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10/16/01 LCEC AgP NOTICE Land Conservation & Environment Committee Will meet Tuesday, OCTOBER 16, 2001 At 5:45 P.M. at City of Shorewood 5755 Country Club Road Shorewood, Mn 55331 A G E N D A 1. Approval of Minutes of August 14, 2001 2. Reports ? Vacant Land Inventory (Dickel) ? MCWD Study Group (Woodruff) ? Update on Progress of Gideon Glen (Nielsen) 3. Set Meeting Dates and Times 4. Adjournment • CITY OF SHOREWOOD 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD LAND CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL CHAMBERS COMMITTEE (LCEC) MEETING 5:45 P.M. TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2001 MINUTES CONVENE LAND CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING Vice-Chair Schmid called the meeting to order at 5:53 P.M. A. Roll Call Present: Committee Members Woodruff, Kircher, Schmid, Berndt, Ranallo, and late arrival Pini; Consultant Dan Dickel; City Council Liaison Mayor Love; and Planning Director Nielsen Absent: Chair Bruno 1. Approval of the Minutes of April 24, 2001 Woodruff moved, Kircher seconded to approve the Minutes of April 24, 2001. Motion passed 510. 2. Approval of Minutes of July 10, 2001 Woodruff moved, Berndt seconded to approve the Minutes of July 10, 2001. Motion passed 510. • 3. Elect New Chair Director Nielsen informed the Committee that Chair Bruno had resigned. He added, with Bruno's resignation, the Committee is both short a member and Chair. Vice-Chair Schmid asked for nominations. Pini arrived at 5:59 P.M. Berndt nominated Vice-Chair Schmid to fill the Chair position, Ranallo seconded. Schmid accepted the nomination and the motion passed 6/0. 4/5. Vacant Land Inventory/Land Conservation Plan Consultant Dickel gave an overview of the vacant land inventory starting with the western half of Shorewood and indicated that the eastern sections would be addressed at the next meeting. Dickel pointed out that 80-85 % of the canopy found in Shorewood is comprised up of small privately owned lots. With this in mind, he shared the potential for negotiating with neighbors and neighboring communities the opportunity of jointly conserving pieces of land. After visiting with many owners in Shorewood, Dickel also found that the potential exists for gaining property easements. For example, along the southern edge of Shorewood, Dickel spoke to a woman in her eighties who has lived on this property most of her life and would be very receptive to a conservation easement, or more. Over ten acres, the property borders Chanhassen south of Excelsior, and the woman has expressed her desire to see it not get divided and be preserved. Dickel gave examples of several other • people he'd spoken to who had also expressed the same desire and pointed out that other parcels worth pursuing might include, Twin Orchards a big woods down Grant Lorenz Road, and other landlocked • parcels. Because many of these wetlands touch one another in some fashion, the potential for trails or access could exist between a number of them. Dickel continued that the most unique and fragile areas are on the Enchanted Islands. While many small wetland pockets exist, and have been addressed by ordinances, other big woods have little protection currently. We need to look into having some control or preservation effort made to maintain and preserve these existing canopies. Dickel encouraged review of current tree ordinances, since there is not much developable land left out there. By monitoring the natural areas we have and creating an inventory of what exists currently, an effort can be made to obtain conservation easements and connect smaller plats. Berndt commented that recently she had witnessed two 100-year-old trees come down behind her to make room for a road. She felt the kind of allowance made to let these trees go was tragic. Dickel concurred, noting that the big old woods and trees are not plentiful and we should be looking into ways of saving them. In response, Director Nielsen, noted there is a unique balance that exists between landowners rights to use their property and the City's desire to save or preserve our natural resources. He questioned whether the current tree ordinance should go further, but cautioned that the more desirable answer may be offering tax incentives and cuts to people who offer up their conservation easements. Nielsen pointed to Watton Ponds and Marsh Point, as two good examples of conservation easements being built into a new development from the beginning. He also mentioned the reforestation element to any removal of existing canopy, though this may fall short. Ranallo argued that often when developers insist they have done much to save existing trees, these trees end up dieing within a year or two. Ranallo pointed out that an arborist needs to play a larger role in the development of an area in order to ensure what is being proposed will work. • Mayor Love expressed his concern on behalf of the Council over land conservation and the tension that exists between the rights of the owners and conservation desires. With this in mind, he acknowledged that work needs to be done to tweak and review our existing ordinances. Pini added, that this is a strange juxtaposition between property rights and ordinances. He felt that many current owners do recognize their stewardship of their properties, and are not the concern, it is when the property changes ownership and the new owner decides to cut down the trees we have to worry about. With this in mind, we need to get out there now and talk to the current stewards and save these parcels. Mayor Love agreed, and added that today, many City's and their citizens are moving towards conservation, which can actually increase the value of a piece of property. Nielsen suggested the Committee take this current list of parcels of three acres or more, as well as, the vacant parcels compiled by Dickel, and start approaching people about their conservation easements. He went on to suggest the Committee inventory and classify the lands that are still subject to development so that the City has a sense of what on the property is worth saving before development ever occurs. Finally, due to the possible expense involved in purchasing areas for conservation efforts, as in the case of Gideon Glen, the City may want to consider a referendum to present to its citizens. Mayor Love added, that with the new intersection and gateway to Shorewood, it might be worth checking into recognition, via plaques etc., being posted to give credit to people, tenants of the land, who've chosen to save and donate their easements to the community. Due to the late hour, Mayor Love asked to report on the Phosphorous Free Lawn Fertilizer Movement before he had to leave. • 7. Updates on Phosphorous Free Lawn Fertilizer Movement • Mayor Love reported that the movement is going forward in the next legislative session. Currently, Minneapolis Council Member Lisa McDonald, and Chris Coleman of St. Paul, are presenting similar ordinances to their communities. Mayor Love indicated that he will be meeting with Senator Higgins once again to author the legislation, with interest expressed from Senator Ed Oliver as well. He continued, that while MAWD (Minnesota Area Watershed Districts)supported the effort last year, they will again meet to reaffirm support and hopefully gain access to the League of Cities Agenda. Mayor Love pointed out that lobbyists for Scots have spent a great deal of money to combat the message we are presenting. In effect, it seems the public is subsidizing the lawn turf companies, by paying to mine phosphorous, ship it, manufacture it, use it, and finally, clean it up out of our water bodies. Schmid asked if the same bill was moving forward. Mayor Love indicated it was close, but contains more background, in order to get more agencies on board. They then hope to gain support from the Governor and spend more time moving it forward. 6. Reports • MCWD Study Group - Woodruff postponed report until the next meeting due to the hour. • Report on Garden Awards - Berndt and Kircher have identified several gardens to recognize in the September newsletter • Discussion regarding progress of Gideon Glen - Dickel will provide an update next time • Status Report - Vacant Land Inventory - addressed earlier • Proposed Conservation Easement on Manor Rd/Excelsior Blvd. - Nielsen mentioned that the process is moving along and hopes to be complete by the end of the year • 7. Update on Phosphorous Free Lawn Fertilizer Movement - addressed earlier 8. Set Meeting Dates and Times - September 11, 2001, 5:45 P.M. 9. Adjournment Woodruff moved, Kircher seconded to adjourn the LCEC Meeting of August 14, 2001, at 7:29 P.M. Motion passed 6/0. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, Kristi B. Anderson Recording Secretary •