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, October 15, 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 Recreation Manager Nate Monahan and Adjunct Member Drew Brown Present: 6 - Chair McKinley, Rafferty, Perkins, Varian, Panning, and Syed Absent: 5 - Villella, Truchon, Genet, Theisen, and Vedi APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOVED by Boardmember Panning, seconded by Boardmember McKinley, to approve the October 15, 2019 Board Agenda as presented. Motion carried unanimously. Present: 6 - Chair McKinley, Rafferty, Perkins, Varian, Panning, and Syed Absent: 5 - Villella, Truchon, Genet, Theisen, and Vedi 3. Approval of Minutes 3.-1 MIN 19-39 APPROVAL OF THE SEPTEMBER 17, 2019 NRCB MINUTES MOVED by Boardmember McKinley, seconded by Boardmember Panning to approve the minutes of the September 17, 2019 Board Meeting as presented. Motion carried unanimously. City of Blaine Page 1 Nat'l Resources Conservation Board Minutes - Final October 15, 2019 Aye: 6 - Chair McKinley, Rafferty, Perkins, Varian, Panning, and Syed 4. Open Forum for Citizen Input No one appeared to address the NRCB. 5. New Business 5.-1 MO 19-178 OPEN SPACE NAMING OF LEVER STREET AND 131ST Ms. Haug asked for some recommendations for the open spaces. At the last meeting, Boardmember Truchon suggested for the 131st open space the “Woods at Legacy Creek”. Boardmember McKinley stated she likes the name the Woods at Legacy Creek. She suggested the one at Lever Street should reflect the pond in its name as there is an abundance of waterfowl. Chair Perkins suggested over the next month Boardmembers submit names to Ms. Haug with the vote occurring at the November NRCB meeting. MOVED by Boardmember McKinley, seconded by Boardmember Varian to recommend names to Ms. Haug before the next meeting at which time a vote will be taken. Motion carried unanimously. Aye: 6 - Chair McKinley, Rafferty, Perkins, Varian, Panning, and Syed Boardmember Syed asked if an area were named by a development, would the residents think the area would be maintained by the association and would there be any issues. Chair Perkins stated this would be a concern. Boardmember Syed suggested the neighbors in that area suggest names for the open space. Mr. Monahan stated the open space in the Legacy Creek development be called Woods in Legacy Creek. A sign would be constructed at the trail head for the open space. The sign would have the City logo on it. Boardmember Rafferty stated at 131st there is nothing noting it is open space now and it should be identified as open space prior to it being named. Ms. Haug stated signs were just installed along the Lever Street Open Space. City of Blaine Page 2 Nat'l Resources Conservation Board Minutes - Final October 15, 2019 5.-2 MO 19-179 SUBCOMMITTEE FOR BWS PLANNING UPDATE Ms. Haug stated the BWS Subcommittee met last Tuesday. Mr. Jason Husveth and Mr. Wiley Buck were present at the meeting. Green River Greening was given a third grant for this restoration. Mr. Husveth is almost done with his part of the restoration. Ms. Haug stated there is a lot of buckthorn in the area and she recommends this be removed with the funding. There are a number of ash trees that need to be removed. Some trees could remain until they fall over but that would require additional staff time in the future. The prescribed burn areas were reviewed at the subcommittee meeting. The contractor would only access the site off of 109th Avenue. The NRCB is invited to attend the BWS Open House next week (October 24) in the Cloverleaf Room. A second notice was sent out to the residents. The interpretive signs will be displayed at the open house. Next steps are to finalize the plans and the power point presentation. Boardmember Varian asked if any of the buckthorn has invaded the residential lots. Ms. Haug stated it has not and pictures of buckthorn will be provided at the open house. Boardmember McKinley stated she will be in attendance at the open house. Boardmember Varian asked if the detail on the signs is known at this point and Ms. Haug stated they are almost completed. Ms. Haug will send out the sign documents for Board review. 5.-3 MO 19-180 UPDATES Ms. Haug presented updates on the following: BWS Activities - T & E species planting - There was a propagation permit to replant some plants at the BWS. The plants were prepped at the MN Arboretum prior to being planted at the BWS. Open Space inspection reports - Staff visited Pioneer Park and the list of items are being worked on. Staff also visited the Laddie Lake open space and a list was compiled and is being worked on. Laddie Lake - Mr. Monahan stated some signs will be added directing people to Laddie Lake. There is a shortage of sign posts which have been backordered. Some trees and overgrowth will be cleared to improve view of the lake. The shelter will be removed as it is an eyesore. The building at Laddie Lake has not been used for 15 years and staff is looking at City of Blaine Page 3 Nat'l Resources Conservation Board Minutes - Final October 15, 2019 removing the walls and making it a shelter or totally removing it. There has been vandalism at Laddie Lake since it is hidden. Pioneer Park Wetland Bank - Ms. Haug stated the draft permit application will be submitted for the Pioneer Park Wetland Bank. The draft prospectus has already been submitted. There is still flexibility as to how the bank will be handled. Monitoring is being conducted at the site. Coon Creek Watershed has issued the permit for the weir structure. Open Space CIP - Ms. Haug stated the budget will be provided at the next NRCB meeting. Adjournment MOVED by Boardmember McKinley, seconded by Boardmember Rafferty, to adjourn the meeting at 7:40 p.m. The motion carried unanimously. City of Blaine Page 4