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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/29/2007 Environmental Board MinutesENVIRONMENTAL BOARD MEETING AUGUST 29, 2007 CITY OF LINO LAKES APPROVED MINUTES DATE : August 29, 2007 TIME STARTED : 6:30 P.M. TIME ENDED : 7:30 P.M. MEMBERS PRESENT : Mary Jo O’Dea, Paula Andrzejewski, Peter Brown, and Martha DeHaven MEMBERS ABSENT : Kim Brouillet, Alan Traylor and Barbara Bor STAFF PRESENT : Environmental Coordinator Marty Asleson 1. CALL TO ORDER Ms. O’Dea called the meeting to order at 6:33 p.m. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES July 25, 2007 Ms. O’Dea had a change on page 3, 2nd paragraph. Change fir Lino Lakes to for Lino Lakes. Mr. Brown made a motion to approve the July 25, 2007 minutes with change. Ms. Andrzejewski seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Mr. Asleson added Oak Wilt as a discussion item. Ms. DeHaven made a motion to approve amended agenda. Ms. Andrzejewski seconded the motion to approve agenda. Motion carried unanimously 4. OPEN MIKE Open mike closed at 6:35 p.m. 5. ACTION ITEMS A. Water Emergency and Conservation Plan – Verne Jacobsen Mr. Verne Jacobsen from TKDA presented his staff report. Mr. Jacobsen reviewed the Unaccounted Water, Residential Gallons Per capita Demand (GPCD), Total Per Capita Demand with board members. 1 DRAFT MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD MEETING AUGUST 29, 2007 Mr. Jacobsen stated that Met Council will have a tool chest of conservation tools on their website, it was Met Council’s suggestion that the City of Lino Lakes put this link on their website. Mr. Jacobsen reviewed Peek Demands. He stated this should comply with the DNR requirements. He stated that Springstead is presently doing a study on water rates. Mr. Jacobsen stated that well monitoring is proposed to take place on a monthly basis instead of once a year. Mr. Jacobsen reviewed the Capital Improvement Program for the next 10 years. Attachment B. Mr. Jacobson reviewed Education Information programs. (Attachment C) Ms. O’Dea asked Board members for comments at this time. Ms. O’Dea inquired about a number of items. She questioned if it is necessary to recommend Phase II of the proposed Water Emergency and Conservation Plan. Mr. Jacobsen stated yes, Phase II is a necessary recommendation. She questioned if the City of Lino Lakes Newsletter could included an article regarding Phase I to explain the idea of allocation and how it is defined. If a resident exceeds a certain amount of water, we need to inform residents that the City will be fined. She would like to include average amounts on a water billing to show what an excessive amount and average household of say five would use. Mr. Jacobsen stated that it is the residential water areas that cause the problem. Primarily commercial and industrial stay the same throughout the year. Ms. DeHaven asked if there are any provisions for agricultural. She stated she is using city water to water her vegetable garden. Mr. Jacobsen stated she might see a higher water bill. He stated she could consider a small well. Ms. O’Dea inquired about current watering ban statistics. Mr. Studenski stated there is very minimal enforcement at this time. Mr. Jacobsen stated Irrigation systems today can be programmed. Ms. DeHaven stated schools should cut back watering football fields. Mr. Jacobsen stated schools are big water users. Board Recommendation is to add the following language: Follow DNR conservation benchmarks. If Phase 2 is going to happen it will happen under DNR Conservation Benchmarks. 2 DRAFT MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD MEETING AUGUST 29, 2007 Environmental Board moves to forward the Water Emergency and Conservation Plan in its current form with suggested recommendation to City Council. Ms. Andrzejewski made a motion to approve and Ms. DeHaven seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. 6. DISCUSSION ITEMS A. Moon Marsh Conservation Easement Mr. Asleson presented the proposed Moon Marsh Conservation Easement for review. He asked for recommendations on what the board might want to add to this easement. Additions/Changes to Moon Marsh Conservation Easement: Add: The City is to provide a two week notice to the property owners/landowner prior to environmental restoration and management activities. Add: Mr. Asleson and board members stated they would like Minnesota Statute 84.64 Conservation Restrictions added to this particular easement as follows: 84.64 CONSERVATION RESTRICTIONS. Subdivision 1. Acquisition. A conservation restriction for a definite period or in perpetuity may be acquired by: (a) The commissioner of natural resources, in the name of the state, by gift, purchase or exchange, with funds specifically made available for that purpose; (b) A nonprofit charitable corporation whose purposes include conservation of land or water areas; or (c) A home rule charter or statutory city. Subd. 2. Definition. For the purpose of this section, a "conservation restriction" means a right, whether or not stated in the form of a restriction, easement, covenant or condition, in any deed, will or other instrument executed by or on behalf of the owner of land or in any order of taking, appropriate to retaining land or water areas predominately in their natural, scenic, open or wooded condition, or as suitable habitat for fish and wild life, to forbid or limit any or all: (a) Construction or placing of buildings, roads, signs, billboards or other advertising, utilities or other structures on or above the ground. (b) Dumping or placing of soil or other substance or material as landfill, or dumping or placing of trash, waste or unsightly or offensive materials. (c) Removal or destruction of trees, shrubs or other vegetation. (d) Excavation, dredging or removal of loam, peat, gravel, soil, rock or other material substance in such manner as to affect the surface. 3 DRAFT MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD MEETING AUGUST 29, 2007 (e) Surface use except for purposes permitting the land or water area to remain predominately in its natural condition. (f) Activities detrimental to drainage, flood control, water conservation, erosion control or soil conservation, or fish and wild life habitat preservation, or (g) Other acts or uses detrimental to such retention of land or water areas. B. Blue Heron Days Walter’s Recycling donated rolling trash bins to assist in garbage pick up at the end of the parade. C. Oak wilt Mr. Asleson updated the board on the oak wilt process. He stated this year there are roughly 200 trees infected with oak wilt this year. The city ordinance specifies if there is danger of oak wilt spreading from one neighbor to another, the city will take action to control this. The owners are required to take down the affected trees so that the disease does not go from property to property. Property owners are allowed to keep the wood if it is sealed off by heavy mill plastic and covered adequately. The city charges $125.00 an hour for the vibratory plow. The homeowners are notified of the cost. They are charged only for the time the plow is in the ground. Mr. Brown asked if homeowners can control the oak wilt on their own. Mr. Asleson stated yes. They can dig a wide trench around the base of the tree roughly 5 ½ feet deep. This year the city has received a $7,000 grant to help control oak wilt. Ms. Andrzejewski asked if after a tree is marked is there a follow up. Mr. Asleson stated yes. This year we have probably 20 trees that are high risk. Mr. Brown requested that Mr. Asleson make a list of definition for acronyms or commonly used words and phrases used by the board. Mr. Asleson stated yes. 7. ADJOURN It was noted that the next meeting of the Environmental Board will be on September 26, 2007. There being no further business, Ms. DeHaven moved to adjourn at 7:20 p.m. Ms. Paula Andrzejewski seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Transcribed by: Lisa Hogstad Community Development Secretary 4 DRAFT MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD MEETING AUGUST 29, 2007 5 DRAFT MINUTES