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Home My WebLink AboutLand Conservation - Resource & Education Committee 01-02-1996ST. 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: January 2, 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 - South Fork of Hay River - St. Croix Lakes Cluster Glen Hills Watershed - Signal Installation Squaw Lake Boat Landing Wildlife Damage Program - Plan of Administration Flood Plain Zoning Glen Hills Watershed Status Baldwin Ag Building 1995 Conservation Awards Dinner NEW BUSINESS: 1996 Priority Watershed Project Application Farmland Preservation Applications Subdivision Review Vouchers ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: ADJOURNMENT (Agenda not necessarily presented in this order) SUBMITTED BY: Charles Christenson DATE: December 18, 1995 COPIES TO: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE NEWS MEDIA/NOTICE BOARD COUNTY CLERK COMMITTEE MEMBERS * ADDITIONS/CORRECTIONS/CHANGES Convened: 9:10 a.m. Adjourned: 11:25 a.m. ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND CONSERVATION/RESOURCE & EDUCATION COMMITTEE Agricultural Center, Baldwin, WI January 2, 1996 Members Present: Chris Bethke, Tom Dorsey, Vernon Dull, Art Jensen, Ron Raymond Members Absent: None Staff Present: County Conservationist -Charles Christenson, Farmland Preservation Technician -David Sander, Lakes Cluster Project Manager -Peter Kling, Secretary -Arlene Lier Others Present: Don Siler - NRCS, Kris Belling - DNR Meeting called to order by Chairman Tom Dorsey. Dull made motion to adopt agenda. Bethke seconded. Carried. Jensen made motion to approve December 5, 1995 meeting minutes. Bethke seconded. Carried. Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 6, 1996 at 9:00 a.m. DNR Kris Belling (Wildlife Manager) attended the meeting and reported: There will be a public informational meeting on January 17 in Eau Claire to obtain input on the DNR's 5 Year Land Acquisition Plan. Will determine general acceptance of way we are moving with this. The plan includes the Western Prairie Habitat Restoration Area which is a proposal to protect and restore scattered blocks of grassland and wetland in a portion of St. Croix and Polk Counties - essentially a continuation of the scattered acquisitions that the DNR and FWS have made in the past. If the 5 Year Plan is approved, the next step will be to conduct a Feasibility Study which would look at the specifics of the proposal and would include much more public input. LCC would be involved in where boundaries would be. Good agricultural land would not be taken out of production unless already threatened (example: residential development). Land which is primarily grassland would be acquired under the Steward program. Raymond questioned when metro unit deer area would be implemented and possibility of free tags given out. Item should be on Natural Resources board agenda. Raymond made motion that letter be sent to the board that LCC supports the metro unit deer area for this area. Jensen seconded. Carried. NRCS (FORMERLY SCS) Siler handed out and.discussed the December activity reports. Plans continue to be written for land removed from CRP under the Early Out option to be put back in to 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 Raymond reported that no meeting was held in December. WEST CENTRAL AREA No report. EDUCATION ACTIVITIES Sander reported that he spent 3 days with the Vo Ag classes at Baldwin - Woodville High School. Sessions concentrated on ground water model and septic systems. Also water from students' wells was tested for nitrates. A ground water model is being purchased and will be placed in the Glenwood City school system through the South Fork Priority Watershed Project. FARMLAND PRESERVATION COMPLIANCE Sander reported that he is working with Kate Lawton-DATCP on credit payback provision for landowners (agreements) who were out of compliance. There will be a delay in issuing zoning certificates due to a change in the program which is being accomplished by Computer Services. PRIORITY WATERSHED PROJECTS Kinnickinnic - Christenson reported that he talked with town chairmen, Jerry Larson (Kinnickinnic) and Dean Albert (Troy), regarding the scheduled meeting with the mayor of River Falls on January 10, 3:30 