The city of New Hope has made made various efforts to be sustainable and environmentally-friendly in the past and the utilizes the Minnesota GreenStep Cities Program to help guide future initiatives and goals by providing clear and comprehensive framework. The Minnesota GreenStep Cities Program is a voluntary challenge, assistance and recognition program to help cities achieve their sustainability and quality-of-life goals.

Program Overview

• Implements sustainability via 29 proven best practices and 175 best practice actions.
• Features an encyclopedic collection of best practices, links to state-of-the-art articles and free expert consultants, and constantly updated progress reports from participating cities.
• Reduces costs through building efficiency, improves overall quality of life, and provides extensive framework for “going green” and being recognized for it.
• With 94 completed best practice actions, New Hope ranks 3rd of 146 participating cities in total number completed.

Steps 1 & 2

• Reached Step 1 in 2015 after adopting a participation resolution.
• Reached Step 2 in 2015 by completing 8+ best practices. Notable best practice actions completed include:
  • Complete Streets Policy.
  • Energy Improvement Project through McKinstry, which included lighting auto shut-off controls, vending machine controls, and water conservation efforts at city facilities as well as a new efficient refrigeration system, new dehumidification system, and new roof on the north rink at the New Hope Ice Arena.
  • 160,000-gallon underground water storage tank at Northwood Lake used to irrigate athletic fields.
  • Programs offered through Center for Energy and Environment, including Home Energy Squad visits, financing and rehabilitation services, and one-stop efficiency shop lighting retrofits.
  • Bicycle parking requirements within commercial districts.
  • Safe Routes to School grant and improvements.
  • LED lighting replacements for traffic signals, streetlights, and lighting at city facilities.

Step 3

• Reached Step 3 in 2016 by completing 16+ best practices, including some specific best practice actions.
• Best practice actions completed that led to Step 3 recognition include:
  • Energy efficient and environmentally friendly technology, equipment, and building materials used in the construction of the new police station/city hall.
  • Entering baseline information into the Minnesota B3 database and routinely entering monthly energy use data from city-owned buildings.
  • Adopting an Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Policy, which requires that the city use recycled paper, purchase Energy Star certified equipment and appliances, purchase WaterSense certified fixtures, and use environmentally-friendly cleaning products.
  • Organizing goals/outcome measures from all city plans and reporting to community members data that show progress toward meeting these goals.
  • Implementing a Computer Power Management System that saves energy by utilizing power-management settings.
  • Establishment of solar energy system regulations allowing for roof and ground mounted solar energy systems.
  • Implementation of employee plastics recycling program and participation in Adopt a Drain program at city hall.
  • Participation in Hennepin County’s pre-demolition inspection program.

League of Minnesota Cities 2017 Sustainable City Award

• The city was presented the 2017 LMC Sustainable City Award for the Northwood Park stormwater improvement project. The award is given each year to a single city that has implemented a project, program, or initiative that is helping the city achieve its sustainability goals through implementation of one or more best practices.

New Hope Involvement

	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Program Level	2	3	3	3	3	3	3	3
Best Practices	15	18	21	24	24	25	25	25
1-Star Actions	37	40	41	45	46	47	47	48
2-Star Actions	19	21	26	28	31	31	32	33
3-Star Actions	9	9	9	10	11	13	13	13
Best Practice Actions	65	70	76	83	88	91	92	94