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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand Conservation - Resource & Education Committee 12-030-1996ST. CROIX COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: Robert Boche, Chairman St. Croix County Board FROM: Art Jensen, Chairman COMMITTEE TITLE: Land Conservation/Resource & Education Committee DATE: December 3, 1996 TIME: 9:00 a.m. LOCATION: Ag Center, Baldwin CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING: ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Reports• DNR NRCS FSA RC&D West Central Area Education Activities Farmland Preservation Compliance Environmental Stewardship Priority Watershed Projects - Kinnickinnic - South Fork of Hay River - St. Croix Lakes Cluster Glen Hills Watershed - Flood Plain Study Wildlife Damage Program Baldwin Ag Building Issue Woodville Recreational Trail WLCA Annual Conference NEW BUSINESS: 1996 Conservation Awards Dinner Farmland Preservation Applications Subdivision Review - 11:00 a.m. Vouchers ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: ADJOURNMENT (Agenda not necessarily presented in this order) SUBMITTED BY: Charles Christenson DATE: November 19, 1996 COPIES TO: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE NEWS MEDIA/NOTICE BOARD COUNTY CLERK COMMITTEE MEMBERS * ADDITIONS/CORRECTIONS/CHANGES Convened: 9:00 a.m. Adjourned: 11:40 a.m. ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND CONSERVATION/RESOURCE & EDUCATION COMMITTEE Agricultural Center, Baldwin, WI December 3, 1996 Members Present: Leon Berenschot, Chris Bethke, Jim Cody, Vernon Dull, Art Jensen, Ron Raymond Members Absent: None Staff Present: County Conservationist -Charles Christenson, Technician -Bob Heise, Farmland Preservation Technician -David Sander, Lakes Cluster Project Manager -Pete Kling, Kinnickinnic Project Manager -Tim Popple, Secretary -Arlene Lier Others Present: Don Siler-NRCS, Dick Gade-F$A, Pete Skorseth-DNR, Roger Swanson-UW-Extension-River Falls Meeting called to order by Chairman Art Jensen. Berenschot made motion to adopt agenda. Bethke seconded. Carried. Dull made motion to approve October 1, 1996 meeting minutes as mailed out. Cody seconded. Carried. Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 7, 1997 at 9:00 a.m. DNR Pete Skorseth (Environmental Engineer -Water Supply/Waste Water) reported: Planning going on for two proposed sanitary districts (Houlton and Hersey) - which are legal formations within a township having need for municipal water and sewer. In both instances there was a petition (signed by over 50% of the property owners requesting this type of service). Town is still weighing the merits. There is a public hearing scheduled this week in Hersey. It is an issue where a lot of people can come up with mixed opinions of what is right. Hersey would pump waste water to Wilson. Town has to decide what they want to look like ten years from now. Village of Baldwin - Not doing a lot on waste water. If service is extended south of I-94, could near facility capacity. Village of Hammond - Facility planning stage - Their best alternative may be to regionalize with Baldwin. Plan to site well on north side of village. Deer Park - Planning an upgrade probably for summer of 1997, just sewer not municipal water. Working on 50% grant from Rural Development (formerly FmHA) plus low interest loan. Friday Canning - Finished a new'spray field (irrigation system) that went in this summer. City of Hudson (including North Hudson) - Upgrade this summer. Will double size (15-20 years), 1.1 million gallons to 2.4 million per day. New Richmond - Planning upgrade for 1997 and beginning of 1998, capacity from 580,000 gallons to 1 million per day. Somerset - Completing some upgrading. Star Prairie - Planning both water supply and waste water for 1997-98. Plan to upgrade stabilization plan from 50,000 gallon to about 200,000 gallon per day. Ellsworth - The new regional sludge facility is in operation. Woodville - Planning another tower. Bottom line is, "county is growing and there is need for more water supply and waste water facilities". Wildlife Management - The number of deer registered in St. Croix County during the first 9 days of the season decreased 4% over 1995 (2,632 in 1996, 2,737 in 1995). The registration stations at Burkhardt, Deer Park, New Richmond and Somerset were up at least slightly; Baldwin and Glenwood City were down. This may indicate higher harvest in units 21 and 60M and lower in 59B and 60B which is what we want. Numbers killed by unit should be available in a few weeks. (Total # antlerless deer registered in 1996 was higher than 1995 - 1,587 to 1,455 - also a good sign. Some stations as listed above had increased antlerless harvest.) Fish Management - Working with Zoning & Board of Adjustment to resolve permitting processes involving Fish & Wildlife