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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand & Water 08-07-07 NOTICE OF MEETING AND AGENDA ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE t August 7, 2007 —10:40 a.m. Agricultural Service & Education Center 1960 8 Avenue, Baldwin, WI CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING — September 4, 2007 PARKS DEPARTMENT NEW BUSINESS: Director's report Bills /vouchers Set 2008 budget review date OLD BUSINESS: Pine Lake boat landing - update Bicycle /pedestrian traiVRFP — Regional Planning Capital Outlay Plan LAND & WATER CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT Agency reports FSA NRCS DNR RC &D West Central Area NEW BUSINESS: Director's report - Amendment to component 8 — NR -151— M.O.U. - Baldwin — Waste water facility plan - Conservation Aids project — 2008 - NR-1 15 —update Subdivision update Vouchers Resolution — 2008 St. Croix Sediment & Nutrient Conference * Discuss ordinance amendment - setbacks for animal waste structures OLD BUSINESS: Capital Outlay Plan Staff reports Priority Watershed Projects ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE ADJOURN SUBMITTED BY: Robert Heise DATE: July 25, 2007; amended July 31, 2007 COPIES TO: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE NEWS MEDIA /NOTICE BOARD COUNTY CLERK COMMITTEE MEMBERS (Items may be taken in different order) *Additions /Changes /Corrections UNOFFICIAL Convened: 10:50 a.m. Adjourned: 12:40 p.m. ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION COMMITTEE Agricultural Service & Education Center, Baldwin, WI August 7, 2007 Members Present: Lois Burri, Sharon Norton - Bauman, Bill Peavey, Ron Raymond, Gene Ruetz Members Absent: None Staff Present: Director -Bob Heise, Operations Manager -Dave Larson, Administrative Assistant - Arlene Lier Others Present: Bill Crammer -County Board Supervisor -Dist. 22 Action on Previous Minutes: Motion by Peavey, seconded by Burri, to approve the July 3, 2007 meeting minutes as printed. Carried. Adoption of Agenda: Peavey made motion to adopt the agenda, seconded by Ruetz. Carried. Date of Next Meeting: August 23, 2007 (2008 budget review) — 9:00 a.m. September 4, 2007 PARKS DEPARTMENT NEW BUSINESS Director's Report Heise reported: • High capacity well reporting — Glen Hills — This issue was discussed with DNR. It was determined that staff can make an estimation and pumpages from our septic tank. No gages or controls have to be installed at this time. • Troy beach — erosion control issue/YMCA camp — Staff is working with the YMCA camp on an erosion control problem which affects both of our properties. Last year, Board of Adjustments looked at the guardrail project at Troy beach and noticed a very severe erosion problem and informed staff to work with the YMCA camp to resolve this issue. We have a design completed and have met with the YMCA camp director and proposed cost estimate. Two structures are needed at a cost of approximately $14,000. LWCD can cost -share the project with theYMCA camp under our Land & Water Resource Management plan dollars. State would fund 70% of the cost, YMCA camp 20 %, and LWCD 10 %. Our 10% would be included in the 2008 budget. • Stillwater Lift Bridge Advisory Committee — Heise attended the initial meeting as St. Croix County's representative. Minnesota is going to be in charge of the bridge itself. This committee is made up of a quite a group of people from Minnesota and Wisconsin. It is about an 18 -month project, with the purpose of developing an operation and maintenance plan for the lift bridge. There was discussion about the loop trail with the town of St. Joseph. Stanton property Heise reported that we are working with Risk Manager - Kristen Ziliak on the cable gate. There are certain restrictions (height, etc) that have to be abided by, but the gate would be a legal barrier if it is done correctly. Miscellaneous Heise reported: • The Parks dump truck (4 years old) which is past the extended warranty of 3 years (36,000 miles) needs major repairs. • Representatives of a newly - formed ATV club in the county met with Heise and Larson. The ATV club is planning a ride along with Pierce County on August 25 and wanted special permission to go down our Wildwood Trail (Woodville to end of trail) for this one occurrence. Heise informed them that our Park ordinance does not allow unauthorized motor vehicles on the trail. A written request would have to be submitted to LWCC for such a waiver. The Risk Manager brought up issues of liability, damage to trail, speed limits, helmet requirements, setting precedence