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HomeMy WebLinkAbout9.a. Resilient Communities Proposal%ROSEMOUNT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CITY COUNCIL City Council Meeting Date: February 5, 2013 AGENDA ITEM: Resilient Communities Proposal AGENDA SECTION: New Business PREPARED BY: Jason Lindahl, AICP Planner AGENDA NO. (� l ATTACHMENTS: Resolution, Resilient APPROVED BY: Communities Project Application RECOMMENDED ACTION: Motion to Approve a Resolution Authorizing Submission of a Proposal to Participate in the University of Minnesota's Resilient Communities Project SUMMARY Staff recommends the City Council authorize submission of a proposal to participate in the University of Minnesota's Resilient Communities Project (RCP). The RCP is a year -long partnership between the U of MN and one community in Minnesota. Through the partnership, students and faculty from across the University collaborate with the partner community to address its self - defined sustainability- related needs through course based projects. This program is an opportunity to have access to the University's vast expertise and offers a unique opportunity to assess a wide variety of issues in a short period of time and at a great value to the community. The selected community is expected to contribute to the project through dedicated staff time and a local funding contribution. Depending on the resources available from the partnering community, RCP has the capacity to address 15 -30 local projects during the partnership year. Staff is recommending the Council indicate they will provide $15,000 of local financing to come from Council Contingency. We will also look to other partners, if selected, to help defray costs. The attached application details the City's proposal and includes basic community information, a sustainability statement, a list of proposed projects, and a proposed local funding match. The application is a draft only and staff expects to continue refining the application studies over the next two weeks until due on February 15, 2013. We intend to discuss the application with University representatives to gain additional insight into the Resilient Communities process. BACKGROUND The Resilient Communities Project will select one community partner for the 2013 -2014 academic year. Staff from RCP and the community will begin work on the year -long collaboration with a series of planning workshops in spring 2013 to refine the scope of locally identified projects, match projects with relevant graduate and upper -level undergraduate courses at the U of MN, and connect with potential project stakeholders and partners. During the summer of 2013, RCP staff and faculty would meet with community staff and project partners /stakeholders to develop scope -of -work documents for each project and participating course for fall semester. In the fall of 2013, RCP would a hold kick -off event in the partner community, begin work on the fall- semester projects and finalize the scoping for spring semester. Spring semester projects would begin following completion of the fall semester projects. Work on all projects would be completed by May and RCP staff would work on strategies to implement and evaluate each project. Participating in the Resilient Communities Project has the potential to provide numerous benefits including a high rate of return on investment, with thousands of hours of concentrated student work on community - identified projects; access to an interdisciplinary group of faculty experts with first -hand knowledge of cutting -edge sustainability research and practice; and innovative policy approaches, concept plans, and designs that can energize a project. The selected community is expected to contribute to the project through dedicated staff time and a local funding contribution. Depending on the resources available from the partnering community, RCP has the capacity to address 15 -30 local projects during the partnership year. The partnering community will be expected to identify a senior staff person who will be the primary program coordinator, serving as a liaison between the community and RCP, and working directly with RCP's program manager to oversee all projects. In addition, the partnering community will be expected to identify a project lead for each project that will be the primary point of contact for students and faculty working. According to the University, the program coordinator should expect to spend 5 -10 hours per week on RCP activities while each project lead should expect to spend an average of 2-4 hours per week on the project for each semester the project is in progress. The financial contribution is negotiable depending on local resources. The RCP model provides the partner community with efficient access to the broad base of sustainability expertise at the U of MN. RCP staff work closely with the partner community to match Rosemount's projects with students and faculty from a wide range of disciplines, from architecture, planning, and engineering to business, environmental sciences, and the humanities. Many projects combine multiple disciplines to address problems from diverse perspectives. Expertise is available related to all aspects of sustainability (e.g. environmental health, economic opportunity, social equity, and community livability) and all stages of sustainability efforts (analysis, planning, design, implementation, and evaluation). Through work with RCP, the community is able to enhance its own capacity to advance sustainability. In addition, U of MN students benefit from real -world opportunities to apply their knowledge and training. