HomeMy WebLinkAboutApril 9, 2008
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6 REGULAR ANDOVER OPEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING
7 APRIL 9, 2008
8 MINUTES
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11 The Regular Meeting of the Andover Open Space Advisory Commission was called to order by
12 Chairman Deric Deuschle, April 9, 2008, 7:04 p.m., at the Andover City Hall, 1685 Crosstown
13 Boulevard NW, Andover, Minnesota.
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15 Commissioners present: Gretchen Sabel, J ody Keppers, Winslow Holasek, Bruce Perry and
16 Kim Kovich
17 Commissioners absent: Jim Olson
18 Also present: City Planner, Courtney Bednarz
19 Others
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22 APPROVAL OF MINUTES
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24 March 12,2008
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26 Commissioner Perry stated after Commissioner Holasek arrived they had six people at the
27 meeting and the motions showed him as being absent. This should be corrected.
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29 Motion by Kovich, seconded by Perry, to approve the minutes as amended. Motion carried on a
30 5-ayes, O-nays, I-present (Keppers), I-absent (Olson) vote.
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33 DNR COMMUNITY CONSERVATION ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM
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35 Mr. Bednarz updated the Commission on the DNR Grant Program. He noted City Staff will put
36 together the application but they need the Commission's help in determining what the Botanist at
37 Bonestroo will do. He stated they have a GPS at the City which can be used. He thought the money
38 for the Botanist will come from the grant and they will use the GPS to update their inventory. He
39 noted he will be meeting with someone from Bonestroo on Friday and get information from them.
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41 Commissioner Kovich thought Joshua told them that there was some LCCMR money that can be
42 used for something like this but he did not recall what it was.
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44 Commissioner Perry asked how far along staffwas on completing the grant. Mr. Bednarz stated it is
45 in draft form
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47 Chairperson Deuschle thought they were already using the MLCCS for this and he thought the City
48 already had that. Mr. Bednarz stated they do have it but there are some errors in it and the
Regular Open Space Advisory Commission Meeting
Minutes - April 9, 2008
Page 2
1 information goes back a few years. It will be helpful to update and verify the information to narrow
2 the search for land.
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4 Chairperson Deuschle thought MLCCS is good because it covers the entire land structure; ECS is
5 limited because it only includes the natural areas. If this is ultimately going in GIS the attributes can
6 always be entered later. Mr. Bednarz stated this was not something they have worked all the way
7 through yet.
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9 Commissioner Kovich asked if the costs will be determined by the estimates received. Mr. Bednarz
10 indicated that was correct.
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12 Commissioner Perry stated on the second page of the application it asks for "partner" and he
13 wondered who that was. Mr. Bednarz stated it can include the Conservation District as a partner and
14 it can also include who they will bring in to do their inventory.
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16 Mr. Bednarz stated the DNR is interested in what they are doing but they still have to qualify for the
17 grant in order to get it.
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20 ESTABLISHMENT OF CORRIDORS
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22 Commissioner Kovich stated he looked at the DNR's corridor system and where Andover stands. He
23 passed out a map from the DNR for the Commission to review.
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25 Commissioner Kovich asked the DNR how they can get corridors in Andover put on the DNR
26 maps as recognized corridors and he was told that once the corridors were established they could
27 submit them to the DNR for addition to their maps. He noted the only corridor in Andover the
28 DNR recognizes right now is the Rum River.
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30 The Commissioner reviewed the three maps and discussed possible corridors in the City.
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32 Commissioner Perry asked what they were trying to do with the corridors. Mr. Bednarz thought
33 coming out of the meeting with Council that was one they wanted to identify corridors within the
34 City of interest for preservation. There are three things to look at. One is to try to identify and
35 prioritize sites the City would want to purchase either outright or with easements. Second would
36 be to identify areas within a developed area, perhaps along a creek. There may not be public
37 access but can connect a corridor throughout the City. Third is in a development scenario, when
38 someone comes in to develop property and it is identified as part of a corridor in the City with
39 natural amenities, through the development review process, they can identify how they can
40 maintain a connected area to connect the corridors.
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42 Commissioner Kovich stated the DNR wants to know that this is a bigger plan and the corridors
43 will help that with the grant. He thought this puts a little more thought into the process rather
44 than just purchasing land for open space.
