Nat'l Resources Conservation Board

10801 Town Square Dr. City of Blaine Blaine MN 55449 Anoka County, Minnesota Minutes - Final Nat'l Resources Conservation Board The Natural Resource Conservation Board is an advisory body to the City Council. The Board is charged with recommending acquisition of lands for open space and developing a Natural Resource Plan which includes environmental policy and guidelines for the maintenance and preservation of Blaine’s existing and future opens spaces and trail corridors. One of the Board’s functions is to hold public meetings and make recommendations to the City Council. For each item, the Board will receive reports prepared by City staff, provide the opportunity for public response, conduct Board discussions and make recommendations. The City Council, however, makes all final decisions on these matters. Tuesday, September 16, 2014 7:00 PM Council Chambers 1. Call To Order The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. Roll Call Roll Call - Chair McKinley called the roll call. Those present include: Boardmembers Anderson (arrived at 7:02 p.m.), Castillo, Gunter (arrived at 7:07 p.m.), Perkins, Rafferty, Ruth, Truchon (arrived at 7:03 p.m.), Villella, Chair McKinley and Recording Secretary Debbie Wolfe. Absent - Staff Liaison Jim Hafner Present: 9 - Chair McKinley, Villella, Rafferty, Ruth, Perkins, Truchon, Gunter, Castillo, and Anderson 3. Approval of Minutes Chair McKinley noted the following addition to the minutes: page two, paragraph five, sentence three “junction of John Henry Graham trail.” Boardmember Anderson arrived at 7:02 p.m. Motion 4. Open Forum for Citizen Input No one appeared to address the Board. City of Blaine Page 1 Nat'l Resources Conservation Minutes - Final September 16, 2014 Board 5. Approve Agenda Chair McKinley stated Boardmember Villella requested a discussion of Potential Groundbreaking Ceremony for Blaine Wetland Sanctuary in May 2015 to the agenda as item 6.g. Boardmember Truchon arrived at 7:03 p.m. Motion 6. New Business 6.a Comments on individual tours of Pioneer Park Boardmember Perkins stated this park was very interesting. He found a large variety of mushrooms in the Park. Four of the bat house posts were torn down and the concrete is broken. Boardmember Truchon stated the paved trail was not wet. She mentioned Chair McKinley was instrumental in getting this park recognized. In the 1800’s the Park was a prairie. There is an infestation of buckthorn. She noticed the residents are using park property for various things such as dumping of grass clippings. Boardmember Gunter arrived at 7:07 p.m. Chair McKinley stated she visited the park and covered every trail which took her 70 minutes. The trail just beyond the bridge used to be a mowed trail that skirted the wetland restoration area. It has become nonexistent due to overgrowth and needs to be reestablished. The Wilderness Trail could use some mowing to open it up better. Chair McKinley will make up a list and provide to staff of the things the Board noticed at the parks they recently visited. 6.b Update on pamphlets for Open Space sites Chair McKinley reviewed Boardmember Rafferty provided a draft of a pamphlet to Staff Liaison Hafner. Chair McKinley noted at Oaks of Savannah the pamphlets are gone again. Many of the trees or shrubs planted a few years ago are either dead or in need of care. Boardmember Truchon suggested a group Friends of Open Space be formed to help with some of these projects. City of Blaine Page 2 Nat'l Resources Conservation Minutes - Final September 16, 2014 Board 6.c Update on compilation of NRCB history Boardmembers Truchon stated she has done some work on the history. Boardmember Rafferty stated he will assist. 6.d Update on well pumping test Staff Liaison Hafner prepared a report by way of follow up to a previous report on the City’s preparation for construction of a new municipal well. The City of Blaine conducted a pumping test in early August. This test ran all City wells at maximum capacity for one week. The purpose was to see if the high rate of pumping had any negative impact on local surface waters. Results and analysis of the test were received two weeks ago. The report shows there were no negative impacts on local surface waters. This indicates that the aquifers from which the city draws its drinking water supply is not connected to local surface waters. Next steps are to complete the appropriations permit process with the MN DNR and construct the well later this year. This is for information purposes only and no Board action is required. Boardmember Truchon stated she was glad to hear the well pumping does not affect the City wells. She questioned whether it was a long enough test and if it had any effect on the open space features. She would like staff to address that at the next meeting. City of Blaine Page 3 Nat'l Resources Conservation Minutes - Final September 16, 2014 Board 6.e Status of Blaine