Environmental Management Commission

AGENDA Environmental Management Commission REGULAR MEETING March 20, 2023 7:00 PM Oakdale City Council Chambers 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. ROLL CALL 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. January 9, 2023 5. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION REVIEW a. NEW BUSINESS i. 3M Settlement Priority 2 Work Group presentation ii. Review of 2023 Washington County Recycling Grant projects iii. Review of draft Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan update project materials 6. OTHER i. Monthly review of the 2023 EMC Editorial Calendar ii. Commissioner update(s)* iii. Council liaison update(s)* 7. ADJOURNMENT *Items marked with an asterisk have no accompanying materials The next regular Environmental Management Commission meeting will be held April 17, 2023 @ 7PM in the Council Chambers at Oakdale City Hall.  REGULAR MEETNG OAKDALE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION JANUARY 9, 2023 CALL TO ORDER The Oakdale Environmental Management Commission (EMC) held a meeting on Monday, January 9, 2023 at Oakdale City Hall, 1584 Hadley Avenue North, Oakdale, Minnesota. The meeting began at 7:00 PM with the Pledge of Allegiance. CALL OF ROLL On a call of roll, the following were present: Chairperson: Keith Miller, Chairperson Commissioners: Noah Gerding, Vice Chairperson Bonnie Wilson Also Present: Kevin Zabel, City Council Liaison Shannon Reidlinger, Sr. Community Development Specialist and City Staff Liaison Absent: Connor Brown Quorum Present: YES ☒ NO ☐ APPROVAL OF MINUTES A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER GERDING, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WILSON, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF NOVEMBER 21, 2022 AS WRITTEN. 3 AYES 0 NAYS MOTION CARRIED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION REVIEW a. OLD BUSINESS i. 2023 Adopt-A-Drain schedule Chair Miller shared that the EMC has adopted three storm drains near Walton Park and has been clearing them of waste and organic buildup. He reminded the EMC that the cleaning schedule does not include the months of January and February. Environmental Management Commission Draft Minutes January 9, 2023 Page Two In response to Commissioner Gerding’s question regarding whether any data needs to be tracked by the Commissioners as they’re cleaning the storm drains (like sediment type and pounds of waste collected), Ms. Reidlinger agreed that any information captured would be helpful for both the Adopt-A-Drain program and for the City’s communication efforts regarding the initiative. ii. Review of initial community engagement results for the Bike and Pedestrian Plan update project Ms. Reidlinger gave a summary of community engagement efforts conducted to date as part of the Bike and Pedestrian Plan Update project. She shared that a majority of community engagement work has been completed and a draft report was presented to Oakdale City Council at the December 13, 2022 City Council workshop. She noted that the community engagement report will help the project consultant, Toole Design Group, craft recommendations (such as goals and strategies, and a network map) for prioritized bicycle and pedestrian projects. She explained that interactions during the community engagement phase of the project number in the hundreds, and shared that the project team is looking to increase that number of interactions in the coming weeks by continuing to promote the project’s WikiMap. She summarized key initial findings from the draft community engagement report, including: • More respondents who filled out the project questionnaire are walking than bicycling, and they walk and bicycle mostly for exercise/health/enjoyment • A lack of facilities (i.e. linear, crossing) is the largest deterrent preventing questionnaire respondents from walking or bicycling more • Questionnaire respondents would prefer separation from traffic, both for walking and for bicycling Ms. Reidlinger informed the EMC of the draft goals and strategies identified as a result of community engagement work, and noted that the draft goals and strategies were presented during the December 13, 2022 City Council workshop for consideration and feedback. She highlighted project next steps, including finalizing the draft community engagement report by reviewing and synthesizing WikiMap and paper map comments, and identifying and prioritizing potential bicycle and pedestrian system projects. She suggested that a draft of the final deliverable may be shared with the EMC for review. In response to Chair Miller’s question regarding whether neighboring cities have been involved in the project, Ms. Reidlinger confirmed that analysis of local and regional Bicycle and Pedestrian System Plans was conducted during the first phase of the project, but that the project team is not speaking directly to communities bordering Oakdale. Chair Miller commented that the draft community engagement support indicated an interest by the community in separating bicycle and pedestrian paths from the road. Environmental Management Commission Draft Minutes January 9, 2023 Page Three In response to Chair Miller’s question regarding whether current paths and trails in Oakdale could handle an influx of bicyclists if they were encourage to move off the road, Ms. Reidlinger affirmed the assumption that the consultant would provide the City with a variety of options to respond to the community’s desire for path and trail separation. In response to Commissioner Wilson’s question regarding whether the paths in the Nature Center