Brian Ross, CR Planning

Central CERT MeetingGreenStep Cities Workshop

Delving Deeper into Best Practices

Breezy PointAugust 30, 2011

GreenStep Cities is a voluntary program meant to challenge, assist and recognizecities for taking on Green Best Practices

Focused on Minnesota circumstances and situations Geared toward smaller cities, although all cities are eligible Gives credit for actions already taken Provides a framework for identifying new actions Best practices developed by Minnesota-based experts Identifies resource people for each best practice to help cities understand and

make decisions Allows flexibility for adapting to different circumstances

Project Partners

League of Minnesota CitiesClean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs)Great Plains InstituteMinnesota Pollution Control AgencyIzaak Walton LeagueMinnesota Division of Energy ResourcesUrban Land Institute

Program Requirements

Drilling through the program designFive Categories

28 Best Practices

168 Actions

Applying the Best Practices

What does it take to adapt GreenStep Cities guidelines to each community’s circumstances . . .?

Drilling Down . . .

Review Best Practice Categories1. Buildings and Lighting

2. Land Use

3. Transportation

4. Environmental Management

5. Economic and Community Development

Drilling Down . . .

What Transportation Best Practice are you considering?

BP #11. Complete Green Streets: Create a network of multimodal green streets.

BP #12. Mobility Options: Promote active living and alternatives to single-occupancy car travel.

BP #13. Efficient City Fleets: Implement a city fleet investment, operations and maintenance plan.

BP #14. Demand-Side Travel Planning: Use Travel Demand Management and Transit-Oriented Design.

Drilling Down . . .

What type of transportation actions are you considering?

Action 1) Adopt a complete streets policy that addresses street trees and stormwater, and modify street standards accordingly.

Action (2) Adopt zoning language for a selected area/project that is substantially equivalent to the LEED for Neighborhood Development credits for Walkable Streets or Street Network.

Action (3) Document the installation of trees, and green stormwaterinfrastructure, and utility renovations as needed (sewer, water, electric, telecommunications) as part of at least one complete street reconstruction project.

Drilling Down . . .

What type of transportation energy action are you considering?

Action (4) Identify and remedy non-complete street segments by, for example, adding a bike lane or sidewalk.

Action (5) Identify and remedy street-trail gaps (at least one) between city streets and trails/bike trails to better facilitate walking and biking.

Action (6) Implement traffic calming measures in at least one street redevelopment project.

GreenStep Cities Best PracticesBest Practice Categories1. Buildings and Lighting2. Land Use3. Transportation4. Environmental Management5. Economic and Community

DevelopmentBest Practices - Transportation

BP #11. Complete Green Streets: Create a network of multimodal green streets.

BP #12. Mobility Options: Promote active living and alternatives to single-occupancy car travel.

BP #13. Efficient City Fleets: Implement a city fleet investment, operations and maintenance plan.

BP #14. Demand-Side Travel Planning: Use Travel Demand Management and Transit-Oriented Design.

Complete Street ActionsAction 1) Adopt a complete streets policy that addresses street trees and stormwater, and modify street

standards accordingly.Action (2) Adopt zoning language for a selected area/project that is substantially equivalent to the LEED for

Neighborhood Development credits for Walkable Streets or Street Network. Action (3) Document the installation of trees, and green stormwater infrastructure, and utility renovations as

needed (sewer, water, electric, telecommunications) as part of at least one complete street reconstruction project.

Action (4) Identify and remedy non-complete street segments by, for example, adding a bike lane or sidewalk.Action (5) Identify and remedy street-trail gaps (at least one) between city streets and trails/bike trails to

better facilitate walking and biking. Action (6) Implement traffic calming measures in at least one street redevelopment project.

Drilling Down . . .

Identify where gaps are in the trail system:1. What purpose is the trail serving?

a) Recreation – limit controlled crossings, follow scenic areas,

b) Transportation – what are you connecting, make the trip easy

2. Think about origins and destinations. a) The trail should connect to residential centers, or some

clear starting point.

b) The trail should connect to a destination that people want to get to (natural area, business hub, institution)

Drilling Down . . .

Actually fill the gap:1. A real trail, or a paper trail?

a) Street separation?

b) Use of existing right-of-way like a sidewalk?

c) Changing the map to show a connection?

2. Action or just good intent? a) Resolutions, policies, budget planning

b) Ordinances, street standards

Drilling Down . . .

Review Best Practice Categories1. Buildings and Lighting

2. Land Use

3. Transportation

4. Environmental Management

5. Economic and Community Development

Drilling Down . . .

What Building and Lighting Best Practices are you considering?1. Efficient Existing Public Buildings

2. Efficient Existing Private Buildings

3. New Green Buildings

4. Efficient Buildings and Streetlights

5. Building Reuse

Drilling Down . . .

