Environmental Management Commission

AGENDA Environmental Management Commission REGULAR MEETING July 17, 2023 7:00 PM Oakdale City Council Chambers 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. ROLL CALL 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. March 20, 2023 b. May 15, 2023 5. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION REVIEW a. OLD BUSINESS i. Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Progress Update ii. Washington County Recycling Grant Update b. NEW BUSINESS i. Environmental Management Commission Recruitment ii. Fleet Electrification 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 August 21, 2023 @ 7PM in the Council Chambers at Oakdale City Hall.  DRAFT MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OAKDALE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION MARCH 20, 2023 CALL TO ORDER The Oakdale Environmental Management Commission (EMC) held a meeting on Monday, March 20, 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 JANUARY 9, 2023 AS WRITTEN. 3 AYES 0 NAYS MOTION CARRIED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION REVIEW a. NEW BUSINESS i. 3M Settlement Priority 2 Work Group presentation Monica Stiglich, Oakdale representative from the Priority 1 Citizen and Business Group, presented on the Plan for the Priority 2 3M Settlement. Ms. Stiglich gave background Environmental Management Commission Draft Minutes March 20, 2023 Page 2 information on the Priority 2 settlement language, stating that awardees will utilize grants for natural resource restoration and enhancement projects. She explained the role of the Trustees – the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) – in Priority 2. The Trustees will select funded projects through a request for proposals (RFP) process. Ms. Stiglich then summarized the Priority 2 work groups and subgroups involved (Government and 3M Working Group, Resident Work Group, and Ecosystem Services and Recreation Subgroup) and their roles in providing feedback on Priority 2 goals, evaluation criteria, and RFP solicitation scope and language. The work groups will not choose or vote on proposals and members of the work groups are able to develop and submit proposals. Ms. Stiglich relayed communities’ concerns about potential conflicts of interest and the need for work group members to not advocate for their communities’ projects during work group activities. The RFP process is the only avenue for advocating for projects. Additionally, all work group meetings will be open to the public. Ms. Stiglich then explained the RFP evaluation process. An internal committee of the State Co-Trustees, with the DNR taking lead, will convene to evaluate proposals. She shared that it is unlikely that projects that require long-term monitoring and maintenance are supported. She relayed the past and next steps for Priority 2. In January and February, eligible communities and members were invited and recruited to participate in the work groups. Starting in March and April, Priority 2 work group meetings will be initiated. September through December, the DNR will open the RFP to identify projects. In response to Commissioner Wilson’s question regarding the work group member application status, Ms. Stiglich relayed that the Resident Work Group application was open for a month and was closed the month prior to this meeting. Commissioner Wilson then asked about the application status of the Ecosystem Services and Recreation Subgroup, to which Ms. Stiglich replied that this subgroup does not have applications and participants will be invited. She also stated that this group will not have meetings. In response to Chair Miller’s question regarding timeframe for criteria development, Ms. Stiglich stated that the hope is to have them sorted out during monthly summer meetings. Chair Miller expressed desire to see the criteria once they are determined so that projects can be developed based on the criteria and the information shared in Ms. Stiglich’s presentation. In response to Chair Miller’s follow-up question regarding the broad scope of work and how priorities will be considered, Ms. Stiglich confirmed the broad scope but expressed that projects addressing direct wildlife and ecosystem impacts from PFAS will be stronger proposals. Commissioner Gerding expressed gratitude for Ms. Stiglich’s time and presentation. In response to Commissioner Gerding’s question regarding whether potential guidance will be developed to help proposals consider the intersectionality and timeframes of current projects and goals found in comprehensive plans and work plans, Ms. Stiglich said that she expects there to be much discussion about the proposal scope once meetings start. It has been expressed from Trustees that shorter-term projects with clear beginnings and ends will be favored. The current ambiguity and broad scope will likely be discussed extensively. Environmental Management Commission Draft Minutes March 20, 2023 Page 3 ii. Review of 2023 Washington County Recycling Grant projects Ms. Reidlinger provided a summary of 2022 outcomes, both continued efforts (offering free food scraps drop-off starter kits; sending out BizRecycling postcards) and new efforts (purchasing more food scraps pails because Oakdale is not guaranteed to be included in Washington County’s pilot compost pick-up program; promoting BizRecycling during Business Retention, Expansion and Attraction visits; purchasing three dual-stream, 70-gallon waste containers for the Oakdale Nature Preserve; offering pumpkin recycling). Ms. Reidlinger highlighted the four projects that are part of the 2023 grant application. She shared that the application is still in the review process and that the county has the final say in each project. It will be finalized once the City receives the grant agreement. Ms. Reidlinger emphasized that education is an important theme of the 2023 EMC Work Plan and the four projects will reflect that theme. The four projects are as listed: 1. Promote residential and commercial recycling through simple, high-level education. 