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Home My WebLink About2023/08/02 - ADMIN - Minutes - Environment & Sustainability Commission - Regular Official minutes Environment & sustainability commission St. Louis Park, Minnesota 8/2/2023 1. Call to order – 6:30 p.m. 1a. Roll call Members present: Chair Shaina Ashare, Marisa Bayer, Ramil Goonetilleke, Ryan Griffin, Lillian Hertel, Sasha Shahidi, Dave Wilsey, Eric Zweber Members absent: Vice Chair Tatiana Giraldo, Abigail Oppegaard, Andrew Willette, Paul Zeigle Staff present: Emily Ziring, Sustainability Manager; Kala Fisher, Deputy Public Works Director Guests: Sue Budd, City Councilmember, Ward 3; Nancy Rose, Friends of Bass Lake 3. Approval of minutes – June 7, 2023 – The minutes were approved unanimously as presented, with 2 abstentions. 4. Business 4a. Presentation from Kala Fisher, Deputy Public Works Director Ms. Fisher presented a report on solid waste management within the city of St. Louis Park. Commissioner Shahidi asked if feedback has been received on how residents recycle trash and if they are doing so correctly at sorting locations. Ms. Fisher stated staff has done sorts on city recycling and there is very low contamination rates of less than 2%. She added in the Twin Cities metro, there are also very low contamination rates, in large part due to providing carts to those who request them for organics. Commissioner Shahidi asked about staff at the organic drop sites and if there are enough people available to assist. Ms. Fisher stated a staff member does do a weekly visit to each organics drop-off site to look for contamination. She stated all of the sites are locked and added it seems there are enough sites with 11 in use, and second bins have been added where needed. She noted that collection of recycling and organics is very challenging in public spaces despite using best practices. Commissioner Shahidi asked if multiple companies haul from multifamily units. Ms. Fisher stated the haulers are licensed through the city’s building and energy department. The building and energy department also works with haulers on changes to ordinance requirements. Commissioner Shahidi asked if private facility maintenance staff are required to attend informational sessions for landlords. She asked if they could be required to attend sessions with their property managers. Ms. Ziring stated that would have to be reviewed with housing, adding the sessions go over two days, but noted this could be looked at. Environmental & Sustainability Commission -2- Aug 2, 2023 Ms. Fisher added there was limited enforcement of the zero waste packaging ordinance during the pandemic, but noted staff does work with restaurants on correct disposal of items. Commissioner Wilsey asked about the upcoming hockey swap and noted he has been in two different sports groups asking about doing swaps, and asked if there is a demand for this. Ms. Fisher stated staff can connect with those interested in doing this, and that staff is pilot testing this type of swap. Commissioner Shahidi asked if there is any formal training for those who pick up trash on roads. Ms. Fisher stated Laura Smith on city staff handles all volunteer projects and can be contacted for more information. Commissioner Griffin asked if there are tours of recycling centers. Ms. Fisher stated Eureka Recycling provides a tour, but Waste Management does not at this time, although they have a video available. Ms. Fisher stated the new contractor the city will be using will provide more education opportunities for residents. Commissioner Griffin asked if there are any metrics on plastics recycling. Ms. Fisher stated staff receives a report each month on this and an 85% recycling rate must be achieved to retain tax-exempt status. She added as far as the city knows that material is being recycled. She added some of the material does go overseas, but it is not tracked information, although it must be reported to the state of MN. Ms. Rose asked about deconstruction projects. Ms. Fisher stated yes, the city has been working looking into this, while noting the county also offers grants for persons who deconstruct portions of their home during remodeling projects, as well as purchase used materials. She added it has also been done with buildings the city owns in the past on a case-by-case basis. Ms. Ziring added deconstruction is one of the overlay elements required in the amended green building policy. 4b. Discuss draft tree preservation strategies report Ms. Ziring noted the city is undergoing a public tree inventory. She added that a report on tree programs will be provided to council on August 14, and on August 28 staff will return to council to suggest ideas about tree preservation. Ms. Ziring walked through the memo that the ESC submitted to city council last December which listed the commission’s concerns, and addressed staff’s response to each concern. Commissioner Shahidi stated she knows of many residents in her apartment that are waiting for the city to ask them to volunteer for tree watering. She stated this is an untapped resource. Ms. Ziring stated this can be looked at further and she appreciated her comments. Environmental & Sustainability Commission -2- Aug 2, 2023 Ms. Ziring noted more funding will be needed for ash tree injections and this is being looked into and will be taken to council for further discussion. Commissioners recommended that staff also look at treating some oak trees, which a few people noticed seem to be dying. Ms. Rose asked whether groves of trees are required to be replaced based on a higher value than individual trees since the removal of whole groves can raise temperatures over 10 degrees. Ms. Ziring said that groves are not considered under the current commercial tree replacement formula but that staff will consider this idea. Ms. Ziring added that staff will look at planting climate adapted trees given changes projected in local temperatures. Commissioner Zweber asked if the high school would be included in the zoning ordinance when looking at commercial properties. Councilmember Budd stated this might fall under the school district guidelines and not the city ordinance. Ms. Ziring noted that this tree preservation ordinance is not recommended to include single- and two-family private properties as it would be difficult to enforce. However, she noted education will continue with resident homeowners about tree preservation. She noted that about 10 properties per year require a construction management plan. Commissioner Griffin added that developers should not be able to cut down trees for new homes or additions without repercussions. 5. Staff updates Ms. Ziring updated the commission on the following items: • Electrification pilot project with Edina and Eden Prairie, waiting for funding • Benchmarking compliance – project is not closed, reaching out to correct mistakes before final report • National Night Out – did outreach • Spoke to Rotary and will speak to 2 synagogues in the next few weeks • City submission of comments on utilities and tri-annual plans • Environmental stewardship system reports – lithium-ion batteries • Tree preservation • Compost end uses in the city • Multifamily recycling opportunities • Climate Champions for homes – 32 applied so far • 6 new idle-free signs have been put up around St. Louis Park in high traffic areas • NREL clean energy cohort – Annie will attend meetings to study solar on municipal buildings • EV 101 Event – September 28 at the Rec Center for residents to learn about EVs • Climate Champions for business program revision • Climate Champions outreach • Fire Station #1 solar project 6. Work plan update Environmental & Sustainability Commission -2- Aug 2, 2023 6a. Expand our outreach – • Home is up to 86 assessment sign-ups • 15 business, 11 businesses have signed up also • 35 have gone through the audits so far • 4 completed solar bonus program • 2 Shade SLP trees planted – KARE 11 story on this • 52 trees planted in addition to the tree sale • Postcards sent to new homeowners advertising Climate Champions program • Events work group – tabled at Ecotacular event, engaged with many, very positive, a couple events in Sept. for tabling, sign up on Sign-up Genius • Fire Department open house event upcoming 7. Environmental justice and current events open discussion Chair Ashare noted an article in the New York Times about fire deaths caused by exploding e-bike batteries. Ms. Ziring will send out a clarifying article on this. Commissioner Bayer suggested information on e-bikes and potential hazards would be good to hand out at events when tabling. 8. Upcoming/proposed events Ms. Ziring stated Michael Sund and Cheyenne Brodeen from administrative services will attend the September meeting to hold a focus group with the commission and will be visiting all boards and commissions as feedback is needed on the program study and next steps. 9. Adjournment – 8:30 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Emily Ziring, liaison Shaina Ashare, chair member