GreenStepsActionItemsThings Golden Valley Has
Done
1. Public Buildings
(1) Enter baseline information into the Minnesota B3 database and continue entering
monthly energy use data from city-owned buildings.X
(2) Audit (or when cost-effective, recommission) all city-owned buildings in the bottom third
of the B3 energy performance ranking and implement a majority of energy efficiency
opportunities that have a payback under 5 years.
(3) Complete energy efficiency improvements in at least one city, school or park district
building (in addition to buildings addressed in action 2) via retrofit and retro-/re-
commissioning, with financing at attractive interest rates under MN’s PBEEEP program or
related lease-purchase financing, energy performance contracting, or other cost-justified
program.
X
(4) Participate in other state or utility programs that provide rebates or co-funding for energy
efficiency improvements to public buildings.X
(5) Document that the operation, or construction / remodeling, of at least one city-owned
building (excluding park buildings) meets or qualifies for a green building standard.
(6) Create an internal loan fund for making public building improvements based on an energy
or green building standard.
(7) Install in at least one public building at least one of the following energy efficiency
measures:
a. A distributed energy technology: micro-turbine, fuel cell, reciprocating engine.
b. A ground-source, closed loop geothermal system where net greenhouse gases are
less than those generated by the system being replaced.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=1
2. Private Buildings
(1) Create a marketing and outreach program with the local utility and/or the local
Community Action Program to promote residential energy use reduction and energy efficiency.
(2) Integrate green building information into the building permit process.
(3) Develop a (or modify an existing) truth-in-housing inspection program for homes being
sold, to include a blower-door test and energy-use rating.
(4) Document at least one of the following green building practices, partnering with an
assistance provider such as a utility, EnergySmart, MNTAP or ReTAP as appropriate:
a. Building energy improvements in businesses.
b. Use of Energy Star’s Portfolio Manger by businesses.
c. The construction of and/or operation of at least three buildings that meet or
qualify for a green building standard.
(5) Take action to conserve drinking water resources through at least one the following:
a. Implement a robust watering ordinance.
b. Implement a conservation rate structure.
c. Adopt, with modifications as necessary, a model landscaping ordinance to allow
for low water-use landscaping.
d. Create a rebate or feebate program to promote purchases of WaterSense- and
Energy Star-rated appliances.
(6) Provide a meaningful and significant incentive to private parties (builders, homeowners,
businesses, institutions) who renovate to a green building standard:
a. Building permit fee discount
b. Grant, rebate or tax breaks (e.g., property tax abatement)
c. Expedited permit review
d. Green building design assistance
e. Density bonus
(7) Customize a model sustainable building renovation policy and adopt language governing
commercial renovation projects that:
a. Receive city financial support, and/or
b. Require city regulatory approval (conditional use permit, rezoning, PUD status).
(8) Arrange for on-bill financing, using either utility or property tax bills, to make
home/building sustainability improvements easier and more affordable.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=2
3. New Green Buildings
(1) Require by ordinance that all new city-owned buildings and substantial remodels meet or
qualify for a green building standard.
(2) Work with the local school district to ensure that all new schools are built to a green
building standard.
5 Buildings & Lighting Best Practices
MINNESOTA GREENSTEP CITIES BEST PRACTICES, ACTION
OPTIONS AND PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS (1/11/2011)
(3) Customize a model sustainable building policy and adopt language governing new private
development projects that:
a. Receive city financial support, and/or
b. Require city regulatory approval (conditional use permit, rezoning, PUD).
(4) Provide a meaningful and significant incentive to private parties (residents, builders,
developers) who build to a green building standard:
a. Building permit fee discount
b. Expedited permit review
c. Green building design assistance
d. Grant, rebate or tax breaks (e.g., property tax abatement)
e. Density bonus
(5) Adopt covenant guidelines for common interest communities addressing issues such as
stormwater, native vegetation, growing food, clothes lines and renewable energy.
(6) Work with local financial institutions to use energy-efficient mortgages for buildings
seeking a green building certification.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=3
4. Outdoor Lighting & Signals
(1) Require energy efficient, Dark-Sky compliant new or replacement outdoor lighting fixtures
on city-owned buildings and facilities.
(2) Require all new street lighting and traffic signals to be Dark-Sky compliant, energy
efficient lighting technologies.
(3) Modify any city franchise or other agreement with a utility to facilitate rapid replacement
of inefficient street lighting.
