10-08-2025 EC AgendaA.6:00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER
B.APPROVAL OF MINUTES
B.1 Approval of September 10, 2025 Environmental Commission Minutes
C.VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
D.DISCUSSION ITEMS
D.1 Heritage Tree Ordinance Discussion
D.2 Environmental Trivia Night
E.COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS
F.UPCOMING ITEMS AND EVENTS
F.1 Environmental Academy- Remaining Events
G.ADJOURNMENT
AGENDA
CHANHASSEN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2025
LAKE SUSAN CONFERENCE ROOM, 7700 MARKET BOULEVARD
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Environmental Commission Item
October 8, 2025
Subject Approval of September 10, 2025 Environmental Commission Minutes
Section APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Prepared By Amy Weidman, Senior Admin Support Specialist
September 10, 2025 Environmental Commission Minutes
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Chanhassen Environmental Commission (EC)
6:00 pm
September 10, 2025
Members Present: Scott Grefe, Leslie Elhadi, Billy Cripe, Paget Pengelly, John Stutzman,
Glenn Stolar, Tanvi Akuthota
Members Absent: Sidney Lindmark
Staff Present: Jamie Marsh, Environmental Resource Specialist; Jenny Potter, City Clerk
Visitors: Judy Harder
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 6:04 p.m.
Oath of Office
Jenny Potter, City Clerk, administered the oath of office to Tanvi Akuthota, the new Youth
Commissioner.
Minutes
The commissioners reviewed the meeting minutes from the July 9 meeting. Commissioner Stolar
moved to approve the minutes as amended, and Commissioner Pengelly seconded. The motion
carried 7-0.
Discussion Items
1. Introduction and Review 2025 Onboarding Information
Jamie Marsh, Environmental Resource Specialist, discussed that the Environmental
Commission’s main focus is educational opportunities for the community.
Chair Grefe shared that they follow Roberts’ Rules of Order loosely, as this is an informal
setting. The Commission must have a quorum to hold an official meeting. The Environmental
Commission meets monthly in addition to hosting community events.
Events include Environmental Trivia, Environmental Academy events in partnership with Carver
County, an annual Arbor Day tree planting at a city park, and the Business Expo during the 4th of
July festival.
2. Environmental Academy Updates
The Academy is underway for 2025. Commissioners Stolar and Elhadi attended the first event at
the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, which discussed plant rescue. The plant rescue team
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focuses on relocating and propagating endangered plants during development. The Commission
discussed the upcoming Highway 5 roadwork.
Commissioner Pengelly will attend the second session of the Environmental Academy at Camp
Fire MN as a representative of the Environmental Commission.
The third session will be held in the new city hall to teach about recycling. Chair Grefe will
attend this event.
Commissioners Elhadi and Stutzman plan to represent the commission, and possibly Chair
Grefe, when the Academy tours the new Dakota Prairie Composting event in October. Ms.
Marsh says the new technology used at the new composting facility is very interesting. The
remaining events will be discussed at the October meeting.
3. Environmental Trivia Night
The next trivia night is scheduled for Thursday, October 9 at Hackamore Brewing at 7 p.m. The
commissioners discussed the trivia categories, divvied up the question writing and signed up for
trivia night duties.
The Commissioners shared details with Youth Commissioner Akuthota on how trivia nights run.
Hackamore has confirmed the date. The Commission discussed a few ideas to ensure a smooth
event, such as an additional display screen, reserved tables and scheduling a dry run for the
technology. The Commissioners discussed prizes for the trivia winners.
4. Heritage Tree Ordinance Update
Ms. Marsh is working on a tree preservation ordinance. She will present to the City Council at a
work session in September. The potential code change would define a heritage tree based on
species and DBH, which refers to the diameter, and would also incentivize the preservation of
heritage trees.
The Commission discussed the effects this could have had on previous developments had it been
in place.
The Commission expressed interest in receiving an update on this potential ordinance at the
October meeting.
Upcoming Items and Events
Adjournment
Commissioner Stutzman moved to adjourn the meeting. The commission voted 7-0, and the
meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
Minutes prepared by Amy Weidman, Senior Administrative Support Specialist
Minutes Submitted by Jamie Marsh, Environmental Resource Specialist
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Environmental Commission Item
October 8, 2025
Subject Heritage Tree Ordinance Discussion
Section DISCUSSION ITEMS
Prepared By Jamie Marsh, Environmental Resource Specialist
The City Council discussed the potential for adding to the city's ordinances related to Heritage Trees.
Following a staff presentation at the September 22 City Council work session meeting, the staff were
directed to draft an ordinance establishing a definition for "heritage tree," as well as requirements
related to the removal and subsequent replacement of heritage trees if removed as part of a subdivision
application.
Staff has prepared a first draft of that ordinance and has attached it to this case for general feedback
from the Environmental Commission.
Staff will also present the draft ordinance to the Planning Commission on October 7 for feedback prior
to an anticipated public hearing at the November 3 Planning Commission meeting.