2. Promote composting as a means of waste reduction. This will involve continuing to give away compost pails at Farmers Market as well as making educational efforts to help residents better understand backyard compost bins. 3. Encourage strategies to decrease reliance on single-use plastics in conjunction with Plastic Free July. Actions in support of this project include purchasing reusable bags for Farmers Markets and coordinating information on low-waste cooking. 4. Reduce community waste by hosting a fall City-wide cleanup event. Conversations with Public Works regarding this event will be critical. The City will receive information as to whether the projects have been approved in the coming weeks. An agreement will be drafted for approval. City Council will have the ability to adopt the agreement. Chair Miller expressed desire to have a fall cleanup event and recounted a previously successful Tanners Lake cleanup event. Commissioner Gerding shared that he has been following single-use plastics and taking action to reduce these plastics would be beneficial. In response to Commissioner Wilson’s question regarding dollar amounts tied to each individual effort, Ms. Reidlinger explained that the Washington County calculates this based on a number of factors (e.g., population size). iii. Review of draft Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan update project materials Chair Miller expressed his excitement for this plan and tying this in with the bus rapid transit to ensure that citizens have a car-free option for getting to the public transportation. Ms. Reidlinger provided an update regarding community engagement for this project and asked that the Commission provide feedback on the draft network map included in the packet materials. She relayed that a traffic stress analysis, a bus stop inventory, focus groups with Tartan High Schoolers, an open house, popup workshops, and a WikiMap informed the draft network map. Ms. Reidlinger noted that the consultant used community feedback to develop Environmental Management Commission Draft Minutes March 20, 2023 Page 4 actionable pieces. She shared that the next step in the process is to create the draft Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, which will include maps presented at this meeting and a table that outlines the implementation schedule and factors to consider (e.g., phasing length, other funding sources, context). The draft will be made available to the public and City Council for comment. In response to Ms. Reidlinger’s request for feedback, Commissioner Wilson asked for clarification regarding the draft network map and whether only existing facilities are shown. Ms. Reidlinger responded that the solid green lines are existing shared use paths, the solid yellow lines are existing sidewalks, the dotted green lines represent proposed shared use paths for construction, and the dotted yellow lines represent proposed sidewalks. She noted that Century Avenue is a street that community members desire the construction of any sort of facility, though the ideal is a shared use path. Community members also expressed desire for a facility network close to Willowbrooke and connections to the Gateway Trail. Ms. Reidlinger explained that certain facility proposals are harder to achieve and that the consultant will help the City think through those difficult areas. She also relayed the City Council’s particular interest in a shared use path on 10th Street so that Tartan High Schoolers have access to businesses. In response to Commissioner Wilson’s question regarding how these recommendations will be achieved, Ms. Reidlinger said that the consultant will draft an implementation schedule. This will provide information (e.g., length of time, alternative funding sources, internal funding needs for each project) to determine the feasibility of each project. Chair Miller expressed his satisfaction with the recommendations for 10th Street and Century Avenue. He also expressed concern for Hadley Avenue’s existing shared use path switching sides of the street at the busy intersection with Stillwater Boulevard. He then suggested that this might be an area to review. Ms. Reidlinger informed the Commission that the consultant did hear from community engagement feedback that residents are most looking for paths that are separated from the road and have a buffer between the road and path. The consultant is only recommending separated facilities. City Council commented that while connection is important, it might be difficult due to a number of factors (i.e., right-of-way, road width). The consultant is being asked to look at standards for how wide the road is and feasibility in constructing a separated trail. Chair Miller then shared his support for the recommendations to connect with the Gateway Trail and Willowbrooke. Commissioner Gerding expressed satisfaction with the recommendation to have more connection with the tri-lakes area (Lake Olson, Lake Jane, and Lake De Montreville). Chair Miller commented that having separated shared use paths, instead of bike paths in the road, would help to increase users’ sense of safety. He also brought up comments from previous meetings about connecting to other cities and relayed that he is happy to see that taken into consideration with the new draft. Environmental Management Commission Draft Minutes March 20, 2023 Page 5 Commissioner Gerding seconded Chair