will be included in the network recommendations, Ms. Reidlinger explained that Toole Design Group would incorporate the Nature Center trails into the network recommendation if community engagement revealed a need specific to those paths. In response to Chair Miller’s question regarding whether project analysis would consider how the Gold Line might impact the community’s use and perception of the bicycle and pedestrian system in Oakdale, Ms. Reidlinger agreed that the city’s existing transit options should be incorporated into the project’s network recommendations alongside community feedback (recognizing that individuals who use the bicycle and pedestrian trails for more than just exercise or enjoyment might not be represented in the project’s outreach efforts). She reminded the EMC that a current network analysis was conducted in the initial phase of the project to determine where bus stops and crosswalks already exist in the city. Chair Miller emphasized that having bicycling and walking infrastructure in place when the Gold Line is built might further encourage use of rapid transit. Commissioner Gerding expressed satisfaction in the holistic approach to the number of interactions recorded during community engagement. In response to Commissioner Gerding’s question regarding whether ideas and comments from the business community had been captured during the engagement portion of the project, Ms. Reidlinger responded that that the business community was not targeted for feedback in the same way as the residential population. She explained that the City’s Community Development Department had spoken with several local businesses about the Bike and Pedestrian Plan Update project as part of the Business Retention, Expansion, and Attraction program, so anecdotal commentary from the business community on bicycling and walking in Oakdale exists. b. NEW BUSINESS i. Election of Commission Chair and Vice Chair Chair Miller reminded the EMC that the annual election of the Commission’s Chair and Vice Chair is mandated per Chapter Six of the Oakdale Code of Ordinances. He opened the floor for nominations for Chair of the EMC and explained that nominations for Chair do not require a second. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER WILSON TO NOMINATE KEITH MILLER AS CHAIR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION. Environmental Management Commission Draft Minutes January 9, 2023 Page Four Chair Miller called for any additional nominations and then invited a motion to close nominations for the position of Chair. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER GERDING TO CLOSE NOMINATIONS FOR THE POSITION OF CHAIR. A MOTION WAS MADE BY CHAIR MILLER TO REELECT THE CURRENT CHAIR AS CHAIR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION. 2 AYES 0 NAYS MOTION CARRIED Chair Miller opened the floor for nominations for Vice Chair of the EMC and explained that nominations for Vice Chair do not require a second. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER WILSON, SECONDED BY CHAIR MILLER, TO NOMINATE NOAH GERDING AS VICE CHAIR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION. A MOTION WAS MADE BY CHAIR MILLER TO CLOSE NOMINATIONS FOR THE POSITION OF VICE CHAIR. A MOTION WAS MADE BY CHAIR MILLER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WILSON, TO ELECT COMMISSIONER GERDING FOR THE POSITION OF VICE CHAIR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION FOR 2023. 2 AYES 0 NAYS MOTION CARRIED ii. Review of draft 2023 environmental communications strategy Chair Miller opened discussion of the draft 2023 environmental communications strategy. Ms. Reidlinger explained that the overall strategy for environmental communications remains the same as in previous years, but that specific content for the 2023 editorial calendar should be reviewed and edited by the EMC. She noted that that the draft editorial calendar includes proposed content and messaging, and encouraged the EMC to identify themes within the draft calendar that are repetitive; messages that are missing entirely from the draft calendar; whether the draft calendar reflects the goals and priorities of the 2023 EMC Work Plan; Environmental Management Commission Draft Minutes January 9, 2023 Page Five how EMC Commissioners can be more engaged in communication activities throughout the year; and what communication outlets should be leveraged to spread messaging and awareness of the monthly themes. In response to Commissioner Wilson’s question regarding where any pictures taken by the EMC should be sent, Ms. Reidlinger instructed that all pictures be sent to her. Commissioner Gerding and Chair Miller expressed enthusiasm for incorporating Commissioner and staff engagement into the communications strategy. Chair Miller noted that the focus of the editorial calendar in January is energy efficiency, and he commented that because energy costs and utilities bills have gone up, stressing energy reduction strategies is important. He extoled the value in conducting a home energy audit. Ms. Reidlinger suggested that sharing stories of how Commissioners engage with resources like a home energy audit on the City’s website is one way to push environmental messaging without relying solely on social media. Chair Miller recommended that the theme for October be changed from renewable energy to energy efficiency so that individuals can take action before winter temperatures set in. He also advocated for having a representative from the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District present at the EMC meeting during the month of August to promote water