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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-04-20 PACKET 04.A.i.REQUEST OF CITY COUNCIL ACTION COUNCIL AGENDA MEETING ITEM # DATE 4/20/11 e PREPARED BY Community Development Jennifer Levitt ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT STAFF AUTHOR COUNCIL ACTION REQUEST Receive and place on file the approved minutes for the Environmental Commission's meeting on March 9, 2011. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Receive and place on file the approved minutes for the Environmental Commission's meeting on March 9. 2011. BUDGET IMPLICATION $N /A $N /A N/A BUDGETED AMOUNT ACTUAL AMOUNT FUNDING SOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION ACTION SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ❑ MEMO /LETTER: ❑ RESOLUTION: ❑ ORDINANCE: ❑ ENGINEERING RECOMMENDATION: ❑ LEGAL RECOMMENDATION: ® OTHER: Approved minutes of Environmental Commission meeting on 3/9/11 ADMINISTRATORS COMMENTS Date COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN: ❑ APPROVED ❑ DENIED ❑ OTHER DATE REVIEWED APPROVED DENIED ❑ PLANNING ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ PUBLIC SAFETY ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ PUBLIC WORKS ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ PARKS AND RECREATION ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ HUMAN SERVICES /RIGHTS ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ECONOMIC DEV. AUTHORITY ❑ ❑ ❑ ® ENVIRONMENTAL 4113/11 ❑ ® ❑ SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ❑ MEMO /LETTER: ❑ RESOLUTION: ❑ ORDINANCE: ❑ ENGINEERING RECOMMENDATION: ❑ LEGAL RECOMMENDATION: ® OTHER: Approved minutes of Environmental Commission meeting on 3/9/11 ADMINISTRATORS COMMENTS Date COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN: ❑ APPROVED ❑ DENIED ❑ OTHER Environmental Commission City of Cottage Grove Wednesday, March 9, 2011 A meeting of the Environmental Commission was held at Cottage Grove City Hall, 7516 — 80th Street South, Cottage Grove, Minnesota, on March 9, 2011, in the Council Chambers. Attendees Members Present: Rick Chase, Barbara Gibson, Patrick Lynch, David Olson, Thaddeus Owen, Matthew Porrett Members Absent: Karla Bigham, Rita Isker, Patrick McLoughlin Others Present: Justin Olsen, City Councilmember Howard Blin, Community Development Director Jennifer Levitt, City Engineer Ryan Schroeder, City Administrator Call to Order Porrett opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. Approval of Agenda A motion was made and seconded to approve the agenda. Motion passed unanimously (6 -to -0 vote). Open Forum /Additional Agenda Items 1►i5ml - New Business cast IVIe1.r0 VVdier MU5UUrUU GUUU4LIVII rl Vl41altl r1e5e11L4L1U11 — r,uuoc "U11L] Angie Hong from the East Metro Water Resource Education Program provided an overview of the various programs offered by her organization. There was a request for clarification on what impairment means. Hong responded that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency uses the term "impaired" when a water body does not meet whatever its designated use is. Does a rain garden require a curb cut to capture water from the street? Hong responded that there are two different types of rain gardens. One is a rain leader disconnect which just captures the water that comes from the driveway or rooftop and is located where the water comes to it naturally. There is an option to do the curb cuts, which are usually installed during road reconstruction projects. Levitt stated that last year during the pavement management project, Cottage Grove installed five rain gardens in a rural setting. In this year's pavement management, there are four or five more rain gardens going in. She explained that it is challenging to reconstruct areas with a curb and gutter system because of the risk and liability of allowing water to flow into a property where it is not contained. The City has not done this to date, but the city is not opposed to it. It was asked about the longevity of a rain garden. Hong stated that after 20 years curb cut rain gardens start Environmental Commission March 9, 2011 Minutes Page 2 of 5 to get to the point where there is enough sediment to be scraped and a new layer of soil put down, which is about the same life span as a stormwater pond before they need to be dredged. It was asked whose responsibility it was to maintain the rain gardens when pollutant levels get high. Levitt responded that when the city has done rain gardens in the past, the property owners have to sign a maintenance agreement with the city that outlines their requirements to maintain that garden. Hong stated that rain gardens can be designed to capture some of those contami- nants, such as adding a trench grate or sod strips between the road and garden that can be replaced every few years. It was noted that there are a number of programs the Commission might be interested in pur- suing but they want to discuss those amongst themselves, such as landscaping options for the new City building. Hong stated that the Washington County Conservation District and the South Washington Watershed District could help with the design and to find funding; her role would be to figure out what educational component could go with that project. Levitt noted that the civil engineer for the public safety /city hall project has included a number of infiltration basins, rain garden features, and porous pavers, which are being submitted to the South Washington Watershed District for a grant. It was asked if the city would incorporate those types of features whether we get outside funding or not. Levitt responded most likely. She stated that the Watershed District has very strict requirements for phosphorous removal, so it is mandatory