HomeMy WebLinkAboutEnvironmental Quality Committee Packet 06-12-2019
CITY OF PLYMOUTH
AGENDA
Environmental Quality Committee
June 12, 2019, 7:00 PM
Plymouth City Hall – Medicine Lake Room A
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. PUBLIC FORUM – Individuals may address the Committee about any item not contained
on the regular agenda. A maximum of 15 minutes is allotted for the Forum. If the full 15
minutes are not needed for the Forum, the Committee will continue with the agenda. The
Commission will take no official action on items discussed at the Forum, with the exception
of referral to staff for future report.
3. APPROVE AGENDA – Environmental Quality Committee members may add items to the
agenda for discussion purposes or staff direction only. The Environmental Quality
Committee will not normally take official action on items added to the agenda.
4. CONSENT AGENDA – These items are considered to be routine and will be enacted by
one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Committee member
or citizen so requests, in which event the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda
and placed elsewhere on the agenda.
4.1 Approve May 8, 2019 Environmental Quality Committee Meeting Minutes
5. GENERAL BUSINESS
5.1
5.2
Green Step Cities – Next Steps (LaBounty)
Wetland & Stormwater Ordinance Update (LaBounty)
5.3 Adopt a Street Event Rescheduled for Saturday, June 15, 2019
6. REPORTS AND STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS
7. FUTURE MEETINGS
7.1 July 10, 2019: MS4 Annual Public Hearing
8. ADJOURNMENT
DRAFT Minutes
Environmental Quality Committee (EQC)
May 8, 2019
MEMBERS PRESENT: Committee Members Paul Senne, Andy Polzin, Marita Prokop,
Clark Gregor, Joel Spoonheim, Laura Babcock
MEMBERS ABSENT: Marky Williamson
STAFF PRESENT: Water Resources Manager Vanessa Strong, Senior Engineering
Technician Ben Scharenbroich
1. Call to Order – 7:02 P.M.
2. Public Forum
Steve Japs, with Green Step Cities, shared his opinions on climate change and encouraged the
committee to actively pursue implementing the Green Steps program in Plymouth. Water
Resources Manager Strong updated the committee on the progress of the Resolution to implement
the Green Steps program. She indicated that the new City Engineer would like to review the
program and also meet with the committee in June.
3. Approval of Agenda
Chair Prokop proposed adding an agenda item to get an update on the Bass and Pomerleau Lake
Alum Treatment. Motion by Committee Member Senne, seconded by Committee Member Polzin,
recommending approval of the May 8, 2019 Environmental Quality Committee meeting agenda
as amended. With all members voting in favor, the motion carried.
4. Consent Agenda
A. Approve March 2019 EQC Meeting Minutes
Motion by Committee Member Polzin, seconded by Committee Member Babcock recommending
approval of the Consent Agenda. With all members voting in favor, the motion carried.
5. General Business
A. Bass and Pomerleau Lake Alum Treatment
Senior Engineering Technician Scharenbroich updated the committee on the progress of the
program: the contracts were currently being signed and following that all entities involved would
meet to discuss the timeline of the treatment. He also gave an overview of what the treatment
entails and why it was being done. This will be the first alum treatment on a lake in Plymouth.
B. Medicine Lake Boat Launch Closure
Water Resources Manager Strong explained that the Council approved closure of the boat launch
for the 2019 season, but also was looking for staff to make a recommendation as to whether or not
the launch should be permanently closed starting in 2020.
Environmental Quality Committee Minutes
May 8, 2019
Page 2
Committee Member Spoonheim shared that the City of Medicine Lake does not have a boat launch
on Medicine Lake. The three boat launches are the Plymouth launch, Hardy’s launch, and the
Three Rivers at French Park. He said AMLAC supports closing the launch for three weekends in
the spring and fall to help control the spread of invasive species. He indicated that he was involved
with polling the residents on the lake and the feedback was favorable to close the launch.
C. Drop Off Day Summary
Water Resources Manager summarized the event, highlighting the three changes implemented this
year: one-way traffic on 23rd Avenue, having an unadvertised “soft” open at 7:00 a.m., and
charging $100 for box trucks. Final numbers were not yet available. This year the traffic flow was
improved and was much safer, but the wait time was the longest yet for this event. Staff is looking
at what the cause was for this and leaning towards the thought that more items per vehicle were
brought in, which delays the time to unload. Staff will review and consider options to see what
changes can be made to alleviate the wait time.
D. Environmental Commission Conference Recap
Committee Members Polzin and Williamson attended the conference. Committee Member Polzin
gave a recap: 48 commissioners from 22 commissions attended the conference. The morning
session consisted of break-out discussions of several topics and each group gave an overview of
what their city was doing relative to the topics. Some of the topics included energy, carbon,
organics, water quality conservation, sustainable lawns/landscaping, and transportation.
The afternoon session had presentations on effective residential and business outreach and
effective youth engagement.
Polzin said several of the cities have student members but few of the students had voting rights.
He also indicated several cities were part of the Green Steps program.
6. Reports and Staff Recommendations
7. Future Meetings June 12, 2019
• Green Steps
• Introduce Chris LaBounty, City Engineer
8. Adjournment
Environmental Quality Committee adjourned at 8:25 p.m.
