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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20250430 Environmental Board Minutes Environmental Board April 30, 2025 Page 1 CITY OF LINO LAKES ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD MEETING DATE: April 30, 2025 TIME STARTED: 6:30 p.m. TIME ENDED: 8:53 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Alex Schwartz, Julia Nelson, Elizabeth Larkin, Mary Jo Stevenson, Lindsay Buchmeier, Jonathan Parsons MEMBERS ABSENT:Shawn Holmes STAFF PRESENT: Tom Hoffman, Marissa Ertel 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Chair Schwartz called the Environmental meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. on April 30, 2025. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. PUBLIC COMMENT (sign in prior to start of meeting per Rules of Decorum) Chair Schwartz opened public comment at 6:30 p.m. Mary Kay Sell, 564 Lonesome Pine Trail, spoke about the pond treatment. Ms. Sell and her neighbors plan to pay for the treatment themselves. Ms. Sell has worked with Lakes Management, Inc. and city staff to try to come to an agreement on treatment. Chair Schwartz closed public comment at 6:33 p.m. 4. SETTING THE AGENDA: Addition or Deletion of Agenda Items Chair Schwartz approved the agenda as provided. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: April 24, 2024 Ms. Buchmeier made a motion to approve the March 26, 2025 minutes. Ms. Stevenson seconded. Motion carried 6 – 0. Environmental Board April 30, 2025 Page 2 6. ACTION ITEMS A.Birchwood Acres Pond Treatment Proposal City staff has received feedback from concerned residents regarding the aesthetic quality of storm pond RLA-010-B located in Birchwood Acres Park. This pond treats stormwater runoff from nearly 70 properties located primarily on Hawthorn Road and Lonesome Pine Trail in the Park Grove development. The main concerns include the vegetation that covers the surface of the pond and odor. The vegetation present on this pond is primarily duckweed, which provides water purification by incorporating nutrients. It is also an important food source for wildlife. The odor is primarily due to decomposition of plants and algae. Residents have expressed interest in treating this pond, citing the aesthetic quality of two ponds on private land nearby that receive treatments with algaecide and herbicide. These are storm pond RLA-013-A, located south of the Red Hawk Trail cul-de-sac, and an unnamed pond located directly north of Birchwood Acres Park ballfield. Residents have petitioned 100% of the adjacent private property of the pond and agreed to share in the cost of treatments privately. There would be no cost to the city for the residents to privately treat the pond. Ms. Nelson had questions about whether this would be an acceptable treatment with Mr. Hoffman’s professional experience. Mr. Hoffman stated that this treatment has worked previously, but Lake Management has stated that no other city owned pond has been treated by them before. Ms. Nelson had questions about the legality of the pond treatment and whether the City would be held liable for any issues. Mr. Hoffman stated that the City attorney would draft a document regarding this treatment and would have to be approved through the City Council. Ms. Larkin asked what would happen if treatment needed to stop and what the impact to the pond would be. Mr. Hoffman stated that there would be no negative impact to the pond. Mr. Schwartz asked how this would impact our MS4 permit, and how often we would be monitoring the water quality. Mr. Hoffman stated that the City would be liable, the City attorney would have to review the contract. Environmental Board April 30, 2025 Page 3 Ms. Buchmeier asked whether there was a City Code regarding the treatment of the pond. Mr. Hoffman stated there is under the storm water pond section. Mr. Parsons asked whether there might be issues in the future with chemicals in the soil. Mr. Hoffman stated that there would have to be testing andthere could be potential impacts to the soil. Mr. Hoffman stated that the size of the treatment would not have much of an impact on the sediment. Mr. Hoffman stated that the compound that is used is meant to make the soil heavier to not go down stream. Mr. Schwartz stated that he liked the idea of revisiting this topic after two years to make sure there haven’t been environmental impacts. Mr. Schwartz also would like to make sure that the insurance for Lakes Management would cover any fines. Ms. Buchmeier had concerns about whether this would then allow all ponds in Lino Lakes to be treated. Ms. Buchmeier was concerned that we do not know how this would affect the environment in the long term for multiple ponds. Mr. Hoffman stated that this circumstance would most likely not be something that comes up often with the costs. Mr. Schwartz asked whether this would be the start of the pilot project. Mr. Hoffman stated this discussion is just for the pond in Birchwood Acres, and that a pilot project would be presented at a later date. Ms. Larkin stated that this should come back in two years to check in and see the impacts of treatment. Mr. Schwartz would like there to be water testing before and after the first treatment but is unsure of how long between testing’s would be the most beneficial. Mr. Hoffman stated that water testing can be costly, and the pondwould need testing prior to treatment to get a baseline to better understand what is happening to the water with the treatment through Lakes Management. Ms. Buchmeier had concerns about the precedent this would be setting for the