that all water from roofs, parking lots, and streets be treated before being discharged. It was asked as far as the discharge treatment, will there be a detention pond. Levitt responded yes, explain- ing that both the city's surface water management plan and the Watershed District have water quality components and a rate control component that have to be met in the design of the site. It was asked if there would be federal funding. Levitt responded that the funding comes from the South Washington Watershed District, which comes through the utility fee they collect. The Watershed District's requirements mirror the state's requirements. - - Blue Star Award Levitt reported that The Friends of the Mississippi River will present the Blue Star Award to the City at the March 16 City Council meeting. East Metro PFC Biomonitoring Study Blin provided an update on the East Metro PFC Biomonitoring Study, which was a legislatively mandated study conducted in Oakdale, Lake Elmo, and Cottage Grove. They found that there were slightly elevated levels of PFOA and PFOS from the blood samples taken from the East Metro area, but nothing alarming. They will be retesting those same people this summer to check for any changes. Levitt stated that the results should be available sometime this fall. It was asked if they are just testing the blood levels or are they doing any research on health con- ditions. Blin responded they are just checking the levels of PFCs in the blood of the test sub- jects. He also noted that a separate study was done of cancer rates in Washington County and that study did not find any higher rates of cancer in Washington County than in the rest of the Twin Cities metro area. Gibson commented that a couple of the PFCs have long half lives, up to three or four years, so it has not been that long for some of these to reduce the levels found in the blood. Annual Groundwater Monitoring Report Levitt reported that the 3M Woodbury site undergoes annual monitoring where samples taken are taken, and that report was included with the Commission packet. The city's consultant SEH, reviewed that report, noting that the contamination level has declined for five consecutive years Environmental Commission March 9, 2011 Minutes Page 3 of 5 and nothing is happening at that site that is compromising our water supply system in any way. Blin added that they are done with the remediation program at the Woodbury landfill site; they have dug up all the PFCs they intended to and hauled it all away. Did 3M ask to pump less at the Woodbury site? Levitt responded yes, their proposal to reduce their pumping rate was ap- proved by the MPCA but at this point in time, the MPCA has indicated that the pumping reduc- tion has not taken place yet. There was a question to Councilmember Olsen if there is anything the Council would like from the Commission relative to this groundwater monitoring program. Olsen responded, in partnership with staff, just a thorough analysis of the data. There was a question on what happens next relative to this document. Blin responded that the MPCA re- quires that on an annual report be prepared, and the city will continue to monitor the levels. Will this report be on the Council's agenda so they have the opportunity to make comments or should the Environmental Commission deliver a report to them? Blin responded that it is up to the Commission if they want to add any commentary to it. Levitt stated that in the past the City has received the annual report and staff has reviewed it, but it hadn't typically been sent to a consultant for more thorough investigation. She stated that staff asked our consultant to review it and submit a report for the Environmental Commission. She noted that the Environmental Commission packets are sent to the City Council, so they have received this information. 16011:111M I =_ Public Safety /City Hall Facility Update Owen reported that a subcommittee of the Environmental Commission met to discuss the pro- posed building and what environmental sustainability criteria might be pursued or presented to the Council. They came up with a list of questions and recommendations for the City Council and staff based on green criteria. He stated that they would like to have a working session with members of the Council and staff to work through what environmental criteria might be feasible for the building. Blin asked who is on the subcommittee. Owen is the chair, Bigham, McLoughlin, Chase, and Porrett. It was stated that the most important thing to nail down was when certain things such as the HVAC plans have to be final, so the Commission can stage what can and can't be influenced. Blin stated that because this Commission is bound by state open meeting law regulations and any subcommittee of this Commission is also bound by those regulations. Any meeting of a subcommittee is technically public, so the agenda must be published and minutes kept. The Commission members agreed to abide by the open meeting laws and will send any agendas to staff for posting. Levitt reported that the Weidt Group would be available to talk about the analysis they are con- ducting with the architect, potentially as early as the next meeting. There is a public meeting scheduled for March 29 at City Hall. Sustainability Flyer Levitt explained that at the workshop session on February 9, the Commission expressed interest in potentially creating a flyer that centers around sustainability. Brian Voelker, Public Works Management Analyst, outlined upcoming environmental events and listed a variety of topics as ideas for that flyer, and she asked for feedback from the Commission. It was suggested that the flyer could include information on the city's oil recycling program at Public Works. There was a request for the Commission