for long term, etc. Bills/Vouchers The August bills list for Parks was presented. Motion by Norton - Bauman, seconded by Peavey, to approve the Park accounts (total $6,260.53). Carried. Set 2008 budget review date The budget review date has been set for Thursday, August 23. OLD BUSINESS Pine Lake boat landing - update Dave Larson reported that the "requests for bids" were received and reviewed. All 3 bids were significantly high. Everything is now on hold and we will re- evaluate our options. Heise reported that he met with Marty Engel -DNR and his supervisor to review the entire Pine Lake project. The DNR would be willing to work on the project and donate their time and effort (equipment time and man hours, approximately $15,000) which would make the project proceed as planned. They would be able to work on it this fall, completing the project before freeze up. Parks would have to pay for the materials (sub base, gravel, rocks). We would be staying within the grant dollars. Bicycle /pedestrian traiV"P — Regional Planning Heise reported that the next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 26 with Regional Planning to work with the entire workgroup on matching lines on maps, trails, etc. Capital Outlay Plan Nothing has changed since last month. Our park improvement grants amount is $50,000 or approximately $100,000 total. This will be reflected in the 2008 budget. Commenced: 11:30 a.m. LAND & WATER CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT Members Present: Lois Bum, Ken Graf, Sharon Norton - Bauman, Bill Peavey, Ron Raymond, Gene Ruetz Members Absent: None Staff Present: Director -Bob Heise, Land Specialist -Tammy Wittmer, Administrative Assistant - Arlene Lier Others Present: Steve Pernsteiner -NRCS, Bill Cranmer -County Board Supervisor -Dist. 22 DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES (DNR) No report. FARM SERVICE AGENCY (FSA) Ken Graf -FSA representative presented Robert Hendrickson -County Executive Director's report: • DCP (Direct & Cyclical) sign upended August 3. Anyone can sign up before September 30, but there is a late file fee of $100.00. • We are waiting for some leases to come in before we can make DCP payments. If not received by September 30, contract will not be good. • The last ten months, the rate for MILCX is: Oct .4318, Nov .4386, Dec .4284, Jan .034, Feb, .102, March .00, April .00, May.00, June .00, July .00. • Sign ups for Continuous CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) and CREP (Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program) are taken anytime producers want to offer the land. CREP ends December 31, 2007. • The new Nesting Season date for "new" and "modified" CRP contracts is May 15- August 1. • Complaints are still being received on CRP fields that are covered with trees and shrubs. Recently we had 3 more CRP contracts that had to pay fines and clean them up. • Producers can still report their crops if they want payments (DCP, CRP, LDP). There is a late filing fee for reporting late. • The next COC election (towns of Somerset, St. Joseph, Hudson, Troy, Warren and Kinnickinnic) will be held in December. Names on ballot will be Mike Delander, Ed Sontag and Richard Simon. • County Ag Committee (CAC) will meet on August 9 to discuss the current drought conditions in the area. If we can prove a 35% loss in the county, we can apply for a Secretary Disaster Declaration. Producers who qualify could get a low interest loan. NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (NRCS) Steve Pernsteiner - District Conservationist reported: • NRCS has hired Suzanne Riddick to work part time as Office Automation Clerk. Suzanne has experience in GIS and digital mapping. • NRCS has determined that folders containing sensitive data need to be retained in locking file cabinets. NRCS is in the process of moving these to cabinets with locks. Many client folders contain private data such as addresses and phone numbers which should only be available when we receive a Freedom of Information request. • Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) payments are being made to producers. St. Croix has about 1.4 million dollars in EQIP contracts. The new Federal Farm Bill is being written and looks favorable to EQIP. RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT (RC &D) No report. WEST CENTRAL AREA Raymond reported that there is a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, August 15, 9:00 a.m. at the Dunn County Ag Center. The fall meeting and speaking contest will be held on Tuesday, October 23 at the Plaza in Eau Claire. NEW BUSINESS