Miller’s satisfaction with the Century Avenue recommendation. Ms. Reidlinger then shared the next steps in the project. The consultant is scoped to have one more meeting with the Commission. When completed, the Commission will see the next draft of the holistic plan and have the opportunity to provide feedback. b. OTHER ITEMS i. Monthly review of the 2023 EMC Editorial Calendar The EMC reviewed the themes and dates relevant to the 2023 environmental communications strategy for the months of March, April, and May. Chair Miller highlighted promotional items released in February and March pertaining to the Arbor Day giveaway, the rain barrel and compost bin sale, and the watershed conservation grants for property owners. Ms. Reidlinger asked that the Commissioners take pictures during their visits to the adopted storm drains around Walton Park in the coming month for social media use. Chair Miller recommended continued promotion of the Adopt-a-Drain and Adopt-a-Wetland programs. He commented that he would be happy to provide pictures for Adopt-a-Wetland as he has adopted the wetland near his home and will be conducting a spring cleanup. Commissioner Gerding relayed his support for the March 10 social media post highlighting the conservation grants available to homeowners and residents. He expressed gratitude for staff providing support throughout the process of implementing rain gardens on his family’s property. Chair Miller reminded the Commission that May is National Bike Month and that Bike-to-Work Day and Bike-to-Work Week are in May. These provide an opportunity for Commissioners to share pictures biking on Oakdale trails. Commissioner Gerding suggested that it would be beneficial to find a time on the editorial calendar to share what the Commission continues to learn about the 3M settlement and projects as the information becomes available. Ms. Redilinger responded that the calendar is open to editing and August is a possibility to share this information. In response to Commissioner Wilson’s question regarding the Environmental Fair at the Discovery Center, Ms. Reidlinger stated that the fair is still being worked on and it is on the editorial calendar for June. ii. Commissioner update(s) Chair Miller shared that the Alliance for Sustainability’s Resilient Cities and Communities group has a Zoom meeting on Thursday, March 30 at 6:30 p.m. with Washington County cities. In this meeting, various environmental and resilient city issues will be discussed. Environmental Management Commission Draft Minutes March 20, 2023 Page 6 Chair Miller also shared that the 2023 Environment Commissions Conference is Saturday, May 20 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Ridgedale Public Library in Minnetonka. Environment commission members are invited. There will be presentations and small breakout groups on topics such as solar, recycling, etc. Chair Miller added that this is an opportunity to have conversations and see what other commissions are accomplishing. Commissioner Gerding noted that they are still looking for presentation topics and presenters. iii. Council liaison update(s) City Council Mayor Zabel shared that the City Council work lately has been administrative. They have been working on ordinance language, liquor and garden center licenses, moving the annual street project forward, and vacating minor easements along development projects. Mayor Zabel shared the following upcoming events:  Arbor Day Tree Giveaway. The City gives out 200 trees to be planted around the City. Registration will open on April 3 and is first come, first served.  Park Cleanup Week is April 24 to 30. Residents interested in signing up and adopting a park can visit the City website for more information and contact information.  Community Spring Planting is May 6. More volunteers are needed. Dozens of trees will be planted along 40th Street by Goose Pond Park. The City Forester identified a hole in the tree canopy and the Tree Board is excited to fill it. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and lunch for volunteers will be served from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Mayer Zabel followed up on comments made during the draft Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan update and mentioned that the newly formed Century Avenue coalition will be meeting later this week. The coalition is made up of city, county, and state representatives. Mayor Zabel and City Administrator Christina Volkers will represent Oakdale. This is an organized effort to get the project moving along and consider land use, pedestrian and bike traffic, etc. Chair Miller commented that it is great that the meeting is happening. Mayor Zabel responded strongly that there needed to be elected official and staff representation. iv. Open Forum Ms. Stiglich returned to the podium to encourage the City to communicate through every possible medium, including printed matter that is mailed out. NEXT MEETING DATE Chair Miller reminded the Commission that the next meeting of the EMC will be Monday, April 17, 2023 in the City Council Chambers. ADJOURNMENT A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER WILSON, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GERDING, TO ADJOURN THE MARCH 20, 2023 REGULAR MEETING OF THE OAKDALE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION AT 8:34 P.M. Environmental Management Commission Draft Minutes March 20, 2023 Page 7 3 AYES 0 NAYS MOTION CARRIED Meeting Adjourned Respectfully submitted, Hannah Dunn Community Development Specialist  DRAFT MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OAKDALE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION MAY 15, 2023 CALL TO ORDER The Oakdale Environmental Management Commission (EMC) held a meeting on Monday, May 15, 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 Connor Brown Also Present: Max Lohse, Community Development Specialist and City Staff Liaison Andrew Gitzlaff, Community Development Director Quorum Present: YES ☒ NO ☐ ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION REVIEW a. OLD BUSINESS i. Bike and Pedestrian Plan Update The Toole Design consultant, Shaun Murphy-Lopez, presented the draft Future Pedestrian and Bicycle Facility Network map, with a total of 27 proposed projects. He expressed that he and City staff are in the process of ranking the proposed projects and are looking for feedback on that process. He added that each project is categorized as near term (in the next 5 years), mid term (in the next 5-10 years), or long term (beyond 10 years). Mr. Murphy-Lopez summarized the initial recommendations for ranking factors, noting that proposed factors need to have measurable sources:  Cost estimates: project receives higher rank with less cost  Crashes (reported crashes involving motor vehicle): project receives higher rank with more crashes  Demand (community engagement informed the public’s desire for certain projects) project receives higher rank with more demand  Destinations: project receives higher rank with higher concentration of destinations Environmental Management Commission Draft Minutes May 15, 2023 Page 2  State and federal grant funding eligibility: project receives higher rank with higher likelihood of getting state or federal funds In response to Chair Miller’s question regarding the scores for the crashes factor, Mr. Murphy- Lopez stated that data from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has not yet been acquired. Scores for this factor will be filled in once the data is available. In response to Commissioner Wilson’s question regarding destination scores and the date of the data, Mr. Murphy-Lopez emphasized that the data was from three years ago. Commissioner Wilson followed up that more development will occur near the Oakdale Marketplace and Oakdale Station retail centers and that this will increase destinations in the area. She noted that the destinations factor is fluctuating as Oakdale continues to develop. Mr. Murphy-Lopez highlighted that the five factors were weighted equally and pointed out that certain factors could be weighted less, such as the destinations factor due to its accuracy changing as Oakdale evolves. Chair Miller commented that crashes may be a factor that receives higher weighting, depending on the strength of MnDOT data. This aligns with safety being a top priority from the survey. Mr. Murphy-Lopez responded that if there are few crashes in Oakdale, it is possible to give it a lesser weight whereas if there are more crashes associated with certain projects, then a higher weight may be necessary. In response to Commissioner Gerding’s question regarding whether other crash databases are available aside from MnDOT (such as a bicycle-focused database), Mr. Murphy-Lopez shared that he was unaware of another data source that broke down data by intersection. He shared that there is data that tracks hospital visits due to bicycle crashes but this data source may be reported inconsistently and is not as strong as the MnDOT data. While the MnDOT database does not capture every crash, it is a source that has uniform reporting. Mr. Murphy- Lopez added that there is always a desire for near-misses to be recorded but there is no collecting agency to record that data. Mr. Murphy-Lopez pointed out that funded projects continue to be added to the Implementation of the Future Network spreadsheet. Additionally, he has been working with City staff to list opportunities and challenges, as well as identify the lead agency responsible for the construction of the project. While a project may be under the purview of the county or state, it is more often than not that the City will be responsible for maintenance. In response to Commissioner Wilson’s question clarifying the draft Future Pedestrian and Bicycle Facility Network map and the dotted purple lines (representing future signed walking and bicycling routes), Mr. Murphy-Lopez explained that the streets with this proposed facility are quiet residential streets, with a lack of high motorized traffic. The necessity of putting a sidewalk or shared use path on those streets is much lower and would be disruptive because of the narrow width of the right-of-way. Therefore, it is recommended that signs be installed to direct people. Environmental Management Commission Draft Minutes May 15, 2023 Page 3 In response to Commissioner Gerding’s question about the orange dotted line markings (such as the one at 16b) on the draft Future Pedestrian and Bicycle Facility Network map that do not correspond to the legend, Mr. Murphy-Lopez explained that those markings represent a change they would like to make to the colors used in the draft map. Instead of yellow dotted lines representing future sidewalks, they would like orange dotted lines. Mr. Murphy-Lopez shared that Oakdale has a good bicycle and pedestrian network as is and the goal of this plan is to connect the dots and bridge the gaps within the network. He highlighted that new projects have been added since the Commission’s previous meeting based on development. The projects total roughly 22 miles. There are four projects that have a stronger likelihood of federal funding. One such project goes along the Gold Line on Hudson Boulevard and is programmed to be done by Metropolitan Council. Century Avenue, 10th Street, and Stillwater Boulevard are the three other projects. They have been designated as part of the Regional Bicycle Transportation Network that the Metropolitan Council uses