HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023/08/14 - ADMIN - Agenda Packets - City Council - Study SessionAGENDA
AUGUST 14, 2023
The St. Louis Park City Council meets in person at St. Louis Park City Hall, 5005 Minnetonka
Blvd. Members of the public can attend the meeting in person, watch by webstream at
bit.ly/watchslpcouncil, or watch on local cable (Comcast SD channel 17/HD channel 859).
Recordings are available to watch on the city’s YouTube channel at
https://www.youtube.com/user/slpcable, usually within 24 hours of the end of the council
meeting or study session.
6:30 p.m. City council study session – council chambers
Discussion items
1. 10 min. Environmental stewardship system kick-off
2. 60 min. Sustainability division programs status update
3. 60 min. Lithium-ion battery safety
Written reports
4. Tree policies and programs
St. Louis Park Economic Development Authority and regular city council meetings are carried live on civic TV cable channel 17 and replays are frequent; check www.parktv.org for the schedule. The meetings are also streamed live
on the internet at www.parktv.org, and saved for video on demand replays.
If you need special accommodations or have questions about the meeting, please call 952.924.2505.
Meeting: Study session
Meeting date: August 14, 2023 Discussion item: 1
Executive summary
Title: Environmental stewardship system kick-off
Recommended action: None. The purpose of this report is to provide an overview and
framework of the environmental stewardship system’s planned discussions in study sessions.
Policy consideration: Throughout the discussions in this system, the council will be asked
specific policy questions relating to the topic discussed. Additionally, during these discussions,
staff would like council to reflect on the following question (not to be answered at this study
session):
•Do the city’s current sustainability programs meet the desired goal/outcome to continue
to lead in environmental stewardship and advance diversity, equity and inclusion?
Summary: Over the coming weeks, council will hold a series of discussions and staff will provide
information regarding sustainability programs, projects and policies. Some of these discussions
are council-directed and others are staff initiated. Additionally, there will be several written
reports to provide context and information on current activities, programs and policies. This
report serves as grounding for all the discussions and includes a broad overview of activity and
frameworks used when considering environmental stewardship. The foundation for staff to
develop projects and implement programs are the plans and policies approved by city council,
including the Climate Action Plan; funds for city sustainability incentive programs come from
the Climate Investment Fund.
Financial or budget considerations: Funds are budgeted in the 2023 budgets for a variety of
programs related to environmental stewardship. Should the council desire a change in work,
additional resources may be required.
Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to continue to lead in
environmental stewardship.
Supporting documents: Discussion
Prepared by: Emily Ziring, sustainability manager
Reviewed by: Brian Hoffman, director of building and energy
Approved by: Kim Keller, city manager
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 1) Page 2
Title: Environmental stewardship system kick-off
Discussion
Background:
Environmental stewardship work in St. Louis Park
Environmental stewardship work spans many divisions/departments, including:
• Sustainability/building & energy: sustainability staff design and administer programs and
projects identified in the Climate Action Plan (CAP) and track community greenhouse
gas emissions over time to measure progress. Those programs and projects focus
primarily on buildings and energy (including transportation electrification), as most of
the initiatives designed to address transportation and solid waste emissions by 2030 are
handled by staff in engineering and in public works.
• Solid waste/public works: solid waste staff oversee curbside collection and management
of garbage, recycling, organics and yard waste. Staff manage the Recycling Champions
program and enforce the Zero Waste Packaging ordinance for food establishments and
recycling requirements for multifamily and commercial properties through training,
outreach and plan review. Solid waste staff coordinate and encourage efforts around
compost use in both city projects and private development, and lead building
deconstruction projects to minimize construction and demolition waste. Staff also
educate residents and businesses in reuse and manage city clean-up days, paper
shredding events and swap events.
