Search Search Search Main navigation Home About Best Practices Steps Recognition All Cities Special Topics Contact News User account menu Log in City Detail Background Information City of Marshall County: Lyon Population: 13700 GreenStep City category: A Full-time equivalent city staff (approx.): 100 Participating township, county, school: Lake Marshall Township Marshall Public Schools GreenStep Coordinator Amanda Beckler City Staff amanda.beckler@ci.marshall.mn.us 507-537-6769 City web page relating to sustainability/GreenStep activities: https://ci.marshall.mn.us/ GreenStep City resolution: Click here to view the file. GreenStep City status and date: STEP 3 (06/15/2016 ) City Assessment Files and City Performance Metrics City councils pass a resolution to join the GreenStep program and are recognized at Step 1. Step 2 and Step 3 recognition levels reflect completed city actions, reported and rated below with stars (1 star = good, 2 stars = better, 3 stars = best). The Assessment File below summarizes completed city actions in a short Word file. Step 4 recognition is awarded to cities who report a minimum number of core metrics for the previous calendar year. These metrics aim to show the aggregate, quantitative results of taking multiple GreenStep actions. Step 5 cities show improvement in the Step 4 metrics. See yearly data for Steps 4&5. Additional city data can be found by reviewing information on B3 Benchmarking and Regional Indicators Initiative. Assessment File 2020 - click to view assessment Best Practice Actions Underway and Completed Completed actions are denoted by stars. Total completed actions: 46 1 star actions: 15 2 star actions: 17 3 star actions: 14 Buildings and Lighting Efficient Existing Public Buildings {BP no.1} 2 star - Action 1: Enter/update building information into the MN B3 Benchmarking database, and routinely enter monthly usage data for all city-owned buildings/infrastructure that consume energy/water. 1 star - Action 2: Make no/low cost indoor lighting and operational changes in city-owned/school buildings to reduce energy costs. 2 star - Action 3: Invest in larger energy efficiency projects through performance contracting or other funding or through smaller retro-commissioning/retrofit projects in city-owned/school buildings. 2 star - Action 4: Implement IT efforts and city employee engagement to reduce plug loads, building energy use and workflow efficiency. 1 star - Action 7: Install for one or more city-owned/school buildings one of the following efficiency measures: Efficient Existing Private Buildings {BP no.2} 1 star - Action 1: Create or participate in a marketing/outreach/incentive program to promote/achieve residential energy/water use reduction and energy efficiency. 2 star - Action 2: Integrate green building and EV charging best practices information and assistance into the building permit process. 2 star - Action 5: Conserve/protect drinking/groundwater resources by creating a water-wise landscaping ordinance/guidance, WaterSense purchasing program, or guidance on rainwater harvesting and home water softener use. Efficient Outdoor Lighting and Signals {BP no.4} 2 star - Action 2: Purchase LEDs for all future street lighting and traffic signals. 2 star - Action 3: Replace the city's existing street lighting with Dark Sky-compliant LEDs, modifying any city franchise/utility agreement and adding smart grid attributes. 2 star - Action 5: Use LED/solar-powered lighting for a flashing sign or in a street, parking lot or park project. Building Redevelopment {BP no.5} 2 star - Action 3: Plan for reuse of large-format retail buildings, or work with a local school, church or commercial building to either add-on space or repurpose space into new uses. Land Use Comprehensive, Climate and Energy Plans {BP no.6} 1 star - Action 1: Adopt a comprehensive plan or (for Category B & C cities) adopt a future land use plan that was adopted by the county or a regional entity. 1 star - 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. 1 star - Action 3: Include requirements in comprehensive and/or other plans for intergovernmental coordination addressing regional land use and watershed / wellhead impacts, infrastructure, transportation, economic development and city/regional services. Mixed Uses {BP no.8} 1 star - Action 3: Modify a planned unit development ordinance to emphasize mixed use development, to limit residential PUDs to areas adjacent to commercial development, and/or to add sustainability features. 1 star - Action 5: Have a downtown zoning district that allows residential and compatible commercial development. Transportation Living & Complete Streets {BP no.11} 1 star - Action 1: Adopt a complete streets policy, or a living streets policy, which addresses landscaping and stormwater. 