What type of efficient lighting action are you considering?1. Require energy efficient, Dark-Sky compliant new or

replacement outdoor lighting fixtures on city-owned buildings and facilities.

2. Require all new street lighting and traffic signals to be Dark-Sky compliant, energy efficient lighting technologies.

3. Modify any city franchise or other agreement with a utility to facilitate rapid replacement of inefficient street lighting.

Drilling Down . . .

What type of efficient lighting action are you considering?4. Synchronize traffic signals so as minimize car idling at

intersections yet maintain safe and publicly acceptable vehicle speeds.

5. Install solar powered or LED lighting in a street, parking lot or park project.

6. Work with a utility program to relamp exterior building lighting for at least 30% of city-owned buildings with energy efficient, Dark-Sky compliant lighting.

Drilling Down . . .

What type of efficient lighting action are you considering?7. Replace at least 50% of the city's parking lot lighting

with Dark-Sky compliant, energy efficient, automatic dimming lighting technologies.

8. Replace at least one-third of the city's existing traffic signals with energy efficient LED or equivalent lighting technologies.

Drilling Down . . .

What type of efficient lighting action are you considering?1. Require energy efficient, Dark-Sky compliant new or

replacement outdoor lighting fixtures on city-owned buildings and facilities.

2. Require all new street lighting and traffic signals to be Dark-Sky compliant, energy efficient lighting technologies.

3. Modify any city franchise or other agreement with a utility to facilitate rapid replacement of inefficient street lighting.

Drilling Down . . .

Modify agreement with a utility to facilitate rapid replacement of inefficient street lighting :1. Agreements with utilities.

a) Franchise – long term agreements detailing how utility can use city rights-of-way

b) Tariffed rates – Published rates and conditions for street light services

c) Service agreement

2. Efficient street lighting. a) What is an “efficient” fixtureb) Technologies are evolving – HPS, fluorescent, LEDc) Thinking “infrastructurally”. . .

Drilling Down . . .

Review Best Practice Categories1. Buildings and Lighting

2. Land Use

3. Transportation

4. Environmental Management

5. Economic and Community Development

Drilling Down . . .

What Economic Development Best Practice are you considering?1. Benchmarks & Community Engagement

2. Green Business

3. Renewable Energy

4. Local Food

5. Business Synergies

Drilling Down . . .

What type of renewable energy action are you considering?1. Adopt, with modifications as necessary, at least

one of the following from Minnesota’s Model Ordinances for Sustainable Development:a) Solar energy standards.b) Model wind energy ordinance.

2. Consistently promote at least one of the following:a) A local utility’s green power purchasing program.b) Local, state and federal financial incentives renewable

energy.

Drilling Down . . .

What type of renewable energy action are you considering?3. Create a renewable energy financing program for

property owners to install generation capacity.4. Promote firms that contract with property owners

(in groups or individually) to install/finance renewable installations, some at little or no upfront cost.

5. Install a public sector renewable energy technology, such as solar electric (PV), solar hot water or hot air, micro-hydro or wind.

Drilling Down . . .

What type of renewable energy action are you considering?5. Work with private/public partners to create

renewable energy generation capacity with one or more of the following attributes:a) Fueled by flowing water, wind, or biogas.b) Fueled in part or whole by woody biomass, optimized for

minimal air and other environmental impacts and for energy efficiency and water conservation.

c) Distributing heating/cooling services in a district energy system.

d) Producing combined heat and power.

Drilling Down . . .

What type of renewable energy action are you considering?1. Adopt, with modifications as necessary, at least

one of the following from Minnesota’s Model Ordinances for Sustainable Development:a) Solar energy standards.b) Model wind energy ordinance.

2. Consistently promote at least one of the following:a) A local utility’s green power purchasing program.b) Local, state and federal financial incentives renewable

energy.

Drilling Down . . .

Consistently promote at least one of the following:1. A local utility’s green power purchasing program.

a) Xcel Energy – Wind Source

b) Great River Energy – Wellspring Renewable Wind Energy

c) Minnesota Power – WindSense

2. Local, state and federal financial incentives renewable energy.

a) Minnesota Power – SolarSense rebate

b) 30% Federal tax credit for renewable energy installations

c) Minnesota-made solar rebate

Drilling Down . . .

Consistently promote . . .1. Inserts in municipal utility bills or property tax

statements2. Press releases, media events, and a public commitment

to participate 3. Contests by neighborhood or between nearby

communities on who can sign up the greatest number of households or businesses

4. Co-promotion or green awards to local businesses who invest in green energy or renewable energy systems

5. Co-incentives such as building fee waivers for renewable energy or energy efficiency for the time during which the city conducts marketing and outreach

Thank You!

Questions?