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Conservation Commission - 05/01/2017 APPROVED MINUTES JOINT MEETING OF PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION AND CONSERVATION COMMISSION MONDAY, MAY 1, 2017 7:00 P.M. OUTDOOR CENTER 13765 Staring Lake Parkway PRNR COMMISSION MEMBERS: Larry Link, Chair; Debra McBride, Vice Chair; Cecilia Cervantes, Patrice Erickson, Donald Jacobson, Matt Pellowski, Leonard Pesheck, John Rahman, Kirk Spresser CONSERVATION COMMISSION Lori Tritz, Chair; Ashley Young, Vice Chair; MEMBERS: Amanda Anderson, Anna Anderson, Michael Bennet, Gena Gerard, Daniel Katzenberger, Kate Lohnes, Nate Pischke PRNR COMMISSION STUDENT William Hemler, Kirsten Johnson, Phillip Kuhn, REPRESENTATIVES: Conner Reding, Stefan Wenc, James Yoo CONSERVATION COMMISSION Hayden Bunn, Annika Quam, Emilie Cleveland, STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES: Zoe Pettit CITY STAFF: Jay Lotthammer, Parks & Recreation Director Matt Bourne, Parks and Natural Resources Manager Lori Brink, Recreation Manager Valerie Verley, Community Center Manager Stan Tekeila, Outdoor Center Supervisor/Naturalist Courtney Kendall, Recreation & Special Events Intern Beth Novak-Krebs, Senior Planner Leslie Stovring, Environmental Coordinator RECORDING SECRETARY: Jodie Fenske I. ROLL CALL/INTRODUCTIONS An optional site tour of the Outdoor Center began at 6:30 p.m. Tritz called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. Introductions were made and roll call was taken. PRNR Commission member McBride and Conservation Commission member Katzenberger were absent. PRNR Commission student representatives Hemler, Kuhn, Reding, Wenc, and Yoo were absent. Conservation Commission student representatives Quam, Cleveland, and Pettit were absent. City Staff member Kendall was absent. JOINT MEETING OF PRNR COMMISSION AND CONSERVATION COMMISSION May 1, 2017 Page 2 II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Motion: Erickson moved, seconded by Amanda Anderson, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried 16-0. III. APPROVAL OF PRNR MINUTES Cervantes suggested Section VI. A. New Business, paragraph 11, to read Hennepin Technical College. Motion: Cervantes moved, seconded by Spresser, to approve the April 3, 2017 minutes as amended. Motion carried 8-0. IV. APPROVAL OF CC MINUTES Motion: Bennet moved, seconded by Amanda Anderson, to approve the April 11, 2017 minutes. Motion carried 8-0. V. REPORT OF CITY COUNCIL ACTION Lotthammer reported two donations in the amount of$500 each (one from Envy Skin Clinic and one from Andersen Windows) were accepted for Arts in the Park. VI. REPORT OF PLANNING COMMISSION Bourne reported a variance was recently approved for seating size at the overlook shelter at the Riley Lake boat launch renovation project. VII. PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATION A. HANDOUTS OF UPCOMING EVENTS Brink and Verley presented flyers of upcoming events. 1. Mother/Son All-Star Evening Event will be held on Saturday, May 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Community Center. Boys aged 3 to 9 with an adult will enjoy dancing, music, sport team activities, and light refreshments. 2. Arbor Day Walk and Green Fair Event will be held on Saturday, May 6, from 9 a.m. to noon at Staring Lake Park. Attendees will be encouraged to enjoy activities at the Outdoor Center as well. Activities will include free seedlings, concessions, family activities, and tree health information. JOINT MEETING OF PRNR COMMISSION AND CONSERVATION COMMISSION May 1, 2017 Page 3 3. Arts in the Park More than 35 vendors and artists will be available at Purgatory Creek Park on Saturday, May 20, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Live entertainment, concessions, art activities, food trucks, and beer tasting will be provided. 4. Mother's Day Zumba The annual event will be held on Sunday, May 14, at 4 p.m. in the Community Center gym. Admission is free and all are welcome. VIII. NEW BUSINESS IX. OLD BUSINESS A. RILEY LAKE PARK RENOVATION UPDATE Lotthammer stated no renovation work shall begin prior to July 10. Beach and boat launch areas will remain open through August 20. He provided a brief synopsis of the project for Conservation Commission members, reiterating the project's theme as the residents' resort. Highlights included parking lot reconfiguration, additional picnic areas, beach area enlargement, increased handicap accessibility, second boat launch area, seating areas overlooking lake, wash station for cleaning boats, increased storm water retention treatment, and additional native plants. B. ARBOR DAY EVENT Amanda Anderson inquired and Tritz responded the tabletop display is not available for the upcoming