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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSustainability Commission - 11/18/2025Approved Minutes Eden Prairie Sustainability Commission Meeting 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 18, 2025 City Center – Heritage Rooms 1&2 8080 Mitchell Road Eden Prairie, MN 55344 ATTENDEES Commission Members: Aaron Poock (Chair), Cindy Hoffman (Vice Chair), Tim Conners, Michelle Frost, Daniel Hendrickson, Alexis Junker, Jim Nehl, Moussa Ousmane, Carolyn Wieland Student Commission Members: Lillian Beutz, Avni Maheshwari, Ava Muilenburg, Shailee Rana, Paili Rice, Atharva Sarmah, Jhansi Senthilkumar, Syon Shetty, Ipshita Tiwari, Colin Weiher City Staff: Jennifer Fierce - Sustainability Coordinator, Kristin Harley – Recording Secretary MEETING AGENDA I. Call the Meeting to Order Chair Poock called the meeting to order at 7:44 p.m. II. Approval of Agenda and Other Items of Business MOTION: Hendrickson moved, seconded by Hoffman, to approve the agenda. Motion carried 9-0. III. Minutes A. Sustainability Commission meeting held Tuesday, October 14, 2025 MOTION: Hendrickson moved, seconded by Junker, to approve the minutes of the Sustainability Commission Tuesday, October 14, 2025 meeting. Motion carried 9-0. IV. Reports A. Reports from Staff 1. Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District – Watershed Management Plan Liz Forbes and Terry Jeffery from RPBCWD introduced themselves. They SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES November 18, 2025 Page 2 provided the commission an overview of their district, staff, funding and board. Forbes noted the agency priorities of water resources protection, management, and restoration. She discussed the groups work to prevent carp, reduce invasive species, prevent erosion, and treat stormwater. RPBCWD engages with students, volunteers, and paid staff to do this work. They also partner with the City of Eden Prairie to provide community education. Forbes also noted the work they do with chloride reduction and lake associations. Jeffery noted the district is also looking to reach out to new audiences who may not be aware of the district and what it does and noted the funding they use to help with stormwater and water protection projects. Forbes noted the alum treatments, stream sampling, and restoration projects they’ve worked on in the city. Forbes discussed carp control and the goldfish in Duck Lake, and that short of draining the lake there is little that can be done to remove them. She also noted the differences between invasive species like water milfoil and curly leaf and the aquatic plants that help biodiversity and fish and other organisms thrive, and the tension between lake users for recreation vs as a natural resource. She noted the district’s work to restore shorelines to prevent water pollution, including its cost share program. They also have funding to help convert lawns into pollinator-friendly habitats. Jeffrey discussed their soil health program and study, and how turf lawns are generally compacted. Forbes provided information on their education outreach, including “Creek Week”. Forbes and Jeffrey went through a list of SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES November 18, 2025 Page 3 infrastructure projects the district has completed over the last several years. Three lakes in the district are being removed from the state impaired waters list as a result. They also discussed plans for their new district headquarters off Spring Road in Eden Prairie. They want to do habitat restoration along with the building construction and make the entire area educational and a community resource. They encouraged the commission to provide feedback on sustainable features for the building. Jeffrey provided an overview of the statutory requirements of their ten-year plan and identified areas for partnership. Commissioner Hendrickson asked about the use of brine as a de-icing tool. Jeffery noted the temperature constraints to use of brine and commended the City for initiating a low-salt design in its planning processes. Forbes and Jeffrey discussed how water in Eden Prairie does not require the use of a water softener, as the treatment plant uses lime to soften the water before it even reaches a home. The commission and staff discussed water conservation efforts. Forbes and Jeffrey thanked the commission for listening and encouraged them to participate further in their upcoming planning process. B. Reports from Chair 1. Chair Poock commended the student commissioners on their excellent work presenting the Sustainable Eden Prairie Award winners earlier in the evening. C. Reports from Commissioners 1. Commissioner Weiland provided an update on the progress with the waste SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES November 18, 2025 Page 4 audits done in Eden Prairie Schools through MnTAP and volunteer food sorters. She noted there was one event left, but went through the preliminary findings of the first two audits. Everything was sorted into 4 categories: recycling, organics, foods that were wasted, and trash. She noted the elementary students seemed to sort better than middle- schoolers. She also noted that breakfast at the elementary school came in plastic bags. Once the audits are complete, MnTAP will compile the findings into a report and present them to school district officials to discuss next steps. The student commissioners may be able to support future changes in the system. 2. Commissioner Frost commented on the awards ceremony from earlier in the evening and expressed her support to continue to the awards program. She noted the engagement with the community was important and they could rethink the process to have more participation. Commissioners Nehl and Hendrickson agreed. D. Reports from Student Commissioners 1. Students noted they had decided on a book swap, and the date was set for March 7th at the Community Center. V. Upcoming Events A. None VI. Next Meeting A. December 9, 2025 VII. Adjournment – 9:03 PM