HomeMy WebLinkAbout20200818 ESC - PACKETAGENDA
Environment & Sustainability Commission
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
5:30 p.m.
Virtual Meeting via Go To Meeting
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO AGENDA
3. ANNUAL MEETING
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
5. PRESENTATIONS
6. OLD BUSINESS
7. NEW BUSINESS
a. Goal Setting 2020 Discussion
8. ANNOUNCEMENTS
9. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
a. Set Next Meeting Agenda for September 15, 2020
10. ADJOURNMENT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Environmental & Sustainability Commission Meeting: August 18, 2020
AGENDA SECTION: AGENDA ITEM: 2020 Goal Setting Discussion New Business
PREPARED BY: Jane Byron, Stormwater Specialist AGENDA NO. 7.a.
ATTACHMENTS: Pre-meeting Goal & Activity Setting
Brainstorming APPROVED BY: BLE
Goal Preference Survey Exercise
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Discussion.
DISCUSSION:
At itsJuly meeting, the ESC decided to continue a conversation on setting goals and activities to pursue
for the remainder of 2020 and early 2021. To facilitate the discussion, Commissioners provided City Staff
with a list ofthe top issues they would like to pursue and will participate in a non-binding survey exercise
i.e. virtual dot voting exercise) to help visualize which issues are most important to the group as a whole.
The Commissioners may choose to complete the survey exercise prior to the meeting.
SUMMARY:
No action required.
C:\\Users\\jab\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\7.a. Goal Setting Discussion_609578\\7.a. Goal Setting Discussion.docx
August 18, 2020, ESC Meeting
Pre-meeting Goal & Activity Setting Brainstorming
At its July 21, 2020, meeting, the Rosemount Environment and Sustainability Commission
decided to embark on a goal and activity setting discussion at its August 18 meeting. To facility
discussion, each Commissioner agreed to submit to City Staff their top goals and activities to
pursue in 2020 and the beginning part of 2021. Below is a compilation of what was submitted
by each commissioner; some minor edits were made to make references included in the
submissions more clear. Please note, names are not included so as to remove bias.
Additionally, the submissions are not organized or categorized in order to give individuals an
unfiltered idea of what was submitted.
Reach out to conservation organizations and gauge interest and possible support of a
conservation project in Rosemount.
o This idea comes from the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions.
The ANJEC is a non-profit organization in New Jersey that works with city
commissions to sponsor and complete projects. Looking at Minnesota, we do not
have an ANJEC "equivalent", however there are other non-profit, environmental
based organizations (Conservation Minnesota for example) which might be
willing to sponsor a project in Rosemount. This goal would focus on applying to
environmental organizations to receive grants to complete projects. In terms of
what the project might look like, anything could work and we would have to look
into their application process for funding and opportunities.
Request the ability to advise the city council on building projects and management of
open spaces.
o The Planning Commission is largely responsible for dividing up the land of
Rosemount. The Environmental and Sustainability Commission should also be
providing feedback to developmental plans. This goal would focus on creating a
dialogue between the Planning Commission and the ESC. As a commission, we
could provide suggestions on ways to incorporate a high level of environmental
concern in development plans. This could mean requesting more parks and
wildlife areas, or increasing the size of housing lots to incorporate more green
space.
Create an online/in person environmental education activity for youth of Rosemount.
o Due to COVID-19, engaging the public has become more difficult. This goal
focuses on community outreach by creating an engaging environmental activity
for the youth of Rosemount. This could be something like a "take home"
environmental bag that has planned activities, or it could be an online video
series, or a combination of both. We could try to incorporate activities normally
done at the Leprechaun Booth and encourage participation with prizes or a
drawing.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation. Continue to support the City’sEnergy
Plan. Promote energy efficient actions in the community to promote resources for
residents and businesses.
Green Development. Development in the city isexpected to continue to grow
significantly for many years and growth should be balanced with environmental
preservation. Research policy approaches in model cities for balancing development to
share with staff/identify possible consideration here.
Increase recycled content paper in city operations. Develop standards for city to
increase amount of recycled content in copy and print paper. State law requires cities
to purchase 30 percent recycled content copy, but 100% is readily available. Buying
recycled content helps support recycling markets. This is also an easy green steps check
if in compliance with state law!
Composting education - educate the community more on composting. What does it
entail? How does it help? Where are the sites to take it to? Can we increase the number
of collection sites (a complaint I have gotten from friends)?
Community education on energy/water efficiency rebates available whether for
appliances or irrigation systems or alternative energy choices. Along with this would
come an awareness of efficiency options available in all these areas and help people
make better choices.