to prioritize federal funding. Chair Miller mentioned that the Stillwater Boulevard project (16b) is an example of where the shared use path switches from one side of the road to the other. Other shared use paths in the City continue on one side of the road. He suggested that signage might be implemented to make people aware of the switch at Stillwater Boulevard. Mr. Gitzlaff added that the project on Hadley by Walton Park (17) is attempting to partially rectify the same issue of the bike path switching sides of the road. Mr. Murphy-Lopez stated that they can recommend solutions to make situations like these better. In response to Commissioner Wilson’s question regarding the possibility of adding bus stops to the map, Mr. Murphy-Lopez explained that this version of the map has crosswalks. In another version of the map, the crosswalks have been removed and bus stops have been added. It would be cluttered to have both crosswalks and bus stops together. Commissioner Wilson added that parks, according to the legend, have not been designated on the draft map. Mr. Murphy-Lopez responded that this will be brought up to the mapmaker. Other suggestions for the mapmaker include:  Change title from “Future Pedestrian and Bicycle Facility Network” to “Pedestrian and Bicycle Facility Network Implementation”  Add a label for the neighboring community of Maplewood  Match the line style of existing shared use paths by Tanners Lake to the style of other existing shared use paths  Label Oakdale Lake Preserve b. OLD BUSINESS i. Xcel Energy Fleet Electrification Advisory Program Chair Miller introduced the work done to identify potential City fleet vehicles that would be candidates to be replaced with electric vehicles. Environmental Management Commission Draft Minutes May 15, 2023 Page 4 Mr. Lohse shared that the period of data collection is complete and there are initial recommendations. He added that more collaboration with other departments is needed to determine prioritization. Mr. Gitzlaff added that this work was funded by an Xcel Energy grant. Sawatch Labs conducted the analysis, using data from telematics devices placed in City of Oakdale fleet vehicles for a minimum three month period. The data needs to be further analyzed. The next step is to share the results with City Council and work with Xcel on exploring locations for charging infrastructure. The study highlighted where locations would make sense based on current operations. ii. Update on Great Plains Institute EV Smart Program Mr. Lohse explained that the City of Oakdale joined the Great Plans Institute (GPI) EV Smart Program in February of 2023. This program offers technical assistance and certification – bronze, silver, and gold – so that cities move towards creating EV-friendly communities. He shared that City staff had a meeting with GPI staff to determine Oakdale’s certification status. Because of the City’s EV work prior to joining the program, Oakdale is close to reaching bronze certification. Chair Miller commented that it is good to know that previous work, such as changing ordinances, has paid off. He also shared that he has worked with the Great Plains Institute in the past and commented how it is a great organization. In response to Commissioner Gerding’s question regarding what previous actions taken by Oakdale have poised the City to achieve bronze certification, Mr. Lohse commented that he would have to revisit the GPI’s progress spreadsheet. Mr. Gitzlaff added that a major step for the first certification is a plan for EVs and how that meets City goals. This was accomplished during the EV audit from a couple years ago, which may be due for a refresh. Additionally, passing the ordinance, developing charging infrastructure guidelines, and performing a fleet analysis were steps taken previously. The next step will involve infrastructure analysis. Mr. Gitzlaff informed the Commission that as you move through GPI’s certification, the policy actions may be easier than the implementation actions. Mr. Lohse pointed out that previous Community Development Specialist Shannon Reidlinger’s work in creating an EV-Ready Community Plan was critical in moving towards a bronze designation. iii. 2023 Washington County Recycling Grant Award Chair Miller reminded the Commission that at the previous meeting the grant application had been prepared and was being submitted to Washington County. Mr. Lohse provided a brief update that the grant was awarded. Chair Miller commented that the Washington County Recycling Grant allows the City to continue to make improvements with reducing, reusing, and composting. Environmental Management Commission Draft Minutes May 15, 2023 Page 5 Commissioner Wilson expressed excitement for the single-use plastic reduction project and the reusable shopping bag giveaway. Chair Miller added that looking to see what other cities are doing in this area could be beneficial. He also emphasized that the Environment Commissions Conference on Saturday, May 20 could be an opportunity to learn from other cities. In response to Commissioner Gerding’s question regarding the funding amount from year to year, Mr. Gitzlaff shared that the money is comparable. c. OTHER ITEMS i. Commissioner update(s) Commissioner Wilson provided an update regarding a grant awarded to Age-Friendly Oakdale and Oakdale Wellness 50+ from the Minnesota Department of Human Services’ Age-Friendly Minnesota to assess transportation needs and barriers in the community, explore options, and plan solutions to improve transportation access for older adults and those with disabilities in Oakdale. Four community conversations, directed by a hired consultant, will be held to determine what Oakdale residents want their transportation future to look