WORKSHOP ITEM - Rebecca Haug, Water Resources Manager
Title
UPDATE ON DOCK AND BUFFER REMOVAL COMMUNICATION
Background
At the August 12, 2019 City Council Workshop, staff was directed to start an education and communication plan for informing residents of the safety and environmental issues with docks and buffer removals on stormwater ponds.
Since the meeting, staff has worked with NorthMetro TV on a series of videos. The first video explains what a stormwater pond is. The second video focuses on what cannot be put on a stormwater pond such as docks, rip rap, and sand. The third video focuses on the enforcement process the city is proposing to take. Each video covers the safety hazards of recreating in stormwater ponds.
The city has also been working with Coon Creek Watershed District, Rice Creek Watershed District and the Anoka Conservation District to help inform the public about the hazards of recreating in stormwater pond. The city was able to collect street sweepings and create visuals of what goes into stormwater ponds. These have been effective visual tools. Photo is attached. Through the partnerships with the watershed districts and the Anoka Conservation District the message is able to be conveyed to a broader audience.
There will be an article in the next city newsletter about the city code and the plan for enforcement. Another article will be included in the spring city newsletter.
Staff is proposing to conduct enforcement in phases. The city is currently broken into 5 sectors for stormwater inspections. During inspections, violations of docks and buffer removals are recorded. Based on this information, letters will be sent out to residents. The city is currently conducting inspections in phase 3 of the city so in the spring, residents who are in violation in phase 3 will receive a letter.
Recommendation
Informational.