Commissioner Hauser moves the resolution on the DeLaSalle CAC
Commissioner Mason points out that this is a committee vote only and it
will be before the full board if it passes on November 2nd. For the
actual Reciprocal Agreement vote, it will need 6 votes to pass and that
the Board can take the recommendation of the CAC under advisement but
the decision is ultimately up to the board.
Commissioner Erwin said he will be supporting the motion but not
necessarily the project.
Commissioner Young states that accepting the resolution of the CAC is a
formality and thanks the members of the CAC for all of their work.
Commissioner Berry Graves asks about the MPRB's relationship to other
stakeholders, will the MPRB be consulting the State Historic
Preservation Board?
Director of Planning Judd Reitkerk explains that it will be DeLaSalle's
job
Commissioner Dziedzic will be voting yes and wants to get the process
moving along
Commissioner Berry Graves asks if there was a minority report to which
Commissioner Fine answers that it was a resolution so there was just a
vote.
Commissioner Olson voices some disappointment over the insults and
accusations being thrown out on both sides.
Commissioner Kummer agrees that the CAC went well and that it is time
to move forward. She also thanks her appointee to the CAC.
There is a vote on 4.1 5 ayes to accept the final design of the
Stadium project for submission for the EAW process
Planning Adjourned at 7:00pm
Operations and Environment
Ralph Seivert head of Forestry introduces Keith Cline of the USDA
Forest Service and a discussion of the itree inventory of Minneapolis
trees is given. This is a very detailed
report and will be available on the MPRB website (a link will be
provided when available). The short version is that we have many
trees. About 200,000 are actively managed by the MPRB. There are 60
species but 60% of the trees are of 5 species. 10% are American Elms
and the largest number are Green Ash trees. A high percentage of the
trees are 20-30 years old ( from the reforesting after the last Dutch
Elm disease [DED] crisis ), but 75% are healthy. For every $1.00
invested we receive a benefit of $1.69 worth of energy savings, run off
reduction and property value. The upcoming threats to our urban
forest include more DED, the Emerald Ash Borer and Asian Long Horn
Beetles ( who will attack most species ).
Suggestions were to have a 5 year pruning cycle on maturing trees so
they can become healthy Mature trees that provide the most benefits and
to increase the mix of species.
There follows a discussion of the benefits of Cottonwood trees and then
Commissioner Erwin went into some specifics about maintenance costs per
species and ranking of trees for canopy etc...
President Olson talks about the MPRB's work at the Legislature trying
to jump start the Shade Tree program
Commissioner Hauser was glad to see the report backed up her claims
that the south side needs more trees
Commissioner Dziedzic asks if his wife's social security check was well
spent on inoculating their elm.
The discussion then shifts to the Paddleford Company and news reports
of them dumping insufficiently treated sewage into the Mississippi
River.
Commissioner Olson states that as Chair of the Excursion Boat
Association, Captain Bill Bole (sp) of the Paddleford Company had no
excuse not to be aware of the rules governing the output of his boats.
Commissioner Kummer who served on the Metro Waste Water Commission
state that there are stringent rules about what can be dumped in our
waters.
Commissioner Erwin was concerned that part 5.1 of the resolution may be
moot as Paddleford has apparently settled with the MPCA.
5.2 asks for the Coast Guard to provide records from 1988-2003 when the
Paddleford Boats were the contractor of choice for the MPRB
5.3 asks for the Corps of Engineers to revoke docking permits in
Minneapolis
5.4 asks that the Mill City museum discontinue promoting Paddleford
Tours
5.5 asks staff to pursue legal action against Paddleford (Liz is not
thrilled to see more billable hours going to Mr. Rice over what seems
to be a Pollution Control Agency matter and since the Mississippi runs
from MN to the Gulf of Mexico it may even be a federal matter)
vote is taken and all AYES
Operations and Environment Adjourned at 7:55 pm
Stay tuned for part 4 and the rest of the regular meeting.
Liz Wielinski
Columbia Park
www.mplsparkwatch.org
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