Minutes Environmental Stewardship Adv. Comm. 1 3 06
MINUTES OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP ADVISORY COMMISSION
JANUARY 3, 2006
4:00 P.M.
CITY HALL ANNEX, 1300 MAIN, CONFERENCE ROOM # 1
Mike Buelow called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Wayne Klostermann, Andrea Bixler, Sister Mary Clare
O'Toole, John Nemmers, Claire Miller, Michael Buelow
MEMBERS ABSENT: Joseph Suarez
STAFF PRESENT: Mary Rose Corrigan, Don Vogt, Jon Brown
Mary Rose Corrigan completed the Certification of Compliance with the Iowa Open
Meetings Law.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Sr. Mary Clare O'Toole moved to approve the Minutes of the December 6, 2005
meeting. John Nemmers seconded the motion. There was no discussion and the
motion passed unanimously.
TEST AGENDA:
Wayne Klostermann moved to approve the agenda. John Nemmers seconded the
motion. Motion passed unanimously.
ITEMS FROM COMMISSION:
OLD BUSINESS:
1. Unified Development Code.
John Nemmers apologized for not completing the draft of the letter regarding
recommendations to Laura Carstens on the Unified Development Code. He stated that
he had some questions about what the Commission wanted to include as
recommendations, i.e., erosion control, stormwater requirements, site plan development
requirements, etc.
A discussion on various aspects of site development requirements took place. John
Nemmers asked who, exactly, reviews the site plan for compliance with the Long-range
Comprehensive Plan. It was stated that the Comprehensive Plan is not part of the
Unified Development Code. John stated that maybe someone, either a department or a
new body, should look at side development plans to ensure environmental aspects of
the site development plan complies with the Long-range Comprehensive Plan. Sister
Mary Clare O'Toole stated that it is a problem for the Environmental Stewardship
Advisory Commission to be proactive on site plans because the Commission is not in
the loop on site development plans. Often it learns about a development after the work
has already started.
It was decided that John Nemmers would continue to draft the letter on Unified
Development Code recommendations to Laura Carstens. He will forward to Mary Rose
Corrigan for distribution to other Commissioners.
2. Environmental Indicators.
Mike Buelow asked the Commissioners how they thought the Commission should
proceed on environmental indicators. A discussion on possible indicators, i.e., air
quality testing, water quality testing, etc. took place.
It was suggested that possibly the Commission could select a couple of indicators that
there was current data on and include the information in a report to the City Councilor
provide to the public. It was generally agreed that the Commission could not actually
do the monitoring and, therefore, needed to select some indicators that already had
data monitored. Mike Buelow suggested that the Commission could look at the
indicators and points in the environmental quality section of the Long-range Plan
(previously distributed). He stated that at the next meeting, the Commission could
select indicators from this list as a starting point. The other Commissioners agreed.
NEW BUSINESS:
ITEMS FROM STAFF:
OLD BUSINESS:
NEW BUSINESS:
ITEMS FROM THE PUBLIC:
NEW BUSINESS:
CLARIFICATION OF TASKS:
John Nemmers will draft the letter for Laura Carstens. He will forward the document to
Mary Rose and she will e-mail to Commissioners for input.
NEXT MEETING DATE:
February 7,2006.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:
Environmental indicators and the recommendations for the Unified Development Code.
ADJOURNMENT:
Sister Mary Clare O'Toole moved to adjourn the meeting. John Nemmers seconded
the motion. Motion passed unanimously and the meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m.
MRC/cj