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, September 17, 2019 7:00 PM Council Chambers 1. Call To Order The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. Roll Call Others Present: Water Resources Manager Rebecca Haug and Recreation Manager Nate Monahan. Present: 9 - Villella, Chair McKinley, Rafferty, Truchon, Genet, Varian, Vedi, Panning, and Syed Absent: 2 - Perkins, and Theisen APPROVAL OF AGENDA Vice Chair McKinley requested an item be added to the next meeting agenda under Updates. Ms. Haug added a rare plant salvage event coming up. MOVED by Boardmember Truchon, seconded by Boardmember Villella, to approve the September 17, 2019 Board Agenda as amended. Motion carried unanimously. Aye: 9 - Villella, Chair McKinley, Rafferty, Truchon, Genet, Varian, Vedi, Panning, and Syed 3. Approval of Minutes 3.-1 MO 19-162 APPROVAL OF THE JUNE AND AUGUST NRCB MINUTES City of Blaine Page 1 Nat'l Resources Conservation Board Minutes - Final September 17, 2019 It was noted the date on the minutes should be corrected to read June 18, 2019. MOVED by Boardmember Rafferty, seconded by Boardmember Panning to approve the minutes of the June 18, 2019 Board Meeting as presented. Motion carried unanimously. Aye: 9 - Villella, Chair McKinley, Rafferty, Truchon, Genet, Varian, Vedi, Panning, and Syed MOVED by Boardmember Varian, seconded by Boardmember Truchon to approve the minutes of the August 20, 2019 Joint Meeting with the Park Board as presented. Motion carried unanimously. Aye: 9 - Villella, Chair McKinley, Rafferty, Truchon, Genet, Varian, Vedi, Panning, and Syed 4. Open Forum for Citizen Input No one appeared to address the NRCB. 5. New Business 5.-1 MO 19-163 SOUTHERN BLAINE WETLAND SANCTUARY RESTORATION AND COMMUNICATION PLAN Ms. Haug stated a letter has been sent out to the neighborhood and the City has hired a surveyor to determine the City’s property line. Critical Connections is taking an inventory of vegetation in the BWS. There will be an open house held on Thursday, October 24, 2019 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. with a short presentation from 6:00 - 6:30 p.m. The open house will be held in the Cloverleaf Farm Room. An article about the upcoming work will be included in the next city newsletter and on the city’s social media sites. A presentation will be made to the City Council at their October 7, 2019 Workshop. The amount of rain has pushed out the timeline. She invited the Board to attend the Open House. Mr. Jason Loughlin, 3758 112th Circle, Blaine asked about the letters and asked the process was behind those. He did not receive the letter nor did many of his neighbors. Ms. Haug stated the GIS Department determines the area that will receive the letters and in this case letters were sent to neighbors adjacent to the property. Boardmember Villella asked if 250 feet near the property was used and Ms. Haug stated it was not as that is a statutory requirement in planning issues. City of Blaine Page 2 Nat'l Resources Conservation Board Minutes - Final September 17, 2019 Boardmember Varian asked that Mr. Loughlin be added to the mailing list. Mr. Monahan stated he will check on that. Discussed 5.-2 MO 19-164 APPROVAL OF THE INTERPRETIVE SIGNS AT THE BWS Ms. Haug showed the Interpretive Signs to the Board. She noted there are still a few minor errors that will be corrected. She is looking for approval so they can be printed and installed before winter. Ms. Haug thanked Boardmember Genet for her work and her students work on the signs. Boardmember Varian asked what the signs would be made of and how they would be installed. Ms. Haug stated when the boardwalk was created there were anchors installed to support future signs. The signs would be covered with Plexiglas. Boardmember Genet asked if they would be printed on paper. Ms. Haug stated it is a plastic material covered by Plexiglas. Vice Chair McKinley asked if public works would be installing the signs and Ms. Haug stated an outside company would be installing them. The cost is estimated to be $1200 per sign for the seven signs. They are hoping to get sponsors for the signs. Boardmember Villella asked if they would be protected from UV. Ms. Haug stated when they go out for bid they will look for products resistance to sunlight. Boardmember Vedi asked about the location of the signs on the boardwalk and Ms. Haug stated they are strategically placed along the boardwalk and will not be close together. She will bring a drawing to the next meeting. Vice Chair McKinley asked if a report could be given at the next meeting and Ms. Haug agreed. Boardmember Syed asked if there would be time to have the signs installed MOVED by Boardmember Villella, seconded by Boardmember Truchon to approve the installation of the signs proposed. Motion carried unanimously. Aye: 9 - Villella, Chair McKinley, Rafferty, Truchon, Genet, Varian, Vedi, Panning, and Syed City of Blaine Page 3 Nat'l Resources Conservation Board Minutes - Final September 17, 2019 5.