My Vision

Minnesota Green Step City

How does the Green Steps Program work?

The Minnesota Green Step City Program is a voluntary, go-at-your-own pace program that focuses on cost savings and energy use reduction, and innovation. It started in 2010 after an act of the MN State Legislature directed the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), the Division of Energy Resources at the Minnesota Department of Commerce, and Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) to recommend actions cities could take on a voluntary basis. There is no-cost to join the program.

MN Green Steps City Program is easy to join, and immediately Vadnais Heights can benefit. Joining requires the City Council to pass a resolution. Here’s an example of what that looks like. Then, Vadnais Heights has access to a plethora of resources to help in planning ways to incorporate GreenStep Best Practices. There are many new opportunities available to our City after it joins GreenStep Cities. For example, we can apply for a free, full-time 11-month educated worker to help work alongside City Staff to identify best practice opportunities, make a plan, and report to City Council with recommendations. The City Council retains the ability to pass or decline any plan or recommendation. Further, there is no commitment on the pace or magnitude of best practices Vadnais Heights must implement once we have joined the program. In fact, if Vadnais Heights is unable to, or unwilling to make progress along the Steps of the program, there is no requirement to do anything. There are several cities that participate in this program that take several years to progress between the steps due to competing city priorities that pause progression in the program. The MN GreenSteps Cities Program exists to encourage green best practices, but has no authority to determine pace or progress.

Why would Vadnais Heights want to join this program?

As mentioned above, there is no-cost to join. After joining, new resources become available to the City to help identify cost-saving, energy-reducing, innovative opportunities. Here are some examples of benefits per the GreenStep Program website:

  • Will save city staff time in researching proven, cost-effective actions for cutting energy use, decreasing the city's carbon footprint, and accomplishing other sustainability goals that exceed regulatory requirements. Information on and an Advisor for how to complete 170 actions – in the best practice groups of buildings, land use, transportation, environment, and economic/community development – is continuously updated with Minnesota-specific information.

  • Will save cities money and deliver a stream of multiple environmental, social and financial benefits; will help cities explore how to spend the same amount of money smarter.

  • Is a home-grown, independent program tailored to Minnesota cities and provides maximum flexibility and total control and choice by city councils in how to implement a proven best practice.

  • Provides over 4,000 reports on how Minnesota cities are taking action, making it easy to learn from and contact peer cities so as to jump-start actions in your own city.

  • Opens up special opportunities for funding and technical assistance, available mostly to GreenStep cities because the GreenStep program focuses on existing GreenStep cities.

  • Positions a city to more easily apply for competitive grant and assistance programs.

  • The City should seek to incorporate more native plantings in our green spaces to replace turf in areas where it is not used by the public (e.g. sports fields). This reduces maintenance expenses (e.g. mowing) and provides more pollinator and wildlife habitat. There are several grant opportunities out there to help cover the initial conversion cost. There are several metro-based organizations that can be tapped to help in installation and maintenance such as Minnesota Water Stewards and Wild Ones.

    Vadnais Heights has already utilized a similar process to install a raingarden in a city park using the time and dedication of the Parks Commission. These same commissioners may be able to repeat and continue these types of activities more efficiently with the recognition and resources provided by the MN GreenSteps program, reducing extraneous turf areas and replacing with pollinator gardens.

  • The city should encourage all new medium or high density developments to build energy efficient buildings. Any project that requires flexibility from the City Council through variances or the PUD (planned unit development) process should attempt to meet SB 2030 energy efficiency standards, or at a minimum incorporate energy efficient materials and design that still reflect the character of the neighborhood, but result in an enduring, energy efficient structure that minimizes impact to local utilities.

    The City could update City Code to incorporate language that defines a minimum standard for energy efficiency of new development.

  • Several Minnesota cities have incorporate smart salting practices for their city roads and parking lots. Salt is necessary to maintain safe roads and parking lots, but excessive salting practices are common.

    Salt is a permanent pollutant of our lakes and streams. Chloride is not removable from our lake and stream beds and it has a negative effect on aquatic life and water quality. Vadnais Heights should encourage smart salting practices so we can protect our water resources.

  • New medium or high density developments should exclusively use "Dark Sky" energy efficient LED lighting for buildings, street signs, or any other lit outdoor lighting. This is an energy efficient practice that reduces strain on electrical grid and also helps reduce light pollution within the community.

The Green Step City program guidelines provide many examples of ways to incorporate positive green actions. The examples above are just a few of many suggested actions the city could consider as a part of this voluntary, go-at-your-own-pace program. With the help of a free, full-time 11-month employee, the City could identify the right opportunities to pursue and report to the City Council with recommendations.

What ideas do you have for how our city can be more energy efficient, green, and environmentally friendly?

What are examples of Green Steps Vadnais Heights could take?