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends the City Council authorize submission of a proposal to participate in the University of Minnesota's Resilient Communities Project (RCP) as identified in the resolution of support. This program is an opportunity to have access to the University's vast sustainability expertise and offers a unique opportunity to assess a wide variety of sustainability issues in a short period of time and at a great value to the community. As part of the application, the City Council is committing to expend $15,000 in funding to help support the project effort. 2 CITY OF ROSEMOUNT DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA RESOLUTION 2013- A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF A PROPOSAL TO PARTICIPATE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA'S RESILIENT COMMUNITIES PROGRAM WHEREAS, the 2030 Comprehensive Plan states that natural resources and their associated benefits contribute to the community's desirability and are a key factor in its growth; and WHEREAS, Rosemount is a growing community and as such is looking forward to guiding growth and promoting community -wide programs that will create a sustainable community in all facets of the residents and business owners' lives; and WHEREAS, the City Council has committed to sustainability goals in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, by participating in the Green Steps and Star City programs, creating an internal "green team" and investing in public infrastructure that is efficient and sustainable; and WHEREAS, the City Council desires to address all three components of sustainability: economic, social, and environment; and WHEREAS, the City Council has in their 2013 goals to become a more sustainable community which includes increasing lifecycle housing, making transportation and transit connections, improving communication with businesses and residents, encouraging more civic, cultural, and leisure events, and maintaining a healthy, engaged, and safe community; and WHEREAS, the City Council wants to create a resilient community that will benefit current and future residents with innovative and practical solutions to providing services, programs, policies and amenities for the community; and WHEREAS, the Resilient Communities Project (RCP) represents an opportunity to have access to the University of Minnesota's vast sustainability expertise and offers a unique opportunity to assess a wide variety of sustainability issues in a short period of time and at a great value to residents; and WHEREAS, the City Council finds the Resilient Communities Project would be an excellent fit with the community's existing sustainability efforts; and WHEREAS, in recognition of Council support, the City is willing to financially contribute $15,000 to the project and will assist in exploring alternate funding mechanisms with additional partners. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the City Council of the City of Rosemount hereby authorizes submission of a proposal to participate in the University of Minnesota's Resilient Communities Project. RESOLUTION 2013 - ADOPTED this 5`' day of February, 2013, by the City Council of the City of Rosemount. William H. Droste, Mayor ATTEST: Amy Domeier, City Clerk x ROSEMOUNT MINNESOTA Resilient Communities Application 1. Community Information: Community Name: Rosemount Minnesota City Administrator: Dwight Johnson RCP Coordinator: Kim Lindquist, Community Development Director Kim .Lindquist @ci.rosemount.mn.us 651 - 322 -2020 Community Development Department 2875145 h Street West Rosemount, MN 55068 2. Sustainability Statement. The City's Comprehensive Plan recognizes that natural resources and their associated benefits contribute to the community's desirability and are a key factor in its growth. The City of Rosemount is a growing community and as such is looking forward to guiding growth and promoting community -wide programs that will create a sustainable community in all facets of the residents' and business owners' lives. The City Council desires to address all three components of sustainability: economy, social, and the environment. The City Council has committed to sustainability goals by participating in the Green Steps and Star City programs, creating an internal "green team" and investing in public infrastructure that is efficient and sustainable. At the 2013 Council Goal setting session, the City Council adopted a goal to make Rosemount a more sustainable community. The implementation strategies include adding community, cultural, and leisure activities to add vibrancy to our quality of life, building public infrastructure improvement encouraging private investment and development, increasing community transportation and transit connections, expanding public and local business interactions and communications to increase the vitality of the local economy and increase lifecycle housing options including senior, rental and affordable housing. The resilient communities' project goals are consistent and complement the goals of the current Council and would assist in implementing strategies to achieve the above mentioned goals. In partnership with the University of Minnesota, developing the UMore Park property will provide opportunities to create a new development paradigm. The City is interested in extending ideals and lessons learned to the other portions of the community as Rosemount continues to develop and grow. The City Council is interested not only in the sustainability of the built environment but also in exploring programs and policies that will bring sustainability concepts to the community and provide a