City. Ms. Buchmeier worried that this is being rushed and would not recommend that this go forward. Mr. Schwartz considered tabling this topic and instead moving forward with a pilot program and bring this topic back once a pilot program has been fully discussed. Mr. Schwartz made a motion to table this discussion for a further date and discuss this item again once a pilot program has been put in place. Ms. Nelson seconded. Motion carried 5 – 1. Environmental Board April 30, 2025 Page 4 B. Nelson Rehbein Properties PUD Concept Plan Nelson Rehbein Properties is a proposed residential subdivision on approximately 24.55 acres located north of Nadeau Acres development, west by existing farm fields, north by existing industrial buildings, and easterly along 20th Avenue S. The site is comprised of three (3) land parcels, one (1) single family home on the southern portion (Nelson’s parcel), a wooded swale that runs through the middle of the site that is shown as wetlands within the exhibits, along with the rest of the site as agricultural fields. Ms. Larkin would like a better understanding of how this development would reuse stormwater for irrigation. Mr. Hoffman stated this would depend on the site itself, such as soil types. Ms. Larkin wanted to verify that having the ponds in the development would be part of the best practices. Mr. Hoffman stated that it is a good first step that the developer is showing ponds. Mr. Schwartz would like to know whether the ponds would be city owned or owned privately. Mr. Hoffman stated that the ponds shown would be city owned. The ponds located closer to the townhomes would potentially be private depending on where the water flows. Ms. Larkin would like to know with the townhomes would they be under an association and if they were, would they be held to a standard to make sure they are maintaining the landscaping. Mr. Hoffman stated that the developer would be responsible for meetinglandscaping requirements and there are city codes that would be able to be enforced if weeds started to become overgrown. Ms.Buchmeier made a motion to approve the recommendations by staff. Mr. Parsons seconded. Motion carried 6 – 0. C. Clearwater Commons Preliminary Plat The applicant, Capital Real Estate, Inc., submitted a land use application for Clearwater Commons preliminary plat and vacation. The preliminary plat is for three (3) commercial lots north of CSAH 14 (Main Street), west of I-35E, east of 21st Avenue North and south of the park and ride. The owner, ALino, LLC, is proposing a 3-lot commercial development located on the NW corner of I-35 and Main Street. The 14-acre site is one existing lot legally described as Outlot A, Alino Addition. Per the December 19, 2024 Preliminary Report of Geotechnical Environmental Board April 30, 2025 Page 5 Exploration prepared by American Engineering Testing, the site is an existing agricultural 2 property with fairly flat terrain towards the center and higher banks on the northwest and southeast corners. Elevations at the soil borings ranged from 911 feet to 904 feet. Wetlands exist on site. Mr. Parsons had questions about where the proposed road would be located on site regardingthe wetlands. Mr. Hoffman showed the board where the road would be located and explained it would be right-in. Ms. Larkin asked what the impact would be to the existing wetlands. Mr. Hoffman stated we are waiting on their wetland mitigation reports. Ms. Larkin would like to see more green space on the site. Mr. Hoffman stated they will have to meet the city landscaping requirements, and since this is a preliminary plat the developer has not submitted their landscaping plans. Ms. Larkin had questions about the screening on site and making sure there is more greenery. Mr. Hoffman stated that the screening would be landscaped with plants. Ms. Nelson made a motion to approve/reject the recommendations by staff. Ms. Buchmeier seconded. Motion carried 6 – 0. D. Java Lino Lakes 2nd Addition Preliminary Plat Java Lino Lakes 2.0 was brought to the Environmental Board on October 30, 2024 for Preliminary Plat. The applicant is now proposing to split the two lots on the north side of the road into three commercial lots. The lot on the south side of the road is to remain the same per the original plans. The 5-acre site includes the redevelopment of six (6) existing lots along the west side of Lake Drive. The lots south of 77th Street are commercially zoned lots that either had or currently have single family dwellings. The developer will be removing the existing dwellings as part of the project. Tree removal within the proposed road right-of-way and utility easements was completed by the City in spring of 2024. Ms. Nelson asked whether there were wetland impacts to this portion of the site. Mr. Hoffman stated there are no impacts to this portion. Ms. Larkin had concerns about the blandings turtle and whether there would be enough space for the turtles to move freely. Mr. Hoffman stated that they are meeting requirements to allow for free movement of the blandings turtles. Environmental Board April 30, 2025 Page 6 Ms.Buchmeier made a motion to approve the recommendations by staff and board recommendation of finding a new site for a community garden. Mr. Parsons seconded. Motion carried 6–0. 7. DISCUSSION ITEMS A. Recycling Updates Mr. Hoffman provided recycling updates. B. Earth Day Update 8. ADJOURN Ms. Nelson made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:53 p.m. Motion was seconded by Ms. Buchmeier. Motion carried 6 –0. Respectfully submitted, Marissa Ertel – Community Development Administrative Assistant