Best Practice Action 7.5
GreenStep City Best Practices: Land Use
Resilient City Growth No. 7
Increase financial and environmental sustainability by enabling and encouraging walkable housing and retail land use.
Best Practice Action Detail
Best Practice Action 5
Use design to create social trust and interaction among neighbors and allow developments that meet the prerequisites for LEED for Neighborhood Development certification.
- Embedded in LEED-ND are standards that, when followed, would allow a city district to score high on the Strong Towns Strength Test and the trick-or-treat-test.
- See resources for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development rating system. See a similar EcoDistricts Protocol, a process-based framework and certification standard that empowers equitable, resilient, sustainable neighborhoods and districts for all. Report ecodistrict actions under BPA 28.4.
- See the LEED for Neighborhood Design scorecard and policy areas (starting on page 40). LEED for ND goals include:
- To reverse contribution to global climate change
- To enhance individual human health and well-being
- To protect and restore water resources
- To protect, enhance, and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services
- To promote sustainable and regenerative material resources cycles
- To build a greener economy
- To enhance social equity, environmental justice, community health, and quality of life
- See sample ordinances for site and solar orientation.
 |
Enable projects meeting LEED-ND standards in at least one zoning district; report score on the Strong Towns Strength Test or the trick-or-treat-test. |
 |
Enable projects meeting LEED-ND standards by-right (without variance or rezoning) in at least two zoning districts; provide incentives for projects meeting LEED-ND standards in any PUD or flexible zoning ordinance. |
 |
Add language for meeting the LEED-ND green infrastructure and buildings credit for solar orientation of buildings to maximize passive (and active) solar heating of structures, OR for another challenging LEED-ND credit. Report ecodistrict actions under BPA 28.4. |
Who's doing it
Coon Rapids -
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed:
Implementation details:
The Riverdale Transit Station District allows development that meets LEED-ND standards by right.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
Descriptive File:
Descriptive links: http://www.coonrapidsmn.gov/planning/index.htm
For more information contact:
Matt Brown (City staff) | mbrown@coonrapidsmn.gov | 763-767-6422
Partners:
Eden Prairie -
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed:
Implementation details:
In Fall of 2012 the City and Global Green USA will work together in a collaborative partnership to advance the City's sustainability goals through the delivery of technical assistance funded by a grant from the EPA's Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities program. The area of focus is the 1/2 mile radius surrounding the proposed Golden Triangle Light Rail Station.
The specific goals of this partnership are to:
A. Use the criteria of the LEED for Neighborhood Development rating system as a framework for assessing the Citys assets and needs in the areas of physical infrastructure, land use plans, and other relevant policy related to Golden Triangle Light Rail Transit Station Area.
B. Develop comprehensive recommendations for infrastructure and policy changes that can help the City build a future that is more resource-efficient, livable, healthy, and environmentally responsible.
C. Engage local leaders, stakeholders, and other interested parties to create momentum for implementing the proposed recommendations in the Golden Triangle Light Rail Transit Station Area and, as applicable, more broadly in the City.
The specific goals of this partnership are to:
A. Use the criteria of the LEED for Neighborhood Development rating system as a framework for assessing the Citys assets and needs in the areas of physical infrastructure, land use plans, and other relevant policy related to Golden Triangle Light Rail Transit Station Area.
B. Develop comprehensive recommendations for infrastructure and policy changes that can help the City build a future that is more resource-efficient, livable, healthy, and environmentally responsible.
C. Engage local leaders, stakeholders, and other interested parties to create momentum for implementing the proposed recommendations in the Golden Triangle Light Rail Transit Station Area and, as applicable, more broadly in the City.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
The city will track the progress of implementing recommendations made by the technical assistance team.
Descriptive File:
Descriptive links:
For more information contact:
Jennifer Fierce (City Staff) | jfierce@edenprairie.org | 952-949-8313
Partners: Global Green USA
New Brighton -
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed:
Implementation details:
(5) New Brighton’s NBE, New Brighton Exchange zoning district encourages storm water management and conservation development design and/or ecological storm water management techniques and resource efficient building practices, including energy efficiency, water stewardship, waste reduction, use of recycling and non-toxic building materials, and recovery of waste materials through recycling or other beneficial use.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
Descriptive File:
Descriptive links:
For more information contact:
Craig Schlichting (City staff) | craig.schlichting@newbrightonmn.gov | 651-638-2056
Partners:
Greenstep Advisor
Brian Ross, Vice President - Renewable Energy, Great Plains Institute: 612/767-7296, bross@gpisd.net, www.betterenergy.org/who-we-are/staff-and-consultants/