2014.11.06 Work Session Packet (1st)4141 Douglas Drive North • Crystal, Minnesota 55422-1696
Tel: (763) 531-1000 • Fax: (763) 531-1188 • www.crystalmn.gov
AL
CRYSTAL CITY COUNCIL
FIRST WORK SESSION AGENDA
Thursday, November 6, 2014
6:30 p.m.
Conference Room A
Posted: October 31, 2014
Pursuant to due call and notice given in the manner prescribed by Section 3.01 of the City
Charter, the first work session of the Crystal City Council was held at p.m. on Thursday,
November 6, 2014 in Conference Room A located at 4141 Douglas Drive, Crystal, Minnesota.
I. Attendance
Council members Staff
Adams
Norris
Budziszewski Therres
Deshler Revering
Hoffmann Norton
Libby
Peak
Selton
II. Agenda
The purpose of the work session is to discuss the following agenda item:
• Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) - GreenStep Cities
III. Adjournment
The work session adjourned at p.m.
Auxiliary aids are available upon request to individuals with disabilities by calling the City Clerk at (763)
531-1145 at least 96 hours in advance. TTY users may call Minnesota Relay at 711 or 1-800-627-3529.
Proposal to the City of Crystal to Participate in the Minnesota
GreenStep Cities Program
The Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) and the citizens of Crystal propose that the
City Council approve a resolution to authorize participation in the Minnesota GreenStep
Cities Program based on the merits of this no -cost program. The program provides best
practices for the city to follow that provide common sense steps for a better community.
Benefits of the program include:
• Community appeal: This distinction will help to attract new residents. Promotion
on the city's website and on the GreenSteps website will help set Crystal apart.
• Increased community participation: Pursuing additional Best Practices will offer
opportunities to engage the community. Potential groups to engage include schools,
businesses, and churches.
• Community acceptance: Many of the Best Practices are already being followed by
local businesses. For example, at Clifford the Carpet Cleaner use of organic, botanical
plant based carpet cleaning materials is available upon request and at Bibles for
Missions Thrift Center only donated goods are sold, reducing landfill waste.
• No fiscal commitment: There is no cost to join the program and there are no
ongoing costs to maintain status as a program participant.
• No annual requirement: Upon admittance into the program, the EQC estimates
that the city will qualify as a Step 1 city because of the eight Best Practices that the
city reports currently have in place. There are no annual requirements to obtain
additional Best Practices to move up and become a Step 2 or Step 3 city. See
Addendum A for the Best Practices that the city has already completed.
• Local collaboration: Crystal will join an established network of local program
participants. Cities like White Bear Lake, Hopkins, Cottage Grove, Minnetonka, and
St. Paul are among the participants. Crystal will have access to the lessons learned
and best practices of fellow program participants.
• Access to experts: By joining the program, content experts will be available to
assist the city on pursuing any of the 28 established Best Practices.
• New ideas: Our participant status will give us access to free technical assistance
from program experts at GreenSteps. This technical assistance will help us evaluate
new alternatives for better long term investments.
The EQC requests that city council proceed with approval of a resolution to join the
GreenSteps Cities program. The opportunities that the program presents, in conjunction
with no additional expenditures, make the program a common sense step that will enhance
the reputation of Crystal and its citizens as a good steward of their community.
EQC Proposal to City Council 1
ADDENDUM A
Summary of Best Practices and Current Status
Ract Prnrtirp Remiired fnr credit Current Status Complete
#1 - Efficient Existing Buildings
At least 2 actions
3 actions close to complete
#2 - Efficient Existing Private
Buildings
At least 2 actions
1 required action complete
#3 - New Green Buildings
At least 2 actions
No required actions
#4 - Efficient Outdoor Lighting
and Signals
At least 2 actions
1 required action complete
#5 - Building Reuse (required
optional
At least 1 action
2 actions complete
#6 - Comprehensive Plan and
Implementation
At least 2 actions
3 actions complete
#7 - Efficient City Growth
At least 1 action
1 action complete
#8 - Mixed Uses
At least 2 actions
1 action complete
# 9 - Efficient Highway -Oriented
Development (required optional)
At least 1 action
2 actions complete
#10 - Conservation Design
At least 1 action
No actions
#11 - Complete Green Streets
At least 3 actions
No complete streets policy;
1 other action complete
#12 - Mobility Options - at least 2
best practices
At least 2 actions
4 actions partially in place
#13 - Efficient City Fleets
At least 2 actions
No actions
#14 - Demand -Side Travel
Planning
At least 2 actions
1 action complete
#15 - Purchasing
At least 2 actions
No formal purchasing policy
but several actions complete
#16 - Urban Forests
At least 2 actions
3 actions complete
#17 - Efficient Stormwater
Management
At least 1 action
3 actions complete
#18 - Parks and Trails
At least 3 actions
2 actions complete
#19 - Surface Water Quality
(required optional
At least 2 actions
2 actions complete
#20 - Efficient Water and
Wastewater Facilities
At least 3 actions
3 actions complete
#21 - Septic Systems
Not applicable
#22 - Solid Waste Reduction
At least 2 actions
No reduction or recycling
goals (waiting to hear back
from HRG coordinator); 1
action complete
#23 - Local Air Quality
At least 2 actions
1 action complete
#24 - Benchmarks and
Community Engagement
At least 2 actions
2 actions in progress
#25 - Green Business
Development
At least 2 actions
1 action complete; 1 action
in progress
#26 - Renewable Energy
At least 2 actions
1 action complete
#27 - Local Food
At least 1 action
1 action complete
#28 - Business Synergies
At least 1 action
No actions
«ted.
