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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/27/2021 EB Packet CITY OF LINO LAKES ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD MEETING Wednesday, October 27, 2021 6:30 p.m. Council Chambers AGENDA 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. SWEARING IN OF BOARD MEMBERS 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: September 29, 2021 6. OPEN MIKE 7. DISCUSSION ITEMS A. Review of Annual Work Plan and Ongoing Tasks List B. Organics Program Overview 8. UPDATES A. Recycling Updates 9. ADJOURN DRAFT MINUTES CITY OF LINO LAKES ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD MEETING I. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL: Mr. Sullivan called the Lino Lakes Environmental Board meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. on September 29, 2021. II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE III. APROVAL OF AGENDA Mr. Sullivan approved the Agenda as stated. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: August 25, 2021 Ms. McNulty made a MOTION to approve the August 25, 2021 Meeting Minutes. Ms. Cavegn supported motion. Motion passed 3-0. V. OPEN MIKE Mr. Sullivan declared Open Mike at 6:32 p.m. Lino Lakes resident Tere O’Connell presented a Star Tribune article regarding a recent State of Minnesota pilot program that expands requirements in environmental reviews to include greenhouse gas inventories from large development projects. She also introduced herself as a candidate running for City Council. Mr. Sullivan declared Open Mike closed at 6:34 p.m. DATE : September 29, 2021 TIME STARTED : 6:30 P.M. TIME ENDED : 7:16 P.M. MEMBERS PRESENT : John Sullivan, Cassie Cavegn, Ella McNulty MEMBERS ABSENT : Shawn Holmes, Alex Schwartz STAFF PRESENT : Andy Nelson, Phillip Davis Enivornmental Board September 29, 2021 Page 2 DRAFT MINUTES VI. ACTION ITEMS A. Belland Farms and Associate Eye Care Partners Preliminary Plat & Site Plan Mr. Nelson presented the staff report to the Environmental Board. The applicant, Rehbein Properties, submitted a land use application for a Preliminary Plat and Site Plan Review. The preliminary plat involves subdividing an 18 acre parcel into two platted lots, two outlots, a stormwater pond, and one new road. The site plan review is for a proposed medical office building offering eye care services. The 12,320 square foot building will be placed on a 1.72 acre lot. The staff report included analysis of the site’s characteristics including land cover, rare, unique, or significant resources, soils, stormwater management and pollution protection, and Alternative Urban Areawide Review considerations. It also included a landscape plan that included tree preservation and mitigation standards, open area landscape standards, and buffer and screening standards among others. Staff recommended the Belland Farms Preliminary Plat and Associated Eye Care Partners Site Plan Review be forwarded to the Planning and Zoning Board and City Council with the following comments and any additional comments from the Environmental Board: 1. Additional (5) inlet protections must be added on Main Street along the southern border of the property to catch tracked sediment. 2. Undesirable tree species do not have to be mitigated for. Removals of a 22” and 8” ash will not require mitigation trees to be planted. The total number of replacement trees required is 24. This should be updated on the Tree Preservation Plan. 3. Canopy cover standards have not been met. The three trees on the western edge of the stormwater basin can be moved closer to the hardscape or the parking stalls can be added which would require recalculation of the hardscape and canopy cover totals. 4. 34 more shrubs will be required to meet open space standards. 5. White pine (Pinus strobus) should be switched for a species with better pollution tolerance. 6. Native seed mix should be used for the southeast corner of the site in the low runoff area connecting to the culvert. 