(4) Synchronize traffic signals so as minimize car idling at intersections yet maintain safe and
publicly acceptable vehicle speeds.X
(5) Install solar powered lighting in a street, parking lot or park project.
(6) Work with a utility program to relamp exterior building lighting for at least 30% of city-
owned buildings with energy efficient, Dark-Sky compliant lighting.
(7) Replace at least 50% of the city’s parking lot lighting with Dark-Sky compliant, energy
efficient, automatic dimming lighting technologies.
(8) Replace at least one-third of the city’s traffic signals with energy efficient LED lighting
technologies.X
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=4
5. Building Reuse
(1) Develop and adopt an historic preservation ordinance to encourage adaptive reuse, with
attention to energy and resource conservation, indoor air quality and other green building
practices.
(2) For cities with traditional downtown areas, implement the Minnesota Main Street model
for commercial revitalization with attention to green building practices.
(3) Work with a local school to either add on space, or to repurpose space into non-school
uses, with attention to green building practices.X
(4) Create/modify a green residential remodeling assistance/financing program to assist
homeowners in adding space to their existing homes while retaining historic architectural
elements.
(5) Adopt development and design standards that facilitate infill and redevelopment, such as
developing strip/large format commercial areas into more livable/walkable neighborhoods and
gathering places.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=5
6. Comp Plan
(1) Adopt/have an adopted comprehensive plan that is less than ten years old (required for
Category A cities) OR, Category B and C cities may simply adopt a land use plan that was
adopted by a regional entity or the county less than ten years ago.
X
(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.
X
(3) Include requirements in comprehensive plans for intergovernmental coordination dealing
with at least six of the following issues:X
a. Transportation
X
b. Watershed impacts
X
c. Land use
X
d. Economic development
e. Housing and foreclosures
f. Police
g. Fire
h. Health
i. Sewer and water
(4) Include ecological/transportation provisions in the comprehensive plan that explicitly aim
to achieve all of the following goals:
a. Minimize the fragmentation and development of agricultural, forest, wildlife, and
high quality open space lands in and around the city.
b. For cities adjacent to undeveloped land: establish a growth area with staging
criteria that reflects projected population growth and, if applicable, is subject to an
orderly annexation agreement and planned extension of municipal services.
5 Land Use Best Practices
c. Establish policies with numerical targets to reduce vehicle miles traveled.
(5) Adopt climate protection or energy independence goals and objectives in the
comprehensive plan or in a separate policy document, and link these goals to direct
implementation recommendations.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=6
7. Higher Density
(1) Limit barriers to higher density housing by including in the city zoning ordinance and
zoning map a zoning district that allows:
a. Neighborhood single-family density at six units per acre or greater.
b. Multi-family housing at a gross density of at least 15 units per acre adjacent to a
commercial zoning district or transit center.
(2) Encourage higher density housing through at least two of the following strategies:
a. Incorporate a flexible lot size/frontage requirement for infill development.
b. Use density and floor area ratio (FAR) bonuses in selected residential zoning
districts.
c. Tie a regulatory standard to comprehensive plan language defining compact city
expansion zones that limit low-density development.
d. Allowing accessory dwelling units by right in selected zoning districts.
(3) Encourage a higher intensity of commercial land uses through at least one of the following
strategies:
a. Include in the city zoning ordinance and zoning map a commercial district with
reduced lot sizes and zero-lot-line setbacks, or a FAR minimum between .75 and 1.
b. Set targets for the minimum number of employees/acre in different commercial
zones.
(4) Provide one or more of the following incentives for infill projects, or for life-cycle housing
near job or retail centers, or for achieving an average net residential density of seven units per
acre:
a. Building permit fee discount.
b. Expedited permit review.
c. Grant or tax breaks.
d. Other incentives.
(5) Modify the city zoning ordinance and zoning map to allow, without variance or rezoning in
at least one district, developments that meet the prerequisites for LEED-Neighborhood
Development certification.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=7
8. Mixed Uses
(1) Create a main street program or organize a Minnesota Design Team planning charrette.
(2) Locate or lease a government facility that has at least two of these attributes:
a. Adjacent to an existing employment or residential center.
b. Designed to facilitate and encourage access by walking and biking.
c. Accessible by existing regular transit service.
(3) Modify a planned unit development – PUD - ordinance to emphasize mixed use
development or to limit residential PUDs to areas adjacent to commercial development.