Regular Open Space Advisory Commission Meeting
Minutes - April 9, 2008
Page 3
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2 The Commission reviewed the map and discussed areas highlighted for corridors.
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4 Commissioner Keppers thought if they created corridors in the City when development came
5 through the corridor could be a focal point for the development.
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7 Commissioner Kovich thought a corridor would be helpful for future trails and open areas.
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9 Chairperson Deuschle wondered if the Council would use the corridors as a means for planning
10 neighborhoods. Mr. Bednarz stated they do have the tools in their development process to work
11 with developers in this way.
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13 Chairperson Deuschle thought the draft corridors captured the image of what they are trying to do
14 in the City. Commissioner Keppers agreed.
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16 Commissioner Kovich asked if they agreed on this and found a parcel outside of one of their
17 corridors what they would do. Mr. Bednarz stated ultimately staff would like the Commission to
18 recommend a series of corridors to the Council but there should be some sort of disclaimer
19 indicating that adjustments may be necessary as more information becomes available.
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21 Commissioner Kovich thought they may need to make changes to their criteria to fit land within
22 the corridor. .
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24 There was discussion about adding the floodplain area near Prairie Knoll into a corridor. The
25 Commission decided to leave it out of the corridor because it was between two developments and
26 did not really connect to another corridor.
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28 Mr. Bednarz wondered if the property next to the boat landing on Crooked Lake was worth
29 keeping on their list. Commissioner Keppers thought it would be a good parcel to connect to the
30 boat landing. Chairperson Deuschle did not think it was a good fit for their purposes but thought
31 it would be a good area to expand the boat landing area and maybe put in a little park. The
32 Commission determined that if isolated parcels of interest were identified, they should be added
33 to the list not necessarily for purchase, but to ensure they are on the record for park planning and
34 potential mitigation from development.
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36 Motion by Kovich, Seconded by Perry, to accept the proposed corridors as a draft for
37 presentation to the Council subject to field study changes.
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39 Commissioner Holasek wondered if they were going to prioritize the corridors or present them as
40 . shown on the map. Chairperson Deuschle thought they would present them as shown.
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42 Motion carried 6 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent (Olson) vote.
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44 Chairperson Deuschle wondered if staff was going to remove the study areas previously looked
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17 The Commission felt May would be a good month for speakers to come and discuss other
18 methods and how to deal with property owners responses and how to sell the open space idea to
19 them.
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21 Mr. Bednarz summarized what the 2008 work program as amended by the Commission.
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24 OTHER BUSINESS
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26 a. Next Meeting - May 14, 2008
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28 b. Staff's Conversations with Parcel Owners
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30 Mr. Bednarz reviewed with the Commission the discussions that were made between the property
31 owners already contacted and staff along with a possible parcel in the northern area of the Citv in
Regular Open Space Advisory Commission Meeting
Minutes - April 9, 2008
Page 4
1 at. Mr. Bednarz thought he would leave them in because there was a lot of information specific
2 to each of the study areas that was put together. Chairperson Deuschle thought that would be
3 fine as long as they were used as a point of reference only.
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6 2008 WORK PROGRAM
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8 Chairperson Deuschle reviewed the 2008 work program for the coming months.
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10 Commissioner Perry stated he would like to see something on conservation easements because he
11 has not seen a lot of that but is an option available to them. This was added to the work program,
12 identifying the various methods of acquisition.
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14 The Commission noted at future meetings they would like to have a speaker come in to discuss
15 other methods of acquiring land.
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17 The Commission felt May would be a good month for speakers to come and discuss other
18 methods and how to deal with property owners responses and how to sell the open space idea to
19 them.
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21 Mr. Bednarz summarized what the 2008 work program as amended by the Commission.
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24 OTHER BUSINESS
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26 a. Next Meeting - May 14,2008
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28 b. Staff s Conversations with Parcel Owners
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30 Mr. Bednarz reviewed with the Commission the discussions that were made between the property
31 owners already contacted and staff along with a possible parcel in the northern area of the City in
32 the floodplain area by Rum River.
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35 Motion by Kovich, Seconded by Keppers,to adjourn. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting
36 adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
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38 Respectfully submitted,
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40 Susan Osbeck, Recording Secretary