Draft Heritage Tree Ordinance
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CITY OF CHANHASSEN
CARVER AND HENNEPIN COUNTIES, MINNESOTA
ORDINANCE NO. XXX
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 1 AND CHAPTER 18, CHANHASSEN,
GENERAL PROVISIONS AND SUBDIVISION CODE, DEFINING HERITAGE TREES
AND ADDING PERFORMANCE STANDARDS RELATED TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF
SUBDIVISION APPLICATIONS AND PRESERVATION OF OR REPLACEMENT OF
HERITAGE TREES
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA ORDAINS:
Section 1. Chapter 1, Section 1-2 of the City Code, City of Chanhassen, Minnesota, is hereby
amended to include the following:
Heritage Tree means any healthy deciduous tree measuring at least 25 inches in
diameter at breast height (DBH) or any living coniferous tree that measures at
least 30 feet in height. (20)
Significant Tree means any healthy tree species measuring five inches or more
DBH; or any healthy coniferous tree measuring 12 feet in height or more. (20)
Section 2. Section 18-61(d)(2) of the City Code, City of Chanhassen, Minnesota, is hereby
amended as follows:
(2) Prior to the submittal of development plans, a tree survey of the site shall be
prepared by a registered landscape architect, licensed foresters, or other
professional approved by the city. The tree survey shall reflect conditions on site
at the time of submittal, or shall have been reviewed and updated no more than
two years prior to the submittal date. This survey shall include the species, DBH
size for deciduous trees and height in feet for coniferous trees, condition
identified as poor, fair, or good, location of all deciduous trees over five inches in
diameter and any healthy coniferous tree measuring 12 feet in height or more, and
any damaged or diseased trees on site. All heritage, significant, special, damaged,
or diseased trees shall be tagged and identified on the survey. A delineation of the
existing canopy coverage area(s), which outline all areas covered by tree canopy,
shall be included as part of the survey. Additionally, all damaged and diseased
trees shall be cataloged with the nature and extent of any damage or disease
specified
Section 3. Section 18-61(d)(2)(c) of the City Code, City of Chanhassen, Minnesota, is hereby
amended to include the following:
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c. Priority shall be given to retaining stands of trees and undisturbed wooded
lands , as well as heritage trees. No more than ten percent of the canopy
retention requirement may be met by an individual tree that is not included
within a designated woodland area.
Section 4. Section 18-61(d)(2)(f) and Section 18-61(d)(2)(h) of the City Code, City of
Chanhassen, Minnesota, is hereby amended as follows:
f. In addition to minimum canopy coverage, if a subdivision proposes to
remove heritage trees, the applicant will be subject to additional
replacement requirements. A removal allowance of up to 25% of heritage
tree diameter inches will be given. Heritage trees removed from the site in
excess of the 25% allowance shall be required to be replaced at a rate of 1
inch of replacement for every 1 inch of heritage deciduous tree proposed
to be removed and 1 foot of replacement for every heritage coniferous tree
proposed to be removed. These replacement plantings are in addition to
and do not count towards plantings associated with adherence to canopy
coverage requirements.
h. General Exemptions:
1. The following species are not considered heritage trees but still need to
be listed on a tree survey if over 5 inches in diameter: ash, aspen,
boxelder, elm, mulberry, willow, and fruit trees.
2. Any invasive or noxious species, as defined by the Minnesota
Department of Agriculture, will not be considered a heritage tree.
Section 5. Section 18-61(d)(9) of the City Code, City of Chanhassen, Minnesota, is hereby
amended as follows:
9. If any protected significant trees or heritage trees are removed or killed or there is a
loss of trees as the result of construction activities, the city requires replacement at the
rate of two diameter inches per each inch of DBH of the removed, killed, or lost
deciduous trees and at the rate of two feet per each foot of coniferous tree removed,
killed or lost. The replacement deciduous trees shall be at least 2½ inches in diameter
and at least 6 feet for coniferous trees replaced. All replacement trees will be species
that conform to the "list of desirable tree species" for Planting in Chanhassen. No
more than ten percent of the trees may be from any one tree species. Other species or
sizes may be used as replacement trees, subject to approval by the city. Alternatively,
at the city's discretion, if a developer removes trees within a protected area, the
canopy coverage area shall be calculated for that area, and a replacement area two
times the canopy coverage area that was removed shall be planted. One tree shall be
planted for each 1,089 square feet of required replacement area. Trees shall be from
the list of desirable tree species, no more than ten percent of trees from any one tree
species, with an average 2½-inch diameter, a similar species as vegetation existing
on-site, and appropriate to the soil conditions. For any replacement trees that cannot
be planted on the original site due to space restrictions, the developer shall pay the
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city the value of the trees, including material and installation, into the community tree
planting fund. For any heritage tree that cannot be replaced on site due to space
restrictions, the developer shall pay the city the value of the tree at twice the rate of
the fee set for significant trees.
Section 6. This ordinance shall be effective immediately upon its passage and publication.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this ___day of _____, 2025, by the City Council of the City
of Chanhassen, Minnesota
______________________________ ________________________________
Jenny Potter, City Clerk Elise Ryan, Mayor
(Published in the ____________ on ______________________________)
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Environmental Commission Item
October 8, 2025
Subject Environmental Trivia Night
Section DISCUSSION ITEMS
Prepared By Jamie Marsh, Environmental Resource Specialist
Finalize details for Environmental Trivia Night on Thursday, October 9.
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