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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand Conservation-Resource & Education Committee 10-03-95ST. 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: October 3, 1995 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 Resolution South Fork of Hay River St. Croix Lakes Cluster Critical Sites Issues Glen Hills Watershed Signal Installation Repair Structure #1 Maintenance Scheduled Squaw Lake Boat Landing Wildlife Damage Program Flood Plain Zoning - Glen Hills Watershed 1996 Budget Soil Survey Project NEW BUSINESS: 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: September 19, 1995 COPIES TO: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE NEWS MEDIA/NOTICE BOARD COUNTY CLERK COMMITTEE MEMBERS * ADDITIONS/CORRECTIONS/CHANGES A Convened: 9:05 a.m. Adjourned: 11:50 a.m. ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND CONSERVATION/RESOURCE & EDUCATION COMMITTEE Agricultural Center, Baldwin, WI October 3, 1995 Members Present: Chris Bethke, Vernon Dull, Art Jensen, Ron Raymond, Kermit Thompson Members Absent: Tom Dorsey (excused) 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, Dick Gade - FSA, Molly Hoffman - DNR Meeting called to order by Vice Chairman Art Jensen. Bethke made motion to adopt agenda. Dull seconded. Carried. Raymond made motion to approve September 5, 1995 meeting minutes. Bethke seconded. Carried. Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 7, 1995 at 9:00 a.m. DNR Molly Hoffman (Air Management Engineer) attended the meeting. Her job is to issue air pollution permits for new facilities in the 4-5 county area, such as the new Donaldson's plant at Baldwin. She. read a letter addressed to LCC from Kris Belling (Wildlife Manager) regarding the Metro Unit Update. The Environmental Analysis regarding the proposed changes in Deer Management Units/Metro Unit Proposal, is nearing completion and will be available for public comment soon. A final recommendation will go to the Natural Resources Board in January. If the Board approves the changes, they will be incorporated into the rules for the 1996 season. It is anticipated that there will be large numbers of Bonus Antlerless Permits available again this year. Report from Kathy Nelson (Forester) stated: (1) Tree order forms are now available for 1996 spring tree planting season. (2) Project Respect trees will no longer be available for people enrolled in the Project Respect Program. The free tree/shrub phase of the Project Respect Program is being eliminated due to budget cuts. Signs and hunting permission books will still be available to people in the program while supplies last. (3) Custom T.S.I. bids were opened for landowners planning to eliminate boxelder and other weed tree and shrubs from their woodlands. The low bids were roughly $75.00- $80.00/acre. All of the landowners who put their T.S.I. jobs out for bids also signed up for A.C.P. cost -share reimbursement. NRCS (FORMERLY SCS) Siler handed out and discussed the September activity report. Reported that about 100 landowners were assisted for eligibility and rating on the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). FSA (FORMERLY ASCS� Gade reported that 42 CRP bids (about 1,400 acres) were submitted from approximately 100 applications. No bids were over county bid cap. RECD (Farm Lending) has consolidated with FSA. It is headed up by Marvin Warner. Matt Bobowski, who transferred from Siren -Burnett office, has filled one of the FSA positions. Interviews will be conducted for another vacant position. Crop Insurance - Anybody who has forage coverage will have to make crop reports for 1996 by middle of December. County committee elections will be held this fall. RC&D No report. Next meeting scheduled for end of October. WEST CENTRAL AREA Fall meeting & speaking contest will be held on October 25 at UW-Stout Campus in Menomonie. Bert & Harriet Day, who were selected as the Area Outstanding Conservation Farmer, will be honored during the awards ceremony. Registration deadline is October 13. Dull, Bethke, and possibly Dorsey plan to attend. EDUCATION ACTIVITIES Kling reported that he has been using the EnviroScape (watershed) model for teaching nonpoint and point sources at several New Richmond Schools. Sander reported that field days were held for Westside Elementary School of River Falls, Baldwin -Woodville School, and Glenwood City Elementary School. Field day is scheduled on October 10 for Somerset Elementary School at Willow River State Park. Discussion on why the Nature Center at the state park does not have a person available to speak to the students. He will be conducting a forestry field trip for Baldwin -Woodville High School again this year. County conservation speaking contest will be held on October 16, 7:00 p.m., at Baldwin -Woodville High School. Students compete at local level with winners advancing to area and state. Judges will be Lee Milligan (County Agent), Brenda Cronk (teacher), and Bethke (LCC). FARMLAND PRESERVATION COMPLIANCE Sander reported that he continues working on status reviews. He is behind last year. Computer Services is in process of setting up a database program for processing zoning certificates and compliance schedule. This is part of the hardware and software equipment scheduled for 1994 but not yet fully installed. This is needed to eliminate the duplication of work now taking place in the office to make the programs work. GLEN HILLS WATERSHED Signal Installation - Christenson reported that he has worked with Schafer Electric and NSP to get power to Structure #6. St. Croix Electric to get power to #4. Heise will meet with Albrightson Excavating to install tower to #10. Need to determine where we are budget wise before completing Structure #10. General Telephone to provide phone service. If budget permits, we may change design at Structure #10 to eliminate phone service charges to Glenwood City. Repair Structure #1 - Christenson reported that NRCS has contract with a different contractor who is from Milwaukee. To stay within budget, draw down proposal was taken out of bid. Bid now $13,000 for St. Croix County.. Draw down will be independent bid later. Bethke questioned voucher to Inter -State