Nature Preserve Commission

REGULAR ANDOVER OPEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING NOVEMBER 16, 2016 MINUTES The Regular Meeting of the Andover Open Space Advisory Commission was called to order by Chairperson Gretchen Sabel at 6:06 p.m., at the Andover City Hall, 1685 Crosstown Boulevard NW, Andover, Minnesota. Commissioners present: Anna Dirkswager, Joy Faherty, Aaron Jarson, Kim Kovich, and Suzanne Van Hecke Commissioner absent: Jim Olson Also present: Kameron Kytonen, Natural Resources Technician RESIDENT FORUM No one wished to address the Commission. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – September 14, 2016 Motion by Commissioner Dirkswager, Second by Commissioner Van Hecke, to approve the minutes of September 14, 2016. Motion passed 4-0. ACCEPT DALSKE WOODLANDS ECOLOGICAL FIELD ASSESSMENT AND VEGETATION SURVEY PREPARED BY CRITICAL CONNECTIONS ECOLOGICAL SERVICES, INC. Chairperson Sabel stated that through previous discussion with Mr. Kytonen, that it was at least important to acknowledge the receipt of the plan. Mr. Kytonen opened the plan on the smartboard. He indicated that this is pretty much the same plan that was submitted at the September meeting, but with a little more detail. FINAL MANAGEMENT PLAN DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL a. Martin’s Meadows Mr. Kytonen opened up the plan on the smartboard. The Commission reviewed the plan. Commissioner Dirkswager suggested that on the Management Tasks Summary table that a column be added for “status”, so it would be clear which tasks were completed or still needed to be completed. Chairperson Sabel suggested the prairie areas need to be differentiated by east and west areas. It was further suggested a column be added for “funding source”. The Commission felt that the boardwalk item should be deleted as well. Commissioner Kovich asked how much money was left in the grant for management of Martin’s Meadows. Mr. Kytonen indicated the original grant was $117K and that around $40K was left. Regular Open Space Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – November 16, 2016 Page 2 Commissioner Kovich commented on the Floodplain task, and that it’s difficult to manage a floodplain because of the nature of how they fluctuate. Mr. Kytonen agreed and indicated that the $20K slated for management in that area could be used for other activities. Commissioner Jarson arrived to the meeting. b. Northwoods Preserve Mr. Kytonen opened up the plan on the smartboard. Commissioner Kovich indicated that poison ivy is a problem in this site and in Martin’s Meadows. Commissioner Faherty recommended putting a brochure in the kiosks at both sites. The commission reviewed the Management Tasks Summary table. Commissioner Dirkswager thought that the pine trees should be added into the table and that a management task should be called Timber Stand Improvement of the pine stand. Chairperson Sabel recommended more detail for the description column under the manage native species task. Commissioner Kovich indicated the park is already in pretty good shape and felt it didn’t need any immediate management. Commissioner Jarson stated he’s seen debris that needs to be picked up out there, including old fencing. Commissioner Dirkswager added that to the comprehensive spreadsheet she was assembling. Commissioner Van Hecke arrived to the meeting. Discussion on whether management to the prairie area was needed. Mr. Kytonen indicated a prescribed burn and over-seeding could benefit the prairie, especially for pollinators. Chairperson Sabel asked if the endangered species, including the sea-beach needlegrass would be compromised. Mr. Kytonen said that it wouldn’t be. Commissioner Van Hecke suggested leaving the prairie alone and that it’s a good example of a prairie after human activity. She indicated that it’s okay for a few non-natives to be in there as long as they’re not invasive. c. Maple View Mr. Kytonen opened up the plan on the smartboard. Mr. Kytonen stated this plan had a lot less detail in the site history portion compared to Martin’s Meadows and Northwoods Preserve. As more information is attained, that can be added in later. The Commission reviewed the Management Tasks Summary table. The group agreed that the trail system is the highest priority. Mr. Kytonen indicated he’d be getting quotes on clearing a trail in the open space with a forestry mower. A GPS system was utilized in the summer to mark off the approximate location of the trail. Commissioner Faherty asked whether or not a kiosk was in the works. Mr. Kytonen indicated that he hadn’t heard from any Eagle Scouts looking for projects. Commissioner Faherty Regular Open Space Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – November 16, 2016 Page 3 mentioned she’d do some checking on this. Commissioner Dirkswager suggested putting a teaser on our Facebook page about the group looking for volunteers to do a kiosk. Chairperson Sabel asked about the invasive species on the site. Commissioner Jarson opened the Ecological Assessement and indicated Critical Connections stated buckthorn and prickly ash were present in the site. Commissioner Kovich asked about oak wilt. Mr. Kytonen stated he wasn’t aware of any active oak wilt. Commissioner