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Home My WebLink AboutAppendix E_Mill Pond Aquatic Vegetation Management presentationMill Pond Aquatic Vegetation Management Jessica Van Der Werff, Water Resources Coordinator September 30, 2015 Welcome •Why are we here? •Following the 2014 assessment hearing, City Council ordered staff to seek feedback from residents about value and service, assessment boundaries, and forming an association •Goals •Gather feedback on various topics to be summarized in a report and recommendation for a City Council work session. May result in changes to 2016 assessment. www.EdinaMN.gov 2 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps Current practices and constraints Permit allows 7 acres of harvesting (50% of pond) Target 50’ center channel plus 50% of each property’s shoreline twice/year •Physical constraints (depth) •Legal constraints (DNR permit) •System constraints (moving stream) www.EdinaMN.gov 3 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps Other 50% scenarios 4 In high water years, shallow areas may be accessible and channel is narrower In low water years, shallow areas may be inaccessible and channel is wider Current practices and constraints •Minnehaha Creek runs through Mill Pond – illegal to apply chemical treatment to a stream •50% area is the maximum allowed by Department of Natural Resources (DNR), even with invasive species present •Areas have native water lilies that have some protection from harvesting www.EdinaMN.gov 5 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps Current practices and constraints •Budget is set during previous year – unable to adjust during treatment season for variability in vegetation density and water level •Few bids are submitted, usually one or two vendors to choose from •Areas are shallow – limited to equipment that bidders have www.EdinaMN.gov 6 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps Current practices and constraints www.EdinaMN.gov 7 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps Service evaluation •Surveys sent out in August •38/63 (60%) returned •Copies available if still interested in submitting a survey www.EdinaMN.gov 8 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps Survey questions www.EdinaMN.gov 9 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps 1.What are your primary activities on Mill Pond? 2.How would you rate the overall value of the service compared with the price paid? 3.How would you rate the quality of the harvesting work? 4.How would you rate your level of satisfaction with the overall aquatic vegetation management strategy? 5.How would you rate your level of satisfaction with the overall contact between you and the City regarding management of Mill Pond? 6.Which level of service (regarding frequency) would you be in favor of? Survey data •Main themes -Mixed uses/activities •-Low ratings for value and quality of service •-Mixed ratings for satisfaction with overall management strategy and City outreach •-Majority are willing to pay more for increased frequency of harvesting •-Several indicated a desire for increased area of harvesting – legal and physical constraints www.EdinaMN.gov 10 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps Responses for ‘other’ included walking, skating, cross country skiing, and walking in wintertime www.EdinaMN.gov 11 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps “What are your primary activities on Mill Pond?” 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 •“How would you rate the overall value with the price paid?” •Most respondents rated the value of the service as poor to fair 12 13 •“How would you rate the quality of the harvesting work over the last two years?” •Most respondents rated the quality as poor to good 14 •“How would you rate your level of satisfaction with the overall aquatic vegetation management strategy in Mill Pond over the last two years?” •No clear pattern, responses were evenly spread Satisfaction overall 15 •“How would you rate your level of satisfaction with the overall contact between you and the City regarding management over the last two years?” •No clear pattern, responses were evenly spread 16 •“Which level of service (regarding frequency) would you be in favor of?” •Most respondents were in favor of paying for more frequent harvesting •Some respondents specifically indicated a greater spatial extent (legal and physical constraints) Service evaluation Level of service www.EdinaMN.gov 17 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps Assessment Boundary •Chapter 429 of MN State Statutes grants the City the ability to assess for improvements. •Current boundary includes 63 properties, set in 1983. Adjacent properties assessed for improvement. www.EdinaMN.gov 18 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps 19 •10 properties are located across the street (circled in red) •16 properties are located upstream in very shallow area (circled in blue) Assessment Boundary •“…those living across the street from the Mill Pond should be equally assessed. They enjoy the same views that we on the pond do, and actually never run the risk of flooding!” •“I do not believe waterfront and non-waterfront homeowners should be paying the same amount in the assessment.” www.EdinaMN.gov 20 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps 21 Assessment Boundary Alternatives Service Level Twice/year cost per unit Four times/year cost per unit All in All 63 properties each pay 1.0 unit. $220.88 CURRENT $435 (+97%) Across street reduced/ removed 10 properties across street reduced to 0.5 units each. 53 properties each pay 1.0 unit. $240 (+9%) $472 (+114%) 10 properties across street removed from assessment. 53 properties each pay 1.0 unit. $262 (+19%) $517 (+134%) Upstream reduced/ removed 16 properties upstream reduced to 0.5 units each. 47 properties each pay 1.0 unit. $253 (+15%) $498 (+125%) 16 properties upstream removed from assessment. 47 properties each pay 1.0 unit. $295 (+34%) $582 (+163%) Across street and upstream reduced/ removed 26 properties across street & upstream reduced to 0.5 units each. 37 properties each pay 1.0 unit. $278 (+26%) $548 (+148%) 26 properties across street & upstream removed. 37 properties each pay 1.0 unit. $374 (+69%) $739 (+235%) Assessment Boundary www.EdinaMN.gov 22 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps Association •A voluntary organization made up of people who own land on or near a body of water. Often formed by land owners when they are concerned about issues regarding their body of water and want to deal with them in an organized way •2014 Lakes & Ponds Policy requires an association for lakes and ponds to be eligible for elective city- coordinated activities (such as mechanical harvesting). Mill Pond wasn’t originally included in the policy, but likely will be in the future. www.EdinaMN.gov 23 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps Association •Allows for; •An organized voice that represents the majority •Information sharing •Platform for educational and social activities •Start-up funding is available from Minnehaha Creek Watershed District to help associations form www.EdinaMN.gov 24 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps Association www.EdinaMN.gov 25 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps Other ideas •Individuals may harvest vegetation along their property without a permit to the extent of 50% of the shoreline up to 50 linear feet (whichever is less) and an area up to 2500ft2 •Work may be performed by owner or hired out •DNR maintains a list of operators •There is a process to request a variance to the 50% limit set by the DNR - not likely to be granted www.EdinaMN.gov 26 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps Other ideas •Dredging •Unknown clay liner condition/extent •Very expensive 14 acres, 1 foot deep = 609,840 ft3 At $1.48/ft3 = $902,563 to deepen one foot www.EdinaMN.gov 27 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps Other Ideas www.EdinaMN.gov 28 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps Next steps •Feedback will be summarized in a report and recommendation to City Council, tentatively scheduled for February 2016 •City Council will make ultimate decision www.EdinaMN.gov 29 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps Next steps •If you wish to provide written comments to be included in the report, please submit to Jessica by November 1, 2015 •A copy of the report will be made available electronically •Stay connected with Edina’s ‘City Extra’ online mailing list. Provide email address on the sign-in sheet tonight or sign up on the City website by searching ‘City Extra’. www.EdinaMN.gov 30 Welcome Current practice Assessments Service eval Association Other ideas Next steps