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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand & Water 03-06-01 X ST. CROIX COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: Tom Dorsey, Chairman St. Croix County Board FROM: Art Jensen, Chairman COMMITTEE TITLE: Land & Water Conservation/Resource & Education Committee DATE: March 6, 2001 TIME: 9:00 a.m. LOCATION: Ag Center, Baldwin CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING: April 3,2001 ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Reports: DNR Pete Skorseth, Municipal Waste Water Treatment Facilities NRCS FSA RC&D West Central Area Education Activities - Conservation Banquet Farmland Preservation Priority Watershed Projects Glen Hills Watershed - Relocation update Wildlife Damage Program - Claims Cedar Creek Dam Agricultural Issues - Ordinance NEW BUSINESS: Subdivision Review - 10:00 a.m. Hudson Town - Golf Course RESOLUTION - To support legislation by the State to protect "isolated wetlands" Vehicle agreement NRCS-LWCD Vouchers ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: ADJOURNMENT (Agenda not necessarily presented in this order) SUBMITTED BY: Robert Heise DATE: February 20,2001 COPIES TO: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE NEWS MEDIA/NOTICE BOARD COUNTY CLERK COMMITTEE MEMBERS * ADDITIONS/CORRECTIONS/CHANGES UNOFFICIAL Convened: 9:00 a.m. Adjourned: 11:55 a.m. ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION/RESOURCE & EDUCATION COMMITTEE Agricultural Service & Education Center, Baldwin, WI March 6, 2001 Members Present: Leon Berenschot, Lois Burri, Jim Cody, Art Jensen, Ron Raymond Members Absent: Chris Bethke - Excused Staff Present: County Conservationist-Bob Heise, Secretary-Arlene Lier Others Present: Steve Pernsteiner-NRCS, Bob Hendrickson-FSA, Pete Skorseth-DNR, Tom Rose-County Board Member, Bill Berndt-Rep for Local Chapter of St. Croix Valley Home Builders and Western Wisconsin Board of Realtors Meeting called to order by Chairman Art Jensen. Cody made motion to adopt agenda. Berenschot seconded. Carried. Berenschot made motion to approve February 6, 2001 meeting minutes. Seconded by Cody. Carried. Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 3, 2001 at 9:00 a.m. DNR Pete Skorseth (Environmental Engineer) presented an update on the municipal wastewater treatment facilities in the county. Handed out information sheet showing Central St. Croix County Wastewater Alternatives (surface water and groundwater). Skorseth discussed the growth occurring in local municipalities and the relationship this growth will have on wastewater treatment facilities in the future. NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE Steve Pemsteiner reported that sign up is currently taking place for the Statewide Environmental Quality Incentives Program until March 30th. Practices included this year are: Nutrient Management, Residue Management (Conservation Tillage), Well Abandonment, Prescribed Grazing, Roof Runoff, and Diversions. The Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) has funding and FSA is currently accepting applications. This program is to help wildlife where other programs don't apply. It is especially geared toward threatened and endangered species. Steve also mentioned that the Kinnickinnic Land Trust is submitting a proposal for the Farmland Preservation Program. The land is just south of River Falls in Pierce County. FARM SERVICE AGENCY CED Bob Hendrickson reported: • Discussion is taking place in Washington DC regarding new conservation programs. • LDP's (Loan Deficiency Payments) and loans are available until either March or May 31S' depending on the commodity. • LDP's and loans are available on honey until March 31St or 30 days after regulations are published. Sign up for DMLA(Dairy Market Loss Assistance) III has started and runs through March 30th • AMTA(Agricultural Market Transition Act) payments for March will be going out soon. • 30 out of 80 CRP contracts have been extended for 1,229 acres. EQIP sign up is in progress. • USDA Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman is in Wisconsin today - Green Bay area. • Marv Warner (FSA Loan'Officer) has stated that the delinquency rate was down from first of the year. RC&D Berenschot reported: • Space is leased for storage and packing of prairie seeds. • Board meeting scheduled for Friday, March 9, in Menomonie. • On February 2 over 600 people attended the "Plants Out of Place" conference, sponsored by RC&D, held at the Ramada Inn, Eau Claire. RC&D was extremely pleased with the attendance. WEST CENTRAL AREA No report. EDUCATION ACTIVITIES Heise thanked the committee for their involvement in the Conservation Awards Banquet held on February 27, 2001. Requested feedback from coanmittee. A suggestion was to encourage a Forestry Award. Discussion. Possibly work with the Woodland Association on this award. Handed out Information and Educational Activity packet that Ruth Stern is distributing to the school systems in St. Croix County. Ruth is making a personal contact to each school in the County. This has generated immediate interest from schools requesting environmental activities from our department. Heise discussed the Drinking Water program that was held in the Towns of Rush River, Pleasant Valley and Hammond. Sixty-eight water samples were collected. Of those 68 samples, 17 were determined to have nitrates higher than the drinking water standard of 10 part per million The same program was offered to the Towns of Baldwin, Eau Galle, Cady and Springfield on March 2-5. FARMLAND PRESERVATION No discussion. PRIORITY WATERSHEjD PROJECTS Heise reported that there was a meeting on March 1, 2001 between the South Fork Hay River Priority Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), and St. Croix and Dunn County Land and Water Conservation Department (LWCD) staff. Discussion on continuation of this Pilot Incentive Watershed program. Department staff, landowners within the watershed boundaries and the CAC will be contacting their local representatives to urge their support for the continuation of this watershed. GLEN HILLS WATERSHED Heise presented update on the relocation of house below Structure #2. Will present resolution to the County Board on March 20, 2001. Plan to coordinate teleconference with MRCS regarding this issue on March 7, 2001. WILDLIFE DAMAGE PRQGRAM Heise reported that there was an error in the math on a Wildlife Damage claim presented last month. The total claim for Sam Morrow should be corrected to read $938.59 rather than $609.51. Raymond made motion to approve the revised claim in amount of $938.59. Seconded by Berenschot. Carried. CEDAR CREEK DAM Heise explained situation of the flume the County owns on the Cedar Creek Flowage. Received correspondence from DNR Fish Manager, Marty Engel, regarding options and fisheries downstream of this flume. Three solutions: 1) Repair current structure 2) Plug current structure a. Water quality would deteriorate b. No serious impact to downstream fisheries 3) Removal of structure a. Same comments as #2 above NOTE: There remains some question on the hydraulics if options #2 or #3 are chosen. Could the Nutzman structure carry the increase CFS(Cubic Feet per Second)? Heise has requested DATCR engineer, located in Eau Claire, to provide some rough estimates on the 3 options proposed. AGRICULTURAL ISSU§S -UPDATE Heise reported for Dave Sander that the Board of Adjustment (B.O.A.) application for the Emerald Dairy went extremely well. Tom Rose, Supervisor, reported that he was very pleased with Dave's assistance on this application and was extremely helpful and informative during the B.O.A. deliberations. Kick off meeting for amending the St. Croix County Animal Waste Ordinance will be held March 14, 2001 There is a group of 12 citizens, 2 LWCD staff and 2 U.W. Ext. staff, 16 in total that make up the committee. SUBDIVISION REVIEW Heise presented: Moonbeam Ridge 1St Additign (In part of the NW 1/4 of the SEl/4, in part of the SW '/4 of the SE 1/4, in part of the NEl/4 of the SE'/4 , and in part of the SE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 all in Section 12, T29N-R19W, Town of Hudson, St. Croix County, Wisconsin, including lots 9 and 10 of the plat of Moonbeam Ridge - Approximately a 22 acre development, minimum lot size 2.5 acres. All items have been resolved and a revised plan submitted to the recent changes. Berenschot made motion to recommend that the storm water and erosion control plans are acceptable and a letter be sent to the Planning & Development Committee. Cody seconded. Carried. Woods at White Eagle (In the NW %4 of the SE 1/4 and the SW 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Section 30, T30N-R19W, including part of lots 2,3, and 4 of the certified survey map recorded in volume 8, page 2196, document #457750, Town of St. Joseph) - Approximately a 28 acre subdivision, 8 lots, minimum lot size is 2.5 acres. All items have been resolved and a revised plan submitted to reflect the recent changes. Berenschot made motion to recommend that the storm water and erosion control plans are acceptable and a letter be sent to the Planning & Development Committee. Cody seconded. Carried. HUDSON TOWN - GOLF COURSE Department's review on environmental issues in Townships with adopted Zoning and Municipalities - Heise reported on situations in a Township and a Municipality in which the units of government are requesting our department's assistance on environmental issues. Corporation Counsel recommended that the department should not work in these areas unless the units of government request the department's assistance, but suggests that our services should be conducted by fee. This is assuming the department has time to review? Discussion. Committee agreed that the department should shy away from assisting the municipality and allow them to hire their own engineer. No clear clarification on the township issue. RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT LEGISLATION BY THE STATE TO PROECT "ISOLATED WETLANDS" Heise presented and handed out resolution regarding the effort to support State Legislation to Protect "Isolated Wetlands". Discussion. Bill Berndt, Public Affairs Consultant, representing the Building Association and the Realtors Association offered comments and suggestions to this resolution. Mr. Tom Rose expressed his concern with granting authority to the DNR. Changes in the resolution were discussed. Heise was directed to revise resolution. Berenschot made motion to support resolution as amended. Seconded by Raymond. Carried. Present to County Board on March 20, 2001. VEHICLE AGREEMENT NRCS-LWCD Steve Pemsteiner presented in agreement that is to allow the use of LWCD staff to use and operate NRCS vehicles and other equipment. Greg Timmerman-Corporation Counsel, Chuck Whiting-Administrative Coordinator and WMMIC (Wisconsin Municipal Mutual Insurance Company) have reviewed this agreement. Discussion. Motion made by Raymond for approval and signatures on agreement. Seconded by Berenschot. Carried. VOUCHERS Reviewed vouchers. Raymond made motion to approve the vouchers. Seconded by Burri. Carried. MISCELLANEOUS Heise reported that there will be Public Hearings regarding the revised Natural Resources rules taking place throughout the State in March. There will be 12 Public Hearings, two at each site. The closest hearing will be held in Eau Claire on March 13 at the Best Western Midway Hotel, starting at 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Berenschot stated that Rebecca Bauman (WLWCA Executive Director) would attend our meeting if invited. Berenschot made motion to adjourn meeting at 11:55 a.m. Seconded by Raymond. Carried. Jim Cody Secretary By Arlene Lier