conservation programs. Commissioner Gerding proposed that the theme for March focus more heavily on water conservation instead of recycling, especially as spring temperatures prompt snow and ice thaw and individuals think about cleaning out and watering their garden beds. Chair Miller agreed and suggested that Commissioner Gerding share his experience with applying for the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District Stewardship Grant to help fund water quality improvement projects at his home. Chair Miller reminded the EMC that the editorial calendar can be changed throughout the year as necessary so that relevant resources and messages are reaching individuals in Oakdale. He supported the idea of hosting an environmental fair at the Discovery Center in June, especially because the fair could be conducted in conjunction with the kickoff for the 2023 Grow Solar Twin Cities solar group buy program. He observed that it would be good to talk with Oakdale residents and business owners in person at events like the environmental fair, rather than exclusively over a virtual platform like Zoom. Commissioner Gerding recommended that a plug for Washington County’s food scraps drop- off program, and for composting in general, be made in December to promote low waste activities over the holiday season. c. OTHER ITEMS Environmental Management Commission Draft Minutes January 9, 2023 Page Six a. Commissioner update(s) Commissioner Wilson shared that Oakdale Wellness 50+ is starting a new series in February called ‘Reducing Your Waste Stream’, a three-part series on reducing household waste streams. The first part of the series is a presentation at the Oakdale Discovery Center on February 16, 2023, from 6-7:30; a representative from Washington County will present about recycling, composting food scraps, and other ways to reduce waste. The second part of the series is a guided tour of the Washington County Environmental Center on February 28, 2023. The third part of the series is a guided tour of the Recycling & Energy Center on March 2, 2023. Commissioner Wilson noted that information about the series can be found on the City of Oakdale’s website, and encouraged interested individuals to make a reservation for one or both tours. Commissioner Gerding encouraged residents and business owners to help clear snow and ice away from storm drains, if possible. He also shared that he is continuing to work with the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District on water quality improvement projects at his home, made possible with funds from the Stewardship Grant. Chair Miller noted that there will be a conference for area environmental commissions in April 2023. He committed to emailing the information about the conference to the other Commissioners. b. Council liaison update(s) Oakdale Mayor Zabel shared that the property tax levy was adopted, and the City’s budget finalized, at the end of 2022. He thanked City staff for preparing all the materials necessary to help City Council make informed decisions about the property tax levy and the City budget. Mayor Zabel mentioned that the first City Council meeting of the year is on January 10, 2023. He explained that he would be sworn into office during the meeting, in addition to reelected Council Member Susan Olsen and incoming Council Member Andy Morcomb. He shared that the City Council would also consider a few development items presented for consideration by the Oakdale Planning Commission during the January 10 meeting. NEXT MEETING DATE Chair Miller reminded the Commission that the next meeting of the EMC will be Monday, February 13, 2023 in the City Council Chambers. ADJOURNMENT Environmental Management Commission Draft Minutes January 9, 2023 Page Six A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER WILSON, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GERDING, TO ADJOURN THE JANUARY 9, 2023 REGULAR MEETING OF THE OAKDALE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION AT 7:48 P.M. 3 AYES 0 NAYS MOTION CARRIED Meeting Adjourned Respectfully submitted, Shannon Reidlinger Sr. Community Development Specialist TO: Environmental Management Commission FROM: Shannon Reidlinger DATE: March 15, 2023 SUBJ: 3M Settlement Priority 2 Work Group presentation This memorandum informs the Environmental Management Commission (EMC) of background information related to the Minnesota 3M PFAS Settlement. Monica Stiglich, Oakdale representative of the Priority 1 Citizen and Business Group, will share a presentation about identified priorities related to spending settlement funds. Background In 2010, Minnesota’s attorney general alleged in a lawsuit against 3M that “the company’s production of chemicals known as PFAS had damaged drinking water and natural resources in the Twin Cities” 1. The state of Minnesota settled its lawsuit against 3M on February 20, 2018. As a result of the settlement, $720 million in funding will be made available to support drinking water and natural resource projects in the Twin Cities east metro region. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are co-trustees of the settlement funds and are working to implement the terms of the lawsuit agreement. Top priorities identified in the settlement agreement include 2: • Priority 1 – Ensure safe and sustainable drinking water • Priority 2 – Enhance natural resources Work groups have been established to identify and recommend projects to be funded by the settlement 3. Priority 1 work groups include: • Priority 1 Government and 3M Working Group • Priority 1 Citizen and Business Group • Priority 1 Subgoup: Drinking Water Supply Priority 2 work groups include: • Priority 2 Government and 3M Working Group • Priority 2 Resident Work Group • Priority 2 Subgroup: Ecosystem Services and Recreation Meetings with Priority 1 work groups launched in July 2018 and continue to this day. Several Priority 1 projects have been identified 4, including a conceptual Drinking Water Supply Plan, and an effort to assess the connection between waste source areas, soil, sediment, surface water, and groundwater from a 1987 large flood control project called Project 1007. Priority 2 Monica Stiglich will present an update on Priority Two planning. The presentation will provide a background on the settlement, an explanation of how conflicts of interest are being managed, an overview of the process and structure for Priority 2, a summary of work group membership and tasks, and next steps. Presentation materials (ATTACHMENT A) are included in this packet. 1 https://3msettlement.state.mn.us/ 2 https://3msettlement.state.mn.us/about 3 https://3msettlement.state.mn.us/work-groups 4 https://3msettlement.state.mn.us/projects TO: Environmental Management Commission FROM: Shannon Reidlinger DATE: March 15, 2023 SUBJ: Review of 2023 Washington County Recycling Grant projects This memorandum informs the EMC of project outcomes for the 2022 Washington County Recycling Grant and proposed projects included in the 2023 grant application. Grant overview Chapter Eight, Goal One, Policy Seven of Oakdale’s Comprehensive Plan details that the City will promote and encourage strategies that reduce waste generation and increase options for reuse, recycling, and composting of items in City operations, residential, and commercial developments. Implementation of this policy is supported by an annual grant administered through Washington County. The purpose of the grant is to assist municipalities with recycling program expenses. 2022 Recycling Grant project outcomes The City applied for grant funding in 2022 to purchase recycling bins for a pilot program at the Oakdale Nature Preserve; to support projects related to Washington County programs like the food scraps drop-off program and BizRecycling; and to encourage recycling, reuse, and waste reduction through educational content. Project outcomes in 2022 include: • 3 dual-stream, 70 gallon waste containers (with capacity for both trash and recycling) were purchased for a recycling collection pilot project at the Oakdale Nature Preserve. • 107 Oakdale residents signed up for a free food scraps drop-off program starter kit. In addition, grant funds were used to purchase over 100 additional pails to continue encouraging organic waste collection in advance of the launch of Washington County’s food scraps pick-up program. • The City coordinated with Washington County to offer free pumpkin recycling during the first week in November. • The Environmental Center (including the Free Product Room), recycling at home, BizRecycling, Oakdale park clean up events, and the Oakdale Indoor Garage Sale were promoted with print space in the spring, summer, and fall/winter editions of the Oakdale Update Newsletter. Newsletters were delivered to over 13,000 households in the city. • Recycling and waste reduction tips, recommendations, and reminders were pushed throughout the year via 60 posts across social media channels including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. • Informational postcards about Washington County’s BizRecycling program were sent to local businesses. In addition, City staff shared details about BizRecycling directly with 11 local businesses in conjunction with the City’s Business Retention, Expansion, and Attraction program. 2023 Recycling Grant draft projects The City applied for grant funding to support recycling, reuse, and waste reduction projects in early March 2023; funding awards are expected to be distributed shortly after application and project approval. Projects submitted for consideration in the 2023 grant application are subject to change based upon review by Washington County grant administration staff. 1. Promote residential and commercial recycling through simple, high-level education a. Project deliverable: Bite-sized educational material shared via the Oakdale Update newsletter, social media, digital and physical signage (yes/no recycling list, short videos, resident stories, etc.); messaging about the dual-stream recycling bins at the Oakdale Nature Preserve; informational content delivered to multi-family property managers about the BizRecycling program and other waste reduction resources b. Outcome target: Increase pounds of recycling collected by residential waste service providers 2. Promote composting as a means of waste reduction a. Project deliverable: Food scraps starter kit giveaway at the summer Farmers Market and winter Indoor Market; annual Washington County backyard compost bin sale promotion; article(s) in the Oakdale Update newsletter; informational content shared via social media; if possible, collection bins for organic material at community events (like Summerfest) b. Outcome target: Increase the number of Oakdale households that register for a drop- off starter kit; decrease the amount of organic material placed in traditional solid waste bins; increase awareness of composting as a means of waste reduction 3. Encourage strategies to decrease reliance on single-use plastics in conjunction with Plastic Free July a. Project deliverable: Reusable shopping/mesh produce bag giveaway at the summer Farmers Market and winter Indoor Market; informational content about plastic-free habits and alternatives shared via social media; series