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9.18.2024 ECC Meeting packetEnergy City Commission Regular Meeting Agenda I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. CONSIDER AGENDA Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024 8:30 a.m. Elk River City Hall Meeting Protocol ■ No sidebar discussions ■ No interruptions ■ State your concern. ■ Ensure you understand. ■ Don't take things personally. ■ Adhere to time limits. ■ Come prepared. ■ Ensure all are heard. 4. CONSENT AGENDA Considered to be routine and noncontroversial by the Energy City Commission and will be approved by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a commission member, staff member, or citizen so requests, in which case the item will be removed from the consent agenda and considered under the regular agenda. 4.1 Minutes ■ July 17, 2024, Minutes 5. GENERAL BUSINESS 5.1 Review draft goals (Sub -Committee update) 5.2 P&R Committee — Draft plan for energy project 5.3 Tour Recap -Republic Recycling, Big Lake Agrivoltaics, and Sherco Solar site. 5.4 3`d Quarter Star News Article (Fomby) 5.5 Other Commissioner updates 6. ANNOUNCEMENTS ■ Next meeting Nov. 20, 2024, 8:30am. 7. MOTION TO ADJOURN REGULAR MEETING All Meeting of the Elk River City of Eln. Energy City Commission Hall = Elk River City i�1Ver Wednesday, July 17, 2024 Members Present: Vice -Chair Tony Miller, Commissioners Grupa, Dombrovski, Peterson, Field, Fomby, and Youngs. Members Absent: Chair Iverson, Commissioner Burandt Others Present: Suzanne Fischer, Env. Services/Special Projects Director Karen Wingard, Recreation Coordinator 1. Call Meeting to Order Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River Energy City Commission was called to order by Vice -Chair Miller at 8:30 a.m. 2. Pledge of Allegiance Vice -Chair Miller led the Pledge of Allegiance. 3. ConsiderAgenda Commissioner Youngs motioned to approve the agenda, seconded by Commissioner Dombrovski. 4. Consider Consent Agenda Commissioner Dombrovski moved to approve the consent agenda, seconded by Commissioner Fomby. 4.1 Consider Minutes Commissioner Fomby moved to approve the May 15, 2024, meeting minutes, seconded by Commissioner Enfield. 5.1 Review Draft Goals — Commissioners reviewed the goals which will require action steps, timelines, and budgets, prior to a Council presentation. Other Goals Sub -committee members are Chair Iverson and Commissioner Burandt. Commissioner Fomby will visit with Park Commission members re' the feasibility of solar lighted park trail project and bring his findings to the next meeting. If approved, Commissioner Fomby strongly supports doing this project in cooperation with the local boy scouts. 5.2 Revised Commission Bylaws — Commission members compared the old ECC Bylaws with the new version. They agreed to repeal the old bylaws and adopt the new ones providing the `shall' under Sec. 2-352 be changed to `may' to provide greater flexibility in obtaining commission members. Motion made by Commissioner Fomby and seconded by Commissioner Enfield. 5.3 ECC Project Ideas - In addition to the solar park trail project, Commissioners discussed other projects to consider, including initiating a zero -waste program at the FTC to reduce the amount of trash, recyclables, and organics. Project determination will be discussed at the next meeting. Commissioner Enfield mentioned Xeriscaping as an alternative to grass lawns to reduce the amount of water used and the herbicides entering our waters. Many HOA's have stringent rules about yard maintenance/appearance that prevents homeowners from installing more water- resistant landscapes. However, residents who are not in HOA's may want to consider alternative landscaping designs to conserve water and reduce maintenance. 5.4 Farmers Market — Recreation Coordinator, Karen Wingard joined the meeting at 8:55 a.m. to discuss the ECC's booth and set-up needs at the 8.22.2024 Farmer Market. ECC members will share the commission's purpose and encourage visitors to participate in more energy saving practices at home and at work. In addition to energy and sustainability issues, the Commission will distribute informational brochures, have a game, candy, and give aways. Staff will work with Communications to design an ECC banner and possibly a poster showing which trails would be priority for a solar lighting project. 