Nat'l Resources Conservation Board

Blaine City Hall City of Blaine 10801 Town Sq Dr NE 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, August 16, 2016 7:00 PM Council Chambers 1. Call To Order 1. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. Roll Call 2. Roll Call - Staff Liaison Hafner called the roll call. Those present include: Boardmembers Castillo, Gunter, Lizakowski, Perkins, Rafferty (arrived at 7:03 p.m.), Ruth, Truchon, Villella, and Chair McKinley Absent - Boardmember Wilder Others Present: Staff Liaison Jim Hafner and Recording Secretary Debbie Wolfe Present: 9 - Chair McKinley, Villella, Perkins, Truchon, Rafferty, Ruth, Gunter, Castillo, and Lizakowski Absent: 1 - Wilder 3. Approval of Minutes Chair McKinley noted on page three the missing last name for Chris is “Lord”. MOVED by Boardmember Gunter, seconded by Boardmember Truchon to approve the minutes of the July 19, 2016 Board Meeting as amended. Motion carried unanimously. City of Blaine Page 1 Nat'l Resources Conservation Minutes - Final August 16, 2016 Board Aye: 9 - Chair McKinley, Villella, Perkins, Truchon, Rafferty, Ruth, Gunter, Castillo, and Lizakowski 4. Approval of Agenda Boardmember Perkins added Pioneer Park question under Other Business. Boardmember Truchon added Springbrook Nature Center under Other Business. Chair McKinley added announcement to Other Business. MOVED by Boardmember Perkins, seconded by Boardmember Truchon, to approve the August 16, 2016 Board Agenda as revised. Motion carried unanimously. Aye: 9 - Chair McKinley, Villella, Perkins, Truchon, Rafferty, Ruth, Gunter, Castillo, and Lizakowski 5. Open Forum for Citizen Input There was none. None. 6. New Business 6.a Update on BWS Project Mr. Hafner stated all the bids were rejected for the trail project. Staff will look at some alternatives to obtain better bids. Stantec has put together the permit for the parking lot and it has been submitted to RCWD. Soil borings were taken yesterday. The intent is to package the parking lot and the loop trail as one bid package. The trail project would be rebid and hopefully some of the work would start in the winter. The banking project next step in the application has been completed by Jason Husveth and it has been submitted to the Army Corp of Engineers. There is still some question as to when the project can start pending the Corp approval. Mr. Hafner distributed a drawing showing the location of a new City well on the proposed nature center site. It should not impact the area plans. A test well has been installed at this time. Boardmember Truchon asked if the well depth would be a concern. Mr. Hafner stated the city wells are generally not connected to surface water, they are over 400 feet in depth, n aquifers with confining layers. A pump test was completed lastyear and showed no impact to City of Blaine Page 2 Nat'l Resources Conservation Minutes - Final August 16, 2016 Board wetlands or surface waters. She asked how visible it will be to visitors to the BWS and Mr. Hafner stated it will be seen and can perhaps be part of the educational benefit of the BWS. Chair McKinley noted the drawing shows hard surface trail. Mr. Hafner stated the boardwalk areas are technically considered a hard surface. The route of the trail has not changed and was submitted as part of the previous permit package. Those indicated on the drawing have received approval. The upland island trails would be a compacted gravel-type surface which would reduce the cost. Pioneer Park - Boardmember Perkins asked about the clear cut path next to Pioneer Park. Mr. Hafner stated that is for future development and should not have an impact to the Park. Boardmember Perkins stated there is a wide path in the park. Mr. Hafner will research and report back to the Board. Discussed. 6.b NRCB Letter to City Council Mr. Hafner provided a draft of the letter to Mayor Tom Ryan and the Blaine City Council. Boardmember Villella stated it was his understanding the reduction in the share of residential park dedication fees to the open space fund would be reduced for five years. He suggested it be added to the letter the promise the Council made to the NRCB. Mr. Hafner asked for comments regarding the draft. The Boardmembers were requested to sign the signature page. Boardmember Villella asked what would happen if there are new members on the Council would they be honoring the promise. He would like to see something from the current Council. Boardmember Lizakowski suggested the Council be requested to make a motion outlining their plan. Boardmember Truchon stated the letter is well written stating the facts. Mr. Hafner stated he can add more detail to the letter about the need for funding for the two projects planned. Mayor Ryan supports this. Boardmember Castillo suggested removing from the last line “if at all possible”. MOVED by Boardmember Truchon, to accept the Letter to the City Council as written. Motion fails due to lack of a second. City of Blaine Page 3 Nat'l Resources Conservation Minutes - Final August 16, 2016 Board Chair McKinley asked the Board if they had any further changes. MOVED by Boardmember Castillo, seconded by Boardmember Perkins, to amend the letter to the City Council removing from the last line “if at all possible” and sending it. Motion carried unanimously. Aye: 9 - Chair McKinley, Villella, Perkins, Truchon, Rafferty, Ruth, Gunter, Castillo, and Lizakowski This will be put on an upcoming Council Meeting agenda possibly in September 2016. Springbrook Nature Center - Boardmember Truchon suggested the Board visit Springbrook and look at their features. 6.c Board Discussion - Promotion of BWS Chair McKinley stated she spoke with Chris Lord and he is willing to work with the Board about displays. The suggestion of a sign “Future Home of the Blaine Wetland Sanctuary” was a great idea. This is something that should be done now. Boardmember Villella suggested on 109th and Lexington Avenue for a location for the sign. Boardmember Truchon suggested the sign have a website address for further information. Boardmember Perkins stated it may be too early for a website reference. Boardmember Villella suggested just a sign should be constructed at this time. Chair McKinley will speak with Public Works Department about the sign. She will report her findings to the Board. Chair McKinley suggested Boardmembers continue to think of ideas. Boardmember Ruth stated he is a member of his Association and requested there be some information to share on the BWS. He would be looking for a dozen or so facts. Chair McKinley stated that is available. Boardmember Castillo suggested this may be a good project for Boy Scouts. Discussed. 6.d Calendar Wetland Tour with Jason Husveth City of Blaine Page 4 Nat'l Resources Conservation Minutes - Final August 16, 2016 Board Chair McKinley stated she spoke with Jason Husveth and he will meet with the NRCB and provide a tour for the new Boardmembers. He will meet the Board at East Lake Park at 6:30pm on September 20 followed by a regular Board Meeting beginning at 7:00 p.m. where Jason will provide a presentation. Boardmember Ruth asked if the Park Board will be included. Chair McKinley will speak with the Chair of the Park Board and invite him to join the tour. He may pass it onto the entire Park Board. Discussed. 7. Other Business Chair McKinley announced that Jim Hafner is retiring at the end of February. Informational; no action required. 8. Adjournment MOVED by Boardmember Perkins, seconded by Boardmember Villella, to adjourn the meeting at 7:50 p.m. Motion carried unanimously. Aye: 9 - Chair McKinley, Villella, Perkins, Truchon, Rafferty, Ruth, Gunter, Castillo, and Lizakowski City of Blaine Page 5