7. Blanding’s turtle flyer and factsheet shall be distributed to all contractors working on the site. 8. MnDOT type 3N or 4N bio-netting or natural netting erosion control blanket should be used where blanket is necessary for stabilization. Ms. Cavegn inquired about the how the process behind purchasing wetland credits works. Mr. Nelson responded with an explanation of how wetland banks are established, citing Wollan Park, a city-owned wetland bank as an example. When wetland banks are established, credits are available for sale to developments when projects impact wetlands. Enivornmental Board September 29, 2021 Page 3 DRAFT MINUTES Wollan Park is an example of a wetland bank in Lino Lakes where the City has done restoration work to establish wetland credits. Mr. Sullivan asked about whether or not the proposed site will have an irrigation system in place. Mr. Nelson responded all areas noted as sod within the plan are within irrigated areas. Ms. McNulty and Ms. Cavegn commended Mr. Nelson on the quality of the report and recommendations. Ms. Cavegn inquired about concerns with changing from plastic control blankets to biodegradable blankets in terms of how long the blankets will last. Mr. Nelson responded the concern would most likely be about the cost of the blankets. He hoped the biodegradable blanket would last for less time than the plastic blankets. Mr. Nelson mentioned the Board may want to add a ninth recommendation to include a curb cut in the vicinity of the where the stormwater pipe runs to the stormwater pond due to Blanding’s turtles being identified in the vicinity. He noted it would be nice to get one along the parking lot curb and that there may be call for more of these next to the wetland west of lot 2 when the lot is developed. Mr. Sullivan asked for a motion to forward the Belland Farms and Associate Eye Care Partners Preliminary Plat & Site Plan with the Environmental Board’s statement and recommendations. Ms. McNulty made a MOTION to approve the recommendations. Ms. Cavegn seconded the motion. Motion passed 3-0. VII DISCUSSION ITEMS A. General Updates Mr. Davis provided an update on resident turnout at the September 18th, 2021 Recycling Saturday event. This event was one of the largest seen all year. He discussed his attendance at an online Battery Recycling training course held by Anoka County. The course contained information regarding proper recycling and other resources municipalities can use to educate residents on batteries. Mr. Davis shared some highlights he learned at the first week of the Recycling Ambassador course held by Anoka County the evening prior. The class went over Anoka County’s current position within the State of Minnesota’s recycling and waste goals. Mr. Sullivan inquired about the Recycling Ambassador class and the role residents play in the class. Enivornmental Board September 29, 2021 Page 4 DRAFT MINUTES Mr. Davis responded residents are educated on proper recycling and are then asked to provide 30 hours of education-related community service. Mr. Nelson asked Mr. Davis to provide further clarification on the differences in battery types and how they’re disposed of if a resident of the City were to call and ask for information. Mr. Davis responded all batteries should be brought to a household hazardous waste facility, regardless of battery type, but the disposal and packaging requirements of each battery types are different. The County has their own facility located in Blaine. Single use batteries do not pose as dangerous of a health hazard as rechargeable batteries do. Rechargeable batteries have a higher potential to ignite inside waste hauler vehicles and facilities. One recent example is a hauler truck igniting on fire after an electric handheld vacuum was crushed by hauler equipment. Mr. Sullivan commented battery recycling outreach is relatively new and it is good that residents have a location to bring batteries to. VIII. ADJOURNMENT Ms. McNulty made a MOTION to adjourn the meeting at 7:16 p.m. Motion was supported by Ms. Cavegn. Motion carried 3-0. Submitted by Phillip Davis Recycling Intern 1 ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD AGENDA ITEM 7A STAFF ORIGINATOR: Andy Nelson, Environmental Coordinator MEETING DATE: October 27, 2021 REQUEST: Discussion only TOPIC: Environmental Board Annual Work Plan and Ongoing Tasks List BACKGROUND: The Environmental Board serves to provide aid and advice to the Council in its efforts to encourage productive and enjoyable harmony between people and their environment; to promote efforts which will prevent or eliminate damage to the environment and stimulate the health and welfare of people; to enrich the understanding of the ecological systems and natural resources important to the city; to advise the city in the use and management of its natural resources in order to preserve and enhance the environmental amenities for present and future residents, and to improve and ensure a lasting quality of life within the city. (City Code Chapter 217.01) Each year, the Environmental Board prepares an annual work program. This annual plan includes a list of initiatives concerning current environmental issues in the major areas of focus of the Environmental Board, including forestry, natural resources, water, and solid waste management. Staff also prepared a list of ongoing tasks to highlight the distinction between the Annual Work Plan and standard operating procedures/ongoing tasks. The discussion at this meeting will introduce new Environmental Board members to these plans and provide updates on work in progress. ENVIRONMENTAL DIRECTION: Discussion only ATTACHMENTS: 1. Environmental Board Annual Work Plan 2021 2. Environmental Board Ongoing Tasks List 2021-2022 Environmental Board Annual Work Plan 2021 Forestry 1. Continue implementation of the City’s Emerald Ash Borer response. This includes removal of boulevard trees and replacement with a diverse mix of species, a partnership with Rainbow Tree Care to offer a discount rate on private tree injections, and continued removals of ash trees in natural areas and parks. 