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NRC Work Session minutes 07-10-2024CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION WORK SESSION MINUTES 6:00 PM Wednesday, July 10, 2024 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights 1.Call to Order Chair Swank called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. 2.Roll Call In attendance: Chair Swank, Vice Chair Knosalla, Commissioners Husbands, Fahnhorst, McCaslin, Sheets, and Student Commissioner Trudeau. Absent: Commissioner Stein. Staff in attendance: Natural Resources Coordinator Krista Spreiter and Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek. 3.Discussion a.2025 Budget Requests Staff reviewed the 2024 Budget. Council feedback from 2023 suggested providing more detailed budget items. NRMP Priority Projects were reviewed. Discussion was held on current NRMP projects. The pollinator corridor. Suggestion was made to abandon project for now, and concentrate on others, since it is a corridor that is used by Xcel and getting the project established will cost much more than was projected in NRMP. Maintain $13,630 from 2024 to 2025 for this project. Additional projects were discussed. Some projects have moved to the maintenance phase, and should be moved under the maintenance budget. Other projects have not begun and will still be budgeted for under the establishment phase. Other projects were paid for with grant funds, and will not need to be included in the budget or will be reduced. Franchise Fee discussion - how much will be generated? 200-300k to general fund per Public Works Director Ruzek. Question asked if a portion can be allotted for Natural Resources. Public Works Director Ruzek relayed that the funds generated from the franchise fee is reserved for the general fund to avoid tax increases for residences in order to pay for existing services, and is not intended to create additional funds for future projects or programs. A four percent increase overall for all budget items to accommodate inflation was suggested by Commissioner Fahnhorst. Staff to revise NRMP Priority Projects to align with current implementation schedule. The project maintenance budget will also be revised to reflect current projects now in the maintenance phase. Proposal was made for tree removal budget to be increased. Staff to touch base with Public Works supervisor on estimate for tree removal in 2025. Staff to itemize tree services category to reflect specific tasks under this category. Add tree replacement/tree planting category was suggested. Proposal made to replace ‘tree city USA’ designation with ‘tree canopy improvement’ or itemize line item. Suggestion was made to not increase Tree Sale budget, instead subsidize less and provide more trees available for residents to purchase. Commission agreed to continue with the Tree Canopy Program. Put Tree Canopy Program and Tree Sale on same website for next year to help with awareness. Suggested was made to advertise on facebook using georeferencing by Commissioner Sheets. Suggestion made to coordinate tree canopy outreach with Partners in Energy outreach efforts in business community. The Commission discussed staffing and confirmed a natural resources/stormwater intern has been requested. b. Urban Forest Preservation Ordinance City Council feedback was discussed. One of the questions raised was enforcement and how the ordinance will be enforced. Council member also suggested replacing most of parameters with ‘Planning Case’ when requiring a permit and replacement plan. Suggestion or question was also raised on how developers and public would be educated. Comments from Planning Commission were discussed. Question was asked on how a permit or replacement plan would be denied. Suggestion to follow or use variance request process as an example. Suggestion was made to look at Edina’s ordinance as an example. The Commission discussed how removal percentage threshold was decided. Commission decided to keep with 33%. Suggestion was made to look at other cities for reference. Exemption for minimum trees on lot for replacement plan requirement was discussed. Suggestion made to make exception for lots with total number of trees on lot to 5 trees per lot for replacement plan requirement. Commission agreed to remove invasive tree list and reference MDA’s or DNR list of invasives. Escrow was discussed. Public Commission comments were discussed including solar access, appeal process, was also discussed. Suggestion was made to table any further decisions or changes made to ordinance until after the MNSTAC presentation from the City of Edina. Items 3c. Valley Park Strategic Planning, and 3d. 2025 Work Plan Preliminary Discussion, were tabled until the next work session. Consensus made to replace regular October meeting with a work session, to take place on October 16th. Work session was adjourned at 7:46pm.