CR 10-119 Approve Participating in the GreenStep Cities Program•
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City of Hopkins
November 1, 2010
Council Report 2010 -119
Approve Resolution 2010 - 040, Authorizing the City of Hopkins to Participate in the
Minnesota GreenStep Cities Program.
Proposed Action.
Staff recommends adoption of the following motion: Move that Council Adopt
Resolution 2010-040, Authorizing the City of Hopkins to Participate in the Minnesota
GreenStep Cities Program.
Overview.
Minnesota GreenStep Cities is a challenge, assistance and recognition program to help
cities achieve their sustainability goals through implementation of 28 best practices.
Each best practice can be implemented by completing one or more specific actions
from a list of four to eight actions. These actions are tailored to all Minnesota cities, focus
on cost savings and energy use reduction, and encourage innovation.
The City of Hopkins has a Green Team that meets once a month. The team with the
assistance of a green intern discusses what needs to be done within the City of Hopkins
in regards to the 28 best practices and report at each meeting what has been
accomplished.
Goal # 2 of the City is to promote a livable, walkable community. A strategy under that
goal is to "Go Green" and pursues this GreenStep City designation.
Primary Issues to Consider
• Why adopt this resolution and participate in this program?
• Are there any costs or mandates associated with this program?
Supporting Information
• Resolution 2010- 040, Authorizing the City of Hopkins to participate in the Minnesota
Greenstep Cities Program.
• Star & Tribune Article, "Minnesota Cities Take Steps to go Green", October 17, 2010
• GreenStep Cities list of 28 best practice categories.
Rick Getschow
City Manager
Financial Impact: $ 0 Budgeted: N/A Source:
Related documents (CIP, ERP, etc.):
Notes:
Analysis of Issues:
• • Why adopt this resolution and participate in this program?
The City of Hopkins would be recognized as a GreenStep City by the League of
Minnesota Cities.
The goal of the City of Hopkins is to become a Green Step City, whereby, the City will
enhance transportation, buildings and lighting, city parks, trails, improve water quality,
reuse and recycle, strengthen local food access, assess and finance energy and
sustainability improvements of existing structures, improve public and private lighting
and signals, repurpose old buildings, and develop ordinances for all improvements. The
requirement of being a GreenStep City is to investigate and implement projects that will
save money immediately or over time while at the same time improving the quality of
the environment.
• Are there any costs or mandates associated with this program?
No. The Green Step Cities is an action -oriented voluntary program offering a cost-
effective, simple pathway leading to implementation of sustainable best practices.
Green Step Cities include best practices in the areas of: buildings and facilities; land
•use; transportation environmental management; and, community and economic
development.
Alternatives:
Alternative # 1: Approve Resolution 2010-040, Authorizing the City of Hopkins to
Participate in the Minnesota GreenStep Cities Program.
Alternative # 2: Do not Approve Resolution 2010-040 and do not pursue this initiative.
Recommendations:
Staff recommends Alternative # 1, approving Resolution 2010-040.
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CITY OF HOPKINS
• HENNEPIN COUNTY
RESOLUTION 2010-040
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF HOPKINS
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MINNESOTA GREENSTEP CITIES PROGRAM
WHEREAS, efforts to address energy and climate issues provide an opportunity to move
toward energy self-reliance and greater community resiliency; provide environmentally
healthy and cheaper -to -operate public buildings; encourage new economic development
and local jobs; and support local food and renewable energy production; and
WHEREAS, climate changes have been observed in Minnesota and have the potential to
negatively impact local, regional and state economies; infrastructure development; habitat;
ecological communities, including native fish and wildlife populations; spread invasive
species and exotic diseases; reduce drinking water supplies and recreational opportunities;
and pose health threats to our citizens; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program provides cost-effective sustainable
development best practices in the following five categories: (1) Buildings and Lighting; (2)
Transportation; (3) Land Use; (4) Environmental Management; and (5) Economic and
Community Development; and
• WHEREAS, local governments have the unique opportunity to achieve both energy use and
climate change gas reductions through building and facilities management; land use and
transportation planning; environmental management; and through economic and
community development; and
NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that the City Council of the City of Hopkins does hereby
authorize the City of Hopkins to participate in the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Green Team and a Green Intern work together to
facilitate best practice implementation.
The best practices will result in energy use reduction, economic savings and reduction in the
community's greenhouse gas footprint. A summary of the city's implementation of best
practices will be posted on the City of Hopkins web site.
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Hopkins, Minnesota, this 1 st day of November,
2010.
Mayor Eugene Maxwell
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City Clerk
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• StarTribune.coln-alk
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Minnesota cities take steps to go
green
New program gives cities
recognition for environmental
initiatives.
By MARIA ELENA BACA, Star Tribune
Last update: October 17, 2010 - 10:52 PM
Seeking to overcome the notion that it's not
easy being green, a handful of cities have
joined a state initiative to help germinate
sustainable practices in what's envisioned as
a recycled version of the Minnesota Star
Cities designation.
But instead of being given for economic
development, it would be for embracing
green initiatives.
