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Home My WebLink About2010-12-01 PACKET 08.B.0 I wfflgggg�- - s0111r L0j, AGENDA ITEM #j> Howard Blin �*Jjflj a IFAI ll go [01 7w,= Consider authorizing the City of Cottage Grove to participate in the Minnesota GreenStep Cities Program. ga��* � WL , 0] Ll Adopt the resolution authorizing participation in the Minnesota GreenStep Cities Program. BUDGET IMPLICATION $N/A BUDGETED AMOUNT ADVISORY COMMISSION ACTION: ■ PLANNING F] PUBLIC SAFETY PUBLIC WORKS ■ PARKS AND RECREATION ■ HUMAN SERVICES/RIGHTS ■ ECONOMIC DEV. AUTHORITY M ENVIRONMENTAL $N/A N/A ACTUAL AMOUNT FUNDING SOURCE REVIEWED APPROVED DENIED F F F ❑ ❑ E] ❑ ❑ F] ❑ ❑ Z ❑ DENIED CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE 44 AN MINNESOTA RE: Authorization to Participate in GreenStep Cities Program I a 70WOM, I It is requested that the City Council adopt the resolution authorizing participation in the Minne- sota GreenStep Cities program. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has initiated the GreenSteps Cities program to en- courage cities to implement energy efficiency practices. Cities which qualify as GreenStep Cities will be recognized by the League of Minnesota Cities and be able to use the designation in marketing materials. No funding for energy improvements is currently available from the program. The GreenStep Cities program sets up a series of best practices in the areas of building effi- ciencies, land use, transportation, environmental management, and economic and community development. These best practices range from installing energy efficiency measures in existing and planned buildings to comprehensive planning policies that promote walking. To be desig- nated a GreenStep City, Cottage Grove must adopt 16 of the 28 best practices. Cottage Grove already meets about one-half of the required best practices. Attached is a list of the best prac- tices. Also attached is a recent newspaper story about the program. If authorized by the City Council, it is suggested that the Environmental Commission direct the process • reviewing the appropriate best practices to adopt and guide the application process. It is estimated that this process will take six months to complete. Program Benefits There are three potential benefits to Cottage Grove for receiving the GreenStep City designation: The process of applying for the designation would require analysis of existing City oper tions for energy efficiencies. Although much of this analysis has been done as part of t City's Sustaina• ility Task Force effort, the GreenStep program provides a process update the findings • that study. I Honorable Mayor, City Council, and Ryan Schroeder Authorization to Participate in GreenSteps Cities Program November 24, 201 Page 2 of 2 The designation would give Cottage Grove another tool for marketing to potential residents and businesses. Increasingly, efforts towards environmental sustainability are perceived as an asset by those comparing communities. The designation May open opportunities for future funding from state or federal sources. Although no funding for energy improvements or other measures is currently part of the program, often such designations are requirements to be eligible for any future funding. Costs As was briefly discussed at the July 14 Environmental Commission meeting, the City currently meets the majority of the best practices required for eligibility in the program. The GreenStep application process primarily involves staff work in pulling together the required information, with only minor hard costs involved for copying, etc. In talking to other cities who have participated in the pilot program, it is estimated that no more than 30 hours of staff time would be required to complete the application process. The Environmental Commission reviewed the program at their July and September meetings and recommended to the City Council that the City become part of the program. =- 1 1 IN11 11 11515 1 • it -- 1111 1 • 1 1 � 111 a •• @] Will I LOIZE 0 10111WIlErfla" WHEREAS, Minnesota Session Laws 2008, Chapter 356, Section 13 directed the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency ("MPCA") and Office of Energy Security in the De- partment of Commerce ("Office of Energy Security"), in collaboration with Clean Energy Resource Teams ("CERTs"), to recommend municipal actions and policies that work toward meeting the State's greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals; and WHEREAS, a broad coalition of public and private stakeholders including the League of Minnesota Cities, the MPCA, Office of Energy Security and CERTs responded to the 2008 legislation by establishing the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program to provide a series of sustainable development best practices focusing on local government oppor- tunities to reduce energy use and greenhouse gases; and WHEREAS, the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program assists in facilitating technical assistance for the implementation of these sustainable development best practices; and WHEREAS, the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program provides cost-effective sus- tainable development best practices in the following five categories: (1) Buildings and Lighting; (2) Transportation; (3) Land Use; (4) Environmental Management; and (5) Eco- nomic and Community Development. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Cottage Grove, County of Washington, State of Minnesota, does hereby authorize the City of Cottage Grove (the "City") to participate in the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City: 1 Appoints the Cottage Grove Environmental Commission to serve as the City's GreenStep coordinator to facilitate best practice implementation; and 9 Will f rilitate the involvement of community members, civic, business and educational organizations, and other units • government as appropriate in the planning, promoting and implementing • GreenStep Cities best prac- tices; and 3. Will identify a short list of best practices for initial implementation by June 1, 2011; and j Will claim credit for having implemented and will implement in total at least 16 required and optional GreenStep best practices that will result in energy use reduction, economic savings, and reduction in the community's green- Resolution No. 2O1O-XXX Page 2 of 2 house gas footprint. A summary of the city's implementation of best practices will be posted on the Minnesota GreenStep Cities web site. Caron M. Stransky, City Clerk Date: Monday, October 18, 2010 Location: MINNEAPOLIS, MN Circulation (DMA): 295,438 (15) Type (Frequency): Newspaper (D) Page: A9 Keyword: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency 'i 1 . •s cities recognition for environmental initiatives. By MARIA ELENA BACA mbaca @startribune.com 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 practic- es in what's envisioned as a re- cycled version of the Minneso- ta 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 imple- menting ideas can be daunt- ing. Plus, best practices else- where may not apply here be- cause of climate and other dif- ferences, said Philipp Mues- sig of the Minnesota Pnllutinn Control Agency (MPCA). What might work or make sense in cities in California "doesn't play that well in Min- nesota," he said. Challenge from Legislature Muessig is coordinator of CreenStep Cities, a public -pri- vate program that sprang out of a 2007 challenge by the Leg- islature to support and recog- nize cities working on the state's Next Generation Energy Initia- tive. That initiative requires utili- ties to provide 25 percent ofelec- tricity from renewable sources and cut greenhouse gas emis- sions by 15 percent by 2025. The MPCA, with five non- profit partners, created the program. The consortium gathered pilot cities, includ- ing Bloomington, Edina, Fal- con 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, http: //green step.pca.st ate.mn.us, provides resources — real and virtual — and goals tailored to cities' resources and needs to meet requirements in five sus - tainability categories to become a CreenStep City. The site of- fers specific steps, a cost -bene- fit analysis and information on how to contact local experts. The vision is that cities achieving goals will be recog- nized at the League of Minneso- ta Cities' annual conference and be designated in a manner simi- lar 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' prog- ress reports, creating a new re- source for their peers. The program hasn't gar- nered 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 un- precedented number of cities hire sustainability coordina- tors and create sustainable city plans and energy and environ- ment commissions. The Eagan City Council passed its CreenStep Cities resolution in August. Univer- sity of Minnesota students are studying city practices to tar- get likely goals and find areas the city already can check off the list, said Dianne Miller, as- sistant to the city manager. "The structure has been helpful," she said. "There are so many places you could start, and CreenStep Cities provides a really good format to get you started and down the road." Maria Elena Baca • 612. 673.4409 (J 2010 Star Tribune All Rights Reserved. Account: 1971 3N (413) MN -212 For reprints or rlghls, please contact tho publisher