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<br />,/L <br />.--- <br /> <br />CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION <br /> <br /> <br />Topic Report: Results from Public Meetings on the City's Role in Wetland Protection <br />By: Chris Anderson, Environmental Coordinator <br /> <br />Background: <br /> <br />In April of 2009, City Council repealed the Wetland Protection ordinance, which included the <br />wetland buffer regulations, and directed Staff to coordinate a public meeting to gather input <br />from the community regarding wetlands and wetland protection. Staff, along with the Mayor <br />and several residents, met to determine the most suitable format for the meeting, how to <br />promote the meeting and invite the public, and what to do with the information afterward. <br />Ultimately, it was agreed that a collaborative process, similar to that used to during the <br />comprehensive plan update, should be utilized and that whatever information was generated <br />should be presented to City Council for consideration and further direction. <br /> <br />Two meetings were held in late July to gather input from residents regarding wetlands and <br />wetland protection. There were sixteen (16) participants at the first meeting and fewer than <br />. ten at the second meeting. Participants were asked to identify issues and concerns with <br />wetlands and wetland protection and then begin to group similar statements or concepts <br />together. Overarching themes, such as values, environment, water use. and policy, were <br />developed and the issues and/or concerns were assigned to the most appropriate category. <br /> <br />Many of the issues and concerns identified were similar to those raised when the natural <br />resources section of the comprehensive plan was reviewed during the comp plan update. In <br />both instances, the same dilemma arose: How does the City balance wetland protection <br />policies while not infringing on property rights? Answering this question is the key to crafting <br />wetland protection policies that will have wide spread community support. <br /> <br />Attachments: <br /> <br />A. Summary Notes from July 22 Public Meeting <br />B. Summary Notes from July 30 Public Meeting <br /> <br />Action Statement: <br /> <br />Provide direction to Staff about what, if any, next steps should be taken based on the input <br />from the public meetings. <br /> <br /> <br />CCWS:ljC L9 <br />