of zero-waste cooking classes b. Outcome target: Increase awareness of single-use plastic alternatives by encouraging residents and business owners to take the Plastic Free July challenge 4. Reduce community waste by hosting a fall city-wide cleanup event a. Project deliverable: One collection event in the fall of 2023 where residents can drop off certain items not accepted in curbside recycling and waste bins (coordination with City departments required to determine items eligible for collection and event location) b. Outcome target: Decrease pounds of solid waste materials landfilled TO: Environmental Management Commission FROM: Shannon Reidlinger DATE: March 15, 2023 SUBJ: Review of draft Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan update project materials The purpose of this memorandum is to provide the EMC an update on community engagement work completed for the updated Bike and Pedestrian Plan (the “Plan”), as well as solicit feedback from the commission on the Plan’s draft network recommendations and an outline of draft actions. BACKGROUND Oakdale’s bike and pedestrian system provides an affordable transportation option with recreation and health benefits. To better connect people and where they live to the region’s growing multimodal transportation network, Oakdale’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan calls for updating the 1995 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan (Chapter Three, Goal Four, Policy One). To date, the project team has completed the following: • Level of traffic stress analysis • Bus stop inventory • Gold Line transit station travel shed maps • Review of existing bicycle, pedestrian, and transit policies and programs • Map of existing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure (including marked crosswalks and bus stops) • Community Engagement Plan activities including: o Conducting a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis with Oakdale’s advisory bodies, including:  The Environmental Management Commission (August 15, 2022)  The Planning Commission (September 1, 2022)  The Economic Development Commission (September 7, 2022)  Parks and Recreation Commission (September 20, 2022) o Hosting one open house on October 19, 2022 with 16 community participants o Hosting one pop-up workshop at the Farmers Market on September 28, 2022 with 50 community participants o Hosting one pop-up workshop at the Oakdale branch of the library on October 24, 2022 with 9 community participants o Conducting an online questionnaire and WikiMap (with results from the 2019 questionnaire/WikiMap and 2022 quesionnaire/WikiMap jointly analyzed). To incorporate a diversity of backgrounds and ages, the project team coordinated with District 622 administrators to email a targeted ask to students and teachers in Oakdale area schools to complete the WikiMap o Conducting in-person focus groups on December 9, 2022 with 42 students of diverse backgrounds in two businesses classes at Tartan High School o Conducting a virtual focus group on January 4, 2023 with eight members of the Oakdale Wellness 50+ group and past Community Walk participants The next community engagement action step is to provide a draft of the Plan to the community for review and feedback in the spring of 2023. The draft Plan will be emailed to residents who have provided their contact information during community engagement, and will be made available to the public on the project’s website. DRAFT NETWORK RECOMMENDATIONS AND DRAFT GOALS, STRATEGIES, AND ACTIONS OUTLINE The results of community engagement activities inform the network recommendations and goals, strategies, and actions used to guide delivery of the Plan. The purpose of the network recommendations map is to identify a future bikeway and walkway system plan with locations and types of facilities (for example, paths and sidewalks). Facility types are informed by the needs of Oakdale’s residents and property owners, and also by regional and national best practices. The purpose of defining goals, strategies, and actions is to provide recommendations around Plan elements like funding, budgeting, development, ordinances, programming, policies, and education. All goals, strategies, and actions will be prioritized and placed on a schedule for implementation. The draft network recommendations map and draft goals, strategies, and actions outline were presented to Oakdale’s internal Development Review Committee on March 1, 2023 for staff feedback. Oakdale City Council reviewed the draft network recommendations map, draft goals, strategies, and actions outline, and a draft heat map of desired walking or bicycling routes at the March 14, 2023 regular meeting and recommended: • Establishing a standard to determine whether a street has excess footage to accommodate constructing a separated, off-road shared use path • Determining responsibility for path maintenance between the City, the County, and neighborhood associations depending on right-of-way ownership • Determining the feasibility of a sidewalk versus a shared use path along Greenway Ave N • Determining continued needs around wintertime path maintenance • Prioritizing trail connection along 10th St N • Prioritizing bicycle and pedestrian safety awareness and education The EMC is encouraged to provide feedback on the draft network recommendations map (ATTACHMENT B) and draft goals, strategies, and actions outline (ATTACHMENT D). Both documents, as well as a heat map indicating desired walking or bicycling routes (ATTACHMENT C), are included in this packet. TO: Environmental Management Commission FROM: Shannon Reidlinger DATE: March 15, 2023 SUBJ: Monthly review of the 2023 EMC Editorial Calendar The 2023 Environmental Management Commission (EMC) Editorial Calendar is designed to generate public outreach and communication about the Commission’s priorities related to solid waste, recycling, composting, air and water quality, and energy conservation. Topics of interest, dates of note, and relevant community resources may vary as the calendar is refined and updated; consequently, the EMC shall provide a recommendation to staff on the messages and resources of highest importance month-to-month. This memorandum seeks to open discussion on the message and resources of focus in March, April, and May of 2023. 