HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022/06/01 - ADMIN - Agenda Packets - Environment & Sustainability Commission - Regular Environment & sustainability commission meeting
June 1, 2022
6:30 p.m.
All board members/commissioners will participate in this meeting at the Community Room, St.
Louis Park City Hall, 5005 Minnetonka Blvd., St. Louis Park, MN 55416.
Commission members and guests are urged to wear face coverings regardless of vaccination
status. If you do not have a face covering, one can be provided at the meeting. If you are unable
to wear a standard face covering, the city has face shields available for use upon request.
Agenda
1. Call to order
a. Roll call
b. Introduction of new ESC members and guests
2. Approval of minutes (May 4, 2022)
3. Business (6:40 p.m.)
a. Tree programs and policies discussion with Mike Bahe, natural resources
manager
b. Follow up discussion on gas-powered lawn equipment
4. Staff updates (7:30 p.m.)
5. Workgroup and/or project updates
a. Year of Climate Action workgroup
6. City Council engagement
7. Environmental Justice and current events open discussion
a. Hennepin County Zero Waste Plan and HERC (incinerator)
8. Upcoming/proposed events
9. Adjournment
Future meeting/event dates:
• Ecotacular: June 18, 2022
• July ESC meeting: July 13, 2022
If you need special accommodations or have questions about the meeting, please call Emily Ziring at 952-924-2191 or the
administration department at 952-924-2525.
Official minutes
Environment & sustainability commission
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
5/4/2022
1. Call to order – 6 p.m.
1a. Roll call
Members present: Chair Andrew Willette, Marisa Bayer, Eric Zweber, Andy Willette, Paige
Kane, Ryan Griffin, Dave Wilsey, Tatiana Giraldo, JD Moore, Sasha Shahidi, Lillian Hertel, Holly
Johnson
Members absent: Vice Chair Shaina Ashare
Staff present: Emily Ziring, Sustainability Manager; Ellie Rabine, Sustainability Specialist
Guests: Mike Behnke, community member
2. Introduction of Ellie Rabine, sustainability specialist
Ms. Rabine introduced herself to the commission and gave some background on her work
history within sustainability.
3. Approval of minutes – April 6, 2022
Commissioner Johnson made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Giraldo, to approve the
minutes as presented. The motion was approved with 4 abstentions (Commissioners Willette,
Kane, Shahidi, Hertel, Bayer).
4. Business
a. Debrief Environment Commissions Conference
Ms. Ziring gave background on the conference and her experience in attending. She noted
presentations on energy policies, building performance standards, EV charging, and the recent
climate emergency resolution. She noted attendance was good.
Commissioners Willette and Zweber also noted their take-aways from the conference, including
the opportunity to network with commissions from other cities. They also noted interest in the
upcoming county commission clusters. The presentations from the conference will be
forwarded to all commissioners.
b. Discuss moving July ESC meeting date from July 6 to July 13
Commissioner Zweber made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Bayer, to move the July ESC
meeting from July 6 to July 13. The motion passed unanimously.
ESC meeting -2- May 4, 2022
5. Staff updates:
• Presentations made to all 6th grade students at the St. Louis Park middle school on
climate action as part of a collaboration with Westwood Hills Nature Center staff.
• Wrapping up the multi-family housing study. Surveyed over 110 property owners, a
good response rate. Consultants will produce the final report later this month.
• Electrification cohort focusing on water heaters to start.
• State of MN working on Climate Action Framework and Mr. Ziring has been served on
the Clean Energy and Efficient Buildings task force. Summary of recommendations will
go to the governor’s subcabinet in June and the framework will be published in July or
August.
• Tree planting projects are going well for residential properties but not as much traction
on the commercial side. More outreach will need to be done and targeted messages will
be going out. Houses of worship are now able to participate in the Shade SLP tree
planting program.
• Green Building Policy going to city council on May 9 and will be considered for adoption
in June.
• Sun Sailor will have a column about the city’s tree planting program written by Ms.
Ziring and Mike Bahe, natural resources manager.
• Solid Waste team working on Ecotacular event – looking for 4 more volunteers on June
18 to table that day. Commissioners encouraged to sign up to staff tables.
• Ride and Drive Event planned for Sept. or Oct. An EV educator will be available to
participate.
Commissioner Bayer asked about any takeaways from the NOAH property surveys. Ms. Ziring
stated some themed have emerged around owners having freedom to control what they do
with their buildings.
6. Workgroup and/or project updates
a. Year of Climate Action workgroup
Commissioner Giraldo noted they have discussed events and are working on details.
Commissioner Shahidi added that a climate change trivia event at a distillery is one idea they
are working on. The event would also have a way for guests to sign up for composting or
Windsource or other actionable items they can sign up for on the spot. The Ribbon Tree will
debut for the season at Ecotacular, where prompts will be included for people to write on
ribbons for the event.