-3 MO 19-165 RECOMMENDATION OF A TRAIL CONNECTION FROM LEXINGTON ATHLETIC COMPLEX TO 122ND AVENUE Mr. Monahan reviewed City Staff would like the NRCB to consider funding a section of trail to connect Lexington Athletic Complex to 122nd Avenue. This would provide a safe route for residents to access the park and the city is always looking to connect all sidewalks and trails where possible. The engineering estimate to complete this 730 foot section of trail is $75,000 and the funds would come from the open space budget. If recommended by the NRCB, staff would put this $75,000 expenditure in the 2020 Open Space budget that will be approved by the City Council this fall. Construction of this trail would take place in the summer of 2020. Mr. Monahan indicated the area for the trail on a map. Approval will be needed to cross the area of the Energy Station service road. The County is on board for this project. Vice Chair McKinley asked what the trail would be made of and Mr. Monahan stated it will be asphalt. Vice Chair McKinley asked why the cost couldn’t be shared with the Park Board. Mr. Monahan stated the Open Space Budget pays for all trails. Boardmember Truchon asked where the traffic signal will be and Mr. Monahan stated there will be a signal at the 122nd Avenue intersection in a couple of years. Boardmember Varian asked how far it will be from Lexington and Mr. Monahan stated the design has not been done and the County will have input regarding setback. Boardmember Truchon asked what the crossings will be to cross Lexington and access the BWS. Ms. Monahan stated the route would be on Woodland Parkway. Vice Chair McKinley asked for the location to be pointed out on a map again. Boardmember Vedi noted it is a connection between two trails. Boardmember Genet stated there will be two crossings across Lexington. Boardmember Panning asked if there would be trails constructed as part of the development all the way to the corner. Mr. Monahan stated he will check with the County on that piece. A grant may be available as a safe way to school. Boardmember Panning suggested the developer pay for that trail. MOVED by Boardmember Rafferty, seconded by Boardmember Truchon, to recommend the City Council approve the trail connection from Lexington City of Blaine Page 4 Nat'l Resources Conservation Board Minutes - Final September 17, 2019 Athletic Complex to 122nd Avenue and pay for out of the Open Space Fund. Motion carried unanimously. Aye: 9 - Villella, Chair McKinley, Rafferty, Truchon, Genet, Varian, Vedi, Panning, and Syed 5.-4 MO 19-166 UPDATES Ms. Haug presented updates on the following: Hidden Ponds Trail - Based on the Open Space Report that was completed, the City worked with the Work Service Crew to re-establish that woodchip trail. Due to weather the woodchips have not been put in yet but the trail has been completed. Ms. Haug showed the trail to the Board. Hidden Ponds Park - Mr. Monahan noted they are currently putting in three pickle ball courts and one basketball court. Open Space Report - Ms. Haug stated the Open Space Report on 131st Avenue which needs a better name. This site and the Lever Street need better names. The pictures included in Boardmember Rafferty’s report were very helpful. Boardmember Rafferty asked if the trail coming from the West will go into the Open Space and Ms. Haug stated she will verify that. The City owns the out lot. Vice Chair McKinley asked the Board to start thinking about names for these two open spaces. Boardmember Varian stated she sent in her report for Pioneer Park but she does not believe it was reviewed. Boardmember Genet stated she recalls talking about Pioneer Park. Boardmember Varian noted the signs at Pioneer Park are horrible. Mr. Monahan stated a new park sign was installed a week ago. The sign boards should be updated. Mr. Monahan will remove them and take pictures and send out to the Board to review. Boardmember Varian stated she would like to see her comments acted upon. Boardmember Truchon asked if some of the signs could be used in Pioneer Park. Ms. Haug stated some of the signs would apply to all open spaces. Vice Chair McKinley asked Boardmember Varian for a paper copy of the report on Pioneer Park. Ms. Haug will print copies of all the reports and bring them to the next meeting. Boardmember Truchon asked what the neighborhood near 131st Open Space Area is called and Ms. Haug stated it is called Legacy Creek. Boardmember Truchon suggested the area be called The Woods at City of Blaine Page 5 Nat'l Resources Conservation Board Minutes - Final September 17, 2019 Legacy Creek. Credit Sale Update - Ms. Haug stated the City sold 1.221 acres of wetland credits to the City of Dayton for $2.50 per square foot for $133,000 to the Open Space Fund. There will be an additional 15 acres of credits to be eligible for sale. This will allow the City to continue selling credits. Boardmember Truchon asked if the monies received can invest the funds and Ms. Haug stated the City is not allowed to invest money. Vice Chair McKinley requested an update to the Open Space CIP at the next meeting. Boardmember Panning asked what a CIP was. Vice Chair McKinley stated it is Capital Improvement Plan. Ms. Haug stated the City, the DNR, the Anoka Conservation District and the MN Landscape Arboretum has received a first time permit from the DNR to salvage species from a threatened site to be transplanted into the BWS. Adjournment MOVED by Boardmember Genet, seconded by Boardmember Rafferty, to adjourn the meeting at 8:00 p.m. The motion carried unanimously. Aye: 9 - Villella, Chair McKinley, Rafferty, Truchon, Genet, Varian, Vedi, Panning, and Syed City of Blaine Page 6