5.5 3`d Quarter News Article — Commissioner Burandt is up for this quarter's article. The group thought that `yard waste' would be an appropriate subject for this time of year. 5.6 Other Commission Updates — Commissioner Enfield asked if a recycling tour could be set up for the Commission to gain a better understanding of the processes utilized. Suzanne will inquire with Republic about potential tour dates/locations. There being no further business, Commissioner Dombrovski moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Commissioner Fomby. The meeting was adjourned at 9:25am. Su.Zanne M. Fischer 7.22.2024 Suzanne M. Fischer Date Environmental Services/Special Projects Director 2 Draft notes from 4.18.2024 ECC discussion on goals. 4.'�4 7.17.2024 1. Sustainability a. nags (HiSWFi,. Dewntewn Elk RiyegEGC lanes) a. Paper vs plastic pilot with DT businesses" Action steps: ID grants/draft pilot program outline Identify business willing to participate in pilot program Timeline: Budget: b. Organics Recycling at FTC Action steps: ID Grants/draft program Outline Timeline: Budget: 2. Environmental a. Solar lights on selected trail(s) Action steps: 1. Attended 9.11.2024 P&R Comm. meeting 2. Project discussion (post if Special Mtg) 3. Draft solar energy project plan Timeline: 2025 Budget: TBD 3. Education / Public Outreach a. Spectrum —student web page design & education repository Action steps: Contact school for interest level/student involvement Timeline: Budget: b. Jt. Science Fair or similar event Action steps: Timeline: Budget: Draft notes from 4.18.2024 ECC discussion on goals. ".'�2 7.17.2024 c. Farmers Market Action steps: Share energy efficient information with the public Timeline: Participated on 8.22.2024; Schedule subsequent visits Budget: N/A (used public information already available). * May need to reconsider the promo bags for 'Historic DT Elk River', as: o The downtown group (DERBA) is getting promotional bags w/their logo on it o Recreation is getting reusable pocket bags for sale at the Farmers Market ** I included an alternative idea for downtown (pilot program for businesses to use paper bags vs plastic). Each area above (Downtown, Parks & Rec, & Education) needs details for action steps, timeline, and budget before presenting the goals/plan to Council. 5,Z Lights after Parks meeting? Matthew Fomby <mrfomby@gmail.com> Thu 9/12/2024 9:59 AM To:Suzanne M. Fischer < sfischer@ EIkRiverM N.gov >;Vern Iverson <verniverson@icloud.com> Ok, here is what I have: The Parks Committee wanted something more of a concrete plan and an idea of how much we could accomplish. Here is what I have worked out over a few searches. Lights https://www.superiorlighting.com/led-solar-dusk-to-dawn-light-40-watt-6000-lumens-5000k- daylight-wall-or-post-mount-with-programmable-motion-sensor/? gad source=1&gclid=QAKCAiwoog3BhB3EiwAYgYoEjgFvgnuzvilt6p vwTMoNO N- k4 OutY QKIUH_NZp170U HnYOeUBoCiKMOAvD BwE https:llwww.solarlightingitl.comisolar-walkway_pathwav_IigF If we make some assumptions around $150 for the lights. But they need poles. Again, quick, non - definitive search... https:llwww.amazon.com/NULI KUMA-Street-Light- Pole- tsasl<etoaII/dp/BOCMD41 KPP?source=ps-sl- shoppingads-Ipcontext&ref =fplfs&smid=A7V3TEKFLOHTO&th- " This means $300 for the light and pole, labor not accounted for. But this would provide a good light on a relatively high pole. Given this cost, the basic math is as follows... 12500/300=41 lights and poles The question is how much can this do? If we put them say ... 30 feet apart, 41 *30=1230 feet, or a quarter of a mile, or so. If we went to 50 feet... 41*50=2050 feet total. We would need to look at lumens and see what the benefit is, and the distance, but a little less than a half mile trail does seem workable. This does not include labor, not sure if we could get this from parks. But it IS a starting point. 6000 lumens is apparently roughly appreciable to a highway overhead light. We could increase the distance as well. To make it to half a mile they would need to be 65 feet apart, which is 22 yards. Is that too much? Not sure. Thoughts? Matthew f5.2a How to choose the right type of path and trail lighting for your proje In our rails -to -trails series, we first looked at the basics of urban renewal, how rails -to -trails projects fit in, and why municipalities, counties, and states would want to take part. Next, we will cover the considerations when lighting a trail to ensure trail safety. Trails may be convenient during the day, but they often must close at sundown —which can limit their use, especially in winter months with shorter hours of daylight. Proper signage and after -dark policies may help, but installing effective lighting is an even better way to increase the sense of safety for trail users. #1: Consider what the community wants. Properly assessed lighting considers who