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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/28/2007 Environmental Board MinutesENVIRONMENTAL BOARD MEETING FEBRUARY 28, 2007 CITY OF LINO LAKES APPROVED MINUTES DATE : February 28, 2007 TIME STARTED : 6:34 P.M. TIME ENDED : 8:15 P.M. MEMBERS PRESENT : Mary Jo O’Dea, Martha DeHaven, Barbara Bor, Kimberly Brouillet, Alan Traylor, Peter Brown, Paula Andrzejewski MEMBERS ABSENT : None STAFF PRESENT : Environmental Coordinator Marty Asleson, 1. CALL TO ORDER Ms. O’Dea called the meeting to order at 6:34 p.m. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES There are no minutes to approve at this time. 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA There were no changes to the agenda. 4. OPEN MIKE Connie Grundhofer, past Environmental Board member and Lino Lakes resident, talked about the upcoming Earth Day scheduled on Saturday, April 21 at Wargo Nature Center. This year’s theme is “What did you do for the Earth today.” Ms. Grundhofer expressed that in the past the Environmental Board has sponsored a booth at this event. Ms. Grundhofer asked if there were any members willing to volunteer at this time. The next Earth Day meeting is scheduled for March 15 at 6:00 p.m. at Wargo Nature Center. Mr. Asleson stated this is the 17th or 18th year Lino Lakes has been involved in Earth Day. People volunteer to clean up the parks, streets, etc. There has been some trouble this year with fundraising. Friends of the Park have helped in the past and the organization has since dissolved. Mr. Asleson has talked to the Jaycees to see if they can help with fundraising. We are waiting to hear from them at this time. Volunteers receive a free lunch from 11:30 to 12:30 at Wargo. Earth Day is opened to the public at 1:00. There are many booths, arts and crafts, face painting, popcorn, petting zoo, etc. 1 DRAFT MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD MEETING FEBRUARY 28, 2007 Recycling Day is scheduled to take place May 5. There will only be one recycling day this year. Ms. Grundhofer mentioned to the board that volunteers are needed for this event. Open Mike closed at 6:45 p.m. 5. ACTION ITEMS There are no action items at this time. 6. DISCUSSION ITEMS A. Election of Officers Ms. O’Dea stated how the election process works. Ms. Brouillet nominated Ms. O’Dea to continue as Chair of the Environmental Board and Ms. Bor to continue as Vice Chair. Motion carried unanimously. B. Stream Health Monitoring Program (SHEP) Mr. Asleson gave background information on the Stream Health Monitoring Program. Mr. Gary Averbeck was present to give a PowerPoint presentation of the Stream Health Evaluation Project (SHEP) of the Hardwood Creek area. The data analysis date was that of January 27, 2007. The two areas of collection were from the north and south of County Road 40. The group sampled ripples, undercuts of banks and vegetation in a 100 yard area. Most specimens went onto Wargo Nature Center where they were analyzed under microscope. Once the insects were identified they were put in jars and numbered. They evaluated the vertebrata community to determine stream health. They gave values as how the vertebrata pollution tolerance levels were based. Ms. O’Dea asked if this is a healthy stream because there are a lot of different species that live there. Mr. Averbeck stated yes, there were many tolerant benthos. Anoka Conservation District has been monitoring this site over the years. There will be another around of testing in the fall by the SHEP group. The pollution control appears to be going in a positive direction yet this stream is still in trouble. Ms. Bor went over the color of the water in the areas and land use around it. Mr. Traylor asked what the predomination of the chemical structure in the stream was. Ms. Bor stated that their study has established important data. The SHEP program hopes the study they have presented will go to Rice Creek Watershed 2 DRAFT MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD MEETING FEBRUARY 28, 2007 and be deemed valuable. Mr. Asleson stated that the idea is to educate people as to what they are finding. The Friends of the Mississippi are interested in taking SHEP findings to the Lino Lakes City Council. It was stated that the people in Centerville and Hugo might also be interested in these reports. Ms. O’Dea asked if the SHEP findings will be presented to the city council and if it is, she suggested to the group to bring along the historical and chemical information as well. There was a Motion by Ms. Brouillet to bring this item to the city council with Mr. Asleson’s help. The Motion was seconded by Mr. Traylor. Motion carried unanimously. C. Clearwater Creek Outlots Discussion Mr. Traylor asked Mr. Asleson to put this discussion item on the agenda. One of the past Environmental Board Goals was not only to develop a method for conservation development designs but to take a development with the city boards, council, developers and builders and involve them in a charrette. Clearwater Creek was the chosen development. Mr. Asleson stated that the land that has become the Clearwater Creek development was virtually untouched when it was first looked at. The developer used Applied Ecological Services (AES) to lead the charrette. They knew there was a good amount of drain tile and didn’t know what the development would do to hydrology. The city wanted to establish greenways. The final product was the acquisition of the conservation areas of the development areas, a park area and trails and $110,000 in initial restoration costs and a management plan. The developer was required to hand out new resident packets concerning resources. There are two critical areas in this development that still need addressing. Mr. Asleson stated that the city is still holding escrow monies on this project for a portion of trail and a buffer. The developer let the open spaces go tax-forfeiture and the city has subsequently signed the papers to acquire them. Mr. Traylor expressed issues with the development and how to communicate with residents. Mr. Brouillet stated that as with Stoneybrook what really helped is a good communication system. There is initial money that the Clearwater creek residents put up. The city is setting up trust funds so we can keep the city funds managed. Mr. Traylor would like the model of communication re-energized. Mr. Bor stated that part of putting this item on the agenda was the conceptual idea and the design at the Environmental Board level. There seems to be that there has been money invested to keep up the work. This was not the case in past 3 DRAFT MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD MEETING FEBRUARY 28, 2007 developments. The activity really has to come from the residents that live there on a volunteer basis. The goal here is to achieve what we set out to do. Mrs. Brouillet suggested that there needs to be an enforcer to let homeowners know what is out there and what they are permitted to do in the wet lands. Mr. Traylor asked if one of the open areas was going to be a city park or going to be left as an open space/wet land. Mr. Asleson stated that he would find out. Ms. O’Dea stated that the board proceeds more carefully when reviewing new proposed developments than the past. Mr. Traylor stated he will learn more about the development and draft something for the residents. It was stated that there is a need for neighborhood self enforcement of wet land areas. D. Comprehensive Plan Review Update Mr. Asleson stated that there will be an All Board meeting scheduled on March 7 at Chomonix Golf Course in the banquet room from 6:30 – 8:30. It is the Comprehensive Plan “Kick-off” Meeting. There will be an invitations sent out to all members. E. Orientation Session for New Members – Set Date Mr. Asleson proposed dates for the new member orientation of April 10, 11 or 12th. Mr. Brown stated he had a conflict. Mr. Asleson stated staff will send out new dates for new members to consider. 7. ADJOURN It was noted that the next meeting of the Environmental Board will be on March 28, 2007. There being no further business, Ms. Brouillet moved to adjourn at 8:15 p.m. Ms. DeHaven seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Transcribed by: Lisa Hogstad Community Development Secretary 4 DRAFT MINUTES