Agenda - Council - 02/14/2017 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

in the Water Conservation Tool Box, found on the City's website, which highlights appropriate native plants for Anoka County. While the City has eliminated the regulatory barrier(s) to establishing pollinator friendly landscapes, there has admittedly been a lack of education and promotion of benefits of this type of landscape. Promoting this concept can be accomplished through the newsletter, website, and community gatherings such as The Draw Summer Concert Series and Happy Days. Additionally, there are also potential opportunities to modify current maintenance practices, such as reducing the size of mowed areas within parks. That alone does not necessarily create pollinator friendly habitat, nor does it constitute an acceptable means of establishing a native landscape. However, converting some of these under utilized areas to more sustainable and pollinator friendly landscapes could reduce the need for mowing, irrigation, fertilizers, and herbicides. Alternatively, another option may be to start infusing milkweed plants, the sole source of food for monarch caterpillars, into established natural areas and rain gardens on city owned lands. On a broader and more long-term scale, it would seem appropriate to have greater emphasis on pollinator friendly practices incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan. With the update to the Comprehensive Plan beginning in earnest this year, it is an ideal time to consider this concept, regardless of whether the City opts to participate in a formalized, yet voluntary, program of some sort. Staff is attempting to schedule a joint work session with the City Council and EPB to brainstorm potential work plan items for the board. This joint meeting presents an favorable time to also consider potential actions the City could employ to support and promote pollinator -friendly practices. Taking the Mayors for Monarchs pledge does not obligate the City to any one specific action. Rather, it suggests that the City is concerned with the plight of the monarch butterfly and wants to contribute to the effort to restore the monarch butterfly population. This can be achieved by promoting education and awareness of the issue (via the newsletter and website), looking at current City practices for improvements, and incorporating milkweed and other native plants into public improvement projects. Funding Source: This case is being handled as part of Staffs regular duties. Recommendation: Both the Environmental Policy Board and the Parks and Recreation Commission were supportive of the Mayors for Monarchs program and the EPB was also supportive of a broader pollinator initiative as well. Action: Motion to adopt Resolution #17-02-047 supporting pollinator initiatives in the City of Ramsey and authorizing the Mayor to officially sign the Mayors for Monarchs pledge. Attachments City Council Work Session Minutes Dated May 10, 2016 EPB Meeting Minutes Dated May 16, 2016 Mayors for Monarchs Optional Action Items Mayors for Monarchs Pledge Pollinator Framework Document Art in the Park Event Promotion Res. #17-02-047 Form Review