Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 03/15/2007 - Special Meeting

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Bonestroo staffwtll be happy to meet wtth landowners throughout the NRI . process. A public open house will provide interested citizens the opportunif;y to leam more about the process, goals, and product of the NRI/MLCCS mapping. I Ctty of Ramsey Natllralli'esources Inventoty well as potential changes in cover type from the 'initial mapping, which was based primarily on aerial photos from 1994 and 2000. Having color infrared and large-scale true color photos to work with allows for detailed advance mapping and information recording. The infrared photos and the plotted true color maps will then be used during the field inventory/ground-truthing portion of the project. Task 4: Lancfowner Contact April/May 2007 -Based on the aerial photo and MlCCS review, we will Identify parcels where a detailed field inventory by an ecologist is appropriate and , provide this informatio~ to the qty. Based on conversations with City staff, we understand the. City will send a letter requesting property access to the landowner of each of these parcels. We recommend a response postcard with pre-paid postage be included with this letter. Bonestroo has used this method successfully in the past, and it is effective and efficient. We propose that City staff will handle initial landowner response to questions regarding the NRI. Should landowners require notification by field staff and/or request to accompany the ecologist in the field, Bonestroo staff will gladly'do so. Dellverables: . Shapefile or Excel table of parcels where property access is desired . Template of Electronic landowner Contact Letter and response Postcard . . Sample landowner contact letter ~" Data base of landowner responses to access request Task 5: Pre-Inventory Public Meeting May 2007 We recommend scheduling one pre-invent01}' public informational rr.~eting/open house after property access letters are mailed. We also recommend that such a meeting be an open house ~Ie to give . landowners within the study area and other interested citizens the opportunity to learn more about the process, goals, and product of the NRI/MLCCS mapping. One approach at this open house is to set up multiple "stations," where attendees can circulate through the room and learn about individual activities associated with the project and ways in which the data will benefit them and the City. At the City's discretion, such a meeting may be set up to coindde with a regular meeting of the Environmental Policy Board (May 7), Park and Recreation Board (May 10) and/or City Council Meeting (May 10 or 24). We will work with City staff and Park and Recreation Commission to choose themes for stations and the types of information that is shared. Some examples of possible stations indude: .. What is a NRI7 . What are the steps of a NRI7 8