more resilient community for the future. At the conclusion of the Resilient Communities Project partnership with the University of Minnesota, the City of Rosemount will review each of the proposed projects to gauge its completeness and define strategies for implementation. A project matrix will define differing strategies and benchmark progress. In some cases projects can be incorporated into the routine tasks of the City; in other cases new programs, ordinances, and policies may need to be adopted. HOUSING ISSUES Multiple- Generational Housing: Project Lead. • Jason Lindahl, Planner, Community Development Department. Lennar Homes is constructing their NextGen home which is billed as "(i)t's a complete suite with bedroom, eat -in kitchenette and living room. It can be integrated into a home's living space or kept as a private residence." While Lennar may be reacting to trends to include multiple - generational housing, these home designs do not comply with most cities' single family residence zoning codes. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to evaluate how to regulate these homes to ensure compliance with the intent. City staff is concerned that these homes will not be used by multiple generational homeowners over time but instead becoming neighborhoods of rental duplexes. Some specific areas of concern are parking, aesthetics, maintenance, and absentee landlords. Staff would like a review of existing practices in other communities and evaluation of ordinance language to assess what is more appropriate to meet City goals. The study should also explore other opportunities to permit innovative housing options to promote lifecycle housing in the community. Potential Partneg& s: Lennar, Dakota County Community Development Agency (CDA) Affordable Single- Family Housing: Project Lead, Jason Lindahl, Planner, Community Development Department. Affordable housing in Rosemount is predominately provided through apartments and townhouses. Commonly, suburban communities have been criticized that their single family zoning districts require large lots that increase the cost of the housing beyond an affordable value. Rosemount, as well as some neighboring communities, have approved small lot developments but the homes constructed are often greater than 2,000 square feet and remain unaffordable under the definition of the Metropolitan Council. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to review affordable neighborhoods and interview affordable housing developers /contractors. The outcome should be a series of recommendations on how to get small lots developments into the hands of developers willing to construct affordable housing. The City is also interested in projects that allow single family affordable housing and what techniques were used to obtain affordability goals. Potential Partnerships.• Dakota County CDA, Habitat for Humanity Private Student Housing for Dakota County Technical College (DCTC): Project Lead, Eric Zweber, Senior Planner, Community Development Department. Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) is moving towards a complete college experience. DCTC has begun junior college athletics and has expanded programs. The next opportunity DCTC would like to provide is student housing, but DCTC does not want to construct, own, or manage the housing. Student housing typically looks like apartments, but needs to function quite differently with more durable construction, shorter rental terms, affordable rents, and multiple unrelated student households. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to investigate the difference between privately owned student housing and typical market rate apartment developments. Students may also explore the market for student housing adjacent to DCTC and the desire of apartment developers /managers /owners to construct housing aimed at college students. Potential Partner hips: DCTC COMMUNICATIONS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT Neighborhood Cohesion: Project Lead, Alan Cox, Communications, Administration Department. The most recent resident survey (2007) shows a distinction between people who feel strong ties to the entire community (45 %) and those who feel strong ties to the neighborhood but not to the rest of the City (43 %). Sixty -nine percent (69 9/6) were able to name their neighborhood, and ninety -four percent (94 %) felt a part of their neighborhood. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to determine how the City can support healthy neighborhood cohesion but prevent them from feeling isolated or unattached to the rest of the community. The City is interested in determining what a neighborhood is; what are the locational aspects and characteristics that people identify with. And what is the appropriate size of the "neighborhood" from a household, area, or distance measurement that allows good communication and social interaction. The City would like to identify the appropriate "neighborhood" unit that can be used for regular interactions with the City. The goal is to be able to disseminate information that may be useful to the distinct neighborhoods, everything from police information and block captains, to information about new developments, park improvements, and road construction projects to issues affecting the entire community equally. The City is looking for suggestions about the appropriate size of a "neighborhood" and how to best to disseminate public information. One component of the study should be a city -wide map which proposes the appropriate neighborhood groups. Potential Partnershi�s: This is a joint proposal with the Administration, Police, and Planning Departments all interested in participation on an as needed basis. Homeowner Association Collaboration: Project Lead, Christine Wlatson, Public Works Coordinator, Public Works Department. Several residential developments within the City have a homeowners association. Opportunities for collaboration and partnership with these homeowners associations for activities that provide public benefit may improve the delivery of these services. Examples include maintenance of public common areas, parks, ponds, and wetlands. An education component should also be investigated regarding public services and responsibilities versus private covenants and responsibilities and enforcement of both public ordinances and private covenants. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to interview some of Rosemount's homeowner associations and determine if any of their goals and /or programs that overlap the City's. The outcome would be a series of recommendations for collaboration and partnerships. Potential Partnerships: Homeowner Associations (HOAs) Communications Methods: Project Lead, Alan Cox, Communications, Administration Department. The City will need reliable ways to get messages to its residents and businesses. Printed newsletters have been cut for budget reasons and may not be effective with residents who mistake them for "junk mail." Electronic communications (website, email list) do not reach a reliably large percentage of the population. Social media reach often uninterested audiences. Efforts at inter- activity are limited by legal and political restrictions on content. Traditional media are shrinking in number and in the space devoted to traditional civic topics. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to determine how can the City reach and engage the majority of its interested stakeholders in a largely post -print world? The City is interested in discovering what messaging is most desired by the public and how do people want to receive City information. What can the City do to increase communication and by what modes. Potential Partnerships: Prioritizing Residents' Preferences into Community Amenity Capital Planning: Project Lead- Tom Schuster, Parks Supervisor, Parks and Recreation Department. Do local residents really know what amenities our community has to offer? Like most cities, Rosemount has a well established but still expanding system of parks and trails. Traditional methods of communicating with residents about park development and promoting programs and facilities are becoming less effective each year. New technologies and social media challenge us to rethink how we communicate with potential park and facility users. This study will determine the effectiveness of our current communication and promotion efforts and suggest ways to improve and continually monitor the usefulness of our interaction with our clients. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to explore the current and expected social technologies that can be used to engage citizens into the recreational opportunities available to Rosemount residents. Additionally, the students should explore how students can get more involved and engaged in the creation or maintenance of new recreational opportunities similar (and more successful) to the "adopt a park" program. Potential Partnerships' RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE Recreational Programming for Children's Interaction with Nature: Project Lead, • Tom Schuster, Parks Supervisor, Parks and Recreation Department. Many recent studies have shown the beneficial effects of nature based play for children. This topic is the basis for the highly respected and often quoted book by Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods, Saving Our Children from Nature - Deficit Disorder. Louv and others have shown that nature based play and connections with nature improve children's social skills, problem solving abilities, interpersonal relationships, and help decrease the incidence of childhood obesity. In health care settings this nature connection has been shown to speed healing and promote physical as well as emotional wellness. This study will look at the availability of and need for nature based recreation here in Dakota County and Rosemount in particular. The study will determine which nature based features can be incorporated into our existing park system and where and how to expand our system to most efficiently include nature based play facilities. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to assess the current park system as compared to the nature based approach and determine what components are lacking or can be enhanced. The City is interested in recommendations about future park improvements in existing parks and planning for future parks. Design of recreational systems that will also address health and activity to reduce childhood obesity is encouraged. Potential Partnerships: Community Gathering Spaces: Project Lead. Dan Schult, Parks Director, Parks and Recreation Department, The City is looking for opportunities to maximize the benefits of public spaces in the community. Parks are by definition a gathering space of sorts for active and passive uses. However, the City is interested in making these spaces more of a destination not only because of the activities programmed in the space but because of the space itself. Further, the City has a historic Downtown that has a more dense development pattern. The Steeple Center is located in Downtown, which is a public assembly space, and a soon to be public senior center and private senior housing project which provides opportunities for creation of important public open spaces. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to identify characteristics of place - making in a suburban setting. The students are asked to review the existing development pattern in the community and suggest areas that can be transformed into more of a destination through redesign. Further, the City is requesting specific concepts to be developed for the public gathering place in the Steeple Center redevelopment project. Potential Partnerships.• Dakota County Library, Rosemount Seniors Club, Rosemount Area Arts Council, Rosemount Parks and Recreation Commission, Community Gardens and Urban Agriculture: Project Lead.- Tom Schuster, Parks Supervisor, Parks and Recreation Department. For the last several years the City has provided some open space areas for community gardening. While initial interest is keen, ultimately many of the plots do not get used or are abandoned midway through the summer. This is unfortunate as people were turned away from the program. How can the City provide the program so there is a better participation rate. What programmatic modifications can occur to increase program success. The City is also looking to see how the program could be expanded and tie in with existing farming within the community. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to review the current program and procedures and recommend programmatic changes to improve participation and individual citizen success. The students will also determine how larger community gardening can be linking to existing markets and assess whether there are economic development opportunities for more local retailing of locally grown products. Potential Partnership s: University of MN tenants, DCTC Arboretum, Wetland Restoration, and Habitat at the City Ball Fields: Project Lead.• Tom Schuster, Parks Supervisor, Parks and Recreation Department. The University of MN is working with Dakota County Technical College to create an arboretum setting in DCTC lands adjoining the UMore property. There are other public landholdings in the immediate area, including soccer and ballfields owned by the City of Rosemount. Given the extent of open space in the area, a plan and implementation strategy for thriving connections to these spaces is desired. A large wetland, which has been degraded over the years through neglect, may provide an amenity which can be incorporated into the plan. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to design a series of plans that would connect these open spaces into a cohesive amenity. Further the City is requesting investigation of existing wetlands; determining wetland boundary, assess wetland functionality, research potential for wetland restoration and rehabilitation, and design implementation strategy. Potential Partnerships: DCTC, UMore Park, U of M Extension, SKB Environmental Oak Savannah and Riverfront Restoration: Project Lead. Eric Zweber, Senior Planner, Community Development Department. The Mississippi River is the northeastern boundary of Rosemount and the bluffs and shoreline to the southwest of the river are within the Mississippi River Critical Area Corridor and the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. The majority of this area is owned by three entities: Flint Hills Resources; CF Industries; and Dakota County Parks. Flint Hills has conducted some wildlife and habitat improvements with the assistance of the Friends of the Mississippi River. CF Industries has installed new oak and pine trees while removed buckthorn and other invasive species. Dakota County Parks has conducted prairie restoration and will be constructing the Rosemount phase of the Mississippi River Trail Corridor this summer that will ultimately connect St. Paul to Hastings with a dedicated bicycle and pedestrian trail. While all these natural resource investments are encouraging, they are also happening with little coordination between the multiple entities. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to review the natural resources improvements and restoration work conducted and planned. Additionally, students should provide recommendations on how the separate work can be coordinated; if any restoration work is obviously being neglected; and how the restoration work can be coordinated and /or benefit the Mississippi River Trail Corridor experience. Potential Partnerships: CF Industries, Dakota County Parks, Flint Hills, Friends of the Mississippi River. Analyze Athletic Stadium Turf Options: Project Lead. Tom Schuster, Parks Supervisor, Parks and Recreation Department. There is a growing demand for athletic fields in Rosemount. As new facilities are planned there is a question whether to build natural turf or synthetic turf fields. Natural turf fields cost less initially but require a high level of maintenance, need ongoing and regular irrigation and fertilization and pest control, can easily be damaged by play during inclement weather, and need periodic "rest" or recovery time between uses. Synthetic turf fields cost much more initially but never require mowing, irrigation, or pest control. Synthetic turf fields allow for and are not damaged by use in inclement weather and can support many more games /practices per year without needing any recovery time. Neither type of sport surfacing lasts forever and so must be replaced periodically. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to determine the cost benefit analysis of each of these turf systems and will suggest how many uses each surface can support per year, and at what cost per use. Potential Partnerships: DCTC, ISD 196, Irish Sports Dome Turf Management and Landscaping: Project Lead.