Arbor Day event. Young and Anna Anderson will be providing a water table and Stovring will provide sand tables for children activities. Pamphlets and educational materials will be made available for parents and other adults. Paper copies of the quiz will be used since iPad versions of the quiz do not work well outside. Other handouts will include information on water conservation and lawn care. Tritz commended the Commission's student representatives who have been very involved, written articles, and attended events. Jacobson inquired and Tritz informed the Watershed District will be providing information for the event. X. REPORTS OF STAFF A. COMMUNITY CENTER MANAGER Verley announced the Community Center was recently presented the Sun Current Reader's Choice Best Recreation Center Award. This is the third year in a row the Community Center was presented this regional award. JOINT MEETING OF PRNR COMMISSION AND CONSERVATION COMMISSION May 1, 2017 Page 4 B. ENVIRONMENTAL COORDINATOR 1. Solid Waste Management Update Stovring provided an update on City's actions since the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has completed their solid waste master plan update. In addition, Hennepin County has updated their master plan to include increased organics recycling. City Council has approved the hiring of Foth Infrastructure and Environment, LLC (Foth) to assist Staff in developing a solid waste master plan and to determine if City should implement the organized collection of organics recycling. The kick-off meeting with Staff is being planned for late May and Stovring hopes to have a plan in place by January 2018. She added a grant received annually from Hennepin County is currently being reduced each year since the City does not provide organics recycling. Spresser inquired and Stovring responded, Richfield and Eden Prairie are the only two Hennepin County cities not currently offering collection of organics recycling. Cervantes inquired and Stovring responded, private garbage collection companies will eventually be required to add organics recycling to their contracts. Stovring clarified organics recycling is mainly food waste and it does not necessarily need to be collected in a separate bin or truck. C. RECREATION SERVICES MANAGER 1. Outdoor Center Sisnau and Master Plan Brink thanked Tekiela for providing a tour of the Outdoor Center prior to the meeting. She provided an updated PowerPoint presentation of the Master Plan for the benefit of Conservation Commission members. Goals are to increase visibility of site, improve access and circulation, and enhance community use. She noted some elements have been completed and others will be completed in phases. Future elements will include access via boardwalks out to the wetlands and along the lakeshore. Temporary and permanent interactive public art is planned. Trail improvements and additions, including boardwalks and bridges, have been completed by Parks staff. The addition of a greenhouse to the learning garden was completed as a Girl Scouts Silver Award project. Safety has been increased by the improvement of pedestrian crossings and a pedestrian entrance from Staring Lake Parkway all the way into the site. JOINT MEETING OF PRNR COMMISSION AND CONSERVATION COMMISSION May 1, 2017 Page 5 Nature-based play structures are being planned. Way-finding and interpretive signage will be improved throughout the site to encourage more exploration. The support and storage building will be improved to a more habitable and four-season classroom. Potential exists for enhanced site entrance signage and lighting. Tekiela presented pictures and described a recently completed wood duck box into which children can climb. Brink described the raptor mew housing the Center's resident owl, Whisper. Improvements to the Center have changed focus to more of an outdoor and environmental education classroom offering many school children hands-on opportunities. Cervantes inquired and Tekiela responded nature-based birthday parties are held onsite. D. PARKS AND NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGER 1. Lake Management Bourne provided a handout describing water quality parameters for seven City lakes. Staff partners with the University of Minnesota and other outside contractors and agencies for weed management and water quality projects. Lake aerators prevent winter fish kill by raising oxygen levels that can be sustained throughout the winter on Round Lake, Red Rock Lake, and Mitchell Lake. Pesheck inquired and Bourne responded water quality dictates which lakes have aerators. Weed management is performed via mechanical harvesting each spring on Staring, Riley, Round, Mitchell and Red Rock Lakes near beach areas, boat