3 star - Action 4: Identify, prioritize and remedy complete streets gaps and lack of connectivity/safety within your road network by, for example, bike/pedestrian plan, adding a bike route/lane, truck route, sidewalk or mid-block alley. 3 star - Action 5: Identify and remedy street-trail gaps between city streets and off-road trails/bike trails to better facilitate walking and biking. Mobility Options {BP no.12} 3 star - Action 1: Increase walking, biking and transit use by one or more of the following means: 2 star - Action 2: Conduct an Active Living campaign such as a Safe Routes to School program. 3 star - Action 3: Prominently identify mobility options: transit; paratransit/Dial-A-Ride; ridesharing/cab services; rental cars; bikes; airports. Efficient City Fleets {BP no.13} 1 star - Action 3: Phase-in operational changes, equipment changes including electric vehicles, and no-idling practices for city or local transit fleets. Environmental Management Sustainable Purchasing {BP no.15} 1 star - Action 1: Adopt a sustainable purchasing policy or administrative guidelines/practices directing that the city purchase at least: 2 star - Action 2: Purchase energy used by city government - via the municipal utility, green tags, community solar garden, 3rd party - with a higher renewable percentage than required by Minnesota law. 2 star - Action 7: Lower the environmental footprint of meetings and events in the city. Community Forests and Soils {BP no.16} 1 star - Action 1: Certify as a Tree City USA. 2 star - Action 4: Maximize tree planting along your main downtown street or throughout the city. Stormwater Management {BP no.17} 1 star - Action 2: Complete the GreenStep Municipal Stormwater Management Assessment. 3 star - Action 4: Create a stormwater utility that uses variable fees to incentivize stormwater infiltration, minimize the volume of and pollutants in runoff, and educate property owners and renters on the importance of managing stormwater runoff. Parks and Trails {BP no.18} 3 star - Action 1: Make improvements within your city's system of parks, offroad trails and open spaces. 3 star - Action 5: Create park/city land management standards/practices that maximize at least one of the following: 3 star - Action 8: Develop a program to involve community members in hands-on land restoration, invasive species management and stewardship projects. Efficient Water and Wastewater Systems {BP no.20} 3 star - Action 4: Optimize energy and chemical use at drinking water/wastewater facilities and decrease chloride in wastewater discharges. Sustainable Consumption and Waste {BP no.22} 2 star - Action 2: Address concerns over consumer products and packaging through encouragement/implementation of one or more of: Resilient Economic and Community Development Benchmarks and Community Engagement {BP no.24} 3 star - Action 1: Inclusive and Coordinated Decision-Making: Use a city commission or committee to lead, coordinate, report to and engage community members on the identification and equitable implementation of sustainability best practices. 1 star - Action 2: Communicating Progress on Goals: Organize goals/outcome measures from all city plans (social, environmental, economic) and report to community members data that show progress toward meeting these goals. 3 star - Action 4: Public Education for Action: Conduct or support a broad sustainability education and action campaign, building on existing city & community relationships, networks & events involving: Green Business Development {BP no.25} 2 star - Action 6: Promote green businesses that are recognized under a local, regional or national program. 3 star - Action 7: Conduct or participate in a buy local campaign for community members and local businesses. Renewable Energy {BP no.26} 2 star - Action 2: Promote resident/business purchases and/or generation of clean energy by: 3 star - Action 5: Install a public sector/municipally-owned renewable energy technology, such as solar electric (PV), wind, biomass, solar hot water/air, or micro-hydro. Local Food {BP no.27} 2 star - Action 2: Facilitate creation of home/community gardens, chicken & bee keeping, and incorporation of food growing areas/access in multifamily and residential developments. 3 star - Action 3: Create, assist with and promote local food production/distribution within the city: Climate Adaptation and Community Resilience {BP no.29} 1 star - Action 1: Prepare to maintain public health and safety during extreme weather and climate-change-related events, while also taking a preventive approach to reduce risk for community members. Footer menu Contact Facebook Twitter