will use the trail and for what purpose. What types of trail users are there? Commuters traveling after dark, especially in winter, will likely need and want more lighting than weekend visitors, who may be more likely to stick to daylight hours for their activities. Once you've determined that lighting is desired, consultation in the surrounding area is vitalboth for illumination and noise or other concerns —because not everyone will be on board with this trail feature. It would be best to consider human neighbors who may not want extraneous lighting in their homes. Dark -sky initiatives may mean the community mandates against unnecessary nighttime lighting. (Learn more in #3 below about effective lighting design to minimize excessive light.) In addition, there must be a proper environmental assessment to ensure the local ecology won't be negatively affected by the lighting. For example, the reenwav Trail in Whittier, Californi• , is a 4.5-mile commuter and recreational pathway surrounding residential and commercial communities that were not disturbed by trenching for wiring infrastructure. They chose solar lighting, which doesn't require trenching to install, protecting the delicate wetland while still giving the community a safer alternative to walking along the nearby traffic hubs. V2, Consider what lighting type works for the physical location.] There are several considerations for lighting on a trail. Wired lighting may require little maintenance over time, but it is expensive to install and may not be feasible in riparian corridors or anywhere where environmental disruption is not permitted. Battery -powered lighting may be cheap and easy to repair, but it is unreliable and requires frequent maintenance for battery changes. A solar -powered light combines the reliability of a wired light with the simplicity of installation of a battery - powered light. With no trenching required for cables, it is environmentally friendly and simple to maintain. Solar -powered trail lights are reliable as long as they are sized correctly for the location and are not heavily shaded by trees or structures, which can make solar less viable in certain areas. 1P 3000K I I T 1000K 2000K 3000K 4000K 5000K 6000K 7000K 3 ,Consider what lighting placement and design will work for the trail location and use. Once you've selected the type of lights that will work for the location, consider the design of the lights and how they will be placed for maximum effectiveness. Licensed lighting professionals can help with this. Adequate trail lighting will: • Meet AASHTO recommendations: Lights should meet the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Guide for developing Bicycle Facilities requirements for lighting shared -use paths. • �4ht only what's needed: Lights should be shielded, pointing only at the ground and not into the sky to help minimize light pollution, which affects people, animals, and the environment. • Pe appro riate: Lights should be scaled effectively for trail use and spaced correctly for adequate coverage. • ge placed where required for safety:) At tunnels and overpasses; trailheads; bridge entrances and exits; public gathering places; along streets; crosswalks; where the path crosses another path or sidewalk; and on si na e, according to AASHTO guidelines. • _ e aesthetically pleasing: While not required, lights with a warm -white glow rather than a blue -white glow are more pleasant to the eye. In the past, achieving this color with LEDs was more of a challenge, but today's technology is making it possible to provide a arm -white LEwithout breaking the bank. 4: Consider who will be installing and maintaining the lights. It is one thing to choose lights for the end users, but it's another to choose lights that will be cost-effective to install and maintain. Installation varies by location and type of light, so running a cost comparison can be an excellent place to start. Meanwhile, maintenance can be challenging for cities with already stretched thin budgets. For wired lights, a problem with one can cause a whole string to go out. Battery -powered lights avoid this problem, but if the lights are not configured properly, the maintenance team may be out changing batteries more frequently than they would like. Solar lighting can also have this problem if the solar panel and batteries are not sized properly for the location and light output requirements. #5: Consider how you'll find funding that fits.1 Who is paying for the lights and how? We'll explore funding in the next article in this series: read about federal and state funding options