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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSustainability Commission - 12/10/2024APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION MEETING TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2024 7:00 P.M. - Heritage Rooms 1&2 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Aaron Poock (Chair), Laura Bishop, Tim Conners, Gretchen Enninga, Cindy Hoffman, Moussa Ousmane, Carolyn Wieland, Michelle Frost, Jim Nehl STUDENT COMMISSION MEMBERS: Akhil Agrawal, Raghava Dwivedi, Evie Elmquist, Gabriel Hernandez, Lucinda Jacobs, Simone Kirkeby, Ishika Nanavati CITY STAFF: Jennifer Fierce, Sustainability Coordinator, Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Poock called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Commission members Bishop, Hoffman and Ousmane and student representatives Nanavati, Hernandez, Dwivedi and Agrawal were absent. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND OTHER ITEMS OF BUSINESS MOTION: Enninga moved, seconded by Wieland to approve the agenda. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM NOVEMBER 12, 2024 MEETING MOTION: Wieland moved, seconded by Enninga to approve the minutes from the November 12, 2024 meeting. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. IV. REPORTS A. REPORTS FROM STAFF 1. WATER RESOURCES UPDATE Fierce introduced Lori Haak, Water Resources Coordinator, who presented a PowerPoint. She introduced herself and gave an overview of the water resources in Eden Prairie. Sustainability Commission Minutes December 10, 2024 Page 2 Haak stated most lakes in Eden Prairie are less than 50 percent developed around them, including Staring, Round, Rice Marsh, Anderson, and Birch Island Lakes. Red Rock and Duck Lake are more than 50 percent developed. A particular concern is that average chloride (salt) concentrations are rising in Eden Prairie, particularly in the Purgatory Creek chain of lakes. Salt is not easily removed from water. Sources of the chlorides found in surface water is mainly road salt, not from lawn irrigation as Eden Prairie does not use salt to soften water. Eden Prairie’s water is lime softened. Wastewater treatment plants, fertilizer and livestock runoff are most of the remaining sources of chlorides found in surface water. Eden Prairie has been a leader in smart salt use since early 2000s. There is smart salting training for winter maintenance staff, focusing on how salt use stresses animals or plants even at low concentrations, and harms soil. Staff are given tools to make decisions about how much salt to lay down as the conditions warrant. Other improvements include pre-wetting salt to make it more effective. Eden Prairie also pretreats roads before storms (when possible) which reduces salt use by 30 percent. There are also three weather stations that provide real time pavement temperature data. The city’s snowplowing and ice control policy was updated in 2023 which focuses on safety and salt minimization, not providing clear pavement curb-to-curb after a snowstorm. Eden Prairie has also been working with a consultant to create low-salt design guidelines to minimize the need for salt in new developments. This looks at snow storage requirements as well as pavement considerations, drainage, plow access, salt storage, snow storage, sun use, vegetation, and “outsmarting” the wind. City Center and the Eden Prairie Police Department are going through a remodel, and as part of that the city will be redesigning the parking lot for smart salt use by changing snow storage and how it is drained from the site. Next steps were to continue data collection, monitor snow storage footprints, create a low salt design checklist/guide, ongoing training for staff, and public education/outreach. Nehl suggested publishing information on the Sustainable Eden Prairie page. Enninga asked for and received confirmation the City crews were monitored in real time and received individual feedback on the application of salt. Haak added it was Sustainability Commission Minutes December 10, 2024 Page 3 a source of pride for the drivers to use minimal salt; the trucks were filled mostly for traction. Haak was interviewed for an article at Eden Prairie News, and she spoke about correcting misperceptions. Conners expressed his concerns with the effect of salt on plants. 2025 WORK PLAN FINALIZATION [Wieland left at 7:41 p.m.] Fierce summarized the work plan approval process: initial suggestions are reviewed by city leadership to gauge alignment and support with the goals and priorities of the City Council. She noted some of the items suggested at the previous meeting for inclusion in the 2025 work plan were discussed with city leadership and did not have support to move forward at this time, including: • Creating an electrification rebate program by increasing franchise fees • Implementing a plastic bag fee • Large building benchmarking was not included as it is already a state statute requirement. In addition, Fierce noted that cities with existing benchmarking policies have been told their programs must change to match the state requirements. Adding it at the city level would be duplicative. State benchmarking requirements begin in 2025 applied to 100,000 square foot buildings and larger, and then in 2026 with 50,000 square foot buildings and larger. Fierce noted a “citizen’s guide for sustainability” handout could be put together before 2025 events. Nehl suggested a residential and business Sustainability checklist, modeled after City of Minnetonka’s website. He passed out an example. Fierce confirmed this was the same concept as the citizen’s guide referenced. Discussion followed on the effects of plastic bags and efforts that would work to change behavior. STUDENT SWAP PROJECT PLANNING Fierce stated the Commissioners needed to start the process of planning this project. In the past, the commission used student liaisons to hold the event at the high school and stated she would be open to doing that again. She asked for a timeframe and ideas for outreach. Sustainability Commission Minutes December 10, 2024 Page 4 Jacobs stated the school just held one so this could wait a bit. Elmquist described the lunchtime event. Kirkeby suggested holding it during a change of season. The group tentatively decided to schedule it for March or the first part of April. Frost suggested after spring break in the first week in April. Fierce asked the students to think about locations and to keep this event clothing focused. Discussion followed on location ideas. Poock suggested this could be an outreach idea for prom preparation. B. REPORTS FROM CHAIR Poock thanked the commission members for presenting at the Eden Prairie Sustainability Awards. C. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION Nehl stated he Googled “cities successful at reducing single-bag usage” and retrieved a great deal of information. He stated there was more research to be done. There was a website in which one could put in city name and receive an estimate of how many bags used, pounds used, and the effect on the environment. Frost noted two junior students at the high school had a technology collection which was very successful and filled up a garage and a rented truck. Conners stated the Eco Expo was in preparation. It would be held April 12. He asked for volunteers. D. REPORTS FROM STUDENTS V. OTHER BUSINESS VI. UPCOMING EVENTS VII. NEXT MEETING The next Sustainability Commission meeting will be held Monday, January 14, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in Heritage Rooms 1&2. VIII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Enninga moved, seconded by Conners to adjourn the meeting. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:16 p.m.