02/28/2001 Env Bd Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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STAFF COMMENTS/ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION: • The benefit cost of prairies (if burned) in relationship to chemical and nutrient poisoning of our lakes and drinking water is not comparable. Although there is not a lot of data on our ground water one can only expect they would reflect some of the chemical compositions found in our lakes. Our Lakes were classified as eutrophic (dead or dying) over 20 years ago. •. The City of Lino Lakes weed ordinance written several years ago specifically addressed the concerns of residents interested in prairie landscapes • The following is from the Environmental Protection Agency's' Document "Green Acres." Fire One of the most common arguments asserted in favor of local weed ordinances is fire prevention. As to natural landscapes this argument is predicated on the unproven contention that tall grass and forb stems, commonly planted as part of a prairie or meadow, constitute a fire hazard. This is not, in fact, true. In New Berlin v. Donald C Hagar, 166 United States Forest Service expert David Seaberg testified that a grass fire can sustain high heat for only twenty seconds. In order to ignite wood and sustain a fire potentially damaging to a home, a grass fire must burn within four feet of the home for seven and a half minutes. Jude Gramling agreed, finding no rational basis for the claim that natural landscapes create a fire hazard.- According to John Diekelmann, a noted landscape architect and plant ecologist, most prairie or meadow plantings contain a large portion of green leafy material at ground level during most seasons and do not sustain fire.'— In short, restoring an area as prairie does not create a fire hazard. Moreover, if fire prevention • were the purpose, a rational ordinance would prohibit the accumulation of biomass in a given area based on some index of flammability, not merely undefined weeds. • Fire departments spend large amounts of money fighting wildland fires that could be effectively controlled with periodic burns. • Yes, the business community dues have a preference and a choice. They should. The issue of designing with natives in an integrated fashion that is acceptable to our businessmen and is also resource functional has been accomplished. See attached article "St Jude Medical ". • The touring of sites like St. Jude was listed as an agenda item wish for the February meeting agenda by the Environmental Board at the last meeting. Environmental ISSUES: • Defined to some abbreviated degree in above correspondence. 17apKa= &_Peveartov_Boap& Xtrz og) Atvo Aaxs6