- Jim Koslowski, Public Works Supervisor, Public Works Department. The city maintains city facilities, parks and athletic facilities. Techniques and strategies for the effective and efficient maintenance of turf and landscaping while maintaining or increasing service levels will assist the city with the long term maintenance of these facilities. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to investigate what maintenance techniques may reduce overall maintenance costs. Also investigation of what landscape materials and installation design increase chances for plant survival and maturation. The goal is to define public process for installation, design, and maintenance of public landscaping features that can be cost effective and provide public benefit. Potential Partnerships: DCTC, ISD 196 Multiple Jurisdictional Athletic Fields: Project Lead. Dan Schulte, Parks Director, Parks and Recreation Department. All communities have a demand for athletic fields for scholastic teams, adult league, and senior citizen activities. These fields are owned and maintained by different entities with different cliental. While all entities would allow other groups to use their fields; each entity has different rates for field rentals, different times unavailable for rentals; and different requirement or limitations on the type of activity that can occur on the fields. Additionally, some fields can be used for multiple activities (football /soccer /lacrosse fields), while other fields have limits on the activities that can occur (tennis courts or baseball/softball fields). The City of Rosemount is a growing community, which may provide benefits for additional park space and athletic fields, but concurrently will increase demand on the athletic fields. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to survey the athletic field demands, athletic fields available, the ownership of the fields, and the limitation on the fields within Rosemount. Additionally, the students would be expected to forecast the future athletic field demands (including considering the growth of new athletic activities and programs), provide recommendation on the new fields that are needed to be constructed, and provide recommendation on how the existing fields can be used better. Potential Partnershits.- DCTC, ISD 196, ISD 917, Rosemount Area Athletic Association SUSTAINABILITY AND GREEN TECHNOLOGY Storm Water Management: Project Lead.- Andy BrmZler, City Engineer /Public Works Director, Public Works Department. The City's storm water management plan relies on the infiltration of all storm water runoff. Most of Rosemount has sandy or gravelly soils that infiltrate well in summer and fall, but infiltration does not well in the late winter or early spring when the snow melts and the ground is still frozen. Additionally, the northwestern portion of Rosemount is rolling woodlands with numerous wetlands that does not infiltrate well, even in the summer. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to review of strategies for infiltrating storm water, particularly during snow melt conditions will assist the city with the implementation of a long -term storm water management plan. Additionally, strategies for combining plantings within and adjacent to infiltration areas will benefit the aesthetics of storm water infiltration basins. Potential Partnerships: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Vermillion River Watershed Joint Power Organization Water Re -Use: Project Lead.- Ricb Lonnquist, Engineering Technician, Public Wlorks Department. Solutions for a viable re -use of intermittent storm water flows along with the opportunity for re -using treated effluent from the Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) treated effluent outfall routed through Rosemount will reduce the demands on the aquifer. The transportation of this storm water can be difficult since the existing municipal water system cannot be used for transportation. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to research what are reasonable and publically acceptable reuse solutions, including the regulatory hurdles. Determination of how transference of the treated effluent to the "reuse" sites and potential costs associated should be defined. The City is also interested in reuse ideas that individual homeowners can introduce into their daily lives and creation of an education campaign to assist property owners. Potential Partnerships: Vermillion River Watershed Joint Power Organization, Dakota County, Metropolitan Council, Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Location for a Rosemount Wetland Bank: Project Lead: Eric Zweber, Senior Planner, Community Development. The City has few naturally occurring wetlands and therefore they are seen as an amenity for the community. In certain instances, a wetland location prohibits orderly development and should be filled. The City policy is to try and provide new wetland within the City borders. Because of soil types and property ownership, creation of a wetland is not always practical. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to evaluation of soils within the community, selection of potential wetland banking locations, and have preliminary design of wetland for future implementation. Potential Partnerships: Board of Soil and Water Management; Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District, Flint Hills, UMore Park, Vermillion River Watershed Joint Power Organization LED or Other High Energy Efficiency Lighting: Project Lead- Rich Lonnquist, Engineering Technician, Public Vorks Department. The City owns and maintains over 170 street lights in addition to facility lighting and athletic fields. Evaluating the pro's and con's to transitioning to LED lighting has been a challenge given the rapidly changing technology. Information on the latest technologies, cost savings and lighting comparisons will help the City to make informed decisions about this transition. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to review literature associated with LED or other energy efficient lighting and itemize the options available. Additionally, survey other Minnesota local, County, or State agencies use of LED or other energy efficient lighting. Potential Partnerships: Dakota Electric, Xcel Energy, Dakota County Alternative Sources of Energy: Project Lead, Christine Watson, Public Works Coordinator, Public Works. Currently, City facilities are powered with traditional electrical service. For the various city facilities including wells, fire stations, etc., a review of alternative and sustainable sources of energy to include solar and wind power will allow the city to make informed decisions about the cost - benefit of utilizing these alternative sources of energy. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to review and recommend alternative sources of electrical energy for City infrastructure. Potential PartnershPtJs: local power companies LAND DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT Development Framework for the South Gateway Area: Project Lead- Eric ZAeber, Senior Planner, Community Development. While Rosemount is actively and aggressively growing east along County Road 42, there are areas of Rosemount that have been incrementally developed through 20`h Century and can currently use redevelopment and /or reinvestment. One such area is the South Gateway area, the area adjacent to South Robert Trail between County Road 42 (150`h Street) and County Road 46 (160`'' Street). This area of Rosemount is particularly important because it is the first area seen by residents for communities to our south (Empire Township, Farmington, and Northfield) and therefore is our South Gateway. The area is currently zoning commercial, business park, and industrial and occupied by a variety of business including fast food restaurants; car repair and other auto orientated business; propane storage and intermodal facility, contractor yards, and professional offices. The buildings within the area vary from Class A office to steel clad pole buildings and aging strip commercial. The City would like to evaluate the area; determine what uses and buildings are deserving of being retained and restored; determine if residential or mixed use is suitable and feasible; and what would be the highest and best use of the area. The City has applied for a Redevelopment Incentive Planning grant from the Dakota County Community Development Agency (CDA) to financially assist the evaluation. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to assist in all aspects of the planning project, including document and exhibit creation, business and owner interviews, financial and market evaluations, potential grant and redevelopment assistance, and public participation. Potential Partnerships: Dakota County CDA Green Energy Impacts on Urban Development: Project Lead, Jason L indahl, Planner, Community Development Department. Green energy proposal has been suggested within Rosemount, including waste to energy, wind turbines and biomass energy. While the goals of providing energy with renewable resource can have regional and global benefits, they also can have local impacts. The EA for the UMore wind turbine stated that the no use could occur within 640 feet of the turbine due to ice throw and that no buildings should be within 2,000 feet of the turbine. These setbacks require no use within the 30 acres adjacent to the turbine and no buildings within the 280 acres adjacent to the turbine. Biomass energy or waste to energy would be expected to have even larger impacts on urban development. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to evaluate available green energy technologies and develop a report or matrix of the impact that these technologies would have on the adjacent development of a mixed use community. Potential Partne• Dakota Electric, UMore Park, Xcel Energy Gravel Mining Impacts on Adjacent Development and/or Preferred Restoration for Development: Pr ject Lead. Eric Zweber, Senior Planner, Community Development. The City has recently approved a 40 year gravel mining plan for 900 acres of UMore Park within Rosemount. The plan includes both the actual excavation of the gravel and the processing of the into construction materials within a 120 acre industrial park. It is anticipated that UMore will be developing its community of 30,000 concurrently with the gravel mining operation. The City is concerned that mining, both in the nuisances that it generates and the steep grades that results, will have adverse impact on the community development. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to evaluate the gravel mining proposal and provide recommendations for developing a community adjacent to the mine during operation and within the mine after reclamation. The recommendations should include the responsibilities, costs, and impacts for residents, the University, the mining company, and the City. Potential Partnerships: Dakota Aggregates, UMore Park Recommendations on Land Uses based on Remedial Investigation of UMore Park East Results: Project Lead.