City Detail

Background Information

City of Dodge Center
County: Dodge
Population: 2700
GreenStep City category: B
Full-time equivalent city staff (approx.): 17
Participating township, county, school:

GreenStep Coordinator

Bryce Lange
City Staff
blange@ci.dodgecenter.mn.us
5073742575
City web page relating to sustainability/GreenStep activities:
https://www.ci.dodgecenter.mn.us/
GreenStep City resolution: Click here to view the file.
GreenStep City status and date: STEP 1 ( )

City Assessment Files and City Performance Metrics

City councils pass a resolution to join the GreenStep program and are recognized at Step 1. Step 2 and Step 3 recognition levels reflect completed city actions, reported and rated below with stars (1 star = good, 2 stars = better, 3 stars = best). The Assessment File below summarizes completed city actions in a short Word file. Step 4 recognition is awarded to cities who report a minimum number of core metrics for the previous calendar year. These metrics aim to show the aggregate, quantitative results of taking multiple GreenStep actions. Step 5 cities show improvement in the Step 4 metrics. See yearly data for Steps 4&5. Additional city data can be found by reviewing information on B3 Benchmarking and Regional Indicators Initiative.

Assessment File
2021 - click to view assessment

Best Practice Actions Underway and Completed

Completed actions are denoted by stars.

Total completed actions: 7
1 star actions: 6
3 star actions: 1

Land Use Land Use

Comprehensive, Climate and Energy Plans {BP no.6}

1 star - Action 1:

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.

Rating Guideline
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed: 2020
Implementation details:
The City of Dodge Center adopted the 2020 Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
Highlights of this plan include using land more efficiently with higher density housing and making sidewalks required for future development.
Descriptive File: view file
Descriptive links:
Planning and Zoning Commission
For more information contact:
Bryce Lange (Elected official) | brycelange13@gmail.com | 507-523-2257
1 star - Action 2:

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.

Rating Guideline
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed: 1993
Implementation details:
I have attached an ordinance that was adopted in 1993 that references that the comprehensive land use plan is the foundation for zoning within Dodge Center.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
Descriptive File: view file
Descriptive links:
For more information contact:
Bryce Lange (Elected official) | brycelange13@gmail.com | 507-523-2257

Transportation Transportation

Living & Complete Streets {BP no.11}

1 star - Action 4:

Identify, prioritize and remedy complete streets gaps and lack of connectivity/safety within your road network by, for example, bike/pedestrian plan, adding a bike route/lane, truck route, sidewalk or mid-block alley.

Rating Guideline
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed: 2019
Implementation details:
The City of Dodge Center has been committed to making the city more bikable and walkable. In recent years, the city has adopted a policy of installing new sidewalk or replacing old sidewalk whenever there is a road construction project. In 2020, there is set to be over $5 million in street repairs and new street construction for residential, commercial, and even industrial areas. All of these roads in the 2020 project and afterwards will have sidewalks built. I attached a map with the current sidewalks in Dodge Center highlighted in purple. The goal of the city is that in the future, all streets will be highlighted with purple. The City is also participating in Safe Routes to School, which will help develop a document that identifies areas of concern, not only relating to sidewalk availability, but also to crosswalks and other infrastructure, in order to increase the safety and effectiveness of non-motor transportation. This plan is expected to be completed in June.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
The outcome measurements from this action will be that sidewalks will increase connectivity throughout Dodge Center making the city more walking and biking friendly. This will allow people to walk to their destinations, get healthy, and decrease carbon emissions from motor vehicles.
Descriptive File: view file
Descriptive links:
For more information contact:
Bryce Lange (Elected official) | brycelange13@gmail.com | 507-523-2257

Mobility Options {BP no.12}

3 star - Action 2:

Conduct an Active Living campaign such as a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program.

Rating Guideline
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed: 2019
Implementation details:
Through SRTS, our consultants, and our committee the City aims to identify and address gaps in infrastructure that exists. Our committee includes teachers, principals, city staff, county engineer, school resource officer, police officers, concerned parents, a SHIP representative, and students. So far, the committee has held a workshop, in which, the above listed members attended to assess how school pick up and drop off was conducted, walk the city streets and see what challenges exist, and collaborate together on what some of the possible solutions might be. We have also led several surveying initiatives where parents, teachers, and students have been asked to provide information on what some of the barriers of walking or biking to school are. Over the winter of 2019-2020 the plan will be developed by Alta Planning. In the spring of 2020, the plan will be shared with committee members and the committee will be expected to continue working together to use the plan to address the problems that are laid out.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
Once the plan is developed in June of 2020. We hope that committee can continue to address non-motor transportation issues and continue to collaborate with SRTS on different grant and programmtic initiatives that they lead in order to make walking and biking a safe possibility for students to use to get to school.
Descriptive File:
Descriptive links:
SHIP, Triton School District, MN DoT, Dodge County, City of Dodge Center, and Dodge County Sherriff's office
For more information contact:
Bryce Lange (Elected official) | brycelange13@gmail.com | 507-523-2257

Environmental Management Environmental Management

Community Forests and Soils {BP no.16}

1 star - Action 1:

Certify as a Tree City USA.

Rating Guideline
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed: 2019
Implementation details:
The City of Dodge Center was certifed as a Tree City in 2020.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
The City of Dodge Center became a Tree City and is actively working to create a tree planting program to have more trees planted in resident's yards and in the boulevard.
Descriptive File: view file
Descriptive links:
Tree City USA
For more information contact:
Bryce Lange (Elected official) | brycelange13@gmail.com | 507-523-2257
1 star - Action 1:

Certify as a Tree City USA.

Rating Guideline
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed: 2019
Implementation details:
The City of Dodge Center was certifed as a Tree City in 2020.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
The City of Dodge Center became a Tree City and is actively working to create a tree planting program to have more trees planted in resident's yards and in the boulevard.
Descriptive File: view file
Descriptive links:
Tree City USA
For more information contact:
Bryce Lange (Elected official) | brycelange13@gmail.com | 507-523-2257

Parks and Trails {BP no.18}

1 star - Action 1:

Make improvements within your city's system of parks, offroad trails and open spaces.

Rating Guideline
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed: 2020
Implementation details:
The City of Dodge Center undertook a large park renovation project at North Park from 2019 through 2020.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
The updates included an adaptive playground, a pollinator garden, renovated tennis courts, and resurfaced trails. This will allow people to be healthier and improve the environment with the addition of the pollinator garden.
Descriptive File: view file
Descriptive links:
MN DNR
For more information contact:
Bryce Lange (Elected official) | brycelange13@gmail.com | 507-523-2257