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HomeMy WebLinkAboutConservation Commission - 08/11/2016 APPROVED MINUTES CONSERVATION COMMISSION THURSDAY,AUGUST 11, 2016 7:00 P.M., CITY CENTER Collaboration Room 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Lori Tritz (Chair), Amanda Anderson (Vice Chair), Michael Bennett, Gena Gerard, Ashley Young STAFF: Beth Novak-Krebs, Planning Division Leslie Stovring, Engineering Brenda Uting, Recording Secretary GUESTS: Brian Ross, Great Plains Institute I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Chair Tritz called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Anderson and Gerard were absent. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Bennett moved, seconded by Young, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried 3-0. III. MINUTES A. Approval of the Minutes for the July 12, 2016 Meeting A change was made on page 5, under XII. Adjournment. Rather than Vice Tritz, it should be Chair Tritz. MOTION: Young moved, seconded by Bennett, to approve the minutes of the July 12, 2016, meeting with the change. Motion carried 3-0. IV. PRESENTERS A. Great Plains Institute (GPI) Brian Ross, Senior Program Director for Great Plains Institute (GPI), gave a PowerPoint presentation about Sustainable Eden Prairie. He said the Sustainable Eden Prairie will be broader and build on the successes of the 20-40-15 program. But where the 20-40-15 program focused on the City operation, the Sustainable Eden Prairie will expand to affect the larger community. CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES August 11, 2016 Page 2 Every 10 years, local government update their comprehensive plans to include descriptions of existing conditions, the desired conditions, and the strategies to be used to reach the goals and aspirations. Mr. Ross said, in addition to helping with the comprehensive plan update, GPI will help to define the next initiative to follow the 20-40-15 program, Sustainable Eden Prairie. The outcomes for the process will be concrete and achievable goals and will identify specific strategies to meet the goals. He said the Sustainable Communities Program is a component part of GPI and GPI also coordinates the GreenStep Cities, Renewable Energy Planning, Resilience/Su stainability Planning, Energy Star Challenge and the Metro Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) programs. The Sustainable Eden Prairie Priority Areas include: Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Groundwater Protection and Water Conservation Solid Waste Reduction and Management Enhance Pollinator Habitat The plan to move forward is to gather an inventory and create benchmarks of existing conditions, determine the desired conditions (targets and goals) and then create strategies and action plans. The Commission would make a decision about the desired conditions. GPI would inform the Commission about the strategies available and would guide City staff, the Commission and the Council in the process. Beyond the priority areas, Mr. Ross explained how we can find opportunities with co-benefits, such as creating a Solar Garden where solar panels are used next to native plantings to have multiple benefits. Mr. Ross explained that with any new change there is a cost and headaches,but these changes come with benefits. Tritz said it is a shift in the whole way of being; and it will be a success when sustainability is the norm. A change can already be seen in the marketplace for garden products. Consumers want bee friendly products. Young commented she loves the idea of incorporating sustainability programs at the development stage, such as green roofs or rainwater harvesting. At the City Council Workshop on August 16, the Council will hear this same presentation. Commission members are invited to attend at approximately 5:15 p.m. The Council will also be discussing the Tree Replacement Ordinance and how it is viewed in different situations and significant vs. non-significant trees. CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES August 11, 2016 Page 3 V. REPORTS FROM STAFF A. Green Step Cities Update— Step 4 Metric and Data Novak-Krebs shared the metric and data submitted for the Green Step City program. Some information was mandatory, other optional. Each category was reviewed with the data submitted. Bennett asked if the city has received any complaints about LED street lights. Novak-Krebs and Stovring responded that they are not aware of any complaints. Novak-Krebs added that some people love LED lighting, others do not. Great Plains Institute will use this data for their inventory. Bennett asked how long the Sustainable Eden Prairie program will take to be complete. Novak-Krebs responded that these types of programs are a long-term. The 20-40-15 program was 10 years. Commission members requested a copy of the matrix and data. B. Emnement of Student Members Novak-Krebs asked other Commission liaisons how they get the student representatives involved. The comments were that they make an effort to get the students involved in the conversations. The other liaisons are waiting to hear about the Conservation Commission's Student Program. Tritz shared the draft plan of the Student Program for more engagement and involvement of the student representatives on the commission. She wants to make the student's time with the commission a meaningful experience. Discussion revolved around making the student's tasks a requirement or an expectation. It was decided to inform the students in advance, at their orientation, that a three- minute introduction speech would be requested at the first meeting. They can share information about themselves, their experiences and interests. Commission members will provide ongoing education for students and others with a 10 minute presentation at each meeting on a particular topic. Topic schedule was discussed and may be changed as needed. Students will also be expected to work a shift at one of the Commission events; and organize a project, then provide a 10 minute presentation about their project in the spring. It was suggested the project should focus on the priority areas of the Sustainable Eden Prairie. Details of the Student Program will be shared with students at the September meeting. CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES August 11, 2016 Page 4 C. Ideas for Native Plant Landscaping Webpas!e The group reviewed the Native Plant Landscaping webpage. Stovring does not like the many clicks it takes to get to the webpage,but our city website design has limitations. She requested input from the Commission on ways to make the webpage more interesting, and of resources or other links to add. Currently it relates to City Code. A link to B1ueThumb.com will be added for a listing of native plants. Tritz expressed she would like to see our city website re-vamped to allow for more information and engagement from the residents. Ideally she would like to have a way to start a discussion panel, an app, Facebook opportunities to brag about your garden, or perhaps using SeeClickFix to note where a butterfly photo was taken, or show off your blooming plant. Stovring distributed a listing of the past Facebook topics. D. Recycling Display Materials for October 8 Citywide Open House Event The City-wide Open House is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. All Commission members and students will be requested to work this event. The Conservation Commission table will include a button maker and button designs to color, the cube of crushed cans, ReUse Coupon books, a survey, a poster blow-up of the Eden Prairie Recycling Guide and a Recycling Game. The game will be a challenge to determine where certain products go: ReUse, Recycle or Trash. Commission members are requested to bring to the next meeting products for the game: water bottles, yogurt cups,books,plastic bags, freezer boxes, etc. Tritz will send out a reminder email. Bennett will organize the game and provide training at the September meeting. Stovring will look in her supply closet for more items to have on display. She will also request the Eden Prairie Recycling Guide be created into a tri-fold handout. In addition, some give away prizes (tattoos, stickers, coloring books, etc.) will be purchased. VI. REPORTS FROM CHAIR Nothing to report. VII. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION Nothing to report. VIII. REPORTS FROM STUDENTS CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES August 11, 2016 Page 5 No students in the summer. IX. CONTINUING BUSINESS A. 2016 Education Plan Stovring distributed the 2016 Education Plan. Commission members can review the information and discuss at the September meeting. X. UPCOMING EVENTS City-Wide Open House— Saturday, October 8, 2016, 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. (City Center) XI. NEXT MEETING Next meeting is Tuesday, September 13, 2016 at 7 p.m. in the Prairie Room at City Center. XII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Bennett moved, seconded by Young, to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 3-0. Chair Tritz adjourned the meeting at 9:48 p.m.