There is a lot of new development both residential and commercial. What kind of
requirements can we help put in place that would help the city meet and exceed goals
for clean energy, sustainability, water conservation, and the like? Green building
standards, natural landscaping, surface water requirements
Pollinators continue to be a concern in our environment. More education to the
community about how to attract and sustain pollinators. What are chemicals that need
to be eradicated to help sustain these populations? How can these things be adapted
into the city'sparks and open/natural spaces? Practice what you preach type of
strategy!
Be able to have some input on budget and help find places where different areas can
maybe find more environmentally sustainable options
o I remember last year there was some discussion on the budget and how the city
didn’t have enough “man” hours to do more street cleaning to reduced
phosphorus levels BUT then we were told that the lawns are mowed 3x a week
at local parks. This amount of lawn cutting increases water usage and seems not
environmentally friendly. I’d like to return to this conversation and spread it
further to include other areas where we may have budget space to make
recommendations for more sustainable options that are also easier on the
budget.
o identify a connection with parks and rec and work with them
Encourage healthy lawn practices
Look at the city’s relationship with Koch facility and what we benefit and where we can
encourage them to make changes
More attention to conservation programs for low-income residents. Information in the
Resilience Chapter of the Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan.
More attention to conservation programs for home energy audits. Information in the
Resilience Chapter of the Rosemount 2040 Comprehensive Plan.
Green Step Cities: pursue Step 3
Share and promote opportunities with residents and business owners to increase city-
wide energy efficiency and renewable energy use.
Improve reuse, recycling and composting at city facilities to prevent going into landfill.
Provide education for Landscaping for waterwise best practices.
Develop a list of local purchasing preferences for sustainability
Discourage the use of one-time-use plastic bags and other plastic materials. However, I
disagree with banning one-time-use plastics. Education about alternatives will help but
banning as a first step may not work well, as it may seem too heavy handed.
2020-21 Rosemount ESC
Goal Preference Survey Exercise
The object of this exercise is to facilitate discussion of goal and activity preferences of the ESC for 2020 and
early 2021. The 15 goals/activities listed in the table on page 2 are based on suggestions of the ESC
Commissioners. In this exercise each Commissioner will “vote” on their top choices. To vote, acommissioner
places a symbol of their choice in the third column. Here are the rules and guidelines for the voting:
Each Commissioner gets 7 votes and only 7 votes.
Each Commissioner can vote for their suggested goals/activities if they choose but does not have to.
A Commissioner can use more than one of their votes for the 15 activities/goals. For example, ifa
Commissioner felt very strongly about goal/activity 4, they could choose to use 4 of their 7 votes for
rdgoal/activity 4 by placing 4 of the symbol of their choice in the 3 column for choice 4, but would
then only have 3 remaining votes (symbols that they could place).
Commissioners can use the symbol of their choice, so long as it is appropriate for public viewing. A
commissioner could use the letter X or an emoji for example.
The exercise should help the Commissioners to focus in on which activities/goals the group as a whole feels
most strongly about. Please note, these “votes” do not constitute abinding or any other decision made by the
ESC and are only used for the purpose of facilitating discussion.
ESC Commissioner Proposed Goal or Activity Place a Mark in this Column if You Like this
Idea
limit 7 per commissioner)
Apply for grants to complete environmental projects
1 from non-profit, for-profit, and government
organizations.
Request the ability to advise the city council on building
2 projects and management of open spaces. Create a
dialog and partnership with the planning commission to
provide environmental feedback on projects.
Create an environmental activity for Rosemount youth
3 that has COVID-19 safety precautions built in.
Continue to support the City’s Energy Plan. Promote
4 energy efficient actions in the community to promote
resources for residents and businesses, including home
energy audits.
Improve reuse, recycling, and composting at City owned
5 facilities, including increasing recycled content paper in
city operations to comply with State Statue and pursuing
sustainable purchasing preferences.
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/16C.073
Provide composting education opportunities and
6 additional collection sites.
Research green development regulations and policy to
7 consider implementing in Rosemount: green building
standards, native landscaping, water resource
protection. Look for examples in other communities.
Present information to staff and City Council.
Provide education on pollinator protection, including
8 what chemicals to avoid.
Engage with the City on environmentally friendly
9 management of City owned open/green space. Look for
areas to decrease inputs or switch products used:
reduce pesticides for pollinator protection, reduce
irrigation, reduce mowing.
Engage with City Staff and the Council on the City
10 budget and ensuring resources for sustainable city
infrastructure management (e.g. having staff and
equipment for increased street sweeping).
Provide education and incentives for residents,
11 businesses, and institutions on healthy lawn practices,
including waterwise practices.
Explore ways to engage with industrial property owners
12 to encourage environmental improvements. Explore
beneficial partnerships that result in positive
environmental impacts.
Provide education and engagement for residents on
13 environmental programs for low-income residents.
Discourage the use of single-use plastic bags and
14 materials through education about alternatives.
Pursue obtaining Step 3 certification for the City under
15 the MN GreenStep Cities Program