Loading...
Conservation Commission -Minutes-20100419 Approved 5/9/11 Conservation Commission City of Muskego Minutes of Meeting Held on Monday, April 19, 2010 Acting Chairman Miller called the meeting to order at 7:02 PM and led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll Call - Commissioners: Ms. Karen Hartwell, Ms. Julie Holubowicz, Mr. Bill Miller, Ms. Sharon Roy, Ald. Neome Schaumberg, Mr. Howard Schneider and Conservation Coordinator Tom Zagar. Absent: Mr. Leonard Pilak (excused) Guests: Ald. Neil Borgman, Nancy Borst, Bill Carity, Ron Ford, Larry Lefebvre, Sandra Kurka, Tom Rank, Ald.-elect Soltysiak, The meeting was posted in accordance with the open meeting law. APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES – A motion was made by Commissioner Roy to approve the minutes of the meeting held September 23, 2009. Seconded by Commissioner Miller; motion carried. PROJECT UPDATES Conservation Coordinator Zagar updated the commissioners on the following projects: Engel Conservation Area—There is another Eagle Scout project adjacent to the high school. There will be a bridge that will go over the waterway that is on the north side of the Engel conservation area and northeast to connect to the high school athletic field. A trail from that area and a bridge over the waterway on the hiking trail so high school science classes or people attending sporting events can get right on the trail. Blattner Reserve—This area was burned again this year. The restoration is going well. Restoration of City-owned Lands in Bass Bay Tributary—These are lands on the south end of Moorland Park and former Candlewood Creek subdivision lands dedicated to the city. A prescribed burn was done there this spring. The staff did some killing of existing vegetation last year and the plans are to do it again this year. The portion in Moorland Park was put into agricultural use, planting of soybeans and that will again be done this year. Finally, it is planned in the fall to plant native prairie vegetation in the area. Conversion of Park Turf to Prairie—These areas were dormant seeded last fall. Turf was killed using a Round-up type herbicide. The areas were in Denoon Park, Kurth Park, Bluhm Farm Park, Manchester Hill Park and Schmidt Park. Ms. Hartwell commented that they may want to use better seed, high quality seed, like used in the Blattner Reserve, to make the Schmidt Park area rich as the area in the park is right in the middle of the neighborhood. Conservation Commission Meeting – April 19, 2010 – Page 2 Erosion Control Project on Holz Island—Little Muskego Lake—This project was started last fall with the help of some volunteers including Mr. Howard Schneider. They installed some coconut-fiber logs on the undercut bank to restore the eroded area. This year, the western shore of the island will have riprap done by a contractor. The contract is in the process of being signed and the project should be done by the end of September. Mr. Schneider mentioned that in the Milwaukee area there was problem with the size of the rocks that the contractor used on the beach and the contractor had to redo the project. Conservation Coordinator Zagar stated it was spelled out clearly in the contract documents and they will be overseeing the project as the loads of rock arrive. Mr. Schneider asked if the WDNR would be inspecting it. Conservation Coordinator Zagar stated they might. The project has to be done according to regulations. NEW BUSINESS Conservation Easement for Borst Property—For the Borst property, some development proposals have been brought forth but at the same time, the city has always been interested in ways to conserve the land. Bill Carity is working on some of the development concepts for the area for Nancy Borst. The city has been looking for creative ways to conserve the watershed, the wetlands and the lands tributary to the creek which runs through the Ridges site and ultimately flows into Little Muskego Lake. Ridges site is one of the best conservation areas that the city manages and owns and the city is looking at buffering that and conserving a greater area. While the city was interested in purchasing lands, Mrs. Borst would like to retain ownership of the lands. The city has proposed the concept of purchase of development rights - essentially that is purchasing conservation easement over land where the owner can retain ownership of the property and certain development rights are taken away from the area. This comes at a price. Instead of purchasing the land, you purchase the right to develop the land. It is essentially buying the conservation easement. There is some areas where the city can do this under a willing buyer- willing seller term; there is also a program under the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service for doing this same thing for wetland areas and adjacent uplands and it is called the Wetlands Reserve Program. The city did get involved in this program at the Engel Conservation Area. There are 66 acres on the north side that have a conservation easement and further, some land restoration was done in the area. Mr. Carity spoke on what has transpired so far relative to the Borst property. He stated that Ms. Borst’s goal was to preserve the rear portion of the farmland as much as possible for her own enjoyment. His role is essentially to develop the front 56 acres which is down along Field Drive. About a year ago, they brought their concept plan before the city together with the rezoning request which was approved and more recently a certified survey map showing a phase development around the original concept plan. Discussions have taken place with several groups regarding the disposition of these lands. Conservation Coordinator Zagar presented an aerial view map of the property. He shared that the representative from the USDA indicated their interest in the property but several things needed to be worked out. He did not know how it would work into the development of the lower area. They would do a cash purchase of development rights over wetlands and the adjacent uplands. It would have to be a 30-acre minimum and this would involve including some of the side sloped acreage and some of the gravel pit. He pointed out on the map the proposed area. Mr. Carity had reservations as that would interfere with the certified survey map and a sale of a portion of the property. He thought there may be a way to allow that to occur on the certified survey map but he understood it had to under one ownership. They would not want it to adversely affect the first phase of the development. Conservation Coordinator Zagar stated his department’s staff are interested in Conservation Commission Meeting – April 19, 2010 – Page 3 pursuing the purchase of development rights on (portions of) the Borst property as an alternative to the outright purchase of land. He recommended pursuing the idea of purchasing development rights for