Jarson asked about the description portion of the manage native species task, and whether or not there was a central wetland and adjacent wetlands. Commissioner Kovich indicated there was a central wetland. Mr. Kytonen mentioned that some of those items were inadvertently left in there as a “placeholder” from the Northwoods Preserve Plan and it needed a little tweaking. For example, there were no adjacent wetlands in Maple View and no prairie to speak of. The last two items should have been maintain open upland areas and remove old wildlife food plot in the north central part of the open space. The Commission recommended deleting these sections and letting the food plot grow back naturally. d. Dalske Woodlands Mr. Kytonen opened up the plan on the smartboard. Commissioner Dirkswager acknowledged that the Management Tasks Summary had been broken down into high priority and low priority tasks. The Commission reviewed the table. Chairperson Sabel suggested the signage needs to be updated and positioned correctly. She also stated that a larger sign needs to be placed off of the main road (Palm Street), so folks know exactly where the open space is. The group discussed where a kiosk could be placed in the future. Mr. Kytonen said right east of the wetland, a landing could be created so folks would know where to enter the open space. The thought would be to create a trail to the “open” woodland areas. Signage would be needed to direct users to an area hoped to be the boardwalk over the ditch. The boardwalk was discussed in detail. Commissioner Kovich suggested it be moved from a low priority to a high priority task. Chairperson Sabel asked if $25K would be enough to fund it. Mr. Kytonen indicated it’s about right for a 30-40 foot boardwalk over a ditch. Commissioner Kovich asked about a bridge instead of a boardwalk. Mr. Kytonen stated something has to be done to allow users to access the entire open space. Chairperson Sabel thought this could be put in the 2018 CIP plan. Mr. Kytonen indicated the City could potentially apply for a grant to help fund the improvement over the ditch. Commissioner Van Hecke asked about approval from watershed for this. Mr. Kytonen stated the Lower Rum River Management Organization would have to approve the proposal. Commissioner Faherty asked about the deadfall/hazardous trees, and if that was part of routine maintenance and how it could be funded. Mr. Kytonen indicated staff could at least cut some of Regular Open Space Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – November 16, 2016 Page 4 the dead trees down and remove the hazard. Perhaps a logger could be found and could cover the entire area if enough product was there to make it feasible. KIOSK SIGNAGE UPDATE This item was moved up and discussion began, as Commissioner Dirkswager and Mr. Kytonen worked to upload and show on the smartboard the comprehensive list for all the open spaces. Commissioner Faherty summarized the draft map she created that Mr. Kytonen printed out and dispersed to the group. She thought that on the third side of the kiosk, pictures of some of the rare and unique features could be posted. The group commended her for her efforts. Commissioner Faherty noted that the kiosks were in need of some maintenance, as the needed to be sanded and stained. Commissioner Van Hecke once again reference graffiti concerns at Martin’s Meadows. Mr. Kytonen indicated he’d work closely with Parks staff to ensure adequate, routine maintenance is performed. BEGIN TO DEVELOP OVERALL COMPREHENSIVE PRIORITY LIST FOR ALL OPEN SPACES Chairperson Sabel indicated she met with City Administrator Jim Dickinson to discuss funding high priority activities in the open spaces. She summarized the meeting and explained that the Commission would need to propose select activities and request they be included in Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) for each given year. Based on the discussion of the four open spaces’ management plans, Commissioner Dirkswager had taken notes and compiled a spreadsheet during the meeting. She separated a dozen or so activities that were high priority and reliant on supplemental funding of some sort (and not necessarily routine activities that could be done in-house). These were activities that could be proposed to be in CIP’s. Commissioner Faherty noted that highest priority activities are those creating access for users and those that promote public safety. The Commission went thru the list and rated the proposed activities. There were a total of 7 activities rated (5 were removed from the list); one was the highest and 7 was the lowest priority. The highest priority task was to install the boardwalk/bridge over the ditch in Dalske Woodlands and the second was to remove the hazardous trees in Dalske Woodlands. Chairperson Sabel requested the group table the rest of the agenda and continue discussion at the next meeting in January 2017. Regular Open Space Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes – November 16, 2016 Page 5 ADJOURNMENT Motion by Commissioner Kovich, Second by Commissioner Dirkswager to adjourn the meeting at 8:27 p.m. Motion passed 6-0. Respectfully submitted, Kameron Kytonen Natural Resources Technician Drafted by: Kameron Kytonen