Director's Report • Amendment to component 8 — NR -151 — M.O.U — Discussion on both the "existing" and "proposed" language of our Memorandum of Understanding between St. Croix County and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for implementation of the Agricultural Performance Standards and Prohibitions under NR -151, dated January 12, 2005. Both Chippewa and St. Croix Counties tentatively accepted this new language to be added to our MOU's. Burri made motion, seconded by Ruetz, to approve the signatures of Director Heise and Chair Raymond on the amendment. Carried. • Baldwin Wastewater Facility Plan - Heise presented the plan update. It is not ready for public hearing yet. Our recommendation would be the same as our previous comments dated October 2005. Location would be the discharge into Baldwin creek. We recommend highest treatment which would mean less environmental impact. This is a short-term solution (20 year plan). • Conservation Aids project— 2008 — The local WDNR and Sportsmen's Alliance support a component of the Pine Lake boat landing project as the 2008 project. Resolution — 2008 St. Croix Sediment & Nutrient Conference — Heise presented a resolution to support LWCD to submit a (WDNR) Small Lake Planning Grant to assist in funding the 2008 St. Croix Sediment & Nutrient Conference. No county dollars are involved in this grant submittal. Norton - Bauman made motion, seconded by Burri, to approve the resolution. Carried. Heise reported that Minnesota is requesting EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to list Lake St. Croix as an "impaired waters resource" (impaired by excessive nutrients). Peavey left meeting at 12:05 p.m. Burri left meeting at 12:08 p.m. NR -115 — (Shoreland Protection Rules) Heise reported that he and Tammy attended an informational meeting and public hearing on the proposed Administrative Rules for Shoreland Protection, NR -115. Reviewed a spreadsheet and an additional handout that summarizes the major changes to the rules since the last public hearing two years ago. Staff will be consulting with Planning & Zoning staff to develop our concerns and comments to the proposed rules. A letter will be drafted by staff and presented to the Planning & Zoning Committee and LWCC, and will be submitted as our public hearing comments on behalf of both committees. The letter will be presented next month for signature. Comments must be received by WDNR by September 7 Subdivision Update Tammy Wittmer reported that four majors will be going for final plat approval and two majors that are currently in active construction. In June, two concepts were submitted and one concept in July. Site inspections continue for projects that are in the maintenance phase which include projects from 2005. A bid has been accepted for the Riding Meadows North development and work is expected to be completed by September 15 Vouchers Reviewed vouchers. Norton -Bauman made motion, seconded by Ruetz, to approve Chair Raymond's signature on the August LWCD voucher list (total $20,984.77). Carried. Discuss ordinance amendment — setbacks for animal waste structures Heise updated committee regarding issues that came to light when working with agricultural producers and the current setbacks that were approved with the new Siting legislation. One of the requirements in the Siting law was to consider setbacks of 350 feet from property lines, roads, etc. for manure structures. It makes sense for animal operations of 500 animals or more. Those setbacks are incorporated in our ordinance. Steve Olson, LWCD is working with producers that have about 70 head of cattle (small operators) and then want to make some improvements to their facility, but the current setbacks do not necessarily make sense for these types of operations. Committee informed staff to develop a timeline and a strategy to consider proposed ordinance amendments. OLD BUSINESS Capital Outlay Plan There has been no change since last month. Staff reports Priority Watersheds Tammy Wittmer reported on the Lake Cluster Watershed: A planning meeting for the Prairie Flats Monitoring project was recently held with the DNR. Due to the high phosphorus concentrations coming from the upper Squaw Lake watershed, they will continue to collect water samples for two more years and work with landowners to implement BMP's (Best Management Practices) as needed. There are additional grant opportunities to start a long- term lake level monitoring project with one or several lakes within the county. Chair Raymond adjourned meeting at 12:40 p.m. Gene Ruetz Secretary Arlene Lier Recording Secretary