ENVIRONMENTAL
QUALITY COMMITTEE
June 12, 2019
Agenda
Number: 5.1
To: Environmental Quality Committee
Prepared by: Chris LaBounty, City Engineer
Reviewed by:
Item: Green Step Cities – Next Steps
1. ACTION REQUESTED:
Discuss next steps for implementing Green Cities and review draft resolution.
2. BACKGROUND:
The GreenStep Cities Program is a 5-step recognition program designed for Minnesota cities. The
program offers 175 Best Management Practices in 5 categories which consist of: Building & Facilities,
Land Use, Transportation, Environmental Management, Resilient Economic and Community
Development.
At the meeting staff will provide the EQC an overview of the program and outline the proposed
implementation plan for EQC discussion. A draft resolution authorizing the City to participate in the
Minnesota GreenStep Cities Program is attached for review.
3. BUDGET IMPACT:
N/A
4. ATTACHMENTS:
Draft Resolution
CITY OF PLYMOUTH
RESOLUTION NO.
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF PLYMOUTH
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MINNESOTA GREENSTEP CITIES PROGRAM
WHEREAS, Minnesota Session Laws 2008, Chapter 356, Section 13 directed the Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and Office of Energy Security in the Department of Commerce (Office
of Energy Security), in collaboration with Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs), to recommend
municipal actions and policies that work toward meeting the State’s greenhouse gas emissions
reduction goals; and
WHEREAS, a broad coalition of public and private stakeholders including the League of
Minnesota Cities, the MPCA, Office of Energy Security and CERTs responded to 2008 legislation by
establishing the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program to provide a series of sustainable development
best practices focusing on local government opportunities to reduce energy use and greenhouse gases;
and
WHEREAS, Minnesota GreenStep Cities is a voluntary challenge, assistance and recognition
program to help cities achieve their sustainability and quality-of-life goals. GreenStep is a free,
continuous improvement program, managed by a public-private partnership, and based upon 29 best
practices. Each best practice can be implemented by completing one or more actions at a 1, 2 or 3-star
level, from a list of four to eight actions. These actions are tailored to all Minnesota cities, focus on cost
savings and energy use reduction, and encourage civic innovation; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program assists in facilitating technical assistance for
the implementation of these sustainable development best practices; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program provides cost-effective sustainable
development best practices in the following five categories: (1) Buildings and Lighting; (2)
Transportation; (3) Land Use; (4) Environmental Management; and (5) Economic and Community
Development;
WHEREAS, steps taken toward sustainable solutions aim to improve community quality of life,
building community capital and increasing government efficiency, accountability and transparency; and
WHEREAS, the City of Plymouth Environmental Quality Committee has reviewed the elements of
the program, is supportive of participation in the program, and believes the program will support City
and Committee goals.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PLYMOUTH,
MINNESOTA:
1. The City of Plymouth is authorized to participate in the Minnesota GreenStep Cities
program that offers a free, voluntary continuous improvement framework. Passage of
this participation resolution allows the City to be recognized as a Step One GreenStep
City; and
2. [name of contact person] is appointed to serve as the City’s GreenStep coordinator for
best practice documentation/implementation; and
3. The City will facilitate the involvement of community members and other units of
government as appropriate in the planning, promoting and/or implementing of
GreenStep Cities best practices; and
4. Grants to the GreenStep program’s buildings advisor review access to the City's B3
Benchmarking Database so as to facilitate analysis and cost-saving technical assistance
to the City regarding its buildings’ energy use; and
5. The City will provide feedback once a year on how well the GreenStep program is
serving the city and on city needs from the program; and
6. The City will claim credit for having implemented and will work at its own pace toward
implementing any 8 GreenStep best practices that will result in energy use reduction,
economic savings, quality of life improvement, reduction in the City’s greenhouse gas
footprint, and recognition by the League of Minnesota Cities as a Step Two GreenStep
City. An on-going summary of the City’s implementation of best practices will be
posted by the City on the Minnesota GreenStep Cities web site.
APPROVED by the City Council on this 23rd day of July, 2019.
O:\Utilities\Storm Sewer and Water Resources\Environmental Quality Committee\Packets\2019\Jun Packet EQC 2019\Adopt-a-Street June
memo.docx
Agenda Number
CITY OF PLYMOUTH
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE
AGENDA REPORT
DATE: June 7, 2019
TO: Environmental Quality Committee (EQC)
FROM: Ben Scharenbroich, Senior Engineering Technician
SUBJECT: RESCHEDULED ADOPT-A-STREET DAY
SATURDAY JUNE 15, 2019
BACKGROUND: The Adopt-a-Street program is a vehicle for local groups, organizations and
individuals to adopt a city street in Plymouth. The Environmental Quality Committee (EQC) had
pledged to clean up the area along Dunkirk Lane between County Road 6 and County Road 24.
This includes picking up cans, bottles and other litter as well as cleaning off storm sewer grates
and reporting graffiti or hazardous items. Litter and recyclable materials are placed in bags for
collection by City of Plymouth crews. Applicants assume all liability for volunteers participating
in the cleanup events.
The City of Plymouth provides safety vests, trash bags, bags for recyclables, bag pickup and
disposal. The City of Plymouth has installed a sign in a safe location with the EQC’s name as
recognition of participation in the program.
Due to inclement weather on May 18, the EQC’s first Adopt-A-Street event for 2019 has been
rescheduled for Saturday June 15, 2019.
BUDGET IMPACT: There is no budget impact for setting the first Adopt-a-Street pick-up day in
2019.