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HomeMy WebLinkAboutConservation Commission - 03/12/2019 APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE CONSERVATION COMMISSION MEETING TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2019 7:30 PM—CITY CENTER Prairie Room, 8080 Mitchell Road COMMISSION MEMBERS: Ashley Young (Chair), Kate Lohnes, Cindy Hoffman, Anna Anderson, Michael Bennett, Daniel Katzenberger CITY STAFF: Senior Planner Beth Novak-Krebs, Planning Division; Kristin Harley, Recording Secretary STUDENT MEMBERS: Troy Johnson, Rhea Sharma, Govind Makaram I. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Young called the meeting to order at 7:41 p.m. Absent was student representative Sharma. Nicole Mosteller, Sustainability Intern, and Carol Lundgren, Sustainability Specialist, joined the meeting. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: Bennett moved, seconded by Katzenberger to approve the agenda. Motion carried 6-0. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: Bennett moved, seconded by Lohnes to approve the minutes of February 12, 2019 Conservation Commission meeting. Motion carried 4-0 with 2 abstentions (Lohnes and Katzenberger). IV. REPORTS A. REPORTS FROM STAFF 1. RECAP OF WORKSHOP WITH STUDENTS Young and Lundgren summarized the workshop briefly, since the students had attended. Conservation Commission Minutes March 12, 2019 Page 2 2. DISCUSS MULTIFAMILY OUTREACH Novak-Krebs stated she sent out information from Xcel about outreach and the next step was to contact one or both of the buildings. She recapped the discussion on focusing on energy and the recommendations of Megan Yerks (Housing and Community Services) at the last meeting for the benefit of Lohnes, who did not attend the February meeting. Housing and Community Services also wanted to reach out to building owners and managers in 2019. Novak-Krebs offered to make the initial contact. Hoffman noted the case studies included in Novak-Krebs's email did not include Elim Shores and offered to meet with them. Lundgren stated Elim Shores would be at the Expo, and Hoffman could gather the data and send it to Lundgren and Novak-Krebs to look at. Young asked if the commission goal of the outreach was trying to get residents to sign up through Xcel, or if the program would be through the City of Eden Prairie. Novak-Krebs replied it would be Xcel's program. 3. TABLING OF HOME AND GARDEN EXPO Young announced the commission would represent energy. Novak-Krebs stated there would be LED light bulbs to distribute. Discussion followed on final arrangements and key messages. Katzenberger asked if it was permissible to collect email addresses. Discussion followed on language for an opt-in email list. Bennett asked if the City or the Home Energy Squad would contact residents. Novak-Krebs replied the Home Energy Squad would contact them. Katzenberger reminded the commission members there could be no visits until on or after April 1. Lundgren stated the City could send a reminder email then. Young took volunteers for shifts. Lundgren found the booth locations for the commission members. [Makaram and Katzenberger left at 8:03 p.m.] 4. TABLING OF ARBOR DAY EVENT Novak-Krebs announced the event would be held May 4 at Round Lake, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Young noted the focus areas were water and pollinators. Discussion followed on possible giveaways. Anderson asked for a deadline for decisions, and Lundgren replied the commission should come up with ideas by its next meeting. Hoffman stated certain seeds took at least two years to show results; other seeds such as buckwheat would germinate earlier. Lundgren suggested small seedling plants. Novak-Krebs suggested offering a native grass, and Lundgren suggested packets of low- mow fescue. Anderson suggested a potting station, and Lohnes suggested mustard seeds. Hoffman emphasized promoting a Minnesota native Conservation Commission Minutes March 12, 2019 Page 3 pollinator. Lohnes suggested making bee reed houses. Lundgren suggested a potential budget of around $300.00. She added there might be bee house kits for residents to assemble. 5. SUSTAINABLE EDEN PRAIRIE AWARD NOMINATION PERIOD Young suggested making the nomination period open all year. Discussion followed on the advantage of this idea. Lundgren offered to change the website to reflect this. 6. COUNCIL RETREAT Lundgren announced the Council and City leadership had a retreat the previous week and they discussed getting more assistance from the commission. She did not have specifics as yet. B. REPORTS FROM CHAIR Outgoing commission member Young expressed her pleasure at having worked with the commission and invited the members to contact her at any time for assistance or information. C. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION 1. WATER GROUP UPDATE Young asked if these subgroups should continue. Anderson replied she was not sure there was much actual business for them. Young suggested keeping the four sections in the agenda,but as topics, not as groups. Lundgren stated many water programs at the City would end on March 31, and the new smart irrigation program started in January. Discussion followed on promoting this rebate program. Bennett stated the topic of storm drains was on the news, and clearing these during the winter before the spring rains was crucial. 2. WASTE GROUP UPDATE Bennett recommended an article in the March 5, 2019 Atlantic magazine "Is This the End of Recycling?" which stated single-sort recycling often became so contaminated some communities were shutting it down. He noted the United States was sending waste to China which was coming back and becoming a useless glut. He urged the education piece is important regarding wishcycling. Composting was the logical next step. Conservation Commission Minutes March 12, 2019 Page 4 Lundgren announced there would be a recycling fee that did not exist previously. She was waiting for the press release by the County before revising and distributing the Eden Prairie recycling guide. Hoffman noted a discussion on Nextdoor.com that a resident from Bloomington was asking about waste recycling. Lundgren replied June 15 was the tentative date. On March 19 the plan would go to the City Council, with a goal of having the program up and running by next spring. Outgoing commission member Bennett stated it had been an honor to be on the commission and thanked the members and the students for their efforts and passion. He urged the commission continue to keep its enthusiasm going and reminded them of the Master Recycler Program. 3. LANDSCAPE/POLLINATOR GROUP UPDATE Lundgren stated Eden Prairie was running out of space for more native plantings, so the City was refocusing its efforts on improvements to the tree canopy. 4. ENERGY GROUP UPDATE D. REPORTS FROM STUDENTS V. OTHER BUSINESS VI. UPCOMING EVENTS Home and Garden Expo, March 16, 2019. Arbor Day, April 26, 2019. Metrowide Sustainability Conference, April 13, 2019 VII. NEXT MEETING The next Conservation Commission meeting will be held Tuesday, April 9, 2019, 7:00 p.m. in Prairie Rooms A & B. VIII. ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Bennett moved, seconded by Anderson to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 5-0. The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.