Implementing Sustainability with Proven Best Practices

An Overview

Introduction: GreenStep Cities Taking action with proven best practices Minnesota GreenStep Cities is an action-oriented voluntary program offering Cities a cost- effective, step-wise path to implement sustainable development best practices.

Cities Across the State 56 Cities and growing! Lake Crystal - (4/22/13) Brainerd - (4/1/13) Saint Paul Park - (2/19/13) Columbia Heights - (2/11/13) Woodbury - (1/23/13) Shoreview - (1/22/13) Maple Grove - (12/17/12) Sauk Rapids - (7/9/12) North Saint Paul - (7/3/12) Saint Louis Park - (6/4/12) Grand Rapids - (5/14/12) Lake Elmo - (5/14/12) Mountain Iron - (5/7/12) Newport - (4/19/12) Burnsville - (4/17/12)

What makes GreenStep different? Focused on Minnesota Best practices developed by experts in their fields from Minnesota Geared toward smaller cities Action oriented Allows flexibility within each Best Practice Gives credit for actions we’ve already taken and identifies new actions to take Identifies real resource people who can help us with each best practice Provides a framework for a City’s sustainability efforts Provides mechanism to share results w/ residents

Other Key Factors Attainable and doable for small and mid-sized cities. 80% of MN cities have populations under 5,000. Healthy competition among peer cities. Public web site and database allows everyone to learn from the actions of “competitor” cities. Participating cities must designate a GreenStep City Coordinator; must be “somebody’s job” to keep the effort going. Recognition occurs among peers at the League of MN Cities Annual Conference.

GreenStep Partners Main Partners: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) League of Minnesota Cities Izaak Walton League – MN Division Urban Land Institute – MN and Regional Council of Mayors Great Plains Institute MN Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources

How does it work?

Best Practices GreenStep Cities has 28 best practices in 5 categories Buildings & Lighting Transportation Land Use Environmental Management Economic & Community Development

Best Practices by Category

Be a GreenStep City: 5 Steps Build Community Support Identify best practices that your city is already doing or would like to do Identify a GreenStep contact person (doesn’t have to be a city staff person) Have City Council sign a resolution to participate Start taking action!

Determine City Category Category C Cities: Very small cities with typically no more than one public building and no more than two full-time equivalent staff. Category B Cities: Small to mid-size cities that have several public buildings and at least several staff. Category B cities maintain roads and usually a separate public works department and a planning/ development department. Category A Cities: Mid-size to large cities that are within a metropolitan area or serve as a regional economic and service center. Category A cities are served by a regular route transit service, provide a complete set of urban services, and have distinct commercial and industrial areas. Adjoining cities working together on the GreenSteps program must also be considered Category A cities.

Programmatic Requirements

Approve a Resolution

Track and Report Sample reporting: BP # 7 Efficient City Growth, Action 1: describes WHAT the city has done to fulfill this best practice and provides documentation. Note: the star system which relates to the “level” of achievement for a cities action.

Accomplishments to Date

GreenStep History 2007: Started with an idea from an engaged member of the community 2008: Legislature asks for a report on program Advisory Committee and four technical committees convened Program launches June 2010 at League of Minnesota Cities Annual Conference Three rounds of annual recognition (2011, 2012, 2013)

GreenStep Notables from 2012 Located all over the state, in all quadrants. Large and small, including Rochester (over 100,000 people) and Milan (326 people). 4 cities have achieved Step Three and are hoping to move beyond that this year. 806 GreenStep actions have been completed Top non-required actions: expanding local food access, becoming a Tree City USA, promoting bike/ped/transit, installing LED traffic signals, and conserving water. Top required actions: having a comp plan, erosion ordinance, green purchasing policy.

GreenStep Firsts in 2012 Edina: first commercial PACE (property assessed clean energy) program in MN. Maplewood: first city in 20 years to shift to organized residential waste collection. Northfield: first Transition Town effort in MN. Elk River: first MN city to replace all traffic signals with cost- saving LED lights. Falcon Heights, St. Louis Park, Edina: first MN cities to track energy, water, waste and vehicle miles traveled and normalize data by resident and jobs. St. Cloud: nation’s first public bus powered by recycled vegetable $2.30/gal.

Celebration of Partnership Environmental Initiative Annual Awards 2012

Philipp Muessig GreenStep Cities Coordinator, MN Pollution Control Agency For More Information