Commissioner Shahidi also noted an idea of training the Junior Naturalists to train younger
school kids on climate action as another communication channel.
7. City Council engagement
No updates.
8. Updates
Commissioner Hertel described a new search engine being used at her school called
Ecosia—it plants trees for every search performed. She mentioned that the SLP High
ESC meeting -2- May 4, 2022
School Roots and Shoots club is on Instagram but otherwise she does not know what
that group is up to. One group at Benilde works on everything environmental, while at
St. Louis Park there is a group that focuses on climate. Chair Willette stated he would
like to see presentations each year from the school climate group advisors.
Commissioners Johnson and Moore will be leaving the commission. They noted they
have enjoyed working with the group and encouraged all to keep up the good work.
Chair Willette noted the departing commissioners are welcome to continue to attend
meetings and participate in any way they would like to.
Ms. Ziring stated each May new appointments are made, and new commissioners begin
in June.
9. Environmental Justice and current event open discussion
a. Tree programs and policies summary
Commissioner Zweber noted the city’s policies and ordinance in place, and he would like
to know how they are implemented and how they change over time.
Commissioner Shahidi asked what role citizens have so that what happened in Edina
never happens in St. Louis Park.
Commissioner Wilsey noted there were two columns in the Sun Sailor about
mismanagement of trees in St. Louis Park. He noted they were written in a way that
made people feel uncomfortable, especially if they are not aware of city policies. He
added as comments are heard in response to these articles, people will need to be
made aware of an appropriate response and information that can be provided at
tabling.
Commissioner Shahidi also asked for more information on how departments work
together. She also asked for a staff person from Edina to come to an ESC meeting and
talk about what happened with all the tree removal, adding she wants to know how this
works in St. Louis Park. She stated she is still upset about how the Weber Park tree
removal happened.
Commissioner Bayer stated more information on how staff and departments make
decisions and collaborate would be appropriate, along with how all fits together in
St. Louis Park.
Commissioner Griffin added it would be helpful to have the city’s naturalist come in and
discuss the tree policies and programs, and how much the city is investing in trees, as
well as seeing the data and how it all is balanced.
Ms. Ziring stated a few members of city council have been discussing setting a tree
canopy goal and asked her and Mike Bahe, natural resources manager, for their
comments. She stated a report went back to council and the topic may come to council
for further discussion in the fall. Ms. Ziring stated she is pulling together a document
ESC meeting -2- May 4, 2022
with details related to city tree policies for the commission and is still working on this.
She added that on average, the city removes 400 trees per year from residential and
commercial areas for disease, death, structural issues, and new development, among
other reasons, and in 2022 that number has been exceeded primarily due to emerald
ash borer. She added that the issue is not a lack of new tree planting, but that there are
not always enough resources for pruning and watering of trees to grow them to
maturity.
Ms. Ziring stated the city’s natural resources manager plans to visit the ESC to discuss
the topic further at the June meeting.
b. Active transportation letter to legislature
Ms. Ziring described a letter to members of the legislature signed by the mayor pushing
for active transportation funding, and stated staff will watch to see what comes of it.
c. Gas leaf blowers
Ms. Ziring noted this topic has been in the news lately because of the carbon, noise,
public health and other implications. The commission discussed this issue and noted the
following:
o California is banning gas leaf blowers by 2024
o Electric leaf blowers should be considered if a gas version is upgraded or
replaced
o The city could incentivize residents to replace gas equipment with electric
whenever possible, but incentivizing purchases that are portable and could be
moved out of St. Louis Park may not be prudent
o Landscaping companies could be told they must only use electric equipment
o Noise issues can be mitigated with electric vs. gas equipment
o Air quality issues can also be addressed using electric vs. gas equipment
o Edina has a “No Mow May” campaign to encourage residents to let their lawns
grow in May to support pollinators
o One way to promote change could be to work with HOA’s and owners and
landscaping companies to use all electric equipment
o City of La Crescent, MN held an electrical equipment event and demonstrated
electric landscaping equipment for residents
o The city’s electrical landscaping tools will be on display at Ecotacular
o Much of the city’s equipment is being changed over to electric as the gas ones
reach end of life
o Mulching mowers encouraged as much as possible rather than bagging all leaves
o Guest Mike Behnke noted that companies should take the same approach to
replacing equipment as fleet owners do
o Recommend working as a cohort of cities on this issue, consider posting on
environment commissions listserv
ESC meeting -2- May 4, 2022
10. Upcoming/proposed events
• Arbor Day tree planting event – May 7
• State of the Community – Dakota Park – May 15
• Gardening Swap – The ROC – May 24
• Ecotacular – June 18
11. Adjournment – 8:00 p.m.
______________________________________ ______________________________________
Emily Ziring, liaison Andrew Willette, chair member