City of Brooklyn Center Background Information County: Hennepin Population: 30,104 GreenStep City category: A Full-time equivalent city staff (approx.): 75 Participating township(s) / school district(s): GreenStep Coordinator Andrew Hogg City staff ahogg@ci.brooklyn-center.mn.us City web page relating to sustainability/greenstep activities: http://www.ci.brooklyn-center.mn.us/ GreenStep City resolution: Click here to view the file. GreenStep City status and date: STEP 2 (06/23/2015) Best Practice Actions Underway and Completed Completed actions are denoted by stars. Mouse over a star for its definition. Buildings and Lighting Efficient Existing Public Buildings { BP no. 1 }
2 Star(s) Action 1: Enter building information into the Minnesota B3 Benchmarking database and routinely enter monthly energy, water use data for all city-owned buildings. Date action report first entered: 02/18/2016 The Cities B3 page has been update to include the last 5 years for gas and electricity. The City will continually update site. Partners: Great Plains Institute Efficient Outdoor Lighting and Signals { BP no. 4 } 2 Star(s) Action 5: Use LED/solar-powered lighting for a flashing sign or in a street, parking lot or park project. Date action report first entered: 04/03/2015 Three City park's have had LED installed in the parking lot lights.
3 Star(s) Action 8: Replace the city's existing traffic signals with LEDs. Date action report first entered: 04/03/2015 All the City owned Streetlights have been replaced with LED's Land Use Comprehensive, Climate and Energy Plans { BP no. 6 } 1 Star(s) Action 1: Adopt a comprehensive plan or (for Category B & C cities) adopt a land use plan that was adopted by the county or a regional entity.
Date action report first entered: 02/17/2015 The City of Brooklyn Center adopted its' current Comprehensive Plan in Feb 2010. http://www.cityofbrooklyncenter.org/index.aspx?nid=606 2 Star(s) Action 2: 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. Date action report first entered: 02/17/2015 The Brooklyn Center Zoning Ordinance includes a wide variety of residential, commercial and industrial districts and a variety of flexible planned unit districts. The City has found that effective maintenance of the comprehensive plan and land use classifications is enhanced through uniform and equitable evaluation of periodic changes to the city s Zoning Ordinance. Therefore, it is the policy of the City that: a) zoning classifications must be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, and b) rezoning proposals shall not constitute "spot zoning", defined as a zoning decision which discriminates in favor of a particular landowner, and does not relate to the Comprehensive Plan or to accepted planning principles. Zoning map changes will be considered only when land use changes consistent with the Comprehensive Plan are proposed. Should the city discover or realize locations where the zoning map is inconsistent with the current 2030 Comprehensive Land Use Plan map, either when the plan is adopted or in the future, the city s zoning map will be amended to be consistent with the intentions of the land use plan.
Mixed Uses { BP no. 8 } 1 Star(s) Action 2: Locate or lease a school, city building or other government facility that has at least two of these attributes: a. Adjacent to an existing employment or residential center. b. Designed to facilitate and encourage access by walking and biking. c. Accessible by regular transit service. Date action report first entered: 02/17/2015 Brooklyn Center City Hall/Community Center is located adjacent to the Shingle Creek regional bike trail and both City Hall and the Community Center have several bike racks. The building are easy accessible from Metro Transit service. The Hennepin County Brookdale Service Center shares the same traits. Transportation Living Streets { BP no. 11 }
2 Star(s) Action 1: Adopt a complete streets policy or a living streets policy, which addresses landscaping and stormwater. Date action report first entered: 02/09/2015 The City of Brooklyn Park has adopted a Complete Streets policy view file 3 Star(s) Action 5: Identify and remedy street-trail gaps between city streets and off-road trails/bike trails to better facilitate walking and biking. Date action report first entered: 02/10/2015 The City is partnering with Three Rivers Park District to design (2015) and construct (2016)a Three Rivers trail connection on 57th Ave which will connect the Shingle Creek trail with the City of Minneapolis park/trail along the Mississippi River
Partners: Three Rivers Park District 1 Star(s) Action 6: Implement traffic calming policy/measures, including road diets, roundabouts, shared space and depaving, in at least one street redevelopment project. Date action report first entered: 02/10/2015 Improvements to 63rd Ave N in 2015 will move curb lines inward reducing street width. In addition, there will be installation of several bump outs and medians to reduce travel speed in the corridor. The bump-outs at pedestrian crossing will shorten pedestrian crossing times. Mobility Options { BP no. 12 } 2 Star(s) Action 1: Increase walking, biking and transit use by one or more of the following means: a. Produce/distribute route maps, signage or a web site. b. Document increased bike facilities, such as racks, bike stations or showers. c. Add bus infrastructure, such as signage, benches, shelters, park and ride lots, and real-time arrival data-streaming.