• Engineering: engineering staff design and implement Connect the Park, which is
encouraging carbon-free transportation options by creating a comprehensive citywide
system of bikeways, sidewalks and trails. When EV chargers are installed on city
property, engineering staff assists with the construction project management. Staff also
manage stormwater projects and programs, including the Rainwater Rewards program
which offers financial and technical assistance to residents that complete stormwater
management projects on their property. Consideration of tree preservation, pavement
reduction and new sidewalk construction take place in the design of all transportation
projects.
• Parks and recreation:
o The natural resources division manages the city’s urban forestry program,
including public outreach, inspecting trees, private tree consultation, planting,
watering, pruning and other general tree and plant care in city parks, boulevards,
vacant lots, Minnehaha Creek corridor and Westwood Hills Nature Center. Staff
also enforces zoning and nuisance vegetation ordinances such as tree
preservation, development plan review and tree disease/infestation sanitation
programs on private and public property, as well as the tall grass/noxious weed
program. They manage the annual tree sale and volunteer tree planting events
such as Arbor Day with local partner Tree Trust, as well as herbaceous plantings
such as native prairies and park gardens including the Pollinate the Park initiative
and native plant sale. Wildlife management and management of the city brush
site are also handled by this division.
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 1) Page 3
Title: Environmental stewardship system kick-off
o The facilities division oversees daily operations and capital projects for all major
municipal facilities. This ranges from monitoring energy consumption and
completing lighting retrofits to installing rooftop solar arrays.
• Planning and zoning/community development: planning and zoning coordinates the
city’s long-range planning efforts and development review. The comprehensive plan sets
goals, policies and strategies related to the built and natural environment and impact
quality of life. Planning and zoning is in the community development department with
housing and economic development divisions. The department helps administer the
city’s inclusionary housing, green building and diversity equity and inclusion policies for
new development. The division’s work tends to focus on land use planning and
administering zoning and subdivision codes used to implement city policy. Together
these tools shape development in the city and the infrastructure supporting the
community. Land use regulations can impact availability of housing, goods and services
and employment. Land use impacts the environment, including air and water quality
and the climate.
There are numerous examples of other divisions and departments’ involvement in
environmental stewardship, from the naturalists at Westwood Hills Nature Center to utilities,
fleet services, communications and race, equity and inclusion. Enterprise-wide collaboration on
issues of sustainability is common; sustainability staff meet quarterly with staff in engineering,
solid waste and economic development to discuss opportunities to support one another’s work.
Climate Action Plan and Climate Investment Fund
In February 2018, the city council formally adopted the city’s Climate Action Plan. The goals of
the plan are some of the most robust of any city in Minnesota. The biggest outcome of the plan
is for the community to achieve total carbon neutrality by 2040 with seven important midterm
goals set for 2030. The CAP is a climate mitigation plan, meaning that staff focus on actions to
reduce and stabilize the sources or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases, e.g., energy
efficiency, renewable energy, low-carbon transportation, organics recycling and tree planting.
Given that the effects of climate change are underway now, staff has also elected to devote a
portion of the efforts towards climate adaptation—the process of adjustment to current or
expected climate and its effects—and climate resilience, the ability for social, economic and
ecosystems to prepare and plan for, absorb and recover from sudden adverse events.
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 1) Page 4
Title: Environmental stewardship system kick-off
Since 2018, the city has increased its investment in the implementation of the CAP including the
reorganization of the inspections department into the building & energy department and the
creation of a sustainability division that includes a sustainability manager and two sustainability
specialists.
In 2021, council voted to create the Climate Investment Fund (CIF), a funding mechanism for a
portfolio of ongoing programs available for residents and businesses, helping to leverage
private investment dollars when owners are ready to make improvements that reduce carbon
emissions and lower energy costs. The fund was established in 2021 with $500,000 in seed
money from the unrestricted fund balance from the 2020 operating budget. It was further
supplemented with $300,000 dollars from budget year 2022 and is used by departments across
the city to fund existing and future cost-sharing programs tied to the goals and strategies within
the CAP.