Wetland Sanctuary projects Staff Liaison Hafner provided a report to review two projects have been approved for the open space area known as the Blaine Wetland Sanctuary, formerly Site 7. The first is the general improvement project to construct trails for public access and eventually a nature center. The other is a wetland restoration project to create new wetland credits to be placed in a state bank for future sale and generation of revenue for the open space fund. The first project, the improvement project, has completed the conceptual design phase. City Council accepted the project deliverables and the consultant, Stantec, is finishing the documents and maps for delivery this week. The report and maps will be used as the base for final design and construction, as well as a presentation to potential donors or investors in the project. The latter effort is intended to stretch the available funding for the project and elevate the public awareness of the Blain Wetland Sanctuary. The wetland restoration project is still working through the process of approvals and permitting. The Technical Evaluation Panel (TEP), composed of reps from BWSR, RCWD, and ACD, has approved the Scoping Document, concurring that the project site is conducive to the proposed method of generating new credits. The consultant, Critical Connections, is currently working with the MN DNR in an effort to have them reclassify a public waters wetland on the site to allow the project to achieve its greatest potential. If the wetland area classified as a public water is not reclassified it would not be eligible for restoration and the total potential credits would be decreased significantly such that the project would need to be reconsidered. The DNR is requesting comment on the proposed project from a variety of agencies seeking consensus that reclassifying the public water to a jurisdictional water would be of greater benefit for the resources. As a jurisdictional water, the wetland would fall under the authority of the Wetland Conservation Act, administered by the State Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) which has already given support for the project. Critical Connections has been successful in obtaining reclassification on a similar project in Lino Lakes. We are hopeful this request will be approved as well. This report is for information only and no Board action is necessary. Boardmember Perkins asked when the presentation would be made to potential donors or investors in the project and Chair McKinley stated she was not aware of when that would be held. Boardmember Perkins asked who would be invited and requested staff address this at the next City of Blaine Page 4 Nat'l Resources Conservation Minutes - Final September 16, 2014 Board meeting. He would also like more information on the reclassification of the public waters to wetland status. 6.f Review letter to Community Center Task Force on green roofs Staff Liaison Hafner stated the NRCB has been approached by the Community Task Force appointed to study the possibility of a community center and asked for their opinion on the feasibility of a green roof or a roof top garden. Following a discussion by the NRCB members, staff was asked to draft a letter supporting the idea of a rooftop garden or green roof. The draft letter has been reviewed by Chair McKinley and revised accordingly. The letter is presented tonight to the Boardmembers for acceptance. Upon approval and/or any revisions, the letter will be signed by Chair McKinley and sent to the committee co-chairs of the task force. Boardmember Anderson suggested in the letter the source of the detailed information be credited on the letter. Motion 50th Anniversary Proposal for Blaine Wetland Sanctuary Boardmember Villella stated the Committee has a lot of ideas and the NCRB’s contribution could be in May 2015 when a groundbreaking ceremony could be held for the Blaine Wetland Sanctuary. The Committee is requesting details about a ceremony. They are needing to know a date, and other details. Boardmember Castillo asked Boardmember Villella to send out an email to the Board stating what is needed so Boardmembers can come with their ideas to the next meeting. Boardmember Truchon suggested the Park Board have input and participate in the ceremony as well. Boardmember Villella will send the email to the Board requesting ideas. Boardmember Anderson suggested there be information about all parks with open space areas in the City at the celebration. Chair McKinley suggested the trail system information be included. City of Blaine Page 5 Nat'l Resources Conservation Minutes - Final September 16, 2014 Board 7. Other Business Chair McKinley stated she heard the Senior Center is taking seniors to walk in City parks. She would like to get some feedback from the seniors on their walks. Boardmember Villella stated Blaine World Fest is being held Saturday. 8. Adjournment Adjourned City of Blaine Page 6