EQ Proposal to City Council 2
RESOLUTION NO. 2014 - _
CITY OF CRYSTAL
COUNTY OF HENNEPIN
STATE OF MINNESOTA
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF CRYSTAL
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MINNESOTA GREENSTEP CITIES PROGRAM
WHEREAS, Minnesota GreenStep Cities is a voluntary challenge, assistance and recognition
program to help cities achieve their sustainability and quality -of -life goals. GreenStep is a free,
continuous improvement program, managed by a public-private partnership, and based upon 28 best
practices tailored to all Minnesota cities, focus on cost savings and energy use reduction, and encourage
civic innovation; and
WHEREAS, increasing energy prices present increasing challenges to providing municipal
services to residents and businesses of Crystal; and
WHEREAS, local governments have the unique opportunity to achieve energy use
reductions through building and facilities management; land use and transportation planning;
environmental management; and through economic and community development; and
WHEREAS, efforts to address energy issues provide an opportunity to move toward energy self-
reliance and greater community resiliency and quality of life; provide environmentally healthy and
cheaper -to -operate public buildings; encourage new economic development and local jobs; and support
local food and renewable energy production; and
WHEREAS, exchanging best practices with other municipal governments is a beneficial way for
cities to learn how to reduce costs and provide services more efficiently; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota Session Laws 2008, Chapter 356, Section 13 directed the Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency ("MPCA") and Office of Energy Security in the Department of Commerce
("Office of Energy Security"), in collaboration with Clean Energy Resource Teams ("CERTs"), to
recommend municipal actions and policies that work toward meeting the State's greenhouse gas
emissions reduction goals; and
WHEREAS, a broad coalition of public and private stakeholders including the League of
Minnesota Cities, the MPCA, Office of Energy Security and CERTs responded to the 2008 legislation
by establishing the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program to provide a series of sustainable development
best practices focusing on local government opportunities to reduce energy use and greenhouse gases; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program assists in facilitating technical assistance
for the implementation of these sustainable development best practices; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program provides cost-effective sustainable
development best practices in the following five categories: (1) Buildings and Lighting; (2)
Transportation; (3) Land Use; (4) Environmental Management; and (5) Economic and Community
Development;
NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that the City Council of the City of Crystal does hereby
authorize the City of Crystal (the City) to participate in the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program.
Passage of this participation resolution allows the City to be recognized as a Step One GreenStep City.
BE IT FURHER RESOLVED that the City:
Appoints City Manager Anne Norris to serve as the City's GreenStep coordinator to facilitate best
practice implementation; and
2. Will facilitate the involvement of community members, civic, business and educational
organizations, and other units of government as appropriate in the planning, promoting and
implementing of GreenStep Cities best practices; and
Grants to the GreenStep program's building advisor limited access to the City's B3
Benchmarking Database so as to facilitate analysis and cost -savings advice to the City regarding
its buildings' energy use; and
Will claim credit for having implemented and will work at its own pace toward implementing any
GreenStep best practices that will result in energy use reduction, economic savings, quality of live
improvement, reduction in the City's greenhouse gas footprint, and recognition by the League of
Minnesota Cities as a Step Two GreenStep City. An on-going summary of the City's
implementation of best practices will be posted by the City on the Minnesota GreenStep Cities
web site.
Approved this 6`" day of November, 2014.
Bv:
Jim Adams, Mayor
ATTEST:
Gail Van Krevelen, Assessing/Customer Service Specialist