In addition to the staff resources and the CIF, the city has invested in its own infrastructure and
continues to do so using the capital improvement process (CIP).
Mitigation
•Energy efficiency and weatherization
•Renewable energy + storage
•No/low carbon transportation
•Waste reduction
Adaptation
•Infrastructure hardening
•Tree planting and shade creation
•Flood protection
•Water conservation
•Biodiversity conservation
Resilience
•Emergency preparedness and response
•Microgrids
•Healthy communities
•Social cohesion and equity
•Sustainable food systems
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 1) Page 5
Title: Environmental stewardship system kick-off
Present considerations:
As climate change accelerates, new technologies emerge and populations grow and become
more diverse. Programs, policies and projects to further environmental stewardship are being
created, amended and rescinded. Staff in the divisions and departments that create and
manage these programs have information to share with council and some policy questions to
explore.
Next steps: Throughout the discussions in this system, council will be asked to provide policy
direction on various environmental stewardship programs. The dates outlined in the following
table are tentative and dependent on discussion outcomes from prior study sessions.
Topic Date Description Staff Lead
Sustainability division
program status
August 14 Discussion of sustainability
division incentive programs and
staff outreach and engagement
strategies
• Sustainability/B&E
Lithium-ion battery
safety
August 14 Presentation from Fire
Department on lithium-ion
battery safety
• Fire
Tree policies and
programs
August 14 Report/overview of city tree
policies and programs
• Natural
resources/Parks &
recreation
Tree preservation and
planting strategies for
setting and reaching a
canopy goal
August 28 Discussion of setting a tree canopy
goal and how to reach it
• Natural
resources/Parks &
recreation
• Planning/CD
• Sustainability/B&E
End uses of compost
August 28 Report on the various ways
compost is used in St. Louis Park
• Solid waste/Public
works
• Sustainability/B&E
Overview of recycling
opportunities for
multifamily buildings
September
11
Report on current requirements
for multifamily recycling and
opportunities for organics
• Solid waste/Public
works
Summary report September
11
Report summarizing
Environmental Stewardship
system discussions and
recommendations
• Sustainability/B&E
Meeting: Study session
Meeting date: August 14, 2023 Discussion item: 2
Executive summary
Title: Sustainability division program status
Recommended action: None. The purpose of this report is to provide an update on
sustainability division programs and participation trends and to discuss the various tools used
to engage the community.
Policy consideration: Do the current sustainability programs meet the desired goal/outcome to
continue to lead in environmental stewardship and advance diversity, equity and inclusion?
Summary: Sustainability division staff design and administer programs and projects identified in
the Climate Action Plan (CAP) and track community greenhouse gas emissions over time to
measure progress. Those programs and projects focus primarily on buildings and energy
(including transportation electrification), as most of the initiatives designed to address
transportation and solid waste emissions by 2030 are handled by staff in engineering and in
public works.
The division manages a slate of community-facing incentive programs as well as a variety of
other projects and policies. Staff drive participation in incentive programs through many types
of community engagement strategies. While not all incentive programs are seeing significant
participation, staff believes that the programs established are the best way to reach our city’s
climate goals and set the city on a path toward continuous and accelerated emissions
reductions.
Financial or budget considerations: Staffing, communications and general expenses will
continue to be paid from the 2023 sustainability operating budget. All participation incentives
for sustainability programs are proposed to be funded from the Climate Investment Fund.
Total 2023 Climate Investment Fund budget: $183,000
Federal funds from the Inflation Reduction Act, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and
congressionally directed spending will be leveraged whenever possible to reduce city expenses
for incentives and projects. Staff will continue to pursue additional grant funds and future state
programs to further bring down city costs and to pay for disallowed public purpose
expenditures such as compensation for community members’ time and input.
Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to continue to lead in
environmental stewardship.
