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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/26/2005 Environmental Board MinutesENVIRONMENTAL BOARD MEETING JANUARY 26, 2005 CITY OF LINO LAKES APPROVED MINUTES DATE : January 26, 2005 TIME STARTED : 6:35 P.M. TIME ENDED : 7:37 P.M. MEMBERS PRESENT : Barbara Bor, Barbara Bauman (arrived at 6:37 p.m.), Constance Grundhofer, Rod Kukonen, Teresa O’Connell, and Dennis Smith MEMBERS ABSENT : Mary Jo O’Dea STAFF PRESENT : Environmental Coordinator Marty Asleson 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Kukonen called the meeting to order at 6:35 p.m. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES December 15, 2005 Page 5, fifth paragraph: “In addition, the 100 families would need the designation, and an updated journal would be kept by the habitat committee.” O’Connell made a motion to approve the December 15, 2005 meeting minutes. Smith seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Chair Kukonen expressed interest in obtaining the minutes earlier than the packet, and suggested between five and seven days after the meeting. 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA • Discuss the Newsletter in 6F. • Discuss Goals Presentation in 6G. The Board approved the agenda as amended. 4. OPEN MIKE No citizen comments were made. 1 APPROVED MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD MEETING JANUARY 26, 2005 5. ACTION ITEMS A. Marshan Lakeview, James Funkhauser, 595 Marshan Lane, Preliminary Plat Review Asleson reviewed the background and analysis. Chair Kukonen invited Mr. Funkhauser to feel free to answer the Board at the podium if he wished. He inquired of the water issues, and recalled there were homes with water problems in the past. Asleson indicated there were several trees that needed to be removed. Grundhofer questioned if rain ponds were planned in the North. Asleson responded that rain ponds were planned. Chair Kukonen recommended as much vegetative cover as possible. He inquired of staff if there was an adequate buffer. Asleson answered he believed it was good. Chair Kukonen suggested 100-200 feet for filter. He inquired the footage of the buffer. Asleson responded it was 143 feet. Chair Kukonen recommended saving as many trees to help with infiltration. Asleson questioned Mr. Funkhauser if he would consider donating the land in the South to the County if it was agreeable to both parties, because a model had shown that it was a Blandings Turtle activity area. Mr. Funkhauser stated he would consider donating the land. Grundhofer inquired if the 143-foot buffer was from the 100-year flood plane. Asleson answered that it was from the ordinary high water level. Chair Kukonen questioned the reason for a cul-de-sac at that location. Mr. Funkhauser responded that the City insisted on it. He continued that two oaks could be salvaged if there was no cul-de-sac. In addition it would reduce his grading costs. Asleson stated the City required it for school busses, emergency vehicles, and garbage trucks to turn around. Mr. Funkhauser indicated that there already was an outlet. O’Connell inquired if the City had any intention of widening the present road. Asleson answered that the Board could ask the City to investigate an alternative for a cul-de-sac. 2 APPROVED MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD MEETING JANUARY 26, 2005 Bauman indicated that the change would allow for more space for rain gardens in Lot 2 and Lot 3. Smith added that he hoped the City would consider the recommended change. Chair Kukonen reviewed the recommendations from the Board to add to staff recommendations: • Explore the possibility for a conservation easement that would be area deeded to Anoka County, if agreeable to the county and the developer. • Work with staff to reduce tree removal and increase buffering. • Explore alternatives to the cul-de-sac to reduce impervious, amount of grading needed, reduce the tree removal, and increase surface buffering. The developer is in agreement in looking for an alternative. Bauman made a motion to recommend approval with staff and Board recommendations. Smith seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. 6. DISCUSSION ITEMS A. Earth Day Asleson gave an update of the Earth Day plans. Saturday, April 23, 2005 would be the celebration. As in previous years, clean-up activities would take place from 9:30-11:30 a.m., with other planned activities and booths in the afternoon. The first planning meeting would be on February 3, 2005 from 7-8:30 p.m. He indicated that he was going to try to reschedule that meeting due to conflict with the AUAR meeting. O’Connell inquired if the letter was sent out to the scout troops and 4-H groups. Asleson responded that they were given to all enthusiasts. He indicated that he would try to get a copy of the letter to the groups that participated in previous years. B. Heron Update Asleson noted that flashing was installed on 110 trees on the island. Twelve trees remained needing flashing that would be finished soon. They