projects. May require input and discussion with LCC. Awaiting recommended action from Zoning office. Squaw Lake aeration unit upgrade is now complete. Helped St. Croix County Parks replace blower vanes on Pine Lake aeration units. This is normal maintenance but will require some training of Park personnel concerning maintenance of new system. Forestry - Tree orders for planting in 1997 continue to be sent to the nursery. There are 13 tree species already sold out. All shrubs, Energy Packets and Wildlife Packets are still available, as well as the tree species that were grown in large quantities. Assignments on tree orders have been discontinued as of this year. Full payment for all tree orders must be made by March 15, 1997 or the tree order will not be shipped. Discussion on permits for brush cutting along waterways. Marty Engel, Kris Belling, and Kathy Nelson will be working with the Board of Adjustment. MRCS ( FORMERLY SCS) Siler handed out and discussed November activity report. The Wetland Reserve Program sign ups are continual. Investigations. were done for Kinnickinnic River Land Trust, Fred Lehmann, and Pete Donahue. FSA (FORMERLY ASCS) Gade reported that FSA agency is continuing the process of reorganization. As a result, Agency name was ASCS, now FSA. Former FmHa agency (St. Croix and Pierce Counties) - half to Rural Development (housing) and other half to Ag Credit (part of FSA agency). As of January 1, Ag Credit will be under Gade's jurisdiction (day to day supervision). It will take 1-3 years to really mesh together, which will cause some changes. Office is in process of getting signatures from 1996-97 production program verifying producers for 1997. Land rentals are usually on year to year basis. Advance payments can be received on December 15 or January 15, however must verify producers first. Final payment would be in September 1997. Waiting for information on CRP. There will be a general CRP sign up in 1997. County has 609 contracts which are expiring in 1997. What is future of CRP plan? Do not know criteria yet. Commodity loans - Nine month loan which enables a producer to store, either at your structure or a public warehouse. Loan - option to pay back or deliver to government. Newsletter - 4,500 were sent out recently. Ballots for the county committee election will be opened on December 9. Baldwin Ag Building Issue - Gade reported that the second round of bids (revised) were opened. It will be the middle of December before "numbers" information is available. Jensen mentioned that the Ag Building item should be removed from the December 9th Finance Committee meeting agenda. Gade stated that negotiation team would have to know by April if County will be included in the building relocation. RC&D Berenschot reported on November 20th council meeting. Stage is being set for the 1997 programs. Will be looking at greenhouses, Christmas trees, etc. He plans to attend the annual convention on December 11 and 12 at Wisconsin Rapids. WEST CENTRAL AREA No report. EDUCATION ACTIVITIES Sander reported that he taught a woodland animal class at a Hudson School on November 11. Kling reported on his Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program participation during November. They toured the Milwaukee area, met public officials, and became educated on the urban issue. He saw the low income area and transformation of the downtown area. People make the difference, not money. Tour included an alternative school. He was very impressed by the children. Would like to have a student exchange program where the Milwaukee children could learn about our rural life and careers available. FARMLAND PRESERVATION COMPLIANCE Sander reported that he attended training session on RUSLE which is a planning tool.for developing farm plans, which uses tables and charts versus computer. Planning would be less restrictive as a general rule under new charts. Would like to see the process automated. Compliance work has been delayed due to other duties which included participation in Ag Building bid negotiations. ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP Heise showed video of an area in riverway district which explained the soil erosion problem caused by brush cutting and tree harvest along the St. Croix River. LCC has responsibility to control soil erosion. Heise should work with the Zoning Administrator in an assertive way to cite the people involved. Lower St. Croix River Task Force meeting scheduled at Phipps Center, 7:00 p.m., December 3. Suggested a resolution be prepared stating our concern along the banks. Who has authority for jurisdiction? LCC has authority to approve erosion control plans for development. Riverway district law regarding allowance of cutting should be reviewed. Raymond made motion that staff prepare a resolution pointing out what we feel are serious problems with erosion. LCC