Supporting documents: Discussion
Climate Action Plan
Prepared by: Emily Ziring, sustainability manager
Reviewed by: Brian Hoffman, director of building and energy
Approved by: Kim Keller, city manager
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 2) Page 2
Title: Sustainability division program status
Discussion
Background:
In February 2018, the city council formally adopted the city’s Climate Action Plan. The goals of
the plan are some of the most robust of any city in Minnesota. The biggest bowl outcome of the
plan is for the community to achieve total carbon neutrality by 2040 with seven important
midterm goals (in the categories of buildings, renewables, travel and solid waste) set for 2030.
As discussed in the Environmental Stewardship system kick-off report, the sustainability
division’s programs and projects focus primarily on buildings and energy (including
transportation electrification). Because in most cases the city cannot compel residents and
business owners to, for example, make building improvements or purchase electric vehicles,
reaching climate goals is almost completely dependent on the community’s willingness and
ability to take initiative. The best way to reach St. Louis Park’s climate goals is to provide cost-
sharing funds that can leverage private investment over the long term—and to pair those funds
with increased outreach and education. The idea is to add enough of an incentive on top of
owner investment (and utility rebates and grants) to spur action around energy efficiency,
renewables, fuel switching, waste reduction and other climate action plan goals.
Present considerations:
The Climate Investment Fund (CIF) is a funding mechanism for a portfolio of ongoing incentive
programs available for residents and businesses, helping to leverage private investment dollars
when owners are ready to make improvements that reduce carbon emissions and lower energy
costs. These programs are described below, with historic and projected participation levels
discussed later in this report.
Current community-facing incentive programs
Sustainability staff design, publicize and manage a portfolio of community-facing incentive
programs funded using the CIF. Each program is considered a strategy under one or more of the
Climate Action Plan’s midterm goals or advanced strategies:
Figure 1. Climate Action Plan midterm goals and relative impact of each sector on the 2030
greenhouse gas reduction goal
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 2) Page 3
Title: Sustainability division program status
Figure 2. Climate Action Plan advanced strategies
There are equity considerations for every program. For most programs, the “environmental
justice area of concern” is derived from the Climate Equity Map. The environmental justice area
of concern will likely look a little different for each program because of the target factors
considered (air quality, flooding, high energy burden, etc.).
The Environment and Sustainability Commission (ESC) has been a sounding board in the
development of all programs, and the commission reviews outreach and participation statistics
quarterly.
A. Program name: Climate Champions
Description: Energy assessment, project cost share and recognition program for property
owners who elect to participate. This program is the foundation of the division’s work and
the primary path for reaching CAP midterm goals around building energy.
Sectors: Business, multifamily, organizations, and homes
Equity component: Larger cost share amounts for properties in environmental justice areas
of concern (per Climate Equity Map) or based on rent affordability.
CAP strategies’ annual target: 20 commercial buildings retrofit; 900 single-family
households complete retrofits/weatherization; 1,782 households replace electrical
equipment and 720 households replace natural gas equipment with high-efficiency models.
B. Program name: Climate Champions solar bonus
Description: Solar bonus incentive for those who first reach energy efficiency targets under
any Climate Champions program.
Sectors: All
Equity component: Larger cost share amounts for properties in environmental justice areas
of concern (per Climate Equity Map)
CAP strategies’ annual target: Additional 3.7 MW solar capacity
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 2) Page 4
Title: Sustainability division program status
C. Program name: Building Operations Champions
Description: Cost share for commercial property owners who pay for their building
operators to attend Building Operator Certification (BOC) level 1 or multifamily training and
pass the certification exam. The cost share and utility rebates bring down the cost from
$1,200 to $50-100.
