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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974-01-03 Evironmental Quality Commission Meeting MinutesEDINA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMISSION AGENDA Special Meeting Thursday, January 3, 1974 Village Hall 7:30 PM , Roll Call tl. • Minutes III.. Commit:tee Reports. Committee recommendations on feasiblity of data collection implementation-pIanS''for 1. Water Resources 2. Land Resources 3. Air, Noise & Traffic 4. Soil Erosion 5, Education A. d November B. Other IV. Old Business A. Nine Mile Creek Development - Water Resources Committee. B. Soil Erosion Ordinance C. Tree Removal Ordinance D. Invitation of Refuse Haulers to January meeting. V. New Business A. Co. Rd. 18 - Valley View Rd. Intersection EIS review. B. Mud Lake Taskforce Report Review and Recommendation for Council. C. Other. VI. Communications. VII. Others Wishing to be Heard. VI11. Adjournment. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMISSION Regular December Meeting 7:30 P.M. January 3, 1974 Edina City Hall Chairman Ron Hays called the meeting to order with the following members present: Ron Hays Fritz Reid Virginia Scott June Schmidt (9:30) Staff present: Gary West Bob Sandilla Jim Bentley John Telfer Minutes of the October 29, November 5, and November 26 Meetings. The Minutes of the October 29 meeting were approved as read. The Minutes of the November 5 and 26 meetings were corrected and approved as corrected. Committee Reports. The Chair reported that he had written copies of the t. from the Land Resources and Solid Waste committees. He requested that copies of these reports be made available for the Commissioners for the next meeting. Water Resources. John Telfer reported on the recommendations from the Water Resources Committee. The committee favored a flexable approach to gathering information for recommendations to the EQC and Council through the employment of professionals knowledgable in various environmental fields for specific projects. Input could then be given at any stage of planning or development deemed necessary. Air, Noise & Transportation. t)Li tia si that the committee had not met and therefore no report was ptepL.r?.d. Soil Erosion. Chairman Hays noted there were no members of this committee present and suggested that reports from the other committees on this subject be held for the January meeting. The Chair asked if the standing committees had any other items they would like to report upon. Water Resources. John Telfer recalled the commissions prior discussions of the definition of a "natural pond." He stated that Ron Harnak, of the DNR, had viewed the pond site at Relocation Reality at his request and said he felt that it was a "natural pond" within DNR guidelines. These guidelines are: 1. anything not manmade or 2. capable of beneficial public purpose, or 3. capable of holding water for 1.5-20 years. This definition envoked considerable discussion among the Commission members. Virginia moved and John seconded the EQC to request the Council to instruct the City Attorney to request a definition of "natural pond" from the DNR. Motion carried. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMISSION Regular December Meeting January 3, 1924 Page Two Mr. Telfer stated that the suggestion of erosion prevention projects at bridge locations in the City had been discussed but no investigation carried out by his committee due to the snow. Mr. Telfer reported on the present plans for the Relocation Reality townhouse project and that although the situation was not ideal, that the final plans were an improvement as they had moved the buildings back from the pond and reduced the density somewhat. Solid Waste. Jim Bentley reported that members of the Solid Waste Committee spoke to four high school science classes in December. Mr. Bentley stated the information received from the questionnaires sent to the licensed refuse haulers would be used in additional facts sheets. Mts. Scott said she had been in contact with the Edina Homeowners Coalition who expressed a willingness to distribute a fact sheet on city-wide contract refuse hauling vs, individual contract hauling to their members. She stated she had spoken before each on the member homeowner associations on this subject and had been favorably received. The Homeowner's Coalition will pay the total cost of duplication and distribution. Education. Fritz Reid reported that: the Solid Waste Committee's presentation to the high school science classes was very well received and that they had received a write-up in the school newspaper. The school newspaper also had carried an article on the construction project on Hwy. 100 by the school and its effects on Melody Lake. Environmental Quality Staff, Chairman Hays stated he had discussed the selection of the EQC staff person with Warren Hyde, City Manager, and asked the Commission members for suggestions as to the specific background this person should have. Several of the members suggested various scientific disciplines including: Biology, chemistry, statistics, or bio-statisLics, conservation or natural sciences. It was the general concensus that organizational abilities and common sense was the most important. OLD BUSINESS Nine Mile Creek Development. john Telfer relayed the concern of the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District about the lack of progress in Edina making a final determination on the development of Mud Lake. The Chair replied that he hoped this would be taken care of under new business at this meeting. Soil Erosion Ordinance & Tree Removal Ordinance. Mr. West stated that these ordinances were still in the hands of the Attorney and requested their continuation to the regular January meeting. Invitation to Refuse Haulers to January meeting. Mr. We at stated he had requested this item on the agenda to get further clearfication of the type of information desired from the refuse haulers to be invited to the January meeting. The Commissioner's through their discussion of this subject indicated several general questions to be posed to the haulers. