2006-02-23_AgendaPacket - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

3. Financial participation by the City shall be guided by the policies used by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR} for regulating herbicide use in lakes. The DNR is the permitting authority for aquatic plant management activities. The DNR supports management methods that cause as little damage to native aquatic plants as possible. The DNR protects native plants because they provide many benefits to lake ecosystems, such as stabilizing lake sediments, and increasing habitat for fish and wildlife. In addition, widespread destruction of native plants can lead to an overall increase in the amount of Eurasian waternulfoil in a water body because milfoil is very effective at invading disturbed habitat. Each winter, the City will organize a workshop inviting representatives of HOAs, the DNR and commercial lake management operators to present information on the status of lake management practices. DNR management policies will be incorporated into this policy without further action by the City. 4. Financial participation by the City is meant to supplement other sources of funding. Other agencies, notably the DNR, have in the past provided grants to aid in the development of a lake management plan, plant assessment surveys and treatments to control the spread of invasive aquatic plants. A financial contribution by the City will be made only if a complete grant application has been submitted to the DNR and other sources of funding. 5. Financial participation by the City shall be secondary to the financial commitment of Lakeshore property owners and reflect the invasive aquatic plant infestation levels existing within the City boundaries. City funding is limited and meant to supplement the efforts of Lakeshore property owners. A contribution by the City, together with any other grants obtained by an HOA shall not exceed 50% the costs incurred by the HOA. A homeowners association (HOA) must. be incorporated to be eligible to receive funds from the City. In the event more than a single HOA exists for a lake, a joint application to the City will be required. Annual lake survey and treatment costs are expected to vary, both from lake to lake and from year to year for a variety of reasons. Annual lake surveys should be conducted to identify the extent of invasive aquatic plant species infestation in a particular lake. It is recommended that professional assessment of these plants occur annually. 6. The City will encourage participation by Ramsey County. Ramsey County operates parks on each of these five Ickes. The public access paints are located within those parks. The City recognizes that the lakes benefit the general public due to these access points, as well as noting that invasive plants can be spread to City lakes as a result of the transport of plant fragments on watercraft.