wants to see appropriate action taken that will not cause any further erosion and takes care of what is already done. Cody seconded. Carried. PRIORITY WATERSHED PROJECTS Kinnickinnic - Project Manager Popple reported that there was good attendance at the first Steering Committee meeting which was held on November 20. Dan Simonson-DNR explained how funding works. No priority difference of funds between city and rural. There is competition among watersheds in general. DNR is getting real tightfisted. Will work with people who know what they want done. There is animosity in group. Group decided to have some session that gives focus for group. Mission statement process on December 12. Group wanted sample of completed plan. Decided that LCD should be advisory only. Berenschot has been named as the St. Croix County Board rep to the Steering Committee. Nutrient management pilot study being organized to test new standards. Village of Roberts - infiltration basin system plan is being prepared. Technicians are now doing barnyard inventories. South Fork of Hay River Work is being done on finalizing project plan which will include conservation credit payments component. Will be presented to DNR at Madison. Final draft will be prepared for CAC committee review. Lakes Cluster Project - Kling reported: Perch Lake - Township okayed County Highway to raise road. Will be getting.landowners to sign off on this. Road was raised. Bass Lake - Lake Association President and DNR looked at Maple Grove, west side of Twin Cities. Used city sewer line to stabilize lake. Question now is, will anyone be able to get out of the present district?" Lake District and DNR will do 25 year plan. Shore line riprapping is 50% done. Pine Lake - Not much activity now. Plan to form lake district. Squaw Lake - Will discuss detention bases. Lake Project Advisory Committee meeting was held on November 21. Discussed urban practices to control land use. Demo projects - Two properties on Bass and 4 properties on.Squaw. Cost share - establish buffer strips. GLEN HILLS WATERSHED Flood Plain Study - Christenson and Heise met with engineering firms on process for breach route studies for structures 1, 2, and 3. Estimate for photography alone was $20,000+. They felt photography was a must. The cost of ground survey would be very expensive. NRCS has proposed doing a low flight stereo photograph which should give us a product we could also use for breach route studies. This would be the entire county and would have many uses. Present photos being used are 1958 flight. LCC directed staff to work with NRCS to determine if this will work for GIS, our needs, and land records program. NRCS contact is Ken Lubich. Heise commented that public hearing on flood plain zoning is scheduled for January 15. Present to County Board in January. WILDLIFE DAMAGE PROGRAM Sander reported: He and Kulow have been working with Don Potting, Star Prairie. He was told to "take corn off". Also have been working with deer browsing at a nursery. WOODVILLE RECREATIONAL TRAIL Heise reported that culvert and guard rails are in. Need to seed next spring. WLCA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Berenschot, Bethke, Cody, and Christenson will attend the conference on December 4-6 at Pioneer Inn & Marina, Oshkosh. FARMLAND PRESERVATION APPLICATIONS No applications were presented. 1996 CONSERVATION AWARDS DINNER Discussed awards dinner. Directed Lier to handle the plans. SUBDIVISION REVIEW Heise presented information on.subdivisions: Gerald Smith - North Bass Lake Somerset - No response was received on the items to be resolved. Will look at next month. Lundberg Subdivision - Reviewed storm water and erosion control plans. Engineer resolved the request to clarify specific high water marks. All issues had been resolved from previous recommendations. Very sandy soil and steep slopes on many road grades. Recommend road construction to be started in early spring, to promote and establish a permanent seeding. Berenschot made motion to recommend that.the storm water and erosion control plans are acceptable for Lundberg subdivision and a letter be forwarded to the Planning & Development Committee. Bethke seconded.. Carried. VOUCHERS Reviewed vouchers. Bethke made motion to approve November vouchers as presented. Raymond seconded. Carried. MISCELLANEOUS Christenson announced that a meeting on "priority watershed funding" will be held on Friday, December 13, 10:00 a.m., at Polk County Ag Center. Burnett, St. Croix, and Polk Counties, State Senator Clausing, and State Representative Dueholm are invited to attend. Jensen, Kling, and Christenson plan to attend. In a recent agreement with EPA and DNR, Twin Lakes and Lower Willow River were rated high in need for work. Berenschot made motion to adjourn meeting at 11:40 a.m. Dull seconded. Carried. Vernon Dull Secretary By Arlene Lier