Though many cities have eco -conscious
intentions, finding, funding and implementing
ideas can be daunting. Plus, best practices
elsewhere may not apply here because of
climate and other differences, said Philipp
Muessig of the Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency (MPCA).
What might work or make sense in cities in
California "doesn't play that well in
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Minnesota," he said.
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mobile browser to
' http_//startribune.coni
Challenge from Legislature
Muessig is coordinator of GreenStep Cities, a
public-private program that sprang out of a
2007 challenge by the Legislature to support
and recognize cities working on the state's
Next Generation Energy Initiative. That
initiative requires utilities to provide 25
percent of electricity from renewable sources
and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 15
percent by 2025.
The MPCA, with five nonprofit partners,
created the program. The consortium
gathered pilot cities, including Bloomington,
Edina, Falcon Heights, St. Louis Park and
Victoria, to help launch it. Nine cities have
passed resolutions joining the program, and
more are considering them.
The program's website, greenstep.pca.state.
mn.us, provides resources -- real and virtual
-- and goals tailored to cities' resources and
needs to meet requirements in five
sustainability categories to become a
GreenStep City. The site offers specific steps,
a cost -benefit analysis and information on
how to contact local experts.
The vision is that cities achieving goals will be
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• StarTribunexom
recognized at the League of Minnesota Cities'
annual conference and be designated in a
manner similar to the Minnesota Star Cities.
A resource for cities
In the next several weeks, Muessig said, there
are plans to upgrade the program's website
to include cities' progress reports, creating a
new resource for their peers.
The program hasn't garnered any additional
state funding, Muessig said. The program's
nonprofit partners are working to gather
private dollars and steer cities to other
funding sources, he said.
Muessig said in the past three years he's seen
an unprecedented number of cities hire
sustainability coordinators and create
sustainable city plans and energy and
environment commissions.
The Eagan City Council passed its GreenStep
Cities resolution in August. University of
Minnesota students are studying city p
ractices to target likely goals and find areas
the city already can check off the list, said
Dianne Miller, assistant to the city manager.
"The structure has been helpful," she said.
"There are so many places you could start,
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Minnesota GreenStep Cities
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Home I The 28 best practices I How to become a GreenStep City
GreenStep's 28 best
practices
To ease of planning and tracking your best
practice choices, download this list of 163
unique actions for all 28 best practices.
• Cities that implement a minimum number of best
practices organized into these five topical areas
will be recognized as a GreenStep City. See
What's required to be a GreenStep City?
• Cities should claim credit for best practices
already implemented. Adding best practices over
time will gamer additional recognition.
• For each best practice, and depending on city
category (A, B or C), a city needs to complete one
or more actions from a list associated with the
best practice. See What category is my city in?
Transportation
11. Complete Green Streets: Create a
network of multimodal green streets. 0S01
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12. Mobility Options: Promote active living
and alternatives to single -occupancy car travel
13. Efficient City Fleets: Implement a city fleet
investment, operations and maintenance plan.
14. Demand -Side Travel Planning: Use Travel
Demand Management and Transit -Oriented Design.
Buildings and Lighting
1. Efficient Existing Public Buildings:
Work with utilities and others to assess
and finance energy and sustainability
improvements of existing structures.
2. Efficient Existing Private Buildings: Work with
utilities and others to assess and finance energy and
sustainability improvements of existing structures.
3. New Green Buildings: Construct new buildings to
meet or qualify for a green building standard.
4. Efficient Building & Street Lighting and Signals:
Improve the efficiency of public and private lighting
and signals.
5. Building Reuse: Create economic and regulatory
incentives for redeveloping and repurposing existing
buildings before building new.
Environmental Management
15. Purchasing: Adopt an environmentally
preferable purchasing policy.
16. Urban Forests: Increase city tree and
plant cover.
17. Efficient Stormwater Management: Minindze
the volume of and pollutants in water runoff.
18. Green Infrastructure: Enhance city parks and
trails.
19. Surface Water Quality: Improve local water
bodies.
20. Efficient Water and Wastewater Facilities:
Assess and improve drinking water and wastewater
facilities.
21. Septic Systems: Implement an effective
management program for decentralized wastewater
treatment systems.
22. Solid Waste Reduction: Increase waste
reduction, reuse and recycling.
23. Local Air Quality: Prevent generation of local air
contaminants.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency I Contact I Web site policy
http://greenstep.pca.state.nm.usibestPractices.cftn
Land Use
6. Comprehensive Plan and
Implementation: Adopt a Comprehensive
Plan and tie regulatory ordinances to it. --
7. Higher Density: Enable and encourage a higher
density of housing or commercial land use.
8. Efficient and Healthy Development Patterns:
Mix land uses.
9. Efficient Highway -Oriented Development:
Adopt commercial development and design standards
for highway road corridors.
10. Conservation Design: Adopt development
ordinances or processes that protect natural systems.
Economic and Community
Development
24. Benchmarks & Community
Engagement: Adopt outcome measures
for GreenStep and other city
sustainability efforts, and engage
community members in ongoing education, discussion,
and campaigns.
25. Green Business Development: Document the
use of assistance programs for green business and
job development.
