Meeting Date: September 28, 2021
To: Members of the Housing & Redevelopment Authority
From: Beth Kallestad, Program Coordinator
Title
Presentation regarding Sustainable Building Policy
Body
Action Requested:
The HRA receives a presentation and provides feedback on the draft Sustainable Building Policy for Northfield.
Summary Report:
In June 2021, the City of Northfield began working with the Minnesota Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) to develop some language and criteria for a possible Sustainable Building Policy. This type of policy is an action item in the Climate Action Plan and as a way to make progress on building energy use and other sustainability factors. The State of Minnesota does not allow cities to be more restrictive than the state building and energy code. However, if there is a financial incentive provided by the City on a project then sustainability criteria can be included if the City adopts such a policy. The City will be proposing some criteria that will trigger such a situation. There are six other cities in Minnesota with such policies going back to 2010. A group of city staff participated in four meetings with CEE to develop suggested criteria for a policy and are now engaging with stakeholders for feedback before developing a draft policy to share with City Council. An information sheet is attached.
Staff from CEE will provide a presentation on the draft Sustainable Building Policy and then there will be time for feedback and questions.
Alternative Options:
NA
Financial Impacts:
NA
Tentative Timelines:
Developer/Builder Stakeholder meeting - held Sept 14, 2021
Presentations to City Boards and Commission - September 2021
Public Meeting - October 7, 20221
Presentation and policy recommendations to City Council - November 2021