2023-01-24_PWETC_Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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6. 2023 Sustainability Update Ms. Noelle Bakken made a presentation on sustainability program accomplishments that the City has worked on over the year. Member Misra loved the list of goals for 2023 and all topics being talked about. One topic she was curious about was a presentation the Commission received afew years ago about sod and irrigation and changes in lawn management to diminish water use and she wondered if that was anything staff talked about in terms of a goal to have residents look at their irrigation practices and look at maybe different types of sod that might be more sustainable. Ms. Bakken thought Less Mow May would be a great opportunity to bring that in. She thought it would be an interesting engagement to have the U of M representatives come on site for some education to talk to people about different water -friendly lawn care practices as well as having some pollinator plant information alongside that as well. Mr. Dale Howey, 911 Parker Avenue, explained he has a native lawn in their front yard and did not have to water it at all this past year. He also noted this brings in the pollinators and wildlife as well. He explained there are about six pollinator yards on Parker Avenue between Victoria and Lexington. It might be interesting to take a field trip to see what is going on. Ms. Bakken explained that is kind of the point of the City's sustainable steward program. It recognizes these people who are doing these kinds of things and the ultimate goal with that is to create a little community map of where all of these resources are so if people wanted to go out and see an example of a pollinator yard or rain garden or solar on the roof or something like that, people can walk around and see them. Member Collins asked regarding stormwater runoff near gas stations and filling stations, there is an excessive amount of fuel and spillage running right into the gutter and he wondered if there has ever been a study done upstream and downstream of that and if there has ever been any correlation between the business and the City. Ms. Bakken did not think there has actually been a study done as far as specifically runoff from gas stations but she did know there are water quality checks that are done regularly. Mr. Johnson indicated at some point in time there would have been some report done from the PCA or somebody similar. He knew that the City has not done anything specific. Member Hodder indicated he did not hear anything in the report about geothermal and he wondered if the City tracks how their geothermal facilities are doing. He Page 3 of 5