(4) Certify a new development as complying with LEED-ND standards, including the mixed-use
credits.
(5) Create, or modify an existing, downtown zoning district to allow residential and small
compatible commercial development, based on the 2009 Minnesota Model Ordinances for
Sustainable Development.
(6) Create, or modify an existing, district to use form-based zoning standards that de-
emphasize use-based standards.
(7) Create incentives for vertical mixed-use development in appropriate locations
(downtown, commercial districts near colleges or universities, historic commercial districts).
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=8
9. Highway Development
(1) Conduct a visual preference survey with community members and establish design goals
for highway corridors.
(2) Participate in regional economic development planning with representatives from
surrounding townships, cities, the county and business interests to:
a. Estimate commercial/industrial needs among all jurisdictions.
b. Jointly implement recommendations to stage highway commercial development
in order to avoid overbuilding and low-density development.
(3) Adopt transportation infrastructure design standards that accomplish at least one of the
following:
a. Improve the ecologic functions of land adjacent to highway corridors.
b. Facilitate clustering of commercial highway development.
c. Context-sensitive design.
(4) Adopt, with modifications as necessary, at least one of the following model corridor
management and design ordinances:
a. Model access management overlay
b. Highway Commercial District
c. Adequate Public Facilities ordinance that stages highway commercial
development concurrently with infrastructure expansion.
(5) Require decommissioning in development agreements for large format developments
should they remain vacant for several years.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=9
10. Conservation Design
(1) Conduct a Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment (NRI and NRA) and incorporate
protection of priority natural systems or resources through the subdivision or development
process, as described in Minnesota’s 2009 Model Ordinances for Sustainable Development.
(2) For cities outside or on the fringe of metropolitan areas, conduct a cost of public services
study for development outside the city grid and adopt development standards or a concurrency
ordinance to ensure staged urban growth that protects natural systems.
(3) For cities within metropolitan areas, incorporate by policy woodland best management
practices into zoning or development review.X
(4) For cities with undeveloped natural resource areas use, or adopt as policy the use of, a
conservation design scorecard as a tool in negotiating development agreements.
(5) Develop and fund a conservation easement program, such as a purchase of development
rights program, in collaboration with a land trust.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=10
11. Complete Green Streets
(1) Adopt a complete streets policy that addresses street trees and stormwater, and modify
street standards accordingly.
X
(2) Adopt zoning language for a selected area/project that is substantially equivalent to the
LEED for Neighborhood Development credits for Walkable Streets or Street Network.
(3) Document the installation of trees, and other green stormwater infrastructure, and utility
renovations as needed (sewer, water, electric, telecommunications) as part of at least one
complete street reconstruction project.
X
(4) Identify and remedy non-complete street segments by, for example, adding a bike
route/lane or sidewalk.X
(5) Identify and remedy street-trail gaps (at least one) between city streets and trails/bike
trails to better facilitate walking and biking.X
(6) Implement traffic calming measures in at least one street redevelopment project.
X
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=11
12. Mobility Options
(1) Promote walking, biking and transit use by one or more of the following means:
a. Produce/distribute a map(s) and/or signage and/or a web site that shows (by
neighborhood if a larger city) key civic/commercial sites, best bike and pedestrian
routes, and transit routes and schedules.
X
b. Increase the number of bike facilities, such as racks, bike stations, showers at city
offices.
c. Add bus infrastructure, such as signage, benches, shelters and real-time arrival
data streaming..
d. Increase the number of employers who offer qualified transportation fringe
benefits instead of only a tax-free parking fringe benefit.
e. Launch an Active Living campaign in concert with your local community health
board.X
(2) Launch a Safe Routes to School program with educational, public health and other
partners.X
(3) Prominently identify on the city’s web site mobility options for hire: transit services;
paratransit/Dial-A-Ride; cab service(s); rental car agency(s).
(4) Promote carpooling or ridesharing among community members, city employees,
businesses, high schools and institutions of higher education.
(5) Launch an eWorkPlace Minnesota campaign, working with business and transportation
management organizations, or help bring telemedicine technology to a local health care
provider.
(6) Accomplish at least one of the following transit / mobility sharing projects, working with
other units of local governments as needed:
a. Add/expand transit service.
b. Launch a car sharing or bike sharing business.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=12
13. City Fleets
(1) Decrease use of city vehicles by means such as trip bundling, video conferencing,
carpooling and financial incentives for efficient vehicle use.
(2) Right-size the city fleet with the most fuel-efficient vehicles that are of an optimal
size/capacity for their intended functions. X
(3) Document the phase-in of at least three of the following equipment and operational
changes in vehicle contracts, for city or local transit fleets, or for school/park board fleets:
X
a. Monthly monitoring and reporting for staff on fuel usage and costs.
X
b. Training for more efficient driving, including anti-idling behavior/rules.
c. Maintenance schedules that optimize vehicle life and fuel efficiency.
X
d. Alternative fuel vehicles.
4 Transportation Best Practices
e. Charging stations (solar or wind powered) for plug-in hybrid and full electric
vehicles.
f. Lower-carbon fuels (such as biodiesel above the State-mandated 5%, straight
vegetable oil) using a life-cycle calculation.
g. More fuel-efficient vehicles.
h. Car share vehicles owned by a third party to decrease fleet size.
i. Bicycles.
(4) Phase in bike, foot or horseback police patrols.
X
(5) Document that the local school bus fleet has optimized routes, start times, boundaries,
vehicles, bus fuels, and driver actions to decrease fuel use.
(6) Participate in Project GreenFleet to retrofit or replace diesel engines, or to install auxiliary
power units that reduce truck and bus idling.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=13
14. Demand-Side Travel Planning
(1) In development standards, right-size parking minimum standards and add parking
maximums in pedestrian-friendly or transit-served areas.
(2) For cities with regular transit service, require or provide incentives for the siting of retail
services at transit/density nodes.
(3) For cities with regular transit service, require or provide incentives for the siting of higher
density housing at transit/density nodes.
(4) Incorporate demand-side transportation strategies into development regulations,
adopting, with modifications as necessary, at least one of the following from Minnesota’s 2009
Updated Model Ordinances for Sustainable Development:
a. Travel Demand Management Performance Standard
b. Transit-oriented Development Ordinance
(5) Document that a development project certifies under the LEED for Neighborhood
Development program and is awarded at least one of the following credits:
a. Transportation Demand Management.
b. Housing and Jobs Proximity.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=14
15. Environmental Purchasing
(1) Adopt a policy or administrative practice directing that the city purchase only:
a. EnergyStar certified equipment and appliances and
X
b. Paper containing at least 30% post-consumer recycled content.
(2) Purchase 15% of city energy requirements from renewable energy sources.
(3) Establish a local purchasing preference and, working with a local business association,
develop a list of locally-produced products and suppliers for common purchases.
(4) Require purchase of U.S. EPA Water Sense-certified products for all product categories
covered by the Water Sense program.
(5) Set minimum standards for the percentage of recycled-content material in at least 5
products typically purchased by the city, such as asphalt and roadbed aggregate.
(6) Require printing services to be purchased from companies certified by Minnesota Great
Printers or by the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership.
(7) Lower the environmental footprint of meetings and events in the city through one or
more of the following:
a. Adopt a policy for meetings and events hosted by city government.
b. Adopt a policy for meetings and events taking place on city property, including
parks and libraries.
c. Distribute educational materials for use at city-supported events such as National
Night Out.
(8) Specify the use of state and national green standards/guidelines for at least 3 of the
following categories of purchasing:
a. Electronics, including printers, printer supplies - especially remanufactured
cartridges - and printer operation.
b. Wood products / bio-based products.
c. Organic food
d. Cleaning products
e. Paints, coatings and adhesives
f. Carpets
g. Furniture
h. Paper products
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=15
16. Urban Forests
(1) Qualify as a Tree City USA.
X
(2) Adopt as policy MN Tree Trusts’ Best Practices and use the guidelines in at least one
development project to achieve an excellent an exemplary rating.X
(3) Budget tree installation and maintenance to, within 15 years, achieve the following tree
canopy shading for streets, sidewalks and parking lots in the following zoning districts:
a. At least 25% for industrial and commercial zoning.
b. At least 75% for residential zoning.
(4) Maximize tree planting along your main downtown street.
9 Environmental Management Best Practices
(5) Adopt at least one of the following ordinances/policies:
a. Adopt a policy of no net loss of specified natural landscapes.
b. Adopt an ordinance/policy relating to protection of trees on parcels affected by
city planning/regulatory processes.
c. Adopt landscaping/nuisance ordinances that promote, rather than create barriers
for, native vegetation.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=16
17. Stormwater
(1) Complete the Blue Star City stormwater management assessment and achieve a minimum
threshold of specific activities detailed in this program.
(2) Adopt by ordinance one or more of the following:
a. A narrower streets provision that permits construction of 24-foot roads for
public, residential access and subcollector streets (with fewer than 500 average daily
trips).
X
b. A 1.5 inch rainfall on-site rainwater infiltration design requirement for
construction sites.
c. A stormwater runoff volume limit to pre-development volumes for the 5-year, 24-
hour rainfall maximum event.
(3) Maintain less than 12% impermeable surfaces in the watershed in which the city lies.
(4) Create a stormwater utility that uses variable fees to incentivize enhanced stormwater
management and funds community stormwater infrastructure and assistance/education
programs.
(5) Adopt and implement guidelines for, or adopt required design standards for at least one
of the following stormwater infiltration/reuse techniques:
a. Rain gardens.
b. Green roofs with or without cisterns, or water/greywater reuse systems.
c. Green alleys.
d. Green parking lots.
(6) Adopt an ordinance with erosion and sediment control provisions as well are
requirements for permanent stormwater treatment. X
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=17
18. Green Infrastructure
(1) Identify gaps (connectivity breaks) in your city’s system of parks, trails and open spaces,
and remedy at least one of them.X
(2) Plan and budget for a network of parks, green spaces, water features and trails in all new
development areas.
(3) Document at least one of the following performance measures:
a. At least 20% of total city land area in protected green infrastructure (parks and
protected natural resource areas and trails).
b. All residents are within ½ mile of a park or protected green space.
(4) Adopt low-impact design standards in parks and trails that infiltrate or retain all 2 inch, 24-
hour stormwater events on site.
(5) Create park management standards that maximize at least one of the following:
a. Low maintenance native landscaping.
b. Organic or integrated pest management.
c. Sources of non-potable water for irrigation.
(6) Certify at least one golf course in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf
Courses.
(7) Document that the operation, or construction/remodeling, of at least one park building
meets or qualifies for a green building standard, with special attention to highlighting and
educating around the green features.
(8) Develop a program to involve community members in land restoration and stewardship.X
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=18
19. Surface Water
(1) Assist at least one lake or river association to earn the Star Lake/River designation for
their lake/river.
(2) Assist at least one lake or river association to become Star Lake/River-ready by achieving
nearly all of the program requirements.
(3) Work with other organizations to support citizen education about and involvement with
actions to attain measurable, publicly announced surface water improvement targets for lakes,
streams and wetlands, adopted by the city council and reported on each year.
(4) Adopt a shoreland ordinance consistent with MN Dept. of Natural Resources rules as
modified.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=19
20. Water and Wastewater Facilities
(1) Compare the energy use and performance of your facilities with other peer plants using
standardized, free tools.
(2) Plan and budget for motor maintenance and upgrades so as to assure the most energy
efficient, durable and appropriate equipment is available when upgrades or break downs occur.
X
(3) Establish an on-going budget and program for decreasing inflow and infiltration into
sewer lines, involving at least gutter, foundation drains and sump pump disconnects.
X
(4) Assess energy and chemicals use at drinking water facilities and implement one-third of
recommendations with a payback of less than 3 years.
(5) Require property owners to have their private sanitary sewer lateral pipe inspected before
a property sale or title transfer.
(6) Implement at least one of the following efficiency projects/programs:
a. Assist local businesses, institutions and/or residents in pre-treating and lowering
volumes and toxicity of sewer inflows.
b. Co-generate electricity and heat from the wastewater treatment plant.
c. Reuse water (sell reclaimed water) from a wastewater plant for nonpotable ag-
processing, irrigation, cooling or power plant uses.
d. A greywater reuse system in at least one public or private building.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=20
21. Septic Systems
(1) 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.
(2) Create a program that follows the five-step process for addressing failing septic systems
developed by the University of Minnesota’s Onsite Sewage Treatment Program.
(3) Clarify/establish one or more responsible management entities for the proper design,
siting, installation, operation, monitoring and maintenance of septic systems.
(4) Adopt a Subsurface Sewage Treatment System ordinance based on the Association of
Minnesota Counties model ordinance.
(5) Create a program to finance septic systems upgrades through, for example, a city revenue
bond, repayable through taxpayers’ property taxes.
(6) Work with homeowners and businesses in environmentally sensitive areas and areas
where standard septic systems are not the least-cost option to promote innovative waste water
systems.
(7) Arrange for assistance to commercial, retail and industrial businesses with water use
reduction, pollution prevention and pretreatment prior to discharge to septics.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=21
22. Solid Waste Reduction
(1) Adopt percentage reduction goals for waste and toxicity generated from city operations
(including schools, libraries, parks, municipal health care facilities). Accomplish reduction goals
in at least three of the following areas:
a. Overall waste generation
b. Paper use and junk mail
c. Pesticide/herbicide use
d. Water use/waste water generation
(2) Adopt and meet aggressive goals for the overall percentage diversion of currently
disposed waste from city operations into recycling and organics collection.
(3) Document signing of at least one resource management contract with a waste hauler for
one or more of:
a. City government operations.
b. Schools, libraries, parks, or municipal health care facilities.
c. A commercial or industrial business.
(4) Publicize, promote and use the varied businesses collecting and marketing used and
repaired consumer goods in the city/county.X
(5) Arrange for a residential or business/institutional organics collection/management
program (food-to-people, food-to-animals, composting, anaerobic digestion, and backyard
composting).
(6) Organize residential solid waste collection by private and/or public operations to
accomplish multiple benefits.
(7) For cities that provide direct or contract waste collection services, offer volume-based
pricing on residential garbage and/or feebates on recycling so that the price differences are
large enough to increase recycling/composting but not illegal dumping.
(8) Adopt a construction and demolition ordinance for projects over a specified size that
mandates levels of recycling and reuse for materials and soil/land-clearing debris and is tied to
demolition permits.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=22
23. Local Air Quality
(1) Conduct an education/financial assistance campaign around one of the following wood
burning / auto exhaust issues:
a. Indoor and outdoor wood burning behavior, to ensure that wood burning is only
done with seasoned wood and in a manner that doesn’t negatively impact neighbors.
b. Indoor wood burning technology, to result in community members upgrading
from inefficient/more polluting fireplaces and wood stoves to natural gas stoves and
fireplaces or the most efficient certified wood stoves.
c. Smoker cars - older model/high polluting vehicles, to result in repairs spurred by
repair vouchers.
(2) Regulate outdoor wood burning, using model ordinance language, performance standards
and bans as appropriate, for at least one of the following:
a. Recreational burning.
b. Outdoor wood boilers.
(3) Conduct one or more education/behavior change campaigns on the topics below and
document:
a. Decreased vehicle idling in specific locales or by specific fleets.
b. Increased sales by retail stores of low and no-VOC household products.
c. Replacement of gasoline-powered equipment with lower polluting equipment.
(4) Document the participation of at least 3 larger businesses using trucks in at least one of
the following:
a. Clean Air Minnesota’s Project GreenFleet.
b. U.S. EPA’s SmartWay Transport program.
c. Installation of auxiliary power units that reduce truck and bus idling.
(5) Install at least two public charging stations for plug-in hybrid and full electric vehicles.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=28
24. Benchmarks & Community Engagement
(1) Report progress at least annually to community members on implementation of GreenStep
City best practices, including energy/carbon benchmarking data if gathered.
(2) Organize goals/outcome measures from all city plans – comprehensive, parks, library,
housing, stormwater, drinking water, transportation, economic development, energy,
sustainability, etc. – and annually report to community members data that show progress
toward meeting these goals.
(3) Engage community members in a public process involving a city council committee or
community task force that results in city council adoption of and commitment to measure and
report on progress toward sustainability indicators.
(4) Conduct or support an energy efficiency or sustainability education and action campaign
for:
a. The entire community
b. Homeowners
c. Block clubs/neighborhood associations
d. Congregations
e. Schools and youth
(5) Conduct or support a community education, visioning and planning initiative using a
sustainability framework such as:
a. Strong Towns
b. Transition initiatives
c. Eco-municipalities/The Natural Step
d. ISO 14001
e. Post Carbon Cities
f. Permaculture
g. Natural Capitalism
h. Genuine Progress
i. Healthy communities
j. Multi-generation learning
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=23
25. Green Business Development
(1) Identify new and emerging local businesses in the green economy and support these
businesses and green jobs through one or more of the following:
a. Coordinated marketing and business assistance.
b. Incubator space.
c. Streamlined grants, loans or permitting processes.
d. Workforce training opportunities with community colleges and job training
centers.