like, keeping in mind that most people want to remain in their current homes. A report will summarize major findings and workshops will be held to educate citizens on current and future transportation options. This evolved from an Age-Friendly Minnesota survey that found that the number one priority for people was staying in their homes and finding ways to get around Oakdale without using cars, bicycles, or their feet. This is a first pass at learning more about transportation options that exist and ones that could exist depending on future planning. The initiative will also be working with Washington County to better understand what citizens desire and what transportation options they would use. Chair Miller mentioned that the Environment Commissions Conference will be held on Saturday from 9 a.m to 12:30 p.m. at Ridgedale Library and there will also be an online option. Commissioner Gerding gave a shout out to the Tree Board, City staff, volunteers, and partners at University of Minnesota that made the Tree Giveaway possible. ii. Council Liaison Updates Mayor Zabel was unable to attend the meeting and Mr. Gitzlaff provided updates on his behalf.  During the Arbor Day Tree Giveaway, 200 new trees were claimed and are now part of Oakdale’s tree canopy.  The Jane Klein Memorial Spring Planting took place on May 6 and included adding 40 new trees along 40th Street by Goose Pond Park.  Development continues to be fast and furious. There have been approved projects materializing at Willowbrooke, Helmo Bus Rapid Transit Station, and soon-to-be Oakdale Marketplace. Environmental Management Commission Draft Minutes May 15, 2023 Page 6 Mr. Gitzlaff provided an update regarding hiring former Staff Liaison Shannon Reidlinger’s replacement. Candidates are currently being interviewed. Mr. Gitzlaff stated that the next meeting is scheduled for June 19, 2023. The City will be closed that day to honor Juneteenth. The Commission has the option to choose a new date in June or forego the meeting. He informed the Commission that City staff feel comfortable with the progress of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan and waiting until July to provide an update would give the consultant time to complete the deliverable. Chair Miller recommended foregoing the June meeting due to the lack of pressing matters. NEXT MEETING DATE The next meeting of the EMC will be Monday, July 17, 2023 in the City Council Chambers. ADJOURNMENT A MOTION WAS MADE BY COMMISSIONER WILSON, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BROWN, TO ADJOURN THE MAY 15, 2023 REGULAR MEETING OF THE OAKDALE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION AT 8:10 P.M. 4 AYES 0 NAYS MOTION CARRIED Meeting Adjourned Respectfully submitted, Hannah Dunn Community Development Specialist TO: Environmental Management Commission FROM: Max Lohse, Community Development Specialist DATE: July 17, 2023 SUBJ: Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Progress Update The purpose of this memorandum is to provide the EMC a progress update on the Bike and Pedestrian Plan. 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 two pop-up workshops in 2022 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. 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  Initial potential future projects, complete with locations, descriptions, characteristics and early suggestions for phasing  Draft factors to assist with project rankings  Collected input on future network implementation documents from the EMC.  Completion of the first draft of the plan text, with no graphic design improvements yet created* * Indicates new material since May 2023 EMC meeting The next engagement action step is to provide the first draft of the plan text to the EMC and City Council for review. The draft text will be presented to the City Council on July 25, 2023, and shared with EMC members for feedback. After the collection of input on the first draft, City Staff and Toole Design will then use collected feedback in August to create a complete draft with graphic design improvements. The complete draft will be posted to the City’s website for public comment. After the public comment period ends, the plan will be revised once more based on general public comments, and then presented to the City Council for formal adoption. TO: Environmental Management Commission FROM: Hannah Dunn DATE: July 17, 2023 SUBJ: Washington County Recycling Grant Update The purpose of this memorandum is to provide the EMC a progress update on the 2023 Washington County Recycling Grant. One of the focuses for the grant is to encourage strategies to decrease reliance on single-use plastics. This will be achieved through creating and giving away reusable shopping bags at community events. City staff has produced mock ups of potential bag graphics for Commission input. TO: Environmental Management Commission FROM: Hannah Dunn DATE: July 17, 2023 SUBJ: Environmental Management Commission Recruitment The purpose of this memorandum is to summarize recruitment strategies, best practices and provide potential solutions to increase participation in the Environmental Management Commission (EMC). Background In recent years, the EMC – as well as other City advisory committees – has experienced reappointment decline in membership. As of July 1, 2023, four of the seven EMC seats are vacant. Recent Strategies to Recruit In the past, typical EMC member recruitment strategies have included:  Social media: In the past year, there were two posts on Facebook promoting general openings for all City of Oakdale commissions. According to analytics, the September 22, 2022 post reached 955 accounts. It was liked by three accounts and was shared once. The July 7, 2023 post was liked by six accounts and was shared ten times.  