Agenda Packets - 2012/04/09 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Item No: 7D Meeting Date: April 9, 2012 Type of Business: Council Business Administrator Review: ____ City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Nick DeBar, Public Works Director Item Title/Subject: First Reading of Ordinance 871, Amending Chapter 605 of the Municipal Code to Include Emerald Ash Borer as a Regulated Tree Pest Background/Discussion: Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) was discovered in the summer of 2011 in a residential neighborhood of Shoreview less than a quarter mile away from the Mounds View border. There has been a lot of attention and anticipation of the eventual movement of the pest for some time, this infestation came as a surprise since it appeared to “skip” a ring of suburbs from St. Paul. With the imminent threat of finding EAB infected ash trees in Mounds View, a management plan and municipal code revisions has been developed to address this public nuisance. The Council reviewed and discussed the EAB management plan and Chapter 605 revisions at their April 2, 2012 work session with City Forestry Consultant, Rick Wriskey. The City has a very manageable number of ash (approx. 300) on public parkland, grounds, and boulevards that the EAB management plan addresses. However, there are thousands more on private property that the City currently has no regulatory authority to address if infected with EAB. To provide this authority, Chapter 605 needs to be updated to include EAB as a shade tree pest. The attached ordinance has provided the proper modifications to allow this to occur. The regulatory and abatement process will be similar to cases involving Oak Wilt and Dutch Elm Disease. Recommendation: City staff recommends that the Council review the attached ordinance, solicit public comment, and provide staff with any feedback. A second reading and adoption of the ordinance will be scheduled for April 23, 2012. Respectfully submitted, Nick DeBar - Public Works Director