26. Renewable Energy: Remove barriers to and
encourage installation of renewable energy generation
capacity.
27. Local Food: Strengthen local food and fiber
production and access.
28. Business Synergies: Network/cluster
businesses to achieve better energy, economic and
environmental outcomes.
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Minnesota GreenStep Cities
Home I The 28 best practices I How to become a GreenStep City I City log -in
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/steps.cfm
Steps to becoming recognized as a GreenStep city
Of Minnesota*s 855 cities, approximately 500 are under 1,000 in population, 83% are under 5,000 in population, and 35 have a population over
25,000. With such a diversity of cities, no one set of process steps will fit all cities in organizing work to become a GreenStep City. Depending on
your city, work may start mostly at the city staff or city council level and fit well into existing plans and efforts, moving later to incorporate and leverage
work efforts by civic organizations. Or the impetus for implementing GreenStep best practices may start with a civic group and be mostly done by
community members and community organizations, with the city council in a supportive and active role as needed.
Thus the abbreviated list of organizing steps below must be seen as a rough guide, to be adapted by each city. For more details under each step,
download the full Organizing Steps Guide.
Begin working to implement best practices.
• Keep everyone moving and celebrate success.
AD • Clarify, as needed, what constitutes completing an action with the MPCA GreenStep program
coordinator.
• Briefly describe implemented best practices on the GreenStep web site.
• Request credit for any "custom actions."
Congratulationst When you have Implemented 4, 6 or 6 best practices (depending on your city category) you are
now recognized as a Step Two GreenStep Cityl During fall 2010 there will be Step Two recognition
artworkimaterials you can use to let others know of your accomplishment
•
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Build community knowledge and interest.
• Anyone can start this.
What are the
• Become familiar with GreenStep best practices.
benefits
• Talk with key people and organizations.
• Invite, as needed, a GreenStep program representative to your city.
to being a
• Conduct an inventory of completed, planned and desired best practices.
GreenStep city?
• Discuss with an official city body.
Approve a city council resolution to work toward GreenStep Cities
recognition.
What
• Use the sample resolution.
category
• Introduce a resolution to the city council.
• Specify a GreenStep coordinator and a few best practices to implement.
If
my city in?qq
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Register and post initial information on the GreenStep Cities web
site.
What's
Note., During summer and fall 2010 the MPCA may need to enter information onto the GreenStep web site
required to be
for you until the web site is fully interactive and self -serve.
a Greenstep
• E-mail your city resolution and GreenStep contact information to the MPCA
-
City?
• Enter simple information about your city.
• Indicate which best practices the city initially plans to implement.
• Provide brief detail on best practices previously implemented.
Besopii;ot
Download
Congratulationsl
You are now recognized as a Step One GreenStep Cityl During fall 2010 there will be Step One
a sample
recognition artwork/materials
you can use to let others know of your accomplishment
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— —
resolution.
two
Get organized to begin work on implementing best practices.
As needed, educate city staff and officials about sustainability.
Convene a small working group.
w
• Specify implementation action(s) and a lead person for each best practice.
• Prepare a simple work plan for implementing each best practice.
• Have your GreenSteps steering committee review each best practice work plan.
about Greenstep
• Present the best practice plans to a city body or to the city council as appropriate.
®
details
Begin working to implement best practices.
• Keep everyone moving and celebrate success.
AD • Clarify, as needed, what constitutes completing an action with the MPCA GreenStep program
coordinator.
• Briefly describe implemented best practices on the GreenStep web site.
• Request credit for any "custom actions."
Congratulationst When you have Implemented 4, 6 or 6 best practices (depending on your city category) you are
now recognized as a Step Two GreenStep Cityl During fall 2010 there will be Step Two recognition
artworkimaterials you can use to let others know of your accomplishment
•
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Minnesota GreenStep Cities
Keep on working and be recognized for higher steps.
' nr • Implementing a particular best practice action may take months or years.
+a ro
• Be alert to opportunities to complete multiple best practice actions at once.
• Check back with the city council as needed.
• Report yearly to community members.
• As your work proceeds, give us feedback on the program.
• GreenStep Cities Step Four program requirements will be developed during 2011, as we learn from
cities during 2010, to challenge recognized GreenStep Cities to implement more actions and be
recognized for these accomplishments. We think GreenStep best practices will result in multiple benefits
for your city and that youQll want to continuously work on best practices that make your city more
sustainable.
Congratulations! When you have implemented 8, 12 or 16 best practices (depending on your city category) you are
now recognized as a Step Three GreenStep Cityl During 2011 there will be Step Three recognition
artworklmaterials you can use to let others know of your accomplishment.
GreenStep Cities Step Four
Ill • GreenStep Cities Step Four program requirements will be developed during 2011, as we learnfrom
. r' ro
cities during 2010, to challenge recognized GreenStep Cities to implement more actions and be
recognized for these accomplishments. We think GreenStep best practices will result in multiple benefits
for your city and that you®ll want to continuously work on best practices that make your city more
sustainable.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency I Contact I Web site policy
•
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/steps.cfi-n
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