Mailers: The Oakdale Update, a seasonal newsletter, is mailed to all homes and businesses in Oakdale. The publication is also available online via the City’s website and Facebook. All City commissions are frequently promoted in the newsletter. In the past year, the Fall/Winter 2022 and Spring 2023 issues both highlighted the commission volunteer opportunities.  Video promotion: The Monday Morning Minute video on April 3, 2023 featured vacancies on the EMC. According to analytics, the video was viewed for its entirety 106 times, which is average for the weekly video series.  Event tabling: Community Development staff promoted EMC vacancies at Summerfest 2023 with a one-page flyer. The flyer described the EMC and provided interested people with a QR code for the application. Over the two days of tabling, two people took flyers.  Sign advertising: Openings on the EMC and other commissions are often advertised on the curbside electronic sign at City Hall. Recruitment Strategies According to available resources, there are three general methods for volunteer recruitment that are applicable to the EMC. The warm-body or broad-based recruitment strategy involves promoting an organization’s message to a broad audience 1. This approach entails distributing flyers, mailing brochures, speaking to groups, and posting on social media. The targeted recruitment strategy is the opposite of the blanketed approach of the previous strategy. Rather, this approach entails reaching out to specific individuals with certain skills or interests. It involves thinking about where to find such individuals and their motivations 2, 3. 1 How Volunteer Recruitment Works 2 How Volunteer Recruitment Works 3 How to Attract & Recruit the Best Volunteers (And Keep Them)  Suitability Assessment Client: Oakdale Group: All Vehicles Category: Light Duty Generated on: 6/13/2023 Fleet Impact Estimated lifetime impact of replacing your 6 EV Candidates: TCO Operational Cost -6% -$101,000 GHG Emissions Fuel 64% 23,479 gal Sawatch Labs Sawatch Labs analyzed 12 Light Duty vehicles in the fleet using our proprietary ezEV Analytics. ezEV compares each vehicle with available EV models to determine if an EV would be a good operational and economic fit. This analysis gives you and your drivers the confidence to know when an EV will meet your needs. info@sawatchlabs.com | Denver, CO | https://sawatchlabs com ezEV Suitability Assessment - Oakdale © 2023 Sawatch Labs All Rights Reserved  Suitability Assessment Oakdale - All Vehicles Fleet Summary _________________________ Generated on: 6/13/2023 _____________________ Vehicles: 12 _________________________ Observation Period: 8/28/2022 - 12/15/2022 _____________________ Recommended EVs: 6 The Top 6 best Light Duty EV candidates for your fleet are listed below. Asset ID Model Recommendation ezEV Overall Score G9YKUA1RBH3V 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 100 G9MYE357FW8K 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV 97 WT G9892DXM2Y46 2018 Toyota RAV4 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 96 G90XJU8AX0A8 2018 Toyota RAV4 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 95 G9J70Y2VCHPH 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV 95 WT G924H71PNAVN 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV 94 WT info@sawatchlabs.com | Denver, CO | https://sawatchlabs com ezEV Suitability Assessment - Oakdale © 2023 Sawatch Labs All Rights Reserved Suitability Assessment Custom Assumptions Fleet Input These values are the custom inputs provided by the fleet. Some vehicles may have vehicle-specific custom inputs which can be found on the individual vehicle summary page in the ezEV dashboard. ______________________ Gas Price: $3.50 per gal ______________________ ICE Maintenance Cost: $915 per 15,000 miles ______________________ GHG Emissions from Electricity Generation: 502 g/kWh ______________________ EV Maintenance Cost: $465 per 15,000 miles ______________________ Social Cost of Carbon: $36 per ton ______________________ Vehicle Lifecycle: 8 years ______________________ Insurance: $1,029 per year Vehicles Selected The following tables list the details for each vehicle considered in the analysis, seperated by the internal combustion engine (ICE), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Internal Combustion Vehicles Model Class Price Fuel Efficency (mpg city/ mpg highway) 2023 Dodge Grand Caravan Minivan $27,290 17/25 2023 Chevrolet Express Cargo Van Class 3 Van $38,100 23/25 2023 Toyota Rav 4 SUV $29,085 27/35 2023 Nissan Frontier 1/2 Ton Pickup $29,120 18/24 2022 Ford T-350 Cargo Van Cargo-van $37,620 4/6 info@sawatchlabs.com | Denver, CO | https://sawatchlabs com ezEV Suitability Assessment - Oakdale © 2023 Sawatch Labs All Rights Reserved Suitability Assessment Custom Assumptions Electricity Rates If none of the above rates apply for a given time period, your fleet's default kWh rate of $0.11 is used. Rate Name Rate Date Duration Active Days Active Times Summer On Peak $0.09 June 1 - August 31 Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, 9:00 am - Fri, Sat, Sun 8:59 pm Summer Off Peak $0.2 June 1 - August 31 Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, 9:00 pm - Fri, Sat, Sun 8:59 am Winter Off Peak $0.04 October 1 - April 31 Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, 9:00 pm - Fri, Sat, Sun 8:59 am Winter On Peak $0.16 October 1 - April 30 Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, 9:00 am - Fri, Sat, Sun 8:59 pm info@sawatchlabs.com | Denver, CO | https://sawatchlabs com ezEV Suitability Assessment - Oakdale © 2023 Sawatch Labs All Rights Reserved  Suitability Assessment Client: Oakdale 2 Group: All Vehicles Category: Light