City Detail

Enter/update building information into the MN B3 Benchmarking database, and routinely enter monthly usage data for all city-owned buildings/infrastructure that consume energy/water.

Make no/low cost indoor lighting and operational changes in city-owned/school buildings to reduce energy costs.

Invest in larger energy efficiency projects through performance contracting or other funding or through smaller retro-commissioning/retrofit projects in city-owned/school buildings.

Implement IT efforts and city employee engagement to reduce plug loads, building energy use and workflow efficiency.

Create or participate in a marketing/outreach/incentive program to promote/achieve residential energy/water use reduction and energy efficiency.

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.

Use LED/solar-powered lighting for a flashing sign or in a street, parking lot or park project.

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.

Include requirements in comprehensive and/or other plans for intergovernmental coordination addressing regional land use and watershed / wellhead impacts, infrastructure, transportation, economic development and city/regional services.

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

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

Locate or lease a property for use as a school, city building or other government facility that has at least two of these attributes:

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 a complete streets policy, or a living streets policy, which addresses landscaping and stormwater.

Modify a street in compliance with the city's complete streets policy.

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.

Increase walking, biking and transit use by one or more of the following means:

Prominently promote mobility options: public transit; paratransit/Dial-A-Ride; cab services; rental cars; bike lanes; trails; airports.

Adopt a sustainable purchasing policy or administrative guidelines/practices directing that the city purchase at least:

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.

Certify as a Tree City USA.

Adopt best practices for urban tree planting/quality; require them in private developments and/or use them in at least one development project.

Budget for and achieve resilient urban canopy/tree planting goals.

Maximize tree planting along your main downtown street or throughout the city.

Adopt a tree preservation or native landscaping ordinance.

Build community capacity to protect existing trees by one or more of:

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:

Improve smart-salting by reducing chloride use in winter maintenance and dust suppressants to prevent permanent surfacewater and groundwater pollution.

Conduct or support multi-party community conversations, assessments, plans and actions around improving local water quality and quantity.

Implement an existing TMDL implementation plan.

Plan and budget for motor maintenance and upgrades to assure the most energy efficient, durable and appropriate equipment is available when upgrades or breakdowns occur.

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

Optimize energy and chemical use at drinking water/wastewater facilities and decrease chloride in wastewater discharges.

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

Arrange for a residential and/or business/institutional source-separated organics collection/management program.

Replace small internal combustion engine lawn and garden equipment (e.g. lawnmowers, weed whips, etc.) with lower polluting equipment.

Install, assist with and promote publicly available EV charging stations or public fueling stations for alternative fuel vehicles. 

Inclusive and Coordinated Decision-Making: Use a city commission or committee to lead, coordinate, report to and engage community members on the identification and equitable implementation of sustainability best practices.

Communicating Progress on Goals: Organize goals/outcome measures from all city plans (social, environmental, economic) and report to community members data that show progress toward meeting these goals.

Measuring Outcomes: Engage community members and partners in identifying, measuring, and reporting progress on key sustainability and social indicators/ including energy use/greenhouse gas emissions, social vitality/social inclusion outcome measures.

Create or participate in a marketing/outreach program to connect businesses with assistance providers, including utilities, who provide personalized energy, waste or sustainability audits and assistance.

Conduct or participate in a buy local campaign for community members and local businesses.

Prepare to maintain public health and safety during extreme weather and climate-change-related events, while also taking a preventive approach to reduce risk for community members.