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December 7, 1999

TIME:
9 am to Noon
Tuesday, December 7, 1999

PLACE:
Riveredge Nature Center, Inc.
4458 W. Hawthorne Drive
Newburg
Host: Dave Fowler

AGENDA:

1. Welcome and Introductions
   Dave Fowler, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District

2. Approval of Minutes

3. Public Comments

4. Discussion on the Milwaukee River Remedial Action Plan Recommendations
   Discussion on Expanding Partners membership to Include a Representative From the Milwaukee River RAP Committee

5. Expansion of Land and Water Partners to Include Representation From Other Organizations and Groups

6. Luncheon

7. Presentation on the Great Lakes Future Efforts and New Informational Items

8. New Business

Please bring your agenda items for the December meeting.

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December 7, 1999

Attendance:
Kenneth Albinger - Ozaukee County Farm Bureau
Bob Boucher - Friends of the Menomonee River
Mary Beth Driscoll - Citizens for a Better Environment
David Fowler - Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
Sharon Gayan - Wis. Department of Natural Resources
Andy Holschbach - Ozaukee Co. Land Conservation Department
Allen Hron - West Bend Chamber of Commerce<
Jim Lubner - U.W. Sea Grant Institute
Dan Lynch - NRCS District Conservationist
Gretchen Messer- U.W.-Extension, Basin Educator
Matt Moroney - Metropolitan Builders Association
Dave Schlling - Southeast Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
Walter Schmitt - Conrad Technologies
Steve Seyfert - Ozaukee - Washington Land Trust
Frank Trcka - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Claire Vanderslice - Wisconsin Conservation Congress
Don Voith - Mayor, City of Glendale

Absent:
Sue Baldwin - Milwaukee Co. Parks, Recreation & Culture Department
Gary Buntrock - Wisconsin Wastewater Operators Association
Buffy Cheek - Schlitz Audubon Center
Kevin Dittmar - Wisconsin Board of Realtors & Milwaukee Builders Assoc.
Bill Hanbury - Greater Milwaukee Convention & Visitor Bureau
Jim Hess - Wisconsin Woodlands Owners Association
Marlene Johnson - City of Milwaukee Alderperson - District 6
Ted Lind - Milwaukee County Conservation Alliance
Peter McAvoy - 16th Street Community Health Center
Sheldon Myerchin - U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Dick Osantowski - NRCS District Conservationist
Mike Ruzichu - Realtors Association<
Walter Schmitt - Conrad Technologies
Dan Stoffel - Washington County Land Conservation Committee/Farmer
Angie Tornes - National Park Service

Guests:
Marsha Burzynski - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Danni Gendelman - Great lakes Futures, Inc.
Beth Hoagland - DNR - Milwaukee River Basin Program
Jim McGinity - Riveredge Nature Center
Steve Skavroneck - CBE/Independent Consultant

1. Welcome and Introductions
   The December 7, 1999 meeting of the Milwaukee River Basin Land & Water Partners was held at the Riveredge Nature Center in Newburg.  Dave fowler, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, serving as host, opened the meeting at 10:10 a.m.  The Partners approved the minutes from the November 1, 1999 meeting.  No comments were taken from the public.

2. Update on the Milwaukee River Remedial Action Plan (RAP)
   Marsha Burzynski of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources gave an update on the Milwaukee River Remedial action plan (RAP).  The Milwaukee Estuary is one of 43 Great Lakes Areas of Concern identified as a result of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.  Wisconsin has five areas of concern: Milwaukee, Sheboygan, Green Bay, Menomonee River (shared with Michigan) and the St. Louis River (shared with Minnesota).

   The overriding goal of the RAP is to clean up and prevent toxic contaminants from entering the Great Lakes ecosystem.  After the problem identification process was completed in the late 1980's, the Milwaukee River RAP was created.  To date, more than 90% of the recommendations are being completed. Although substantial progress has been made, the plan must be better publicized.  RAP committees have ceased to meet, giving the impression that RAP implementation will not occur.  This is very far from the truth.  The Department is committed to meeting the RAP goals, but would like to do this as efficiently as possible involving input from many of the Partners identified in the plan. 

   Since its reorganization, the Department of Natural Resources is in the process of integrating efforts from many separate initiatives such as the RAP, the nonpoint source program, and others into the partner teams.  The goals and objectives identified by the RAP committees apply to the entire basin and are similar goals outlined by the Milwaukee Land and Water Partners Team.  Since the partner group is beginning to identify projects to pursue, Marsha encouraged the partners to keep RAP goals in mind.  In many cases, Great Lakes funding sources such as the Great Lakes Protection Fund, Great Lakes Commission, and Coastal Management Program give extra consideration to projects benefiting Great Lakes areas of Concern.

   Marsha is willing to help Partner team members to develop proposals that will integrate many initiatives.  She can be reached at (414) 263-8708 or via email at burzym@dnr.state.wi.us.

   Marsha Burzynski
   Milwaukee River GMU Team
   WDNR
   P.O. Box 12436
   Milwaukee, WI  53212
   Phone (414) 263-8708
   Fax:  (414) 263 - 8716

   Milwaukee Estuary Remedial Action Plan Goals and Objectives:

   1. Restore the estuary through a community partnership, which includes business and industry that achieves a clean estuary and sustained economic growth.

   2. Achieve and maintain water quality that protects the ecosystem, including human health.

   3. Eliminate the contribution of contaminants from sediments to the ecosystem.

   4. Establish high quality fisheries and urban wildlife populations that are free from toxic contamination and other human-made hazards.