members to provide written comments on what they would like to Environmental Commission March 9, 2011 Minutes Page 4 of 5 see in the sustainability flyer. Levitt responded that any comments could be emailed to her, and she would continue to work with Voelker on developing a flyer. Topics for Future Study Porrett stated that at the last meeting he asked the Commission to compile their top five issues for future study but he had only received a couple responses. He asked if anyone had sugges- tions to make. Olson stated that he believes the Commission needs to narrow the Commission's focus somewhat. Porrett stated that a lot of the work will be done in the subcommittee format so deeper discussions can be had, such as at the meeting regarding the new public safety /city hall building. It was proposed to use the goals decided upon by the Commission to narrow down what the Commission focuses on for the year. Olsen stated that he believes this Commission does a great job of dialoging on a variety of topics and he sees a great deal of passion and energy around the subject of impacting the environment in a positive way. There are some spe- cific things that Council lays out each year in its goal setting session that will touch this Com- mission but there is also latitude to work with staff on understanding what some of the larger challenges might be relative to your purview and then working towards either solving those challenges or providing Council with comprehensive analysis so they can make better policy. He explained that the Environmental Commission is an advisory board as opposed to a policy making board, and the Council needs good advice to make good policy. Some issues that may need a subcommittee include groundwater issues, permitting, the public safety /city hall building, and community outreach. It was also noted that different Commissioners specialize in particular areas, such some who are building experts and others on public health issues. Commissioners' strengths will lead to which committees they will serve on to bring a deeper understanding to the rest of the Commission and the City Council. It was the consensus of the Commission to dis- cuss this topic at the next meeting after more suggestions for topics are received. Levitt stated that it was discussed to potentially have every other meeting to be off camera as a more detailed workshop session and noted that option is still available. Approval of Environmental Commission Minutes of February 9, 2011 Blin noted that the adjournment time in the minutes that were mailed to the Commission was changed. A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes of the February 9, 2011, Environ- mental Commission meeting. Motion passed unanimously. -.. City Council Update Olsen stated that he would be appointing the Chair for the Environmental Commission and asked if there were any nominations to serve as Chair and Vice Chair for the next year. Porrett was nominated as Chair and Owen as Vice Chair. It was the consensus of the Commission that Porrett continue as Chair for another year and that Owen be appointed Vice Chair. Olsen announced that there will be an All Commission Meeting on Saturday, March 26, at 8:30 a.m. at River Oaks Golf Course. The intent is to present the Council's goals and objectives for 2011, a refresher on Robert's Rules, and an update on the public safety /city hall facility. Environmental Commission March 9, 2011 Minutes Page 5 of 5 Olsen reported that the City Council will be touring some recently developed city hall buildings that Wold helped construct. He will be looking at those buildings from an environmental per- spective and will report those thoughts to the Commission. One of the goals for the new building is to have a veterans memorial, which would be an outdoor garden, which could be a good opportunity for a rain garden with a seating area. Gibson asked if the All Commission Meeting would be televised as she will be out of town that day. Olsen stated that the meeting will be taped and CDs of that meeting could be sent with the packets. Response to Commission Inquiries Blin stated that the Nelson Mines EIS is on hiatus as Aggregate Industries determines whether to move forward with the project. The DNR has determined that they have to mitigate or replace the area they would mine in the river with a wetland creation somewhere else, which may make the project infeasible. If they decide to go forward, the final decisions on the EIS would be made in late summer or fall of this year. He then stated that the MPCA reported that there are two air permits coming up in April, both from 3M. One is for Building 133, which is the traffic safety building, and Building 17. He asked if the intention of the Commission was to review every air permit that comes through. It was responded the Commission needs to be aware of what is coming up; some permits are going to be more onerous than others, such as the incinerator. The Commission needs to at least review what is being permitted. Blin stated that in some cases that would be difficult because there is a 30 -day review period and this Commission meets every 30 days also. There was a request for an inventory of every air permit in Cottage Grove. It was asked if the City was registered with the GreenStep Cities. Blin responded yes, we are in the process of checking off the best practices that ultimately qualify a city to be a Green- Step City, which should be accomplished in about a year. Olson stated that he, Bigham, Chase, and Owen will be touring the 3M incinerator on Monday night from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Adjourn A motion was made and seconded to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously and the meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.