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Implement an energy rating/disclosure policy for residential and/or commercial buildings.

Conserve/protect drinking/groundwater resources by creating a water-wise landscaping ordinance/guidance, WaterSense purchasing program, or guidance on rainwater harvesting and home water softener use.

Customize a model sustainable building renovation policy that includes the SB 2030 energy standard and adopt the language to govern private renovation projects that:

Adopt a sustainable building policy for private buildings; include the SB 2030 energy standard; adopt language governing new development projects that:

Adopt environmentally preferable covenant guidelines for new common interest communities addressing issues such as stormwater, greywater, native vegetation, growing food, clothes lines, electric vehicle charging, and renewable energy.

Require energy efficient, Dark-Sky compliant new or replacement outdoor lighting fixtures on city-owned/private buildings and facilities.

Adopt an historic preservation ordinance/regulations and encourage adaptive reuse.

Adopt development/design standards and programs that facilitate infill, redevelopment, and adaptable buildings.

Adopt a comprehensive plan or (for Category B & C cities) adopt a future land use plan that was adopted by the county or a regional entity.

Demonstrate that regulatory ordinances comply with the comprehensive plan including but not limited to having the zoning ordinance explicitly reference the comprehensive plan as the foundational document for decision making.

Eliminate barriers and actively encourage higher density housing by including in the city zoning ordinance and zoning map:

Achieve higher density housing through at least two of the following strategies:

Achieve higher intensity commercial/industrial land uses through at least one of the following strategies:

Use design to create social trust and interaction among neighbors and allow developments that meet the prerequisites for LEED for Neighborhood Development certification.

Modify a planned unit development (PUD) ordinance to emphasize or require mixed-use development or affordable housing, to limit residential PUDs to areas adjacent to commercial development, and/or to add sustainability features.

Have a downtown zoning district that emphasizes small and destination business, entrepreneurial spaces, and allows or requires residential and residential-compatible commercial development.

Incorporate form-based zoning approaches into the zoning code, in those areas where a diverse mix of uses is desired.

Adopt infrastructure design standards that protect the economic and ecologic functions of the highway corridor through clustering of development, native plantings and incorporating access management standards.

Adopt development policies for large-format developments, zoning for auto-oriented commercial districts at the sub-urban edge and/or in tightly defined and smaller urban development corridors/nodes that have some bike/walk/transit access.

Conduct a Natural Resource Inventory or Assessment (NRI or NRA); incorporate protection of priority natural systems or resources such as groundwater through the subdivision or development process.

For cities within metropolitan areas, incorporate woodland best management practices addressing protection of wooded areas into zoning or development review.

Preserve environmentally sensitive, community-valued land by placing a conservation easement on city lands, and by encouraging/funding private landowners to place land in conservation easements.

Conserve natural, cultural, historic resources by adopting or amending city codes and ordinances to support sustainable sites, including roadsides, and environmentally protective land use development.

Adopt zoning language or approve a skinny street/development project that follows green street and/or walkable streets principles.

Reduce or eliminate parking minimums; add parking maximums; develop district parking; install meters and charge for parking at curb and city-owned lots/ramps. 

Require new developments or redevelopments to prepare a travel demand management plan or transit-oriented development standards or LEED for Neighborhood Development certification.

Adopt a tree preservation or native landscaping ordinance.

Adopt and use Minnesota's Minimal Impact Design Standards (MIDS).

Adopt by ordinance one or more of the following stormwater infiltration/management strategies to reduce impervious surface:

Create a stormwater utility that uses variable fees to incentivize stormwater infiltration, minimize the volume of and pollutants in runoff, and educate property owners and renters on the importance of managing stormwater runoff.

Adopt and implement guidelines or design standards/incentives for at least one of the following stormwater infiltration/reuse practices:

Plan and budget for a network of parks, green spaces, water features and trails for areas where new development is planned.

Adopt a shoreland ordinance for all river and lake shoreland areas.

Create/assist a Lake Improvement District.

Reduce flooding damage and costs through the National Flood Insurance Programs and the NFIP’s Community Rating System.

Establish an on-going budget and program for decreasing inflow and infiltration into sewer lines and losses in drinking water systems.

Create a demand-side pricing program to reduce demands on water and wastewater systems.

Adopt a subsurface sewage treatment system ordinance based on the Association of Minnesota Counties' model ordinance.

Create a program to finance septic system upgrades.

Improve recycling services and expand to multi-unit housing and commercial businesses.

Improve/organize residential trash, recycling and organics collection by private and/or public operations and offer significant volume-based pricing on residential garbage and/or incentives for recycling.

Adopt a construction and demolition (C&D) ordinance governing demolition permits that requires a level of recycling and reuse for building materials and soil/land-clearing debris.

Reduce residential burning of wood and yard waste and eliminate ‘backyard’ trash burning.

Adopt wind energy and/or biomass ordinances that allow, enable, or encourage appropriate renewable energy installations.

Promote financing and incentive programs, such as PACE, for clean energy:

Protect working landscapes - agriculture and forestry - by adopting an ordinance or incentivizing one or more of the following: