Review Draft Guiding Principles for Potential Participation in GreenStep Cities Program

The purpose of this topic report is to continue the conversation regarding potential participation in the Green Step Cities Program.

As part of the approved 2014 Environmental Policy Board (EPB) Work Plan, the EPB forwarded Resolution #14-01-021 to the City Council to consider participation in the GreenStep Cities program. The Minnesota GreenStep Cities program is a voluntary challenge, assistance and recognition program designed to help communities achieve sustainability and quality of life goals. There are no costs to a city that chooses to participate in this program.

The GreenStep Cities program is lead by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, but is governed by a public/private partnership of state agencies and non-governmental agencies. The program is based upon twenty-eight (28) best practices that outline a cost-effective, step-wise path to implementing sustainable development best practices. More importantly, many of the best practices focus on city operations and how a city itself can become more economically efficient, environmentally efficient, and more sustainable. As a community accomplishes more best practices, it can achieve greater levels of recognition as a GreenStep City. GreenStep cities that achieve a new level or step are recognized at the annual League of Minnesota Cities Conference.  Note that participation in this program does not commit a city to implementing any actions and a city can determine which actions, if any, are appropriate for their community. The City Council still retains control over what, if any, of the metrics it chooses to implement or not implement.

At the January 28, 2014 City Council meeting, the City Council discussed the GreenStep Cities program and whether the City would benefit from participating in this program. Ultimately, the City Council postponed action on the proposed resolution to provide additional time to develop guiding principles to ensure that participation would continue to be in line with the City's goals and core values (Comprehensive Plan and Strategic Plan) and returned review of the program back to the EPB to assist in defining the City's participation. At its February meeting, the EPB revisited the program and reviewed what it considered to be reasonable principles for participation.  Based on that discussion, Staff developed a draft guiding principles document that attempts to more formally structure the City's potential participation.  At their March meeting, the EPB reviewed the draft guiding principles and directed Staff to forward the document for discussion with the City Council.

The guiding principles document reiterates that participation in this program is voluntary and, as had always been the intention of the EPB, would focus on City operations, not the private sector.  It is not the intent or desire of the EPB to utilize the GreenStep Cities program as the impetus for additional regulatory controls that would be out of sequence with the Comprehensive Plan and Strategic Plan, most notably the balance of private properties rights and smart, citizen-focused government.  Rather, the EPB envisions this program as being a resource for the City to utilize when looking internally at its own operations and to identify and review potential energy/resource saving measures that, if implemented, could result in long term savings and a more sustainable operation.  The program would be utilized for reviewing possible actions, identifying the best potential method of implementation, if applicable, and understanding cost implications. Participation in the GreenStep Cities program would not in itself be the driving force for making potential changes in City operations.  The outcome(s) of any action implemented by the City would be made available for both the commercial and residential sectors, who may also be contemplating implementation of a similar action.  Finally, the document emphasizes that any potential action(s) would be subject to the approval of the City Council.

The discussion is anticipated to be 15-30 minutes.

There are no direct costs should a municipality decide to participate in the GreenStep Cities program.  Preparation of this case is being handled as part of normal Staff duties.

Community Development (City Planner)
Environmental Policy Board (EPB)

Provide direction to Staff and the EPB regarding how, or if, to proceed with bringing back a resolution to participate in the GreenStep Cities program.