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Home My WebLink AboutLand & Water Conservation Resource & Education Committee 03-02-1999 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 2, 1999 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: Farmland Preservation Wildlife Damage Program Priority Watershed Projects - Kinnickinnic - Plan Draft Recommendation Glen Hills Watershed Flood Plain Study Structure #2 Hazard Rating Baldwin Ag Building Update Office Priorities Animal Waste Spreading - Large Dairies County Land and Water Resource Management Plan County held Conservation Easements* NEW BUSINESS: 1999 Conservation Awards Dinner 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: February 17, 1999; amended February 24, 1999 COPIES TO: COUNTY BOARD OFFICE NEWS MEDIA/NOTICE BOARD COUNTY CLERK COMMITTEE MEMBERS * ADDITIONS/CORRECTIONS/CHANGES Convened: 9:00 a.m. Adjourned: 11:10 a.m. ST. CROIX COUNTY LAND & WATER CONSERVATION/RESOURCE & EDUCATION COMMITTEE Agricultural Center, Baldwin, W March 2, 1999 Members Present: Leon Berenschot, Chris Bethke, Lois Burri, Jim Cody, Art Jensen, Ron Raymond Members Absent: None Staff Present: County Conservationist-Charles Christenson, County Technician-Bob Heise, Farmland Preservation Technician-David Sander, Kinnickinnic Project Manager-Tim Popple, Lakes Cluster Project Manager-Pete Kling, Secretary-Arlene Lier Others Present: Dean Steines-Ayres Associates Meeting called to order by Chairman Art Jensen. Raymond made motion to adopt agenda. Berenschot seconded. Carried. Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 6, 1999 at 9:00 a.m. Chairman Jensen read thank you letters received from both County Board Chair Dorsey and Tom Wells (Conservation Teacher Award) for the Conservation Awards dinner held on February 16. Also received a phone call from Erling Lestrud thanking the LWCC for the Conservation Leadership award presented to him. Read letter commending Pete Kling for his work on Lakes Cluster Priority Watershed Project from John Eiring of the Bass Lake Association. FARMLAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM Zoning certificates are being issued as they come in. WILDLIFE DAMAGE PROGRAM Berenschot's question: It was reported that claimant Sam Morrow did not have any crop insurance. PRIORITY WATERSHED PROJECTS Kinnickinnic - Plan Draft Recommendation - Popple reviewed issues questioned at the February 2nd LWCC meeting and items from the public hearing. The CAC has reviewed the changes and recommended approval. Berenschot made motion to adopt resolution and forward to County Board. Seconded by Cody. Carried. COUNTY HELD CONSERVATION EASEMENTS Kling reported on follow up to Tracy Teodecki's (DNR) explanation of the conservation easements. Has been reviewed with Corp Counsel Greg Timmerman. Costs to county would include: (1) Title insurance - paid by seller (letter only). (2) Corp Counsel would help with writing easement. (3) Recording fees - $10.00 first page, additional pages $2.00. (4) Survey costs - parcel - well defined area. Could go out and survey - run lines - be in agreement with landowner. (5) Management Company would manage easements. (6) Greg Timmerman feels closing would be similar to house purchase closing. (7) Appraiser would look at 5-10 parcels at a time. (8) County may wish to define. To establish an easement program, would need approval of both the LWCC and County Board. Watershed already has $131,000 in the plan. If county decides, easements would be for 20 years. Perpetual easements are possible but would involve more money, and also likely not as acceptable. It is a tool to enhance the watershed projects. Bethke made motion to get more information and proceed with the easement offer. Berenschot seconded. Carried. GLEN HILLS WATERSHED Flood Plain Study - Dean Steines-Ayres Associates summarized status on structures 7 and 8. He and Christenson inspected in October. Received mapping in February. Dam failure analysis - results on structure 7 show one house within the hydraulic shadow. This dam has sufficient spillway capacity to pass required 100-year and 1,000-year flood. Will, however, be classified high hazard which will require special maintenance and planning such as warning system, zoning, and EOP prepared. Mapping is done on structure 8. Found two houses that were close to hydraulic shadow, however appears outside. Will be low hazard dam. Feels don't have problem. Structure #2 Hazard Rating - Cost estimate of dam removal $150-250,000, cost of upgrading dam $200- 400,000. House below the dam recently was nearly sold, however offer has been withdrawn. Discussed going to Finance Committee to explain situation. Purchase or moving house might be a possibility. County liability exposure out there. There is possibility of cost share funds available through DNR grant, however too late for this year. Contacts to Alice Clausing and Bill Sturtevant discussed. Decided to wait. AG BUILDING UPDATE Christenson reported that UW-Extension will be sharing horticulturist with 3 counties. Horticulturist will be working mainly with small acreage and home owners. Staff have to be moved around to make room. Estimated cost $1,800 moving engineering room and work station. Will discuss and settle in afternoon with the Extension group. 1999 CONSERVATION AWARDS DINNER Discussed holding the awards dinner at a larger place due to the number of people attending the event. Will plan for the dinner to be held on February 15, 2000. FARMLAND PRESERVATION APPLICATIONS None. OFFICE PRIORITIES Number 1 is long term - Resource Management Plan. ANIMAL WASTE SPREADING Decision to bring in large dairy operators for a meeting scheduled for March 3 (1:00-3:00 p.m.). Will have two groups. Will discuss concerns, issues, and complaints received. Think we can resolve some of the complaints. Chair Jensen will attend meeting and observe. The large number of animals at one site is a concern. Also rural housing lots are being developed in areas not previously used for homes. COUNTY LAND AND WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN Christenson reported that he met with Cheryl Bursik (Dragonfly Consulting) after last LWCC meeting. She laid out estimate of hours and potential cost for her involvement. Has worked on three plans already in other counties. Estimates cost at 238 hours @$30.00/hour = $7,140, including advisory and technical groups, public hearing, draft and final plan. Travel - 10 meetings ($380) or maybe as many as 10 more. $1,000 more for mailings, printing, $8,520 estimate. 300 surveys to be returned? Will investigate Rural Development Institute doing phone survey. Estimate $2,000 for survey - Steering Committee -What is an individual willing to spend on preserving their environment? Prepare list of questions for Rural Development phone survey by next meeting. Budget would be okay to hire Cheryl Bursik. She will assist us in developing a plan. Christenson will check with Cheryl on agreement form. SUBDIVISION REVIEW Cottonwood Ridge (Sec. 36 - Town of Hudson, Sec. 31 - Town of Warren) - Developer Dick Stout. Approximately 180+ acre development, 63 lots (2.0 acre lot size or greater) - Heise presented stormwater and erosion control plans for the Cottonwood Ridge subdivision. Developer must properly abandon existing well. He is aware of situation and has been sent the proper paper work and forms. Berenschot made motion to recommend that the plans are acceptable and a letter be forwarded to the Planning & Development Committee. Cody seconded. Carried. VOUCHERS Reviewed vouchers. Berenschot made motion to approve vouchers. Seconded by Burri. Carried. MISCELLANEOUS Chair Jensen signed the Recreational Boating Facilities Project (Bass Lake Boat Landing) Amendment No. 6 agreement for an increase of $18,649.17 in state funds. Jensen adjourned meeting at 11:10 a.m. J! Cody Secretary By Arlene Lier