d. Increase the number of employers promoting multiple commuting options, including offering qualified transportation fringe benefits instead of only a tax-free parking fringe benefit. e. Be recognized as a Walk Friendly or Bicycle Friendly Community. Date action report first entered: 02/13/2015 In 2012 the City of Brooklyn Center add 52 bike racks to city building, parks and Metro Transit locations The City has trail information posted on its webpage. http://www.ci.brooklyn-center.mn.us/index.aspx?nid=100 view file 2 Star(s) Action 2: Conduct an Active Living campaign such as a Safe Routes to School program. Date action report first entered: 02/13/2015 In 2013, the City of Brooklyn Center completed a Safe Routes to School study with 9 schools within Brooklyn Center. In 2015 in conjunction with Hennepin County on a SHIP grant the City will conduct a demonstration project allowing residents to comment on the 57th bike trail improvements view file
2 Star(s) Action 3: Prominently identify mobility options: transit; paratransit/dial-a-ride; ridesharing/cab services; rental cars; bikes. Date action report first entered: 02/17/2015 The City web site has a link to Metro Transit. The link can be accessed under Local Facilities on the City's home page. http://www.ci.brooklyn-center.mn.us/ Efficient City Fleets { BP no. 13 } 1 Star(s) Action 4: Phase in bike, foot or horseback modes for police, inspectors and other city staff. Date action report first entered: 02/11/2015 In 2015 the City of Brooklyn Center purchased 4 bikes and will begin to patrol parts of the City on bike including trails, parks, and commercial districts.
2 Star(s) Action 6: Retrofit city diesel engines or install auxiliary power units and/or electrified parking spaces, utilizing Project GreenFleet or the like. Date action report first entered: 04/03/2015 All new mobile engines and generators are replaced with Tier 4 Diesel engines Demand-Side Travel Planning { BP no. 14 } 2 Star(s) Action 4: Adopt a travel demand management plan for city employees or incorporate into development regulations TDM or transit-oriented development standards or LEED for Neighborhood Development certification. Date action report first entered: 02/18/2016
The City has a Travel Demand Policy for redevelopment. A two tier system; a required TCM plan for employers with 200 stalls or more, and a good faith component for all others Travel Demand Policy for the City of Brooklyn Center view file Environmental Management Urban Forests & Soils { BP no. 16 } 1 Star(s) Action 1: Certify as a Tree City USA. Date action report first entered: 02/06/2015 Brooklyn Center has been certified as a Tree City USA for 22 years. http://www.arborday.org/programs/treecityusa/treecities.cfm?chosenstate=minnesota
2 Star(s) Action 6: Build community capacity to protect existing trees by one or more of: a. Having trained tree specialists. c. Adopting an EAB/forest management plan or climate adaptation plan for the urban forest. b. Supporting volunteer forestry efforts. Date action report first entered: 02/09/2015 The City of Brooklyn Center has a Certified Forester and an ISA Certified Arborist. The City also provides information in regards to tree questions to residents upon request. Stormwater Management { BP no. 17 } 1 Star(s) Action 4: 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. Date action report first entered: 03/04/2015
Section 4-400 of the City Code creates the Storm Water Utility Fee, which are variable based land uses. Action 6: Reduce de-icing salt use to prevent permanent surfacewater and groundwater pollution. Date action report first entered: 03/04/2015 The City has adopted the Rules of the Shingle Creek and West Mississippi Watershed Management Commission. The rules apply to sites at one-half acre and greater. Rule E covers Erosion Control and is as strict as MPCA guidelines http://shinglecreek.org/files/1078.pdf Partners: Shingle Creek and West Mississippi Watershed Management Commission Parks and Trails { BP no. 18 } 1 Star(s) Action 3: Achieve minimum levels of city green space and maximize the percent within a ten-minute walk of community members.
Date action report first entered: 02/10/2015 The City has at least 7 acres of parks for 1000 residents 2 Star(s) Action 8: Develop a program to involve community members in hands-on land restoration and stewardship projects. Date action report first entered: 02/09/2015 the City of Brooklyn Center organizes the yearly Great Shingle Creek Clean Up. For the past 13 years, the city had organized and run the Clean Up, resulting in multiple bags of trash being removed from Shingle Creek each year. The City also has Adopt a Park program, Adopt a Garden, and Adopt a Bus Shelter programs http://www.cityofbrooklyncenter.org/documentcenter/home/view/335 Surface Water { BP no. 19 }
1 Star(s) Action 4: Adopt a shoreland ordinance for all river and lake shoreland areas. Date action report first entered: 02/09/2015 The City of Brooklyn Center uses the Shingle Creek & West Mississippi Watershed Management Commmision rules. Rule I lays out the rules and requirement for buffer strips. http://shinglecreek.org/pages/thirdgenerationplan/ Partners: Shingle Creek & West Mississippi Watershed Management Commmision 2 Star(s) Action 6: Implement an existing TMDL implementation plan. Date action report first entered: 02/09/2015 The City of Brooklyn Center has worked with the Shingle Creek & West Mississippi Watershed Management Commision TAC and neighboring communities on the Shingle Creek Chloride TMDL. Improved practices for applying road salt have been made and the TAC just completed a 5-five year review of practices. The City has also worked with the watershed and Twin Lake and Ryan Lake TMDL and a 5-year review has been conducted as well.
http://shinglecreek.org/pages/tmdls/ Partners: Shingle Creek & West Mississippi Watershed Management Commision TAC