2023 EMC Editorial Calendar March: Water Conservation Dates related to Resources related to monthly Commission/community monthly topic topic engagement • Rain barrels and rain gardens o Watershed District water quality improvement Global Recycling grants: Day – Mar 18  Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District Stewardship Grants  South Washington Watershed District • Commission: Share pictures Clean Water Cost of rain barrels or rain gardens Share Program World Water Day in action  Valley Branch – Mar 22 • Staff: Promote the County’s Watershed District Best Management rain barrel and backyard Practices Grant compost bin sale Program  Washington Conservation District National financial assistance Groundwater o Map of water conservation Awareness Week projects – Mar 5-11 • Blue Thumb o Rain gardens o Turf alternatives  April: Environmental Stewardship Dates related to Resources related to monthly Commission/community monthly topic topic engagement Earth Day – Apr • Oakdale environmental 22 volunteer opportunities: • Commission: Share pictures National Park o Adopt-A-Park of cleaning adopted drains in Week – Apr 22 - o Adopt-A-Drain Walton Park 30 o Adopt-A-Wetland • Staff: Adopt a drain near City National • Information about planting Hall Volunteer Month native species May: Bicycling and Walking Dates related to Resources related to monthly Commission/community monthly topic topic engagement Bike to Work Day • Commission: Share pictures – May 19 of walking and bicycling along National Bike to favorite routes and paths in Work Week – May • Oakdale Bike and Pedestrian Oakdale 15 – 21 Plan update project • Staff: • Information about local trails o Share pictures of walking and routes and bicycling along National Bike • Bicycle safety education favorite routes and paths Month in Oakdale Promote the updated Bike and Pedestrian Plan Select social media posts of note in February and March include: • Promotion of the Oakdale Wellness 50+ Reducing Household Waste Stream series (Feb 3) • Promotion of the Free Product Room at the Environmental Center (Feb 14) • Promotion of the Arbor Day Tree Giveaway (Mar 3) • Promotion of the County rain barrel and compost bin sale (Mar 5) • Promotion of conservation grants available to property owners from the local watershed district (Mar 10)  Attachment A Plan for Priority Two 3M Settlement Karen Carney, Abt Associates January 18, 2023  Objectives • Background • Settlement language to guide process • Managing Conflict of Interest • Priority 2 Process and Structure • Work Group Membership and Tasks • Next Steps 2 Priority 2 Background  Priority 2 Settlement Language “utilize the Grant on projects that restore and enhance aquatic resources, wildlife, habitat, fishing, resource improvement, and outdoor recreational opportunities in the East Metropolitan Area and in downstream areas of the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers. These projects may include, but are not limited to: (i) aquatic habitat and water resource protection and restoration; (ii) terrestrial and water trails; (iii) boat ramps and/or fishing piers along the Mississippi River, Lake Elmo, or other waterbodies in or downstream of the East Metropolitan Area; (iv) the restoration of wildlife habitat; and (v) implementation of other terrestrial conservation and recreational improvements in the same geographic area.” 4  Priority 2 Work Group Membership • Work group membership is broadly defined in the settlement: "Working Group" shall mean a working group established by the MPCA and the DNR, consisting of representatives of the MPCA, the DNR, East Metropolitan Area municipalities, and 3M. The composition of the Working Group may vary depending on the project(s) at issue. 5 Priority 2 Process and Structure  Priority 2 Process • Priority 2 projects will be solicited via a competitive, public Request for Proposals (RFP) process • The State will select the projects that best meet Priority 2 goals • The only venue for organizations or communities to advocate for projects under Priority 2 will be through the RFP process • NOT through work groups activities • Manages potential conflict of interest concerns by ensuring work group members will not have a competitive advantage 7  Managing Conflict of Interest Have revised workgroup and subgroup activities to ensure that: • Government/3M or Resident Work Group participants will be able to develop/submit Priority 2 proposals • Subgroup participants will be able to develop/submit Priority 2 proposals 8  Priority 2 Structure • Priority 1 and Priority 2 have similar Work Group structure, but will differ in: • DNR is leading Priority 2 effort and different staff is involved. • Work group and subgroup representatives and roles • Shorter time frame • Types of feedback 9  Revised Priority 2 Structure: Work Groups New Government/3M & Resident Work Groups • Who’s involved • Communities will select their representatives for the Government/3M Work Group • Option to opt out if they do not want to participate in planning process • Residents of Washington, Ramsey and Dakota can apply for membership on the Resident Work Group • Work group role • Will provide feedback on Priority 2 goals, evaluation criteria, and the RFP solicitation scope and language • Will NOT discuss specific project ideas or proposals* * Ensures work group participants are not conflicted out of submitting proposals 10  Consider revising Early Work Group Priority 2 Goals Priority 2 – Natural Resource Restoration, Protection, and Enhancement • Restore, protect, and enhance aquatic resources, wildlife, and habitats. • Reduce fish tissue contamination and remove PFAS-based fish consumption advisories. • Improve and enhance outdoor recreational opportunities. 