Lumber Company for concrete mix. This was for grouting rocks around principal inlet spillways of 6 dams. Labor was from Boot Camp at New Richmond. PRIORITY WATERSHED PROJECTS Kinnickinnic Resolution - Department has received notice of proposed projects statewide for 1995-1996 start up. Included is the Horse Creek covering parts of Polk and St. Croix, and Kinnickinnic covering parts of St. Croix and Pierce Counties. We have also received a proposal letter from DNR offering the Kinnickinnic project to St. Croix and Pierce Counties. In order to proceed, wewill need a resolution approval by the County Boards to accept project. Raymond made motion to submit resolution from the LCC recommending acceptance of the Kinnickinnic Priority.Watershed Project. Thompson seconded. Carried. Horse Creek/Cedar Lake project will have a small impact on our staff requirement. Before a resolution is presented on this project, actual work arrangement to be negotiated between county staff members involved. Information meetings are being set up in both St. Croix and Pierce Counties to explain what a priority watershed program means to the landowners involved. Staff from UW-Extension and DNR will participate in these meetings. South Fork of Hay River - Christenson explained the local assistance agreements for 1996. Amendment amount is $44,247, same as in county budget. Lake Cluster $55,156 budgeted amount plus $10,000 for demonstration amount. Bethke made motion to approve Vice Chairman Jensen's signature on both Priority Watershed agreement amendments. Raymond seconded. Carried. Lakes Cluster Project - Bass Lake: Kling reported that the lake is down about 6 inches. Some lake property owners have installed yard runoff collectors to help assist in inventory process. He and Heise have been working on surveying sites for demonstration of coconut roll stabilization product. Grant money has been approved and agreements will be signed for Spring 1996 installation. Squaw Lake: Barnyards inventory continuing. Baldwin Pine: Has talked to Stan Gausman (farmer) about doing a demonstration on his farm. Perch: Road has been raised that goes on the east side of the lake. Property owners are talking of riprapping. Talked to crop consultant on doing phosphorus testing of soils. Citizen's Advisory Committee has been established. Meetings scheduled for October 16, November 6, and December 7. Newsletter will be going out within the next week. SQUAW LAKE BOAT LANDING Christenson reported that parking lot has been paved. Heise commented that lines will be put in and handicapped parking signs installed. Fencing work to be done to keep the public off of banks or may have to put in large bolder. WILDLIFE DAMAGE PROGRAM Sander reported that Art Peterson agreed to use high tinsel electric fence (instead of woven wire) for the fence around his apple orchard. Material was ordered. Woven wire may be used near buildings where public will walk. The fence was not built this year as it should have been. What will be eligible for damage claim this year? Raymond made motion to pay 50% maximum ($2,500) damage claim for Art Peterson. Dull seconded. Carried. Sander was requested to check out private insurance coverage on deer damage. We do not have an agreement with the state but our budget has been approved. Legal obligation to pay because our budget was okayed for this year. FLOOD PLAIN ZONING - GLEN HILLS WATERSHED Christenson reported that he and Tom Nelson, Zoning Administrator, did not meet with the Glenwood City Council on September 5 because of councills full agenda. Plan to meet with council on October 3. 1996 BUDGET _ Christenson reported that he and Dorsey met with Finance. Surveyor cost of $1,825 was removed which would have been used to start breach route study of Glen Hills Dam #3. $1,000 was removed from Lakes Cluster Priority Watershed. Kinnickinnic Priority Watershed Project was not included in budget totals. If it gets approved by resolution, DNR would pay for cost of salary for inventory and planning. SOIL SURVEY PROJECT Christenson reported that after David Fodroczi's attendance at the September LCC meeting, a letter was sent to State Conservationist Pat Leavenworth requesting NRCS support to prioritize this project. County received reply from Pat Leavenworth stating "if county would provide another $20,000, could move ahead with the project". The digital orthophotographs presently are being used to develop base maps for the county comprehensive plan. FARMLAND PRESERVATION APPLICATIONS No applications were presented. Sander stated that Lilah Petranovich (Town of Springfield) submitted a "Special Use Application Modification of Farmland Preservation Agreement". She proposes building a bulk food store (pole type building) on her land. It fits the permitted use definition thus no change needed on contract. Raymond made motion to recommend approval of application which will then be forwarded to DATCP. Bethke seconded. Carried. SUBDIVISION REVIEW Heise presented information on Pine Cliff subdivision located in Sec. 26, Town of Somerset. Engineer had supplied the needed conditions that were contingent upon this approval. Question remains, who is responsible for maintenance of dike? Presented information on Hartland subdivision located in Sec. 12, Town of Hudson (west part), extraterritorial zoning. Includes 11 lots, rather steep land, small retention pond held by small dike. Natural pond now, storage will be increased.. Bethke made motion to conditionally approve the plans for Hartland Subdivision providing certain conditions are met prior to being presented to Planning & Development Committee. Dull seconded. Carried. Presented information on Country Wood subdivision located in Town of Troy. Subdivision consists of 256 acres (85 lots), rezoned from exclusive ag to ag residential. Bethke made motion to conditionally approve the plans for Country Wood subdivision with conditions to be met prior to being presented to the Planning & Development Committee. Dull seconded. Carried. VOUCHERS Reviewed vouchers. Raymond made motion to approve the October vouchers as presented. Dull seconded. Carried. Raymond made motion to adjourn meeting at 11:50 p.m. Bethke seconded. Carried. Vernon Dull Secretary By Arlene Lier