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Regular City Council Meeting Monday, June OS, 2009 Page 20 wooded areas on their properties. Mr. Trudgeon advised that staff was recom- mending clarifying language indicating no bare soil and groundcover require- ments. Councilmember Ihlan presented several hypothetical scenarios to test the pro- posed language; which were addressed by staff, including combining bare soil and weeds; landscape rock versus piled gravel; and definition of noxious weeds as ad- dressed by other state and federal agency definitions. Discussion included the intent for groundcover reducing erosion; and impervious surface requirements. City Attorney Anderson noted combinations for vegetation and landscaping and standard interpretation of State Statute. Recycling Coordinator Tim Pratt Mr. Pratt addressed the proposed language amendment related to residential com- posting; and reduced specificity for composting as previously addressed by the City Council; while still allowing staff to enforce code violations. Mr. Pratt ad- dress some specific issues staff had encountered in the past (i.e., accumulation of brush piles or unconfined compost materials); need for education of residents in composting allowing for managed decomposition of materials, to not allow resi- dents to suggest that bush piles or debris piles were "compost materials" when there was no indication that they were being managed as such. Mr. Pratt advised that the current language was based on the best elements of the City of Minneapo- lis code (from 1990) and that of the City of St. Paul (from 1994); with removal of more limiting language (i.e., description of materials removed). Discussion included code enforcement issues encountered by staff to-date; and uncovered and unmanaged materials in backyards causing detrimental impacts for the neighborhood (i.e., odors and rodents). Carl J. Rosen, Ph.D., University of Minnesota Professor and Extension Soil Scientist/Horticultural Crops; Primary author of composting bulletin and a Roseville resident Mr. Rosen addressed the positives and negatives of the proposed language amendments recognizing staffls intent to regulate nuisances; however, Mr. Rosen opined that the proposed language may serve to discourage residents from yard composting, and ultimately serve as a setback for addressing sustainable yard waste throughout the City. Mr. Rosen opined that proposed language was too re- strictive, making it difficult for some to compost on-site, requiring them to com- post off-site and discourage their efforts. Mr. Rosen addressed specific concerns in Section 409.02 of the proposed ordi- nance, noting that lot sizes in Roseville were larger than those of Minneapolis and