here. ijWhat's nextl Solar lighting can be a good fit if you are lighting a rail trail, commuter path, or another urban pathway. To find out the viability of blazing your rail trail with solar lighting, try our Build & Price tool. It can determine the estimated cost of solar trail lights and the configurations required to keep them working for the long term. Build & price solar lip-hting for your rail trail JHow to Improve Safety and Usability in Local Parks, Trails, and Outdoor Spaces After Dar As the sun sets earlier and earlier during the winter months, people have less time to enjoy the parks in their communities due to inadequate lighting. In turn, adults and children alike miss out on critical health benefits that come with spending time outdoors, such as boosts in energy and decreased anxiety. Parks and recreation professionals understand the challenges of making outdoor spaces both safe and accessible all year round. Relying on traditional lighting products, however, can be a costly solution to a simple problem. While it's true that lu perading to modern Ughtin2 solutions in pubfic parks requires time and money, these enhancements are crucial for transforming urban green spaces into areas that are secure, welcoming, and sustainable for community enjoyment throughout the year. Discover how Sol works with parks and recreation professionals in hundreds of cities across the U.S. to deliver cost-effective outdoor lighting solutions that keep parks and other community spaces alive 365 days a year. Even when local demand at N -rnments promise safe community spaces to their constituents, Americans hay )arks as dangerous iilaces after dark.i With increasingly warm summers and more and from suburbs to city centers, the Lational Recreation and Park Association expects a� arks to be open at nh.,ht.1 However, a survey from the Trust for Public Land surveyed the 100 largest U.S. cities and found that most are closed from dusk to dawn regardless of demand. Solving Americans' safety concerns begins with reliable lighting. However, introducing reliable lighting to community spaces requires valuable infrastructure resources that some municipalities simply do not have the budget nor time for--Wespite the 100 lary-est U.S. cities investing $ billion each year in parks and recreation Since grid -tied infrastructure is not always planned from the beginning, bringing it to parks can often be too costly, resulting in parks dropping their projects altogether, despite the value the lighting would bring to the parks in the long term. There's hope for parks and recreation professionals who want to reimagine outdoor spaces for their constituents: Solar lighting actively avoids those expenditures with its simple, non-invasive installation, sustainable profile, and minimal recurring costs. Without the need for complex underground wiring, solar lighting fixtures only require a hole to rest in and remain disconnected from the nearest power grid. This aspect alone saves a city countless resources, from labor to material costs. Additionally, this level of simplicity trickles down to maintenance costs, as solar lights by Sol do not require active maintenance for years after their installation. 19TI' Solar lights reduce environmental impact as they 6nIt require the extensive trenching traditional light fixtures do. Eliminating trenching means less costs are incurred since there is no need to bring electrical infrastructure to the area being illuminated. ON AVERAGE, for a 1-mile trail, solar lighting cuts the cost of grid -tied lightr Additionally, available tax credits and IRA -related federal incentives' can lead to munici alities saving even more, with up to 50% of the cost of acquiring solar lighting being financed through irect Pay by the Federall Even energy costs fall dramatically thanks to Sol's independence from grid -based power sources, granting municipalities more freedom with their budgets. The maintenance workload and costs are also minimal, as Sol guarantees a 10-year municipal -grade warranty. That warranty promises that the solar lighting fixtures will work as intended and remain maintenance -free for 10 years at a minimum. But before those 10 years even begin, low installation costs ensure municipalities have a reasonable entry point with solar lighting. Sol has designed and developed products that are specifically created for use in parks and trial applications. the iSSL and UP all -in -one and all -in -twos stems can be installed in less than 20 minutes —up to 5 times faster than competitors' products. As dark skies emerge earlier in the day during the winter