2. Continue to promote the City tree sale. In addition to the many benefits that increased canopy cover brings to the city, the sale also helps residents to affordably replace private trees that have succumbed to EAB. Natural Resources 1. Review proposed changes to landscaping ordinance as part of the zoning ordinance update. 2. Support the pursuit of additional wetland bank establishment opportunities. 3. Evaluate updating MLCCS land cover data with the DNR to incorporate the development that has occurred in the city since the last update. Water 1. Continue to distribute educational outreach materials on water conservation, both on the city website and in newsletters. 2. Promote the Adopt-a-Drain program, which encourages residents to participate in improving water quality by cleaning storm drains and preventing trash and organic pollutants from reaching our lakes, rivers, and wetlands. 3. Update ordinance to enable residents to apply for permits to install stormwater pond aerators on ponds that are part of the city stormwater system. 4. Evaluate methods of promoting and supporting rain gardens. Recycling/Solid Waste 1. Assess organics recycling program to determine appropriate areas for the addition of new drop- off sites. Identify existing sites that may benefit from expansion. 2. Evaluate recycling in businesses and restaurants as a potential area of recycling program growth. 3. Continue to respond to citizen requests for additional dog waste stations in the city. Evaluate these requests and add stations to high use areas where appropriate. Evaluate the feasibility of switching to biodegradable dog waste bags. Environmental Board Ongoing Task List 2021-2022 General 1. Promote environmental stewardship through participation in Blue Heron Days and the Earth Day event typically held at Wargo Nature Center. 2. Continue to review developments and provide recommendations to the City Council. Forestry 3. Continue to enhance the urban forest through education and outreach, participation in the Tree City USA program, boulevard tree management and inventory updates, diseased tree management, and the city tree sale. Natural Resources 4. Monitor the heron rookery on Peltier Lake. Collaborate with volunteers and Anoka County on work to benefit the herons, including flashing trees, performing an annual nest count, and planting trees to replace the many ash trees on the island that will succumb to emerald ash borer. 5. Perform maintenance on conservation easements and wetland bank areas as time and budget permit. Water 6. Collaborate with Rice Creek Watershed District, Vadnais Lake Area Watershed Management Organization, and other agencies to promote water conservation, water quality improvements/protections, and native plantings through outreach materials, workshops, and webinars. 7. Distribute outreach and education materials on water conservation, water quality, and stormwater management. Recycling/Solid Waste Management 8. Participate in and promote monthly Recycling Saturday events and an annual recycling event occurring in May of 2022. 9. Strive to achieve recycling tonnage goals. 10. Monitor organics sites to determine service levels and potential program expansion needs. 11. Continue to distribute outreach materials related to recycling and organics in collaboration with Anoka County. 1 ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD AGENDA ITEM 7B STAFF ORIGINATOR: Andy Nelson, Environmental Coordinator Phillip Davis, Recycling Intern MEETING DATE: October 27, 2021 REQUEST: Discussion only TOPIC: Organics Program Overview BACKGROUND: Environmental Board members have expressed interest in the past in an overview of the organics drop-off program. Staff will be presenting an overview at this meeting that covers specifics on organics drop-off site locations, number of participants, tonnage of material collected, signage, contamination, as well as some ideas for future growth of the City organics program. ENVIRONMENTAL DIRECTION: Discussion only ATTACHMENTS: None