• Eric Zweber, Senior Planner, Community Development. The University of Minnesota is looking to develop UMore Park into a community of 30,000 people. UMore Park has a history of environmental concerns, including remnants of the Gopher Ordnance Works (GOW) and from the University and its tenants including four Superfund sites. This contamination will have an impact on the urban development, but a recent Remedial Investigation (RI) concluded that the level of contamination will not prohibit development. Brownfield regulations require different contamination clean up requirement based on the intended land use: residential, recreational, or commercial/industrial. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to evaluate the existing documentation of environmental contamination at UMore Park and the land uses and infrastructure depicted in the UMore AUAR. Guidelines should be created on how to develop considering the contamination existing and evaluation of the feasibility of the land uses in the AUAR based on the contamination. Potential Partnersbibs. Dakota County Environmental Management, Metropolitan Council Tax Base Revitalization Account, Pollution Control Agency, UMore Park History of UMore: Project Lead, Jason L'ndabl, Planner, Community Development Department. The City of Rosemount celebrated its 150`h birthday in 2008. The City is rich in history from its historic Downtown to the creation of UMore. UMore has had many periods of history; from the pre - Gopher Ordnance Works (GM) farmsteads, the GOW era and its involvement in World War II, the post -GOW use by the University and its tenants, and the UMore development efforts for a community of 30,000 people. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to obtain an oral history of the community from residents who lived or worked on the property and prepare a written record of the interviews. The students should also provide recommendations on how to include features into the UMore development for residents to interpret this history. Potential Partnersbibs. Dakota County Historical Society, Rosemount Area Arts Council. Virtual Business Incubator: Project Lead, Kim Lindquist, Community Development Director, Community Development Department. The City's Port Authority, the economic development arm of local government, has been exploring creation of a virtual business incubator and partnering with existing economic development groups to assist start up businesses in Rosemount. Some investigation has occurred but additional networking with Dakota County Technical College, MCCD, Workforce Investment Board, University of MN, and DEED are needed. The City would like to provide a one- stop shop for business resources on the City's website. An additional component would be to set up a local mentoring program for new entrepreneurs. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to focus their work on getting the incubator running or acquiring resources to make the incubator better. Research into business incubators should be limited only to issues directly related to its implementation and marketing. Potential Partnerships: DCTC, University of MN, Workforce Investment Board, Department of Employment and Economic Development Analysis of Dakota County Business Clusters: Project Lead, Kim Lindquist, Community Development Director, Community Development Department. Rosemount has a population of about 22,000 and Dakota County has a population of about 400,000 people. Rosemount has employment of more than 6,000 jobs and a labor force of about 8,000 employees. Dakota County has employment of more than 220,000 jobs and a labor force of about 235,000 employees. This employment is not spread equally in all business sectors and University of Minnesota student Bolormaa Jamiyansuren and Dakota Futures have prepared reports on the business clusters existing in the County. Rosemount would like to uses these business clusters to market the community to business that can be attached by synergies with these business clusters. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to review the business cluster reports completed by Bolormaa Jamiyansuren and Dakota Futures and determine if there are an additional business clusters in Rosemount, Dakota County, or the Twin Cities that is missing from those reports. Students should evaluate what businesses can benefit from synergies with these business clusters and determine how to market this information to these businesses. Potential PartnerEhi�E: Economic Development Website: Project Lead, Kim Lindquist, Community Development Director, Community Development Departmentt, The City has a website that intends to sell the assets of Rosemount to businesses and provide all the information necessary to have new businesses to locate in Rosemount or existing business to expand. Websites have traditionally be depository of information or provide links to other website. Websites can and are providing much more, including interaction through social media, blogs, etc. Rosemount desires the University of Minnesota students to evaluate the City's economic development website, other economic development based websites, and other digital technologies that are attractive for economic development. Students should provide recommendations for changes and additions to the City's website that would emphasize the business assets of Rosemount. Potential Partnerships: 3. Demonstration of Support: Include letters of support from one or more of the following: city /county manager or administrator, mayor, elected governing body, department heads partner organizations, and /or funding entities. Resolution of support is attached. 4. Proposed Local Funding Contribution: Indicate the amount of local contribution available and the source(s) of those funds. $15,000. We will also look to other partners, if selected, to help defray costs.