Sectors: Commercial & industrial, multifamily
Equity component: Larger cost share amounts for trainees from traditionally
underrepresented groups
CAP strategies’ annual target: 38 commercial buildings engaged in building operations BMPs
(best management practices)
D. Program name: Shade SLP and full-service tree planting (in coordination with Parks &
Recreation)
Description: Tree planting to capture and store carbon dioxide, enhancing property values
and aesthetics and reducing owners’ utility costs through increased shading and reduced
flooding
Sectors: All
Equity component: Larger cost share for properties in environmental justice areas of
concern (per Climate Equity Map)
CAP strategies’ annual target: N/A (no targets listed for Advanced Strategies)
E. Program name: EV charging incentives for multifamily buildings (pending Xcel Energy
Multifamily Charging Program approval from the Public Utilities Commission)
Description: Cost share funds for multifamily property owners to incentivize installation of
electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in private parking lots with shared (non-dedicated)
spots. Acceptance into the Xcel Energy Multifamily Charging Program will be required for
the cost share. Under this program, Xcel Energy installs and maintains all electric vehicle
charging infrastructure (i.e., transformers, conduit) at no charge to the property owner. The
city program would offset the remaining cost (the electric vehicle charging unit or lease
fee).
Sectors: Multifamily
Equity component: Funds only available for properties where residents have “first come,
first served” private parking, i.e., naturally-occurring affordable housing
CAP strategies target: Goal 6 is to reduce vehicle emissions by 25% by 2030 as compared to
the business-as-usual forecast. A key strategy to achieving this goal is to increase adoption
of electric vehicles such that EVs comprise 28% of total car ownership and 1% of all truck
ownership in St. Louis Park (annual targets are not available given data limitations).
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 2) Page 5
Title: Sustainability division program status
F. Program name: Depave SLP (in coordination with Engineering, Community Development,
and Parks & Recreation)
Description: Offers cost share for commercial property owners to turn unused parking
spaces into green space, lowering surface temperatures, improving air quality and reducing
stormwater runoff.
Sectors: Commercial & industrial, multifamily
Equity component: Larger cost share for properties in environmental justice areas of
concern (per Climate Equity Map)
CAP strategies’ annual target: N/A (no targets listed for Advanced Strategies)
Other sustainability projects, programs and policies
In addition to designing, publicizing and managing the community-facing incentive programs,
sustainability division staff also takes on a number of other projects, policies and tasks,
including:
• Electrify Everything Minnesota initiative
• Electrify Communities pilot project (in collaboration with Edina and Eden Prairie)
• Idle-Free SLP public educational campaign
• Efficient Building Benchmarking ordinance administration
• Special assessment option for energy improvements
• Grant writing for federal, state and nonprofit funds for studies and projects
• Environment and sustainability commission support
• Climate equity map and Environmental Stewardship dashboard
• Energy assistance programs (promoting programs that reduce energy burden)
• Monitoring municipal building energy use
• Assisting with municipal solar and EV charging projects as needed
• Annual reporting to GreenStep Cities, EPA Green Power Partnership, and other external
parties
• Advocating for policy changes at the legislature and Public Utilities Commission,
including:
• International Code Council’s national Energy and Carbon Advisory Council
established to steer energy code development policy
• Minnesota Energy Efficiency for All (MN EEFA) coalition for improvements to
utilities’ low-income energy conservation programs
• Midcontinent Independent System Operator Cities and Communities Coalition
(MISOCCC)
• Planning various annual events, including Ecotacular
• Various work groups, cohorts and coalitions, including:
• U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Energy to Communities (C2C) pilot cohort
• Hennepin County EV and tree policy work groups
• RMI Electrify Cohort
• MnDOT Local Agency Vehicle Miles Traveled work group
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 2) Page 6
Title: Sustainability division program status
• Minnesota Community Energy Network
These projects, programs and policies are not incentive-based and therefore not funded from
the CIF; operating budget funds or grant funds pay for all.
Community engagement strategies
Having spent the past three years creating a menu of climate action programs with something
for every resident and business in the city, staff’s focus has shifted to engaging, educating and
motivating residents to participate in the programs.