preservation of open space and environmentally significant lands and the necessary appraisals needed to facilitate it. Mr. Carity suggested the staff work with the landowner on the amount of acreage and areas because the way the appraisal is going to happen needs to be specific. Mr. Howard Schneider moved to enter into discussion with the landowner on the possible purchase of development rights to the Borst property and any necessary appraisals that would include the environmental significant areas. Mr. Miller seconded. Upon a voice vote, the motion carried. Potential Land Purchase in New Berlin—Conservation Coordinator Zagar informed the members that the Little Muskego Lake District, the Muskego Lakes Conservancy, the Little Muskego Lake Association and the City of New Berlin are looking at purchasing land in New Berlin, approximately 40 acres. The largest need is an area to ultimately be used for weed tipping from the weed harvesting program. At the same time, it is in the watershed area of a creek that flows directly to Little Muskego Lake so it is protection of lands within their watershed. Mr. Ron Ford of the Muskego Lakes Conservancy presented the argument for the acquisition of this property. He was joined by Mr. Larry Lefebvre of the Little Muskego Lake District and Mr. Tom Rank. Mr. Ford stated that for over a decade, they have been working to establish environmental corridors along the two main tributaries to Little Muskego Lake. One is Spring Creek with headwaters on the Borst farm and the other is Calhoun Creek which begins behind the Target store on Moorland. There is a definite difference in the water that come from the old developed business area and what comes from Spring Creek into Linnie Lac. They have acquired five properties, totaling approximately 60 acres, and they have an environmental easement of another 10 acres. They have spent about $150,000 collectively on those purchases. They are now looking to purchase a property in New Berlin on the southeast corner of Beloit Road and Calhoun Road. He provided an aerial photograph of the property and went over the topography of the area. He pointed out the retention pond by the business park with the tributary from it. Also, provided were pictures of the quality of water coming from Spring Creek watershed compared to the quality of water coming from Calhoun Creek. There is a significant difference in water quality between the two. If they can acquire the property, there are significant problems; the stream banks are highly degraded and the amount of water and the quality of water coming out of the business park pond is not good at all. They feel they can correct that problem if they own the property. In regard to the Christmas trees on the property, they would sell them to offset the cost of restoring the stream and some other conservation projects. Other pictures were provided showing the significant erosion and sedimentation during the development of the pond in the business park. As someone residing downstream and based on his experience with New Berlin over the years, he did not feel that there was the focus or interest in New Berlin on what happens downstream and nothing really changes. They felt nobody else is going to step in and correct the problems downstream from New Berlin. The property was initially listed on the market for $650,000 based on a development concept. The selling price the owners have agreed to with these groups is $480,000 and is based on a preliminary appraisal that the lake groups hired a firm to do on the property. One reason for the significant drop in price is the market is such that this type of land is not moving. The three lake groups combined are able to put up about $190,000 of their own money. They have begun the process of applying for a WDNR stewardship grant and that grant would pay for half of the Conservation Commission Meeting – April 19, 2010 – Page 4 appraised value though they do their own appraisals and this would be about $240,000 from them. This would leave about a $50,000 short fall. They have a May 1 deadline to make application for the grant. They have had a meeting with the Mayor and they are asking the city to invest approximately five percent of the total price, about $20,000. The rest of the money they will attempt to raise from the City of New Berlin because they want to put a walking trail through the property to their park and the groups will also be contacting some private donors. In talking with interested individuals, one question is asked is if the City of Muskego is going to contribute to this project. Mr. Ford stressed that this project would have a significant benefit more to the City of Muskego than to the City of New Berlin. They will be working over a period of time to restore the stream and with the business park community to correct the problem with their pond. Other issues discussed with the commission members were the time frame to actively restore the area, stopping the run-off from the weed tipping, preserving the land rather than developing it, retention pond in the industrial area, meetings held with New Berlin’s advisory committees, criteria for the WDNR grant, water quality in the lake and impact on property values, lands in the watershed owned by the groups, the neighboring nursery, the area wetland complex, as well as previous Muskego dollars invested on lake dredging. Conservation Coordinator Zagar advised the commission members that this would mean spending Muskego dollars in another community. It would be about ten percent of the fund balance for conservation. Further, he realized the need of protecting lands in the watershed and he acknowledged Mr. Ford did bring up some legitimate concerns that just getting the land would not make the water clearer; it would take time to do the restoration work. Mr. Howard Schneider moved to send a letter of support on the acquisition of this property and the City of Muskego needed to be listed on the application. Ald. Schaumberg seconded. Upon a voice vote, the motion carried. Ald. Schaumberg inquired if they don’t come up with the additional money, what happens. Mr. Ford stated the acquisition of the property would not happen. Mr. Howard Schneider moved to recommend to the Common Council should this project move forward to have the City of Muskego donate up to $20,000 toward the acquisition of this property. Ms. Sharon Roy seconded. Upon a voice vote, the motion carried with Ms. Hartwell opposed. MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS AS AUTHORIZED BY LAW Conservation Coordinator Zagar shared that the osprey camera is working. The birds are in the mating season. Mr. Schneider would like the Commission to receive a financial report on the conservation fund balance. ADJOURNMENT—Commissioner Miller moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:30 PM. Ald. Schaumberg seconded. Carried by all. Stella Dunahee, CPS Recording Secretary