   5. Develop high quality aquatic and wildlife habitats.

   6. Provide an aesthetically pleasing and accessible estuary.

   7. Generate community-wide appreciation for the characteristics, ecological health, and importance of the estuary.

   8. Generate community-wide participation in and responsibility for the vitality of the estuary.

   Steve Skavroneck, a member of the RAP Committee was present at the meeting.  He expressed a willingness to talk with members from the RAP Committee to see if anyone had an interest to participate on the Milwaukee River Land and Water Partners group.  (We are happy to report that Steve Skavroneck will serve as a representative from the RAP Committee on the Milwaukee River Land and Water Partnership.)

3. Strategy for meeting with Municipalities regarding Natural and Environmentally Significant Lands and signing of the Partnership Agreement
   Sharon Gayan provided a handout that included a map of the Milwaukee River Basin Watershed boundaries, the area extent of municipalities in the watershed, and a draft outline to be used when making presentations to municipalities.

   Dave Schilling of SEWRPC presented an aerial photograph map that identified the boundaries of the City of Glendale and its primary environmental corridors to be used as an example for other municipalities.  The Partners considered various map layouts that would best illustrate the different types of communities in the Milwaukee River Basin.  Maps will be created to meet the following criteria for each municipality:

   1. To illustrate each municipality as an integral part of the Milwaukee River basin.

   2. To identify primary and secondary environmental corridors and isolated natural resource areas.

   Mayor Don Voith suggested that the Partners get support from city administrators who had committed to signing or who had already signed the Partnership Agreement.

   Letters inviting larger towns and cities to sign the Partnership Agreement will be hand delivered to administrators and other interested parties.  The Partners may also choose to publicize their efforts in an article in the Milwaukee Journal.

   A strategic approach will be taken to address several community types.  The City of Glendale will be the first community approached: the Saukville, Glendale. West Bend area will follow, and the coverage will continue through the Milwaukee River Basin.

4. Expansion of Land and Water Partners to Include Representation from other Organizations
   Claire Vanderslice expressed her concern that the Partners may not represent the concerns of minorities and suggested expanding membership to additional groups.

   Partners were asked to suggest groups that may want to be represented as a Partner.

   Jim Lubner suggested signing the Partnership Agreement would not necessarily include admission to the Partnership group.  Some individuals and organizations may wish to participate when issues of their concern are scheduled on the agenda.  To facilitate this, the Partners may wish to better publicize the meeting agendas.

5. Discussion on the Logo for the Land and Water Partners
   Sharon Gayan presented edited versions of the proposed logos.  A majority consensus was reached by the Partners to accept an edited version of the logo agreed upon at a previous meeting.

   A special thank you is extended to Angie Tornes of the National Park Service for heading up this effort.

6. Update on the Colder's Project
   Sharon Gayan read an update written by Mike Bruch of the Department of Natural Resources on the Colder's project.

   1. The Village of Grafton Board of Zoning Appeals met on the night of November 4, 1999.  Mike Bruch delivered the letter from the Milwaukee River Land and Water Partners to the Board and it was read into the minutes of the meeting.

   2. The Board approved the special exception permit to the owner of the proposed Colder's site.  The special exception permit was for filling, grading and excavating within 300 feet of Ulao Creek.  This decision does not exempt the property owner or developer from having to meet the requirements of the Village's floodplain zoning ordinance which does not allow for special exceptions.

   3. The Department of Natural Resources has reviewed and approved two flood studies for this area wit the most recent approval issued on May 3, 1999.  The new flood studies increased the area of the floodplain on the property compared with the original approximated flood study.  Before the property may be developed, the owner must apply for Chapter 30 permits from the DNR.

   Matt Maroney commented that newspaper reports of the proposal were different than the proposal presented to the Partners at the November 1, 1999 meeting.  He stressed that letters should provide information rather than take a position.

7. Break for Lunch

8. Presentation on the Great Lakes Future Efforts
   Danni Gendelman gave a brief presentation on the efforts of Great Lakes Future (GLF).  Danni is the founder of the GLF.  GLF will establish a facility in downtown Milwaukee that will encourage visitors to learn about and experience fresh water in a multi-media format.  This facility will include a "green building" that will allow visitors to observe ecologically-sound construction practices that will protect water quality of Lake Michigan and other waters of the Milwaukee River Basin.

   Danni presented the video "The Legacy of Life" which was funded by the Department of Natural Resources and stresses the significance of freshwater, the Great Lakes, and the intentions of the GLF.  Danni has also received funds from various other groups.

   Meetings for the GLF are held at 11:45 on the second Monday of each month at the Milwaukee Yacht Club.  All Partners were invited to attend.

9. Discussion on Revisions to Partnership Agreement and Goals
   Matt Maroney presented his suggested changes to the Partnership Agreement and goals.  His comments had previously been mailed to all Partners.  Matt's suggestions concerned private property owner's rights and the development of secondary environmental corridors to condense development in urban areas.

   Due to the time constraint and the absence of many members, the Partners agreed to end discussion and resume at the next meeting.

10. Upcoming Meeting
    The next meeting is scheduled for February 23, 2000 from 9:30 to noon.  It will be held in Room 140/141 at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Regional Headquarters in Milwaukee at the address below.  Department staff member Jim Ritchie will serve as host of the meeting.

    State of Wisconsin Department of Natural resources
    Southeast Region Headquarters
    2300 North Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
    Milwaukee, WI  53212
    (414) 263-8500

11. Public Comments
    None

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