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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.