Duty Generated on: 6/13/2023 Fleet Impact Estimated lifetime impact of replacing your 13 EV Candidates: TCO Operational Cost -34% -$478,000 GHG Emissions Fuel 97% 111,005 gal Sawatch Labs Sawatch Labs analyzed 14 Light Duty vehicles in the fleet using our proprietary ezEV Analytics. ezEV compares each vehicle with available EV models to determine if an EV would be a good operational and economic fit. This analysis gives you and your drivers the confidence to know when an EV will meet your needs. info@sawatchlabs.com | Denver, CO | https://sawatchlabs com ezEV Suitability Assessment - Oakdale 2 © 2023 Sawatch Labs All Rights Reserved  Suitability Assessment Oakdale 2 - All Vehicles Fleet Summary _________________________ Generated on: 6/13/2023 _____________________ Vehicles: 14 _________________________ Observation Period: 2/27/2022 - 6/11/2023 _____________________ Recommended EVs: 13 The Top 10 best Light Duty EV candidates for your fleet are listed below. Asset ID Model Recommendation ezEV Overall Score 2157 2021 Ford Explorer 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 100 AWD 1618 2016 Ford Explorer 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 100 AWD 2025 2020 Ford Explorer 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 100 AWD 2261 2022 Ford Explorer 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 100 AWD 1619 2016 Ford Explorer 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 100 AWD 1616 2016 Ford Explorer 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 100 AWD 2079 2020 Ford Explorer 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 100 AWD 1831 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 2023 Chevrolet Silverado EV 100 WT 1903 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 100 AWD 2026 2020 Ford Explorer 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 99 AWD info@sawatchlabs.com | Denver, CO | https://sawatchlabs com ezEV Suitability Assessment - Oakdale 2 © 2023 Sawatch Labs All Rights Reserved Suitability Assessment Custom Assumptions Fleet Input These values are the custom inputs provided by the fleet. Some vehicles may have vehicle-specific custom inputs which can be found on the individual vehicle summary page in the ezEV dashboard. ______________________ Gas Price: $3.50 per gal ______________________ ICE Maintenance Cost: $915 per 15,000 miles ______________________ GHG Emissions from Electricity Generation: 502 g/kWh ______________________ EV Maintenance Cost: $465 per 15,000 miles ______________________ Social Cost of Carbon: $0 per ton ______________________ Vehicle Lifecycle: 8 years ______________________ Insurance: $1,029 per year Vehicles Selected The following tables list the details for each vehicle considered in the analysis, seperated by the internal combustion engine (ICE), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Internal Combustion Vehicles Model Class Price Fuel Efficency (mpg city/ mpg highway) 2023 Dodge Grand Caravan Minivan $27,290 17/25 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 WT 1/2 Ton Pickup $39,600 19/22 info@sawatchlabs.com | Denver, CO | https://sawatchlabs com ezEV Suitability Assessment - Oakdale 2 © 2023 Sawatch Labs All Rights Reserved Suitability Assessment Custom Assumptions Vehicles Selected (continued) Battery Electric Vehicles Model Class Price Battery Capacity (kWh) 2023 Rivian R1S SUV $72,500 135 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV AWD SUV $40,999 75 2024 Vo kswagen iD Buzz Minivan $55,000 82 2023 Ford Lightning Pro 1/2 Ton Pickup $46,974 98 2023 Ford Lightning XR 1/2 Ton Pickup $82,769 131 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV Pursuit Police Pursuit $44,995 100 2024 GMC Denali EV 1/2 Ton Pickup $107,000 200 2023 Nissan Ariya AWD SUV $47,190 63 2023 Lordstown Endurance 1/2 Ton Pickup $52,500 109 2023 Chevrolet Silverado EV WT 1/2 Ton Pickup $41,090 100 2024 Ram 1500 Electric 1/2 Ton Pickup $45,000 159 2023 Chevrolet Silverado EV 3WT 1/2 Ton Pickup $74,800 200 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge SUV $55,000 78 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss 1/2 Ton Pickup $79,800 200 4WT 2022 GMC Hummer pickup SUV $110,295 210 2025 Ford Explorer EV SUV $50,000 70 2024 Tesla Cybertruck 1/2 Ton Pickup $75,000 100 2023 Rivian R1T Pickup $73,000 135 2023 Ford Mustang Mach E Pursuit SUV $44,000 70 info@sawatchlabs.com | Denver, CO | https://sawatchlabs com ezEV Suitability Assessment - Oakdale 2 © 2023 Sawatch Labs All Rights Reserved Suitability Assessment Custom Assumptions Vehicles Selected (continued) Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles Model Class Price Battery Capacity (kWh) 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Minivan $49,995 16 info@sawatchlabs.com | Denver, CO | https://sawatchlabs com ezEV Suitability Assessment - Oakdale 2 © 2023 Sawatch Labs All Rights Reserved Suitability Assessment Custom Assumptions Electricity Rates If none of the above rates apply for a given time period, your fleet's default kWh rate of $0.11 is used. Rate Name Rate Date Duration Active Days Active Times Summer On Peak $0.2 June 1 - September Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, 9:00 am - 30 Fri, Sat, Sun 8:59 pm Summer Off Peak $0.09 June 1 - September Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, 9:00 pm - 30 Fri, Sat, Sun 8:59 am Winter Off Peak $0.04 October 1 - May 31 Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, 9:00 pm - Fri, Sat, Sun 8:59 am Winter On Peak $0.16 October 1 - May 31 Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, 9:00 am - Fri, Sat, Sun 8:59 pm info@sawatchlabs.com | Denver, CO | https://sawatchlabs com ezEV Suitability Assessment - Oakdale 2 © 2023 Sawatch Labs All Rights Reserved