DULUTH MINNESOTA GREENSTEP CITY

GreenStep Cities Partner organizations A Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and

GreenStep Cities Minnesota GreenStep Cities is a voluntary challenge and recognition program to help cities achieve their sustainability and quality-of-life goals. The program is based on 28 best practices. Each best practice can be implemented by completing one or more actions at a 1,2 or 3-star level, from a list of several actions. The actions focus on cost savings and energy use reduction, and encourage civic innovation.

Innovation what and where is FIDO?

Northeastern Minnesota Cities 75 Minnesota Cities are GreenStep Cities Duluth - May 2014 Grand Marais - Jan 2014 Ely - Jan 2014 Silver Bay - Jan 2014 Pine City - Mar 2014 Grand Rapids - May 2012 Mountain Iron - May 2012

Duluth is currently a Step 1 GSC

Duluth reaches Step 2 Nov 2, 2014 You ve implemented 8 best practices and so we ll present Duluth with a Step Two recognition block at the LMC conference next June up in your fair city! Hope you all catch some nice fall weather long into October Philipp Philipp Muessig Co-director, MN GreenStep Cities Program Assistance Division, MPCA 520 Lafayette Rd. N St. Paul, MN 55155 651-757-2594 Philipp.muessig@state.mn.us http://www.mngreenstep.org

GREENSTEP S BEST PRACTICES 5 CATEGORIES, 28 BEST PRACTICES

Buildings and Lighting Efficient Existing Public Buildings Invest in energy efficiency opportunities through small retrofit projects in city-owned buildings Energy cost savings from energy efficiency measures: 2011 - $36,405 annual costs saved 2012 - $37,893 annual costs saved 2013 - $20,448 annual costs saved

Buildings and Lighting Efficient Existing Public Buildings Invest in energy efficiency opportunities through small retrofit projects in city-owned buildings

Buildings and Lighting Efficient Existing Public Buildings Invest in energy efficiency opportunities through small retrofit projects in city-owned buildings Location: 40 th Ave W Tool House in 2015

Buildings and Lighting Efficient Existing Public Buildings Implement information technology efforts and city employee engagement to reduce plug loads and building energy use CITY OF DULUTH ENERGY UNPLUGGED The City of Duluth was selected to participate in a Behavior-based Energy Conservation Pilot program where we will encourage city employees to use less energy in a several buildings

Buildings and Lighting Efficient Outdoor Lighting and Signals Coordinate traffic signals and/or optimize signal timing so as to minimize car idling at intersections yet maintain safe and publicly acceptable vehicle speeds Duluth s Street Light Utility Division utilizes a continuous signal timing optimization program, Synchro traffic simulation software, to develop signal timing plans and to preform signal optimization

Buildings and Lighting Efficient Outdoor Lighting and Signals Replace city-owned parking lot/ramp lighting with Dark-Sky compliant energy efficient, automatic dimming lighting technologies Duluth is replacing parking lot and ramp lighting with full cutoff LED lighting equipped with sensor and dimming controls

Efficient Outdoor Lighting

Efficient Outdoor Lighting and Signals Buildings and Lighting

Efficient Outdoor Lights

Land Use Comprehensive Plan and Implementation Adopt/have an adopted comprehensive plan Duluth s Comprehensive Land Use Plan was adopted in 2006 and is a policy document that describes the City's 20-year vision for growth and development. http://www.duluthmn.gov/planning/longrange-planning/comprehensive-plan/

Comprehensive Plan Governing Principles Principal #1 Reuse previously developed lands Principal #2 Declare the necessity and secure the future of undeveloped places Principal #3 Support traditional economic base Principal #4 Support emerging economic growth sectors Principal #5 Strengthen neighborhoods Principal #6 Reinforce the place-specific Principal #7 Create and maintain connectivity Principal #8 Encourage mix of activities, uses and densities Principal #9 Support private actins that contribute to the public realm Principal #10 Take sustainable actions Principal #11 Include consideration for education systems in land use actions Principal #12 Create efficiencies in delivery of public services

Land Use Comprehensive Plan and Implementation 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. Duluth s zoning ordinance, page 1-2, calls out the purpose of zoning to implement the comprehensive plan.

Transportation Living Streets Adopt a complete streets policy that also addresses street trees and stormwater On March 8, 2010, Duluth City Council adopted Resolution 10-1028, Resolution Providing for A Complete Streets Policy.

Transportation Living Streets Document inclusion/installation of green infrastructure elements as well as grey infrastructure elements in at least one complete streets reconstruction project Duluth reconstructed Oxford/Livingston/Glenwood streets in Woodland and Lakeside areas. We added sidewalks where they were missing.

Transportation Living Streets Document inclusion/installation of green infrastructure elements as well as grey infrastructure elements in at least one complete streets reconstruction project In 2014, the Duluth City Council passed a resolution to do a road diet on London Road

Transportation Living Streets - road diet on London Road

Transportation Living Streets Identify and remedy street-trail gaps between city streets and off road trails/bike trails to better facilitate walking and biking. In December 2013, The Duluth City Council adopted a Plan for Duluth s Bikeway System, established of bike lanes, paths and routes. The Duluth Lakewalk connects to Gitchee Gammi Park and is constructing the Crosstown Trail connecting the Lakewalk to the Northern Munger Trail

Living Streets

Living Streets The Duluth Lakewalk connects to Gitchee Gammi Park and the Cross-City Trail connecting the Lakewalk to the Northern Munger Trail

Transportation Mobility Options Promote walking, biking and transit use The League of American Bicyclists designated Duluth as a Bicycle Friendly Community at the Bronze level, because Duluth exhibits a sustained commitment to cycling.

Environmental Management Purchasing Adopt an environmentally preferable purchasing policy or administrative guidelines/practices directing that the city purchase at least: EnergyStar certified equipment and appliances and Paper containing at least 30% post-consumer recycled content

We Pitched the energy hogs

Environmental Management Urban Forests Duluth is a Tree City USA city and has been for 23 years

Environmental Management Efficient Stormwater Management Create a stormwater utility that uses variable fees to incentivize enhanced stormwater management, minimize the volume of and pollutants in runoff, and educate property owners 100% of Duluth s stormwater utility s variable fees are used for the stormwater program

Economic and Community Development Benchmarks & Community Engagement Use a committee to lead, coordinate and report to community members on implementation of GreenStep best practices A department-wide Sustainability Team was formed and sustainability actions are posted on Duluth s sustainability website: http://www.duluthmn.gov/sustainability/

Economic and Community Development Green Business Development Lower the environmental footprint of a brownfield US Steel Plant site Atlas Cement Plant site Former Duluth Spring plant site - now CPBC

Next best thing to a Minnesota GSC