Because reaching climate goals is dependent on community program participation, it is crucial
that staff use a wide range of tools—both conventional and unconventional—to recruit local
residents, business owners and workers to take action.
Electronic communications
Sustainability staff works closely with the communications department to craft and post social
media posts and regular e-newsletters. Approximately 75 social media posts are created
annually, along with 12-15 e-newsletters. The climate action plan newsletter currently has over
3,200 subscribers, and while these subscribers receive a quarterly summary of climate action
programs, staff also works with communications to send sustainability news to broader city
subscription lists.
Additionally, staff regularly posts news in the school district’s newsletter and city partners’
newsletters.
The city website has a comprehensive set of web pages on sustainability programs and policies.
Information about building- and energy- related incentive programs is also cross-posted to the
building permit application page, the housing page, and the financial resources page.
Contractors’ communications
Staff has found that leveraging the influence of local contractors is often the city’s most
effective way to communicate. Many solar installers have found success by letting prospective
customers know about the city’s solar programs. HVAC and general contractors that do
business in St. Louis Park have received regular reminders about the city’s Climate Champions
programs, and a few customers have applied as a result of contractors sharing the information.
Written communications
Sustainability staff contributes articles to mailed citywide communications including the Park
Perspective and Parks & Recreation brochure.
Flyers for all sustainability programs can be found in a few locations within city hall. Staff also
create and hang posters and flyers throughout the city to advertise programs and events.
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 2) Page 7
Title: Sustainability division program status
Targeted mailers are occasionally sent to properties to let them know about new or bonus
incentive programs available. For example, in 2022 a postcard advertising the Solar Sundown
program was designed and sent only to those properties that had roofs replaced within the past
12 months (“City records show you recently repaired or replaced your roof. There’s no better
time to explore if rooftop solar is right for you!”). Another example is the postcards that are
sent to new homeowners in St. Louis Park that provide a code for a free Home Energy Squad
“Planner” visit and information about the Climate Champions for Homes program
(“Congratulations on your new home! To welcome you, the City of St. Louis Park would like to
offer you a free Home Energy Squad “Planner” visit”).
Door knocking, cold calls and email
Staff spend approximately 100 hours per year placing cold calls and sending emails about
sustainability incentive programs, and an additional 10 hours per year door-knocking
businesses and nonprofit organizations about programs.
Earned media
Sustainability staff have been interviewed by MPR, the Star Tribune, WCCO, KARE 11 and
various trade publications. Staff have also authored numerous op-eds for the Sun Sailor.
Community tabling
Sustainability division staff table at approximately 20 events per year—both city-sponsored
events (e.g., Arbor Day, Bike to Work Day, Fire Department Open House) and external events
(e.g., West Metro Home Remodeling Fair, Senior Resource Fair, Art Fair). Staff also recently
began tabling at Vista Lutheran Church’s Fare for All monthly pop-up grocery store, which offers
affordable groceries in cooperation with anti-hunger nonprofit The Food Group. At these
events, staff share information about city climate action programs, energy assistance programs
and utility bill consultation opportunities.
Staff looks to capitalize on events where there is a large audience of adults to engage. Written
materials are prepared and distributed at community events. In cases where sustainability staff
cannot attend an event, materials are shared with other staff to hand out on their behalf.
Hosted events
City staff organize and host numerous sustainability events including Ecotacular, Driving Electric
in St. Louis Park, the Wheelie Fun Community Bike Ride and the Energy Efficiency Business
Breakfast. Staff also coordinates closely with the ESC on events such as climate trivia (hosted in
2022 and 2023), and ESC members frequently volunteer at city-hosted sustainability events.
Speaking engagements
In 2022, sustainability staff presented at multiple city commission meetings in an effort to spur
non-ESC commissioners to serve as additional trusted messengers for climate action programs.
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 2) Page 8
Title: Sustainability division program status
Staff also shares information about programs internally through interdepartmental meetings
and communications.