(2) Connect at least 5 businesses with assistance providers, including utilities, who conduct
personalized energy, environmental sustainability, and waste audits.
(3) Distribute green tourism resources to all tourism and hospitality businesses in the city and
facilitate follow-up with at least five businesses to assist them in greening their business.
(4) Support the creation of a value-added business utilizing local waste products, such as wood
from felled trees or reusable deconstruction and landscaping materials.
(5) Document steps taken to lower the environmental footprint of a brownfield
remediation/redevelopment project.
(6) Use a green business certification program to publicly promote that a targeted number or
percentage of businesses has improved the environmental performance of their company.
(7) Conduct or participate in a buy local campaign, working with local organizations and
assistance providers.X
(8) Work with the state Small Business Environmental Assistance Program (SBEAP) to help at
least 5 businesses to use SBEAP services.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=24
26. Renewable Energy
(1) Adopt, with modifications as necessary, at least one of the following from Minnesota’s
2009 Model Ordinances for Sustainable Development:
a. Solar energy standards.
b. Model wind energy ordinance.
5 Economic and Community Development Best Practices
(2) Consistently promote at least one of the following means of increasing renewable
generation:
a. A local utility’s green power purchasing program for homes and businesses.
b. Local, state and federal financial incentives for property owners to install
renewable energy systems.
(3) Create a renewable energy financing program for property owners to install generation
capacity.
(4) Promote firms that contract with property owners (in groups or individually) to
install/finance renewable installations, some at little or no upfront cost.
(5) Install a public sector renewable energy technology, such as solar electric (PV), solar hot
water or hot air, micro-hydro or wind.
(6) Work with private/public partners to create renewable energy generation capacity with
one or more of the following attributes:
a. Fueled by flowing water, wind, or biogas.
b. Fueled in part or whole by woody biomass, optimized for minimal air and other
environmental impacts and for energy efficiency and water conservation.
c. Distributing heating/cooling services in a district energy system.
d. Producing combined heat and power.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=25
27. Local Food
(1) Incorporate working landscapes - agriculture and forestry - into the city by adopting, with
modifications as necessary, one or more of the 2009 Minnesota Model Ordinances for
Sustainable Development:
a. Agriculture and Forest Protection District
b. Local Food Production District
c. Performance Standards for Minor and Major Agricultural Retail.
(2) Permit the incorporation of food growing areas/local food access into a residential
development.
(3) Expand/strengthen or create at least one of the following means of expanding local food
access:
a. A farmer’s market.
X
b. A community-supported agriculture (CSA) - arrangement between farmers and
community members/employees.
c. A community or school garden, orchard or forest.
d. A rural grocery store.
(4) Conduct at least one of the following campaigns to measurably increase:
a. Purchase of food with at least one of the following attributes -- local, Minnesota-
grown, organic, humanely raised, grown by fairly compensated growers.
b. Backyard gardening / chickens.
c. Institutional buying of local foods by schools, hospitals/nursing homes,
restaurants and hotels, or grocery stores
d. Sale of local food in markets and restaurants.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=26
28. Business Synergies
(1) Help at least three businesses register as users of the Minnesota Materials Exchange and
document their exchanges/sales of byproducts with other local/regional businesses.
(2) Assist at least one business to use waste heat or water discharge from another business.
(3) Require, build or facilitate at least four of the following in a business/industrial project:
a. Shared parking/access.
b. Shared recreation /childcare facilities.
c. A green job training program.
d. Green product development, manufacturing or sales.
e. Buildings located within walking distance of transit and/or residential zoning.
f. Renovated buildings.
g. Buildings designed for reuse.
h. Green buildings built to exceed the Minnesota energy code.
i. Combined heat and power (CHP) generation capacity.
j. Shared geothermal heating/cooling.
k. Low-impact site development.
(4) Use eco-industrial park tools to identify industrial facilities that could achieve economic
and environmental benefit by co-locating in the city’s industrial park or industrial zone.
http://greenstep.pca.state.mn.us/bestPracticesDetail.cfm?bpid=27
From among all the best practices (1 - 28), the "floating BP" requirement:
TOTAL BEST PRACTICES IMPLEMENTED TO BE RECOGNIZED AS A STEP 3 GREENSTEP CITY