11  Project Evaluation Criteria Examples • Resources and Services Restored by the Project • Projects that demonstrate a central focus on the key resources or services injured by the releases of PFAS by 3M would be preferred. • Projects that clearly and substantially benefit multiple injured resources or services would be evaluated more favorably than those that would achieve only modest benefits or only affect one resource or service. • Self-Sustaining Benefits • Unlikely the settlement could support projects that require long term monitoring and maintenance. • Projects that would yield their expected benefits with little maintenance or management would be favored over those requiring active management to maintain. 12  RFP Scope Examples of aspects of the RFP that would be discussed: • Should projects be allowed on private property? • Level of proposal detail for funding consideration • Short summary-submit ideas or concepts • Detailed plan (outlining permitting, itemized costs) • Shovel ready • Phased solicitation opportunities? • E.g., separate solicitations for habitat restoration, fishing, recreational trails? 13  Priority 2 vs. Priority 1 Approaches Priority 2 Priority 1 The focus is restoring wildlife and their The focus was on drinking water needs at habitats on a regional/watershed scale rather a community level scale than jurisdictional scale Due to limited funding, RFP process will be Projects were awarded based on drinking used to select projects that best meet goals water needs of each community (not focused on jurisdictions) Non-governmental restoration organizations, Only communities and counties can apply for counties, communities and other resource project funding managers can apply for project funding Work groups will provide feedback on goals, Work groups were used to understand key evaluation criteria, and the RFP solicitation needs as well as the specific projects that scope and language (not projects) would best meet these needs  Government/3M Work Group Membership • Communities will be invited to join the new Priority 2 Government/3M Work Group if they: 1. Have experienced natural resources injuries or recreational service losses from PFAS released by 3M; and 2. Are located in the East Metropolitan Area and downstream locations of the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers 15  Recommended Participants for Government/3M Work Group 1. Afton 14. Nininger township 2. Cottage Grove 15. Oakdale 3. Denmark 16. Prairie Island Indian Community 4. Grey Cloud Island 17. Rosemount 5. Hastings 18. St. Mary's Point 6. Inver Grove Heights 19. St. Paul 7. Lake Elmo 20. St. Paul Park 8. Lake St. Croix Beach 21. South St. Paul 9. Lakeland 22. West Lakeland 10. Lakeland Shores 23. Woodbury 11. Landfall 24. Dakota County 12. Maplewood 25. Washington County 13. Newport 26. 3M • Note that communities can opt out of contributing to the process and are still eligible to apply for a project grant 16  Resident Work Group Membership • New Priority 2 Resident Work Group will be formed in 2023 • Current Priority 1 Citizen/Business Work Group members can continue if desired on the Resident Work Group • Potential new members can apply from Washington, Ramsey and Dakota Counties • Sign up for Priority 2 Gov Delivery for the application announcement • https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/MNDNR/subscriber/new?topic_id=MNDNR_365 17  Gov/3M & Resident Work Group meetings: What to Expect? • Hybrid in-person and virtual meetings (location likely in Cottage Grove) • Meetings approximately every other month • There will likely be 3 to 4 meetings prior to the release of the RFP 18  Priority 2 Structure: Subgroup Ecosystem Services and Recreation Subgroup (SG2) • Who’s involved • Technical, recreational, natural resource, and environmental staff from Priority 2 work group communities and counties • Watershed districts • Resource- and recreation-focused stakeholders • Subgroup role • SG2 members will provide information about local natural resource and recreation planning efforts* • Includes restoring and enhancing aquatic resources, wildlife, habitat, fishing, and outdoor recreational opportunities * Subgroup participants are not conflicted out of submitting proposals 19 Examples of Planning Information 20  Subgroup: What to Expect? • State will invite organizations and communities to participate • No formal meetings or compensation for participating • Initial survey to members on available natural resource and recreational planning documents and priorities • State will meet one-on-one with some organizations • Summary of documents that will be considered during the project evaluation process (to assess project alignment with local planning) 21  RFP Evaluation Process • State Co-Trustees will convene an internal committee (comprising