HomeMy WebLinkAbout12.06.2021 MinutesCITY OF OSHKOSH SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD
Minutes
December 6th, 2021
PRESENT: Pat Dwyer Hallquist, Lisa Marone, Vic Oliver, Ken Osmond, Bradley Spanbauer,
Aaron Wojciehowski, Michelle Bogden-Muetzel, Margy Davey
EXCUSED: Bob Poeschl, Eric Degroot
ABSENT:
STAFF AND OTHERS: Brandon Nielsen (Staff Liaison), Staff (Oshkosh Media), Mark Rohloff
(City Manager), Jim Feldman (UWO Professor), Brian McMillan and Kathryn Manion (UWO
Students), Jenn Sattler (Resident), Megan Thuman (Resident)
I. Call to Order
Chair Margy Davey called the meeting to order and a quorum was declared present.
II. Public Comment
III. Approval of Minutes, November 1st, 2021
No board members had any revisions for the minutes. The board approved the December 6th
minutes 8-0 (Osmond / Spanbauer).
Motion by Mr. Osmond to accept the minutes as written.
Seconded by Mr. Spanbauer
Motion carried 8-0.
IV. UWO Student Presentation – Urban Agriculture
Ms. Davey introduced Dr. Feldman from UW Oshkosh. He proceeded to introduce two
students, Brian McMillan and Kathryn Manion. Mr. McMillan began sharing their presentation
explaining they researched Urban Agriculture and its application in Oshkosh. He shared that
the presentation will cover the current situation and barriers, sustainability implications,
stakeholders, examples from other cities, and recommendations for SAB and Staff.
Mr. McMillan explained that SAB had previously heard from residents Jenn and Adam Sattler,
who want to cultivate their one acre parcel into an urban orchard to sell produce on-site and
host educational events, but cannot due to current city regulations. Current city code does allow
for an owner to cultivate land and sell the product off-site with a conditional use permit. Mr.
McMillan defined four regulatory barriers; on-site sales of produce grown on-site, public tours
and other uses, city definitions and descriptions of urban agriculture practices, and cost of
conditional use permit.
Ms. Manion explained that urban agriculture is a newer and growing topic in the field of
sustainability so they decided to look at through the three pillars of sustainability, which are,
Economy, Society, and Environment. Mr. McMillan discussed pollinators and pests that come
with growing fruits and vegetables and how that could affect cultivation sites in an urban
setting. Ms. Manion explained how urban agriculture could help dissolve food deserts. She
further explained that other urban cities have seen improvement in quality of life where urban
agriculture sites are established.
Mr. McMillan shared that Appleton, WI allows retail sales of plants and produce between 8:00
am and 8:00 pm that are grown on-site and Milwaukee, WI allows seasonal markets with on-site
sales for up to 180 days with a special use permit. He then shared some permit cost
comparisons between Wisconsin cities. The students concluded their presentation
recommending that the City of Oshkosh allow retail sales of plants and produce on-site
similarly to Appleton and Milwaukee, to better define specific types of urban agriculture, and to
create a special permit for urban agriculture with its own associated cost.
City Manager Mark Rohloff asked if, in their research, the students determined that Appleton
allowed for urban gardening in more than just the one area named Riverview Terrace. Mr.
McMillan believes there are more urban farms in Appleton that just that one location, but does
not know if those areas are zoning residential or not. Mr. Spanbauer added that he would like
to see urban agriculture moved out of the conditional use section and into its own permit with a
specific set definitions and guidelines with a lower cost.
V. Environmental Leadership Award
Ms. Davey explained that the Environmental Leadership Award is something the SAB does in
collaboration with the Oshkosh Southwest Rotary Environmental & Beautification committee.
She explained that nominations come from the public or from these boards and committees and
that the nominee must meet one of the five criteria. Ms. Davey then went through each of those
criteria’s. She explained that nominations are closed on January 20th and the award is then
presented at state of the city in March.
VI. Previous UWO Student Projects
Ms. Davey read through the spring 2021 projects titles and asked the board member if anyone
had a need to explore any of them further. Mr. Spanbauer explained that each of the items
UWO has presented on in the past are items that he deals with directly as the campus
sustainability director for the university and described the different sustainable initiatives the
university has done. He then asked what the pathway is for SAB to make action happen on any
of the UWO project items. Ms. Davey explained that SAB is to decide if any of the projects are
topics the SAB wants to proceed in researching, if needed, and then to propose a
code/ordinance change via a resolution or recommendation. Ms. Bogden-Mutzel added that,
with any topic, she feels that if the SAB is to suggest an action they should have an idea of what
the goal is. Ms. Oliver stated that in 2017 she and other board members approached a UWO
project by developing a subcommittee and those stakeholders took it as far as they wanted,
which ended up a being an educational letter sent to all Oshkosh area school district students
for that year. Ms. Marone explained that categorizing the projects based on what the SAB thinks
needs to occur (new ordinance or just a letter to residence) is good starting point. Ms. Osmond
stated that he too feels like these should be in a spreadsheet where SAB can decide which
projects are in research and development and/or would require an ordinance change or if they
are potential educational opportunities. Ms. Hallquist stated that some of the UWO projects
clearly define what code change needs to occur and that those reports could be a good starting
point because they are well done and would require minimal extra work.
Ms. Davey continued going through each years UWO projects, double checking with board
members if they want to pursue certain topics. The board decided a matrix will be created for
these projects and that will be reviewed at the next meeting.
VII. Menominee Park Shoreline Restoration Report
Ms. Bogden-Muetzel shared that the group had a good conversation with a UWO professor to
collaborate on a future projects, one of those being native planting brochures. She also plans to
meet early next year with the parks board on what the 2022 restoration will be.
VIII. Agenda Items for Future Meeting
Mr. Spanbauer would like to have a Salt Wise do a presentation and will reach out to try and
get that setup.
Ms. Davey plans on creating a new matrix for the 2022 goals and that can be reviewed in
January.
IX. Next Meeting, Monday, January 3rd, 2021
X. Adjournment
The board voted 8-0 to adjourn (Muetzel / Marone)
Recorded by:
Brandon Nielsen, Assistant Planner