HomeMy WebLinkAbout3.a. Minnesota GreenSteps Program 4 ROSEMOUNT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
CITY COUNCIL
City Council Meeting Date: August 6, 2012
AGENDA ITEM: Minnesota GreenSteps Program i n T IO :
PREPARED BY: Jason Lindahl, AICP AGENDA NO.
Planner 3.4.
ATTACHMENTS: Resolution, GreenStep Cities Program APPROVED BY:
Requirements Table
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Accept Step 2 GreenStep Cities Award
SUMMARY
Last December, the City Council authorized participation in the Minnesota GreenSteps Cities
Program. As you may recall, GreenSteps is a challenge, voluntary recognition and assistance
program offered by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), the League of Minnesota
Cities and a host of partners to help communities meet their environmental sustainability goals.
In early 2012, staff completed the GreenSteps program inventory and the City was designated as a
Step Two GreenSteps City. This award was to be presented to the City at the League of Minnesota
Cities Conference in Duluth last June but severe weather prevented representatives from
Rosemount from attending the conference. So tonight, Diana McKeown from the Clean Energy
Resources Team (CERT) will officially present Rosemount's Step 2 award, brief the Council on the
GreenSteps program and be available for questions.
BACKGROUND
The concept for GreenStep Cities arose during the fall of 2007 when Minnesota's Clean Energy
Resource Teams (CERTs) held regional listening sessions around the state to discuss community-
based energy opportunities and the state's Next Generation Energy Act of 2007. The idea was
raised of creating a sustainable cities program that would challenge, assist and recognize cities that
were "green stars." This idea was taken up by the 2008 Legislature, which directed the Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency, the Office of Energy Security and CERTs to recommend actions cities
could take to help meet the state's greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. Representatives from
dozens of cities, non - profits, and other organizations provided input into a 2009 report to the
legislature, which outlined what has been developed as the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program.
More information about GreenStep Cities, including Rosemount's inventory, is available on the the
programs website: www.mngreenstep.org.
GREENSTEP CITIES PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The Minnesota GreenStep Cities program evaluates communities based on tailored yet flexible
criteria intended to save time and money, reduce energy consumption and encourage innovation.
These criteria include 28 best practices divided into 5 topic areas. Each best practice can be
implemented by completing one or more of the 168 action steps. A detailed assessment is provided
in the GreenSteps Cities Program Requirements table (attached).
Based on this assessment, each artici atin community is award a "Step" level. As mentioned
p p g tY P
above, Rosemount currently qualifies as a Step 2 community. Step One is achieved by the City
approving a resolution to participate in the program, designating a GeenSteps Coordinator, and
registering initial information on the GreenSteps website. Step Two is achieved by completing the
best practices inventory and at least 8 of the 28 total best practices. Step Three is achieved by
implementing at least 16 of the 28 total best practices including the 9 required best practices for
Category A cities.
ROSEMOUNT GREENSTEP CITIES ASSESSMENT
Based a review of Rosemount's GreenSteps inventory, the City currently qualifies as a Step 2
community (see attached GreenSteps Cities Program Requirements table). This review found that
Rosemount has completed 4 required best practices (one each in Land Use and Transportation and
2 in Environmental Management) and 7 optional best practices (3 in Land Use, 3 in Environmental
Management and 1 in Economic and Community Development).
To achieve Step 3 status, the City must complete at least 5 more required best practices (1 each in
Building and Lighting, Transportation and Environmental Management and 2 in and Economic and
Community Development). These required best practices include:
• Efficient Existing Public Buildings
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• Complete Green Streets
• Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
• Benchmarks & Community Engagement
• Green Business Development
CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION
This memo summarizes the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program and Rosemount's status as a Step
2 community. Tonight, Diana McKeown from the Clean Energy Resources Team (CERT) will
officially present Rosemount's Step 2 award, brief the Council on the GreenSteps program and be
available for questions.
2
GreenStep Cities Program Requirements I Implementation Status
Buildings &
Lighting 1 Efficient Existing Public Buildings Required Incomplete
2 I Efficient Existing Private Buildings Incomplete
3 New Green Buildings Incomplete
4 I Efficient Building & Street Lighting and Signals Incomplete
5 Building Reuse Incomplete
Buildings & Lighting BPs Required/Completed 1 0
an Se 6 Comprehensive Planning and Implementation Required Complete
7 Efficient City Growth Complete
8 Efficient and Healthy Development Patterns Complete
9 Efficient Highway- Oriented Development Incomplete
10 Conservation Design Complete
Land Use BPs Required/Completed 1 4
Transportati t 11 Complete Green Streets Required Incomplete
Y 12 Mobility Options Required Complete
13 Efficient City Fleets Incomplete
14 Demand -Side Travel Plannin Incomplete
! ! Transportation BPs Required/Completed 2 1
x ,1 c i `s iiti i:q
Management 15 Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Required Incomplete
16 Urban Forests Required Complete
17 Ecologic Stormwater Management Required Complete
18 Parks and Trails Complete
19 Surface Water Quality Complete
20 Efficient Water and Wastewater Facilities Incomplete
21 Septic Systems Complete
22 Solid Waste Reduction Incomplete
23 Local Air Quality Incomplete
IP Environmen o plet 3 5
Economic &
Community 24 Benchmarks & Community Engagement Required Achievable
Development
25 Green Business Development Required Incomplete
26 Renewable Energy Incomplete
27 Local Food Complete
28 Business Synergies Incomplete
Development BPs Required/Completed I 2 1
Floating BPs (additional to required BPs) 19 6
Total BPs Required (including floating) 9 3