launches, and fishing piers. Herbicide application has decreased and is performed only when necessary since the Watershed District has become more involved in testing and treatment. Spresser inquired and Stovring explained Staring Lake historically struggles with water quality since Purgatory Creek is an optimal breeding ground for carp. Carp barrier and removal is performed to keep the population under control. Once the carp population is under control and ecosystem can be stabilized, water quality is expected to improve. Bourne explained a new Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) cleaning station will be installed as part of a grant received for the Riley Lake renovation project. The state-of-the-art system uses compressed air instead of water to perform cleaning and includes brushes and brooms. Stovring explained that this equipment is only the second piece in the State and is part of a pilot program that will be monitored over several years. JOINT MEETING OF PRNR COMMISSION AND CONSERVATION COMMISSION May 1, 2017 Page 6 Stovring provided additional analysis of the water quality parameters handout and ongoing steps taken to improve quality. Bluewater Science is contracted each summer to supplement sampling performed by the Watershed District. A fish survey will be performed at Red Rock Lake this summer. 2. Pollinator Friendly Native Grass Conversion Bourne provided an update on areas currently mowed but being converted to native grasses and pollinator friendly plant materials. Bids are currently being received for five projects covering a total of seven acres: City facilities (maintenance area and water plant), Edenvale Park area (lift station and well house), Hidden Ponds Park, Homeward Hills Park, and Nesbitt Preserve Park. Jacobson inquired and Bourne responded, soil prep for conversion is minimal and usually involves herbicide application followed by seed drilling. E. PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR 1. Aspire 2040 Lotthammer described Aspire 2040 as the City's comprehensive plan update which will create a blueprint to guide the City in its decision making for the next 20 years. The Park Department's role is to determine future programming and projects to meet the needs of City's changing demographics. Julie Klima, City Planner, introduced John Houseal and Jaemi Jackson of Houseal Lavigne Associates (HLA). HLA has been hired by the City to provide consulting services to assist with the multi-year process. The team will facilitate several focus group sessions and meet with property owners to discuss a variety of topics including housing, transportation, and economic competitiveness. Houseal and Jackson facilitated an exercise with the combined commissions group to cover resiliency efforts and planning for parks and community facilities. The goal was to receive feedback on priorities, issues, and opportunities looking forward to 2040. Each group then read their goal and provided possible actions to achieve said goal. Some goals included becoming the Minnesota city with the highest recycling waste aversion rate, increasing resident use of parks and natural spaces, raising all lakes' qualities to a B grade, maintaining balance of what is good for environment is good for business as well to be equal partners, increasing partnership with independent school district, creating more renewable resources for businesses and residents, converting large turf JOINT MEETING OF PRNR COMMISSION AND CONSERVATION COMMISSION May 1, 2017 Page 7 areas to no-mow areas, increasing rooftop efforts, completing bike trail system, enhancing recreation programming for aging and diverse population, increasing volume of programming at Community Center during trough period, and leading metropolitan area in terms of light rail parks and park access. Jackson recapped the highlights of the group's discussion as a desire for City to be a leader in the region in terms of sustainability and energy efficiency, as well as to increase partnerships throughout the City. Klima thanked the group for their input and invited all to spread the word about additional input sessions and possibly conduct their own community workshops. Additional information can be found on the City's website. XI. NEXT MEETING The next PRNR Commission meeting will be held on Monday, June 5, at 7 p.m. at the Community Center. The next Conservation Committee meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 13, at 7 p.m. at City Center. Commission members were reminded to RSVP as soon as possible for the Board and Commissions Banquet on Thursday, May 18, at 6 p.m. XII. ADJOURNMENT Motion: Amanda Anderson moved, seconded by Erickson, to adjourn the meeting at 9:1lp.m. Motion carried 16-0.