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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand Conservation - Resource & Education Committee 02-06-1996ST. CROIX COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: Robert Boche, Chairman St. Croix County Board FROM: Tom Dorsey, Chairman COMMITTEE TITLE: Land Conservation/Resource & Education Committee DATE: February 6, 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 Priority Watershed Projects - Kinnickinnic - Staff & Budget Recommendation - South Fork of Hay River - St. Croix Lakes Cluster - Grant Amendment - Vehicle Lease* Glen Hills Watershed Wildlife Damage Program - Plan of Administration Status Baldwin Ag Building 1996 Priority Watershed Project Application Bass Lake Boat Landing NEW BUSINESS: Horse Creek Priority Watershed Resolution 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: January 23, 1996 Amended February 1, 1996 COPIES TO: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE NEWS MEDIA/NOTICE BOARD COUNTY CLERK COMMITTEE MEMBERS * ADDITIONS/CORRECTIONS/CHANGES a ST. CROIX COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: Robert Boche, Chairman St. Croix County Board FROM: Tom Dorsey, Chairman COMMITTEE TITLE: Land Conservation/Resource & Education Committee DATE: February 6, 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 Priority Watershed Projects - Kinnickinnic - Staff & Budget Recommendation - South Fork of Hay River - St. Croix Lakes Cluster Grant Amendment Glen Hills Watershed Wildlife Damage Program - Plan of Administration Status Baldwin Ag Building 1996 Priority Watershed Project Application Bass Lake Boat Landing NEW BUSINESS: Horse Creek Priority Watershed Resolution 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: January 23, 1996 COPIES TO: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE NEWS MEDIA/NOTICE BOARD COUNTY CLERK COMMITTEE MEMBERS * ADDITIONS/CORRECTIONS/CHANGES Convened: 9:05 a.m. Adjourned: 12:10 p.m. ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND CONSERVATION/RESOURCE & EDUCATION COMMITTEE Agricultural Center, Baldwin, WI February 6, 1996 Members Present: Chris Bethke, Jim Cody, Tom Dorsey, 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 -Peter Kling, Secretary -Arlene Lier Others Present: Don Siler - NRCS, Harvey Halversen - DNR Meeting called to order by Chairman Tom Dorsey. Jim Cody, FSA.member, was welcomed as a new LCC member. Dull made motion to adopt agenda. Bethke seconded. Carried. Raymond made motion to approve January 2, 1996 meeting minutes. Dull seconded. Carried. Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday,'March 5, 1996 at 9:00 a.m. DNR Harvey Halversen (Private Lands Wildlife Biologist) attended the meeting and reported: Forestry - Bid opening was held on 2/1/96. Prices for high quality Red Oak are good. Prices for all other tree species fell. There was not a lot of activity - very few bids were received. Pine, Aspen, and White Birch prices held from previous bid openings. Fisheries - Winter kill is expected on area lakes. Wildlife - Nothing to report on proposed metro designation for part of unit 60. Kris Belling (Wildlife Manager) checked on Natural Resources Board approval. Item was not on the January board agenda so it should be on February board agenda. Discussion on deer feeding issue. Department policy:, (1) DNR will not initiate an emergency feeding program. (2) DNR continue to provide technical assistance to those individuals or groups who wish to provide food for deer. Includes information on appropriate foods and locations of food sources. (3) Managers will provide additional browse by encouraging continued logging operations and new timber sales where appropriate. (4) Volunteers are not recommended for tree cutting near deer herd concentrations. However, in cases where they are used, state attorneys recommend that DNR managers point out appropriate locations but not supervise the activity (liability concerns). Approval of such volunteer activities should be the decision of the property manager in consultation with.the local wildlife manager and forester. (5) Will continue local and statewide news releases, determine public contact persons for specific regions, and clarify policy to administrators and field personnel during the week of February 5. Statewide news release is planned for the February 7 Outdoor News Bulletin. (6) Will adjust herd estimates and antlerless deer quotas following the winter when full effects of the winter on deer herds can be determined. (7) Will develop a deer feeding fact sheet for distribution to the