _X_
John Pellegrini (Vice-Chair) _X_ VACANT
Adam Keester _X_ VACANT
VACANT
Staff Liaison Lynch _X_
Council Liaison Mielke _X_
GreenCorps Member Siebert _X_
C. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Commissioner Keester made a motion to approve the agenda. Motion passed by consent.
D. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. June 9, 2025
Vice-Chair Pellegrini made a motion to approve the June 9, 2025 minutes. Motion passed by
consent.
E. NEW BUSINESS
1. Green-To-Go – Noelle Bakken & Ness Carda, City of Roseville
Noelle Bakken (Sustainability Specialist) and Ness Carden (Sustainability Intern) from
City of Roseville gave a presentation on the City of Roseville’s Green-To-Go Initiative.
The goal of this ordinance is to reduce the use of Styrofoam packaging in food service,
reduce PFAS in the waste stream, support the MPCA’s Solid Waste Plan and increase
the recycling rate, encourage composting, and add consistency with other nearby
communities and the newly passed Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act.
Bakken gave an overview of the timeline for research, community engagement, and
adoption of the ordinance. She also described the next steps for education and adaptation,
and the ongoing enforcement that will need to happen. Carda explained his process of
reaching out to existing businesses and some of the difficulties involved. Chain
restaurants tend to be more difficult to coerce into adoption due to the corporate chain of
command. There are also currently many exceptions to the ordinance due to a lack of
appropriate alternative containers.
Bakken and Carda invited city staff and commissioners to their upcoming Packaging and
Resource Fair on July 28 from 12-3 PM.
Commissioners discussed the ordinance and how it could work for Falcon Heights. There
was some discussion around Roseville handling the outreach and enforcement of the six
restaurants that are currently located in Falcon Heights. Bakken and Lynch will discuss
further. Lynch also told the Commission she would look into this further and bring back
an update in three months.
2. Lawn & Garden Tour Updates
Staff Liaison Lynch gave a brief update on the Lawn & Garden Tours. Host sign-up is
closed and yard signs have been ordered for the 11 hosts. Handouts will be given at Ice
Cream Social on Thursday, July 17 from 5-7 PM. She requested Commissioners attend
and be prepared to work at the Environment Commission table.
3. Boulevard Tree Discussion / City Code Updates
Staff Liaison Lynch explained the difficulties that currently exist with the City’s
boulevard tree replacements. Currently residents who receive replacement trees tend to be
those that contact the city directly and are most persistent. There needs to be a formal city
code update to outline the process and describe the prioritization of neighborhoods to
receive replacement trees first. Lynch asked Commissioners if they would prefer an opt-
out or opt-in process for residents who are eligible for boulevard trees. Chair Mercer-
Taylor was in support of less choice in opting, but rather the City focus on being “tree-
forward.” Lynch went through the brief Code changes she made which allowed for
residents to provide input as to the type of replacement tree and placement, and if they
needed to opt-out for a specific reason (shading a garden, etc.), it could be discussed.
Lynch offered to work on the language and bring it back to a future meeting.
4. Community Park Landscaping Updates
Staff Liaison Lynch explained the comments and concerns from the previous Community
Park landscaping plan were submitted to WSB and responses were received as included
in the packet. She asked if the Commission wanted to focus more on low-maintenance
plantings or natives. After discussion it was concluded that any of these would likely
have a similar amount of maintenance needed, and the focus should be on native
plantings/pollinator-friendly plantings. Lynch stated she would take the comments back
to the staff person in charge of this.
F. INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Staff Liaison Report – Staff Liaison Lynch gave a quick overview of the Les Bolstad Golf
Course sale by the University of Minnesota and reminded Commissioners of the documents
needed in order for them to begin to be paid by the city for their time spent volunteering at
monthly meetings.
2. Council Liaison Report – None.
G. Adjourn
Meeting was adjourned at 8:53 p.m.
Next regular meeting date: August 11, 2025