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMISSION Regular December Meeting January 3, 1974 Page Three NEW BUSINESS Mud Lake Taskforce Report Review and Recommendation. Chairman Hays asked that the Mud Lake Taskforce Report review move from item B. to first on the agenda. Chairman Hays reviewed the draft of the taskforce's recommendation to the Council and explained the various activity and nature areas in relationship to the total project. lie then elicited response to the report from the Commission members. Several questions were asked of the Chair concerning the size of the fishing lake and the ability of the site to support both an activity area such as the lake and an educational natural area. The Chair explained that the recommendation of the Taskforce was that the park would be people orientated, a place of quiet in the urban environment where people could enjoy nature and the outdoors, but not a place designed for intensive scientific research of educational nature study such as Wood Lake in Richfield. John Teller recommended that the unique environmental aspects of the Mud Lake area should be retained and that the Taskforce recommendation if implimented would ruin the wildlife habitats present. The Chair replied that this had been considered by the Taskforce and the Taskforee's decision is reflected in the report. The Taskforce did recommend that a naturalist should be employed to lay out the trail system. lie went on to explain that as a committee report that much compromise was necessary on various points in order to e. ca any agreement on the plan and that this proposal appeared to balance the needs of the majority of the community. Considerable discussion was held among the members on tie. plan. John Teller moved that "a naLuralist" be hired to the complete planning and leyoi, cri. the Mud Lake Recreation and Nature Area. The motion dies for lack of a second. The League of Women Voters pre,ented a position paper on the development of Mud Lake which was Jeed by the Chair, This position paper opposed the inclusion of a second swimming pool in the Mud Lake 1 iop,.m:11 and urged that the area be preserved as a nature area to be developed as a nature interpretative center in the near future. Virginia Scott agreed with the League of Women Voters position on the exclusion oI the swimming pool, The Chair responded with facts that were considered by the Taskforce in recommending the site for a second swimming pool, When asked by one of the Commissioners, Mr. Teller responded that he would rather Mud Lake were developed like Wood Lake in Richfield than as proposed by the Taskforce. ;,;,Vil.,,ONMENTAL QUALITY COMMISSION R:,gular December Meeting ,i‘nuary 3, 1974 Page Four Virginia Scott moved; 1.) the EQC approve the report as it stands, 2.) recommend the City Council appoint an ongoing citizen committee to work with the naturalist during development of the project, 3.) recommend the Council take a field trip to the Carlton Arboretum and Near Strand Woods prior to making a final decision on how the Mud Lake area will be developed. Motion seconded by Jim Bentley. Following discussion, the motion was withdrawn. Virginia Scott moved the EQC recommend the City Council approve the recommendations for the use and development of the Mud Lake property as presented to the Council by the Mud Lake Taskforce, May 18, 1973. Motion, seconded by Jim Bentley and carried by a vote of 5 yea, 2 nay. John Telfer moved the EQC recognize the concern expressed by the League of Women Voters about the inclusion of a swimming pool in the Mud Lake Nature area and recommend to the Council that the swimming pool be eliminated from the project by the Council. Motion died for lack of a second. Virginia Scott moved that the EQC recommend to the City Council that in the best interest of the City and its citizens, the Council should visit Canton Arboretum and Near Strand Wood to view existing recreational areas similiar to the one suggested for development by the Mud Lake Taskforce prior to their making a final decision on the development of the Mud Lake area. Motion seconded by Bob Sandilla and carried. John Telfer moved that the EQC recommend the City Council seek the advice of, and employ a naturalist in the layout and construction stages of the development of Mud Lake. Motion seconded by Jim Bentley and carried. County Road 18 - Valley View Road Intersection EIS Review. The Chair presented the draft of the EIS prepared by Hennepin County for the proposed intersection of County Road 18 - Valley View Road and asked for comments from the Commission. Several comments were made concerning the accuracy of the data provided by the EIS and the Commission's ability to fairly evaluate the EIS. Concern was also expressed about the amount of the flood plain which was to be taken for the intersection. Ms. Caryl spoke from the audience in opposition to the proposed interchange. The Chair suggested that the Commission schedule a field trip to the site as early as possible to gather additional information so the Commission could provide input to the City Council for their comments on the EIS. It was decided to meet the following Sunday at 2:00 P.M. to view the site and discuss with the residents of the area their objections to the proposed interchange. ADJOURNMENT The Chair declared the meeting adjourned at 10:30 P.M.