HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Resolution 2023-205
C ITY OF P LYMOUTH
R ESOLUTION N O. 2023-205
R ESOLUTION A UTHORIZING THE C ITY OF P LYMOUTH
TO P ARTICIPATE IN THE M INNESOTA G REENSTEP C ITIES P ROGRAM
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 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, 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 29 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 four to eight actions. These actions are tailored to all Minnesota cities, focus on cost
savings and energy use reduction, and encourage civic innovation; 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; and
WHEREAS, steps taken toward sustainable solutions aim to improve community quality of life,
building community capital and increasing government efficiency, accountability and transparency; and
WHEREAS, the City of Plymouth’s Environmental Quality Committee has reviewed the elements
of the program, is supportive of participation in the program, and believes the program will support city
and committee goals.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PLYMOUTH,
MINNESOTA:
Resolution 2023-205
Page 2
1. The City of Plymouth is authorized to participate in the Minnesota GreenStep Cities
program that offers a free, voluntary continuous improvement framework. Passage
of this participation resolution allows the city to be recognized as a Step One
GreenStep City; and
2. The Engineering Division of the Public Works Department is appointed to serve as
the city’s GreenStep coordinator for best practice documentation/implementation;
and
3. The city will facilitate the involvement of community members and other units of
government as appropriate in the planning, promoting and/or implementing of
GreenStep Cities best practices; and
4. Grants to the GreenStep program’s buildings advisor review access to the city's B3
Benchmarking Database so as to facilitate analysis and cost-saving technical
assistance to the city regarding its buildings’ energy use; and
5. The city will provide feedback once a year on how well the GreenStep program is
serving the city and its needs from the program; and
6. The city will claim credit for having implemented and will work at its own pace
toward implementing GreenStep best practices that will result in energy use
reduction, economic savings, quality of life improvement, reduction in the city’s
greenhouse gas footprint, and recognition by the League of Minnesota Cities as a
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 website.
APPROVED by the City Council on this 8th day of August, 2023.