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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12.A. City Pond Buffer Plantings /02 .4. CITY OF SHAKOPEE MEMORANDUM To: Mayor and City Council Mark McNeill, City Administrator From: Jamie Polley, Director of Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources Meeting Date: October 4, 2011 Subject: City Pond Buffer Plantings INTRODUCTION: The City Council is asked to approve the recommendation by the Environmental Advisory Committee to fund the implementation of planting buffer strips around three City ponds. BACKGROUND: In 2008 the City completed a prairie restoration project at the 17 Avenue Sports Complex pond. This area was intended to serve as a test site to see how the vegetation would work around a pond. The area has been managed and is thriving. In 2010 the City entered into a three year contract with Applied Ecological Services to establish and maintain 5 prairie areas (17 Avenue Pond included) throughout the City. 2011 is the second year of the management program. In January the EAC reviewed the Natural Resources Plan Tactics included in the natural resources section of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan to identify tasks to focus on. One tactic they choose to focus on was tactic number 12; Participate in Vegetation Restoration Projects. On April 13 the EAC began discussing the idea of allocating resources to implement pond buffer strips as prairie restoration projects. The initial discussion focused on City owned ponds. On July 13 the EAC heard the benefits of planting buffer strips around ponds from the City's Project Engineer, Joe Swentek. Benefits include water filtration, reduction of invasive species and water clarity. Joe also provided the EAC with a list of City owned and privately owned ponds. The EAC showed interest in planting buffer strips around the Community Center Pond and Greenfield Pond and the private Omega Drive pond. Staff presented the costs, supplied by Applied Ecological Services, to implement prairie planting buffer strips to the EAC on September 1 4th. The quote for the Community Center pond was $3,020.00 and the quote for the Greenfield Pond was $3,280.00. If the ponds are completed together the quote was $4,200.00. In addition, City staff has been approached by the homeowners that live on Omega Dr. to assist with establishing a prairie on the western slope of the pond that each of their properties runs through to Independence Dr. The pond holds water during some times of the year making the maintenance on the west side of the pond very difficult for the homeowners. The city has assisted in mowing the west slope to keep the vegetation down however this is private property and should be done by the homeowners. Establishing a prairie on the west slope would assist with the maintenance and P vegetation of the area. In order for the City to assist the homeowners in establishing a prairie the City would require that all nine homeowners support the idea and are willing to put a conservation easement over the entire area. Staff met with a majority of the homeowners on August 16 to discuss their request and their willingness to put the western slope in a conservation easement. All homeowners in attendance were very excited about a potential prairie. Staff gave the homeowners the task of getting the support of all nine homeowners. We received their signatures on September 7 The homeowners obtained two quotes for planting a prairie on the western slope of the pond and gave the City the lower of the two quotes which also came from Applied Ecological Services. The quotes included three different options including; $5,281 for a prep mow and no burn, $6,096 for a prep mow and management burn and $6,629 for a prep burn and management burn. The homeowners documented that they were willing to donate $1000 towards the project. Once the area is planted and the conservation easement is in place the City will maintain the prairie area. DISCUSSION The EAC discussed the benefits of planting the pond buffer strips around public and private ponds within the City. They chose the Community Center pond because of the high visibility of the pond and the Greenfield pond because of its location next to the newly built park. The EAC is recommending that the City complete both ponds based on the cost savings of completing the ponds together vs. separately. The EAC also discussed at length whether the City should allocate funds to assist in the prairie implementation of a private pond. After much discussion they felt that assisting the homeowners in planting a prairie on the western slope of the pond would decrease the invasive species, assist in maintenance of the area and allow the City to maintain the slope through a conservation easement. The EAC set stipulations to the recommendation of implementing the prairie that include the requirement of a conservation easement over the slope prior to any work being completed, the homeowners pay 30% of the $6,096 option to conduct a prep mow and management burn of the area and the City allocate a maximum of $10,000 over three years to the project. BUDGET The Natural Resources budget includes $16,000 for professional services. The EAC and City Council has already allocated approximately $3,000 for the second year of the previously approved prairie maintenance program. The nine homeowners on Omega Drive have agreed to the conservation easement and paying $1,827 (30% or $203 /home) towards the project. The total amount paid by the City to implement the prairie planting pond buffers over three years comes to $8,469. The City will have an additional cost of $2,000 to develop the legal descriptions for the western area of 8 of the 9 parcels for the City required conservation easement documents. The additional $2000 would also be paid for from the professional services area of the Natural Resources budget. RELATIONSHIP TO VISION A. Keep Shakopee a safe and healthy community where residents can pursue active and quality lifestyles. REQUESTED ACTION: If the City Council concurs approve the EAC's recommendation to; 1. plant prairie buffer strips around the Community Center pond and the Greenfield pond, 2. Plant a prairie buffer strip and restoration area on the western slope of the private pond between Omega Dr and Independence Dr. Requiring the homeowners to place the area in a conservation easement and pay 30% of the cost to complete a prep mow and management burn.