relevant agency experts) to evaluate proposals • This committee will screen out projects that do not meet the screening criteria and evaluate all remaining projects based on the evaluation criteria. • State Co-Trustees will consider the recommendations of the committee and make the final decision on which projects will receive funding • Work groups will not provide feedback on proposed projects (due to conflict of interest concerns) 22  Work/Sub-Groups and Conflict of Interest • Government/3M or Resident Work Group participants will be able to develop/submit proposals • Work groups will not evaluate or provide feedback on the final project selection • All meetings will be open to the public - work group participation will not provide competitive edge • Subgroup participants will be able to develop/submit proposals • Subgroup will be used to secure insights regarding ongoing planning efforts • Specific Priority 2 project ideas will not be discussed • Subgroup participation does not provide a competitive advantage 23  Priority 2 Next Steps • January/February • Recruit new members for Priority 2 Work Groups; Citizen and 3M/Government • Resident Work Group application will be posted on the webpage and open for three weeks • State will invite eligible communities and 3M to participate on the Government/3M Work Group • March/April • Initiate Priority 2 Work Group meetings • Initiate information gathering from Subgroup members • September-December • DNR to open Request for Proposal to identify projects from applications 24  Priority 2 • Questions? • All questions regarding Priority 2 should be sent to here: 3MPriority2@state.mn.us • Sign up for Priority 2 Gov Delivery for Priority 2 updates • https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/MNDNR/subscriber/new?topic_id=MNDNR_365 25 ATTACHMENT B Sidewalk Shared Use Path Future Shared Use Path Future Sidewalk ATTACHMENT C Desired Walking or Bicycling Routes Comment Density Low High City Boundary Parks Waterbody  ATTACHMENT D Draft Goals and Strategies Outline Based on community feedback, the following draft goals, strategies, and actions are recommended for the Oakdale Pedestrian & Bicycle Plan. Draft goals, actions, and strategies are not written in order of importance. This outline is refined based on input from City staff, the Environmental Management Commission, and the City Council. Goal: Expand the extent of the pedestrian and bicycle network Strategy 1: Build and improve linear facilities Action 1.1: Design shared use path and sidewalk projects that appeal to a wide cross section of residents. Shared use paths are designed to accommodate pedestrians, bicyclists, and other non-motorized users (i.e. people on mobility devices, rollerblades, scooters, skateboards, etc.); sidewalks are designed to accommodate pedestrians Action 1.2: Coordinate walking and bicycling facility improvements with already-funded projects Action 1.3: Improve existing shared use paths to encourage sharing and safety Strategy 2: Build and improve crossings Action 2.1: Make it easier for pedestrians and bicyclists to cross busy streets Action 2.2: Use proven measures to improve safety Strategy 3: Prioritize projects that connect important travel destinations Action 3.1: Prioritize the highest needs of residents – according to public feedback, existing transit systems, and the demand analysis – so that linear facilities are connected Action 3.2: Connect residential neighborhoods with popular areas like the Oakdale Nature Preserve and Gateway State Trail Action 3.3: Prioritize projects that have a higher likelihood of funding in municipal, county, regional, and state budgets and grants Goal: Maintain the Existing Pedestrian and Bicycle Network Strategy 4: Improve maintenance of crosswalk markings Action 4.1: Use longer-lasting crosswalk marking materials Action 4.2: Develop a crosswalk marking inventory management system Strategy 5: Improve winter maintenance of walking and bicycling facilities Action 5.1: Expand resources to provide more options for winter maintenance Action 5.2: Develop and/or expand performance measures and priorities for winter maintenance Action 5.3: Design facilities to make winter maintenance easier Action 5.4 Develop maintenance requirements for new developments  Strategy 6: Improve routine maintenance of path and sidewalk pavement Action 6.1: Expand the types of routine pavement maintenance to reduce long-term costs Action 6.2: Develop a path and sidewalk pavement preservation inspection program Goal: Encourage active travel and inform the community about walking and bicycling options Strategy 7: Expand destinations within easy walking and bicycling distance of residential areas Action 7.1: Promote the development of housing within close proximity to existing destinations Action 7.2: Plan for mixed use neighborhoods in undeveloped or redeveloping areas Strategy 8: Promote the existing walking and bicycling network Action 8.1: Develop a positive informational campaign about walking and bicycling Action 8.2: Establish a wayfinding signage network for major destinations and transit facilities that can be reached by walking and bicycling Action 8.3: Publish maps of walking and bicycling routes Strategy 9: Increase community awareness of safety issues Action 9.1: Describe the most common types of crashes between motorists and pedestrians/bicyclists, as well as non-motorist related injuries not involving motorists, and how they can be avoided Action 9.2: Carry out a campaign to increase motorist, pedestrian, and bicyclist compliance with traffic laws Action 9.3: Develop and circulate resource materials