03-09-26 Planning Commission Meeting Packet

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STAFF REPORT DATE: March 3, 2026 PRESENTATION TO: Mayor and Councilmembers FROM: Ashley Monterusso, City Planner Presentation: Kristin Moroz, MPCA & Ashley Monterusso, City Planner AGENDA ITEM: Sustainability/Green Team Update REVIEWED BY: Miranda Moulis, Assistant City Planner; Ryan Ness, Finance; Kathie Smith, Communications Coordinator CORE STRATEGIES: ☒Vibrant, inclusive, connected community ☐Efficient, reliable, innovative services☐Responsive, transparent, adaptive governance ☐Balanced Finances now and future☐Managed Growth ☐Resilient Infrastructure BACKGROUND: The City of Lake Elmo has received a Gold Leaf Award for participating in the Gold Leaf Program in 2025. On 3/3/2026 Kristin Moroz, Director of the Green Steps Cities/Gold Leaf Programs with the MPCA gave a presentation to refresh Council and residents about each of the programs. The City has received Step 5 recognition in the Green Steps program the previous two years. The Gold Leaf program was developed to try to re-engage cities at level 5 to work toward new items. PURPOSE: This memo provides a sustainability update to inform the Commission of the ongoing work being advanced across City departments. Over the past year, staff have been in the early stages of aligning efforts, coordinating across teams, sharing updates, and establishing baseline metrics to better track progress. Many sustainability-related achievements are occurring organically through existing programs and activities. As tracking and reporting processes become more refined, staff will be able to present a more comprehensive and data-driven picture of the City’s sustainability performance in the years ahead. This update will encompass recent efforts and awards, grant tracking, and updates on ongoing initiatives. This is for information only; no action is needed. UPDATES: 2025/2026: GreenStep Cities Step 4&5 GreenStep Cities is a voluntary program by the MPCA that helps cities track sustainability measures. The City of Lake Elmo has maintained its Step 5 recognition status in the GreenSteps Cities Program. To maintain this designation, the City must report on all required metrics and improve in three or more Step 5-eligible metrics. This step recognition is celebrated at the League of Minnesota Cities conference, along with receiving an award block to commemorate the City’s achievement. 2025/2026: Gold Leaf Challenge The Gold Leaf Challenge focuses on pathways for communities to take local climate action. Using the GreenStep program resources, this new program aims to challenge, assist, and recognize efforts for completing any new actions from 44 high-priority, high-impact climate actions under the categories of climate mitigation, climate planning, climate adaptation, and community connectedness for Minnesota's