public. Halversen reported that he is working with landowners on CRP cover conversion program. Switchgrass is used for new CRP. Old alfalfa - working with landowners on burn, herbicide application, and seeding prairie grass - changing from cool to warm season grasses. He will be working with landowners on about 600 acres. Announced that Ron Roettger of Star Prairie has been named the 1995 recipient of the Western Wisconsin Natural Resources Award. He was chosen form eight candidates for this honor. He was nominated by the Baldwin DNR office. NRCS (FORMERLY SCS) Siler handed out and discussed the January activity reports. Plans continue to be written for land removed from CRP under the Early Out option which is being put back into cropland or grazing land. Also, participants in USDA programs who have had their CRP contracts expire are developing plans for their land. FSA (FORMERLY ASCS) No report. RC&D Not much activity reported by Raymond. Discussed possibility of Jensen replacing Raymond as LCD representative. Will leave as is until County Board reorganization. WEST CENTRAL AREA Explained to Cody that area organization is made up of 9 counties and purpose is to promote soil conservation. EDUCATION ACTIVITIES Sander reported on his activities related to the summer conservation camp. Kling reported that he and Kulow are working with Paul Hambleton (teacher) of Viking Middle School on conducting a classroom demo using the watershed model (Enviroscape). Plan to do water monitoring at Glen Lake with the students on February 20. Math, English, and Science teachers from the school are involved. FARMLAND PRESERVATION COMPLIANCE Sander reported that a landowner may be invited to next LCC meeting. He is working with DATCP to clarify procedure. Landowner has not signed a farm plan. Program requires that "T" tolerance soil loss be met on all land. This is different from NRCS/FSA requirement which applies only to HEL (highly erodible land) land. Also reported that he is continuing to do zoning certificates. PRIORITY WATERSHED PROJECTS Kinnickinnic - Christenson reported that he is working with Ruth Stern (Pierce County) and DNR staff on developing budget to carry out project for rest of this year. Grant amounts to $136,750 beginning January 1. DNR would like to start water monitoring on river above ridges and below River Falls. Cost would run $12,500-13,OOO for DNR to set up monitoring systems. Decided to invite Ken Schreiber (DNR-Eau Claire) to next LCC meeting to explain the project. County staff would include project manager and someone (Technician or LTE) to do inventory work. Staff & Budget Recommendation - Next step is to go to Personnel to establish positions. Staff to carry out program will be paid by DNR funding. Staff request will include project manager and.upgrade present watershed clerical to full time (with fringes). Technician (possibly LTE's) to be hired after project manager is hired. Resolution stated that county would provide personnel and DNR would provide funding. Raymond made motion that LCC recommends project manager be hired, upgrade clerical position from temporary part-time to permanent full-time. Bethke seconded. Carried. South Fork of Hay River - Christenson reported staff is looking at conservation credit program similar to one stated in Pepin County. This program would offer a tax reduction/incentive by lowering real estate taxes for those farmers who are doing a good job of conservation work on their farm. Encourages good conservation rather than rewarding people who are doing a bad job. This type of program might fit the Kinn project. State Senator Alice Clausing is to explore where and how the funding might be found. Lakes Cluster Project - Kling reported that there continues to be fairly high water at Bass Lake. Grant Amendment - Christenson reported on grant agreement amendment to increase grant in amount of $4,000 for demonstration practices. Original grant totaled $10,000. Kling said practices would involve using coconut roll as a bioengineering practice on Bass Lake to protect from wave action. Has also worked with farmers for nutrient management practice. One farmer stated that 50a cost share was not enough. Going through SP253 to try and get more cost share money for Squaw Lake on nutrient management. He is already doing a good job. Farmers would not benefit much. Also plan to do a mini fair as a good neighbor thing. Raymond made motion to authorize Chairman Dorsey's signature on grant agreement amendment. Jensen seconded. Carried. Vehicle Lease - Christenson has been working with Anderson Ford on vehicle lease. County insurance carrier disagreed with some original wording in lease agreement. Ford Leasing agreed to waiver the clause. Christenson and Kling will attend Finance Committee meeting on February 9 to explain the need for a sedan rather than pickup trucks. There is a dollar advantage to go with a sedan. Three -five people can use a sedan rather than.a pick-up truck for transportation to attend training meetings. Discussion. Bethke made motion to support lease/purchase of a Ford Contour sedan versus a pick-up truck. Jensen seconded. Carried. Kling reported on rewording of shoreline zoning. DNR looks at ordinary high water mark. Cannot fill below high water mark. Public hearing scheduled in March. Greg Timmerman (Corp Counsel) will make minor corrections. Vote in April. WILDLIFE DAMAGE PROGRAM Plan of Administration - Christenson reported that Corp Counsel has reviewed and approved the proposed plan. Dull made motion that LCC Chair sign the proposed plan, with Corp Counsel's approval, and forward to DNR for their approval. Bethke seconded. Carried. STATUS BALDWIN AG BUILDING Discussed ag.building status. LCD to develop list of estimated items furnished to LCD by NRCS, if USDA moves and LCD does not. Ag building status will be discussed further during afternoon Ag Extension meeting. 1996 PRIORITY WATERSHED PROJECT APPLICATION Year 2000 - Discussed an application for Rush River to be submitted by Pierce County. Polk County likely will submit the Upper Apple. St. Croix to support Polk and Pierce application rather than submit,new at this time. BASS LAKE BOAT -LANDING Christenson reported boat landing has to be redesigned because of high water. He has been working with Dan Fedderly (Highway Commissioner) and engineers Auth Colson & Associates, Inc. (ACA). County Highway has agreed to do construction. Jensen made motion to accept the agreement from ACA to do re -design which includes time and materials. Engineering proposal has a cap not to exceed $7,000. Dull seconded. Carried. HORSE CREEK PRIORITY WATERSHED RESOLUTION Christenson reported that Polk county has the project area approved. Bethke made motion to agree to support and cooperate with Polk County on Horse Creek Priority Watershed Project. Jensen seconded. Discussion - Area includes Cedar Lake in St. Croix and outlet down to control structure. Kling and Polk County staff will work on procedure involving land in neighbor county. Squaw Lake extends into Polk County. Most of work on Horse Creek will be done in Polk County. Carried. FARMLAND PRESERVATION APPLICATIONS Applications for contract extensions (10 years) were presented for Francis L. & Susan K. Klatt and Frank J. Klatt Family Trust, both Town of Emerald. Raymond made motion that LCC recommends approval for extending the two contracts to County Board and forwarding to state. Dull seconded. Carried. SUBDIVISION REVIEW Robert Colson of Auth Colson & Associates, Inc. (ACA) attended meeting. Heise presented plans.on the following subdivisions: Tanney Ridge Special Addition (Town of Hudson, Section 12) - Two outstanding items that need to be addressed from prior developments. 1) A constructed pond between lots 7 and 8. 2) Stabilization of a channel from outlet of culvert (lot 4) to retention pond (lot 16). Raymond made motion to conditionally approve the plan with assurance that these items will be resolved. Bethke seconded. Carried. Apple River Bend Subdivision (Town of Star Prairie, Section 15) - Most issues have been resolved. One item to be resolved is a drainage easement from outlet of culvert to the river. Item was agreed to by Bob Colson and is to be installed on plat. Bethke made motion to conditionally approve the plan with the agreed upon easement. Jensen seconded. Carried. Durning & Lewis Subdivision (Town of St. Joe, Section 25) - Storm water plan was not accepted as submitted. Require drainage easement for the main drainage area south of the proposed road. Also recommend that developer be the responsible party for the installation of driveways for lots 1-7 to provide the proper culvert sizing and drainage flow throughout the drainage way. Also had questions on the locations of the proposed.septic systems .in relationship to the H.W.L. (High Water Level) that will be established for the proposed drainage easement. These items have to be resolved before resubmitting to the Planning & Development Committee. VOUCHERS Reviewed vouchers. Jensen made motion to approve February vouchers as presented. Bethke seconded. Carried. Jensen made motion to adjourn meeting at 12:10 p.m. Dull seconded. Carried. Vernon Dull Secretary By Arlene Lier