months, strong sources of light are often necessary for residents to enjoy public spaces. However, the lighting requires strategic design and placement to enhance safety without disturbing local residents and wildlife. To execute on that promise, Sol works with Tier-1 lighting manufacturers that provide dark -sky compliant fixtures, meaning there is no light spilling up into the sky and the use of 3000K color temperature in the LED. Ours stems are also equipped with otion-sensingea abilities so that light is only provided at ful bri htnes when needed, reducing energy waste or misuse. In addition, curfew settings can also ensure that lights switch off at predetermined times to minimize energy consumption and maximize cost-effectiveness. Sol has successfully integrated a arieh• of parks into our solar lighting network, working relentlessly to create a more welcoming, sustainable, and inviting environment for communities to enjoy. Through solar lighting, municipalities can uphold their promises to their communities and provide a safer park and recreational environment while slashing the required upfront and long-term costs, remaining sustainable and dark -sky compliant, and earning valuable tax incentives. Do you know if the parks and trails in your area are underutilized due to inadequate lighting? Contact Sol to conduct a photometric diagnosis of your area and determine the best lighting solutions for your outdoor recreational spaces. Your communitv will thank you for it! Energy City Commission 5y Council Update '• Date 2024 .V DRAFT - WPRKI PP- . 1 2 9/17/2024 ,SOS 1 9/17/2024 ECC Goals & Objectives Bullet Title 12pt bold ■ 24pt font ■ 6pt space in-between bullet points 3 Republic Recycling Facility — Mpls. ■ Materials are sorted using automated technology such as robotic sorters, optical scanners, and vision recognition. ■ Recyclables travel up to 1 mile in 2.5 minutes at this facility. ■ Plastics go to their Polymer Center for additional processing. 4 2 9/17/2024 Republic Recycling ■ Recycling is a core component of the circular economy (new packaging & products vs. landfilled). Invested $350 mil. in recycling technology and infrastructure over the last 5 years. ■ Over 1000ton/day processed at their largest facilities. 3 9/17/2024 Republic Recycling ■ Only — 1 /3 of municipal waste is recycled each year. ■ Recycling a key platform for growth in the sustainability partnerships we develop. ■ Recycling services helps accelerate the transition to a low -carbon economy, drive circularity and create more value. Minimal material remains at processing end. 7 Agrivoltaics Farm - Big Lake MN The Food Group is a local nonprofit focused on using nutritious food to strengthen community. Their programs are designed to support immigrant, limited resource, and historically underserved individuals. ➢ Big River Farms Program: helps participants learn to cultivate crops for organic production & develop the basics for launching a farming business or community program through a 3-yr Grower Training Program. E3 4 9/17/2024 Big Lake INN ■ The main incubator farm is near Marine on the St. Croix. ■ The Big Lake site is new, smaller, and in its initial growth period. WATER QUALITY M 10 S BIG LAKE 1 SOLAR LLWd- SRC051597 7 U u5. 19048196TH STREET BIG LAKE MN 55309 This pollinator -friendly Solar Garden is being - OPERATOR 24/7 CONTACT (800) 3744494 actively managed to provide a healthy habitat for native insects, butterflies, and songbirds. Natural Resource Services 5 9/17/2024 Sherco Solar Project - Becker M 11 12 9/17/2024 13 Sherco Solar Project 14 5 fq ECC Article Themes for Quarterly Submission to Star News 2023 & 2024 Topic Assignment Due Date 1 st Qtr - Jan, 2023 ECC Welcomes New ER Landfill Agreement w/MMPA Casey Mahon Done 2nd Qtr - April Earth Day, Clean -Up Event Mark Peterson Done 3rd Qtr - juh- ElectriFUNcation Event Vern & jim Boyle Done 4th Qtr - Oct. Are Smart Switches for Me? Tony Miller Done 1 st Qtr Ian 2024 What is ECC? Tony Miller Done 2nd Qtr - April What is Ener %-? Leo Dombrovski 5.1.2024 3rd Qtr -I uly Yard Waste or Xerisca in g Mike Enfield 4th Qtr - Oct. Matt Fombv 1 st Qtr Ian 2025 Cory Grua Done 2nd Qtr - April Barb Burandt 5.1.2024 3rd Qtr - Tu1- Mark Peterson 4th Qtr - Oct. Sara Youngs Ideas. Photovoltaics, sustainable development, biomass, power generation, etc. These are sim ley suggestions. Feel free to select an area of tour interest; or if mu attend/participate in an ener , presentation, program, etc. share what v ou learned with the communitT.. This is also an opportunity to promote upcoming comin events either in Elk River or elsewhere.