Provide a financial or other incentive to private parties who add energy/sustainability improvements, meet the SB 2030 energy standard, or renovate using a green building or energy framework.
- Action 6:City Detail
Background Information
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
Best Practice Actions Underway and Completed
Completed actions are denoted by stars.
Total completed actions: 26
Buildings and Lighting
Efficient Existing Private Buildings {BP no.2}
Building Redevelopment {BP no.5}
Plan for reuse of large-format retail buildings, or work with a local school, church or commercial building to either add-on space or repurpose space into new uses.
- Action 3:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Land Use
Comprehensive, Climate and Energy Plans {BP no.6}
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.
- Action 1: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.
- Action 2:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Resilient City Growth {BP no.7}
Eliminate barriers and actively encourage higher density housing by including in the city zoning ordinance and zoning map:
- Action 1:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Achieve higher density housing through at least two of the following strategies:
- Action 2:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Achieve higher intensity commercial/industrial land uses through at least one of the following strategies:
- Action 3:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Mixed Uses {BP no.8}
Have a downtown zoning district that emphasizes small and destination business, entrepreneurial spaces, and allows or requires residential and residential-compatible commercial development.
- Action 5:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Create incentives for vertical mixed-use development in appropriate locations (downtown, commercial districts near colleges or universities, historic commercial districts, commercial districts with minority-owned businesses).
- Action 7:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Transportation
Living & Complete Streets {BP no.11}
Adopt a complete streets policy, or a living streets policy, which addresses landscaping and stormwater.
- Action 1:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Modify a street in compliance with the city's complete streets policy.
- Action 3:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Mobility Options {BP no.12}
Increase walking, biking and transit use by one or more of the following means:
- Action 1:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Conduct an Active Living campaign such as a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program.
- Action 2:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Environmental Management
Sustainable Purchasing {BP no.15}
Purchase energy used by city government - via the municipal utility, green tags, community solar garden, 3rd party - with a higher renewable percentage than required by Minnesota law.
- Action 2:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Community Forests and Soils {BP no.16}
Build community capacity to protect existing trees by one or more of:
- Action 6:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Parks and Trails {BP no.18}
Make improvements within your city's system of parks, offroad trails and open spaces.
- Action 1:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Achieve minimum levels of city green space and maximize the percent within a ten-minute walk of community members.
- Action 3:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Surface Water {BP no.19}
Adopt a shoreland ordinance for all river and lake shoreland areas.
- Action 4:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Septic Systems {BP no.21}
Report to landowners suspected noncompliant or failing septic systems as part of an educational, informational and financial assistance and outreach program designed to trigger voluntary landowner action to improve septic systems.
- Action 1:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Sustainable Consumption and Waste {BP no.22}
Improve recycling services and expand to multi-unit housing and commercial businesses.
- Action 6:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
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.
- Action 7:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Resilient Economic and Community Development
Green Business Development {BP no.25}
Promote sustainable tourism in your city, and green tourism resources to tourism and hospitality businesses in/around the city.
- Action 3:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Renewable Energy {BP no.26}
Promote resident/business purchases and/or generation of clean energy by:
- Action 2:Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Local Food {BP no.27}
Facilitate creation of home/community gardens, chicken & bee keeping, and incorporation of food growing areas/access in multifamily and residential developments.
- Action 2:Create, assist with and promote local food production/distribution within the city:
- Action 3:City has a farmer's market.
Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474
Business Synergies and EcoDistricts {BP no.28}
Require, build or facilitate at least four sustainability attributes in a business/industrial park project:
- Action 3:The City has renovated several buildings including the Insula Restaurant; buildings adjacent to the old movie theater were renovated to create a bigger theater; drug store is undergoing renovation to become a mixed use building with bakery, retail, and office space. All buildings were brought up to MN code including new water heaters, furnaces, and other energy efficiency measures.
Harold Langowski (City staff) | elyod@ely.mn.us | 218-226-5474