p.m. at the Government Center. Ken Herink (Town of Warren chairman) has indicated an interest and will also be invited. Motion by Bethke that LCC supports going to County Board to recommend approval of the Kinnickinnic watershed project. Jensen seconded. Carried. Suggested inviting Dan Simonson-DNR. South Fork of Hay River - Christenson reported that inventory work is nearly completed. Lakes Cluster Project - Kling reported that there continues to be fairly high water at Bass Lake. Met with Jeff Timmons -Polk County Conservationist on planning the Lakes Fair which is scheduled for July 20 on Cedar Lake. The Lakes Cluster project has purchased a soil test kit to test nutrients in lawns. Citizen's Advisory Committee meeting is scheduled for January 11. Reported receiving good feedback from the committee so far. They have finished the agricultural component of the Information & Education strategy. LCC supports the recommended request by Planning & Development Committee for the $3,500 appraisal fee for Perch Lake property. GLEN HILLS WATERSHED Signal Installation - Christenson reported that all work is completed except monitor equipment. Shafer Electric has one switch to install for the park to control security lights. Baldwin Telecom will complete the remaining work. Must be operational by spring inspection day. SQUAW LAKE BOAT LANDING Christenson reported that boat landing is completed. Highway Department will paint stripes on parking lot next spring. Boulders are now in place to prevent the public from driving up grass bank. WILDLIFE DAMAGE.PROGRAM Plan of Administration - Sander commented that work is being developing the plan. There are questions on model agreement DNR. Corp Counsel will review proposed plan after revisions. done on prepared by Deer Management Units/Metro Unit Proposal - Mentioned that deer bonus tag fee is $12.00. The free permits is a good suggestion, but may not happen. Plan of administration will include processing deer for "feeding the needy" to be paid by Wildlife Damage program administrative funds. Reported that gates have been installed for Art Peterson's apple orchard fence. FLOOD PLAIN ZONING - GLEN HILLS WATERSHED Christenson reported that he met with Zoning Administrator Tom Nelson and Gary Lepak (DNR) to review studies and discuss strategies. The present flood plain zoning for structure #'s 4 and 5 appears to be okay for City of Glenwood. May need additional zoning to the east below structure #6. We will meet with full Glenwood City Council to explain the zoning status. Structure #3 has a high hazard rating due to lack of flood plain zoning down stream. This will require action by county before 1999. STATUS BALDWIN AG BUILDING Dorsey reported that he and Raymond discussed the building space situation with Finance Committee. Siler commented that Gade from Farm Service Agency (lead agency) will be soliciting for space early this year. New space would cause rental costs to increase. As yet, no commitment has been received from DNR. 1995 CONSERVATION AWARDS DINNER Lier reported that plans are set for the awards dinner to be held at the Coachman Supper Club, Baldwin, on Tuesday, January 30, at 7:00 p.m. 1996 PRIORITY WATERSHED PROJECT APPLICATION Discussed the watershed application for year 2000. Eau Galle, Rush, Wilson Creek (selected for 1999), Lower Apple, and Lower Willow were considered. An application was suggested for the Lower Apple. FARMLAND PRESERVATION APPLICATIONS No applications were presented. Christenson handed out information received from the Department of Revenue on benefits which were distributed to Wisconsin farmers through Farmland Preservation and Farmland Tax Relief Credit programs. Bethke made motion to distribute this information to County Board supervisors. Dull seconded. Carried. SUBDIVISION REVIEW No presentations. Raymond suggested that monthly agendas indicate 11:00 a.m. as the scheduled time for reviews. VOUCHERS Reviewed vouchers. Dull made.motion to approve January vouchers as presented. Bethke seconded. Carried. MISCELLANEOUS Jensen appointee LCC representative to the 566 Watershed Coalition. Annual meeting will be held on January 30 at LaCrosse. Jensen made motion to adjourn meeting at 11:25 a.m. Raymond seconded. Carried. Vernon Dull Secretary By Arlene Lier