found two raccoon dens and one coyote den on the island. He mentioned that the press was blaming the decreasing numbers of living young solely on the raccoons. He expressed concern that people should know the cities and other agencies did not blame the raccoons. The reason for the no-wake zone ordinance was to keep sediments on the bottom of the lake, and to protect the shallow area. 3 APPROVED MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD MEETING JANUARY 26, 2005 C. AUAR Update Asleson stated that residents and property owners were invited to the meetings. Bor inquired about the number of people attending the meetings. She mentioned that if no minutes were taken, or a listing of people attending it would be difficult to build trust with residents. Asleson stated that there was a sign up sheet for the agency meetings. He was encouraged to see that many agencies regularly attended the meetings, and favored the conservation approach. He noted several agencies that had representation at all the meetings. Among them were the U.S. Fish and Wildlife that were concerned with loss of habitat, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Soil Conservation District, Metropolitan Council, and Rice Creek Watershed District. At present, they were attempting to understand the water flow of the area, which included finding a two-foot change in elevation. Twenty agencies were going to be asked to respond to any plan recommended. Bauman expressed interest in the questions the agencies were asking. She admitted the water infiltration was difficult to delineate. Asleson agreed it was the most important concern at this time. He indicated he was going to speak with residents. He found that when the traffic issue was figured, the “Racino” was a factor. Smith stated that residents had historic information about the area. Bor discussed the methodology, and indicated that the response time appeared narrow to respond to the proposals. Asleson answered that the process was dynamic, and could reduce the time necessary to form a composite proposal. O’Connell noted an example in Woodbury, that certain companies wanted a connection to the highway, and they eventually paid for that connection. Asleson inquired about Board members' thoughts on the proposed growth potential. Smith responded that even the conservative figures were sobering. Bor referred to the sewer capacities, that the estimates were considerable. She admitted that the meetings had been excellent and very informative. D. Fox Den Acres Update Asleson stated that the proposal had been approved. There still remained minor questions on surface water. They were working on the stewardship. A homeowners committee would hire an ecologist who would report to the City. He recommended Jason Huvseth because he knew the area, and was well respected. A Lino Lakes resident called staff to express interest in buying one of the lots. 4 APPROVED MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD MEETING JANUARY 26, 2005 Money was not an issue. Asleson indicated it would be a successful conservation development. E. New Brighton Congregation of Jehovah’s Witness, Update Asleson indicated the application had been withdrawn. They had addressed all the recommendations of staff and the Board, but the larger organization decided they would not build on the site. F. City Newsletter Asleson stated that deadline was past for submission of articles for the Newsletter. He put in notices about Earth Day, Ponds in the City, Tips for Washing Cars, Rice Creek Watershed District, Storm Drain Stenciling, Oak Wilt and Marking Trees, Dutch Elm Disease, Recycling Day on May 7, and Invasive Plant Control. He inquired about ideas for the next newsletter. Bauman asked for confirmation that they were quarterly. Asleson responded confirming they were every three months. Grundhofer mentioned he chose good issues. G. Goals The Board briefly discussed the Backyard Habitat and formalizing the process for the Community Wildlife Habitat. Asleson stated that the Goals were not presented at the last work session, so they would be presented on the February 9, 2005 work session, and also entertain questions. Approval would follow on February 14, 2005. Bor inquired if a final copy of the Board’s Goals could be distributed to Board members. Asleson responded that he would E-Mail them to the Board Members. 7. OTHER DEPARTMENT REPORTS A. Forestry This item was tabled to the February 23, 2005 meeting. B. Solid Waste Recycling This item was tabled to the February 23, 2005 meeting. 5 APPROVED MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD MEETING JANUARY 26, 2005 C. Environmental This item was tabled to the February 23, 2005 meeting. 8. ADJOURN It was noted that the next meeting of the Environmental Board will be on February 23, 2005. There being no further business, Bor moved to adjourn at 7:37 p.m. O’Connell seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Transcribed by: Brigette Blesi TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc. 6 APPROVED MINUTES