Staff is invited to speak regularly to external groups including landlord coalitions, condominium
associations, houses of worship and clubs. In 2022, staff delivered nearly a dozen presentations
to outside groups and 2023 is trending similarly. There is a form on the sustainability web page
to request staff to speak to a group (and the form has been advertised through social media
and the e-newsletter).
In 2022 and 2023, sustainability staff collaborated with Westwood Hills Nature Center staff on
climate action programming for all St. Louis Park Middle School 6 grade science classes. All
students received a short presentation about climate change and climate action from
sustainability staff, then nature center staff led students through interactive programs
throughout the interpretive center. In May, those students presented their climate action
project ideas during the annual Climate Summit at the school, which was attended by
sustainability division staff and numerous city council members. Staff anticipates that this
partnership will continue in future years.
Sustainability staff has also presented or spoken on panels at conferences and workshops,
including the annual meeting of the Minnesota chapter of the America Planning Association,
the Xcel Energy EV Filing Workshop and the University of Minnesota Climate Action Breakfast
Briefing.
Video testimonials and promotions
Staff have created numerous video clips to highlight local people who have volunteered to
speak as champions for city programs. These videos, as well as recorded trainings and
workshops, are on the city’s Environmental Stewardship playlist on YouTube.
Outside the box
Sustainability staff are always looking for new ways to reach the community—particularly those
community members who have been historically marginalized. Here is a sample of these ideas:
• National Night Out
o Staff from sustainability; race, equity and inclusion; elections and solid waste
meet as a team to strategize how to maximize outreach on National Night Out.
Numerous staff are sent to visit multifamily apartment buildings.
• Community Education partnership
o City staff have partnered with the school district’s Community Education/Adult
Education staff to host and promote electric vehicle events.
• STEP partnership
o Staff have delivered flyers and plan to provide DIY energy efficiency kits to STEP
to hand out to people who visit to pick up food.
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 2) Page 9
Title: Sustainability division program status
• Instagram Reels
o In 2023 staff decided to create short videos and post them to the city’s
Instagram account as “Reels.” The first reel staff posted received over 5,500
views and 150 likes (St. Louis Park already has more than 4,300 followers on the
platform).
• Summer Reading Festival
o Staff from the Westwood Hills Nature Center, solid waste and sustainability
partner with the St. Louis Park public library and school district to read
sustainability-related books to kids during the Stories-a-Thon
• ParkTV sports ads
o Staff worked with communications to advertise the Climate Champions program
on ParkTV. The ad has appeared on a screen border during sports events and as
a placeholder message between programs.
• “Cozy the Heat Pump” costume
o Having been captivated by nonprofit organization Rewiring America’s “Mr. Heat
Pump Goes to Washington” videos, staff reached out to Rewiring America staff
to find out how to fabricate a heat pump costume of their own. Rewiring
America generously donated one to the Electrify Everything MN initiative, and
the costume is shared by staff in the Electrify Everything MN cities for use at city
events.
Climate program participation trends
Sustainability division incentive programs were first introduced in 2021 and each year
additional programs have been added. While familiarity with the programs has steadily
increased, participation has not yet reached the levels needed to reach the CAP strategies’
annual targets.
Note (in the targets listed above) that many of the incentive programs fall under more than one
CAP strategy, making it challenging to add a single target goal line to any one program. The
Climate Champions programs, for example, are designed to encompass all of the improvements
suggested in the CAP under building energy efficiency.
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 2) Page 10
Title: Sustainability division program status
Climate Champions participation
0
5
10
15
20
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026Participants
Year
Climate Champions non-residential* programs:
Historic and projected participation
Climate Champions for businesses Climate Champions for organizations
Climate Champions for multifamily Solar bonus
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026Participants
Year
Climate Champions for Homes:
Historic and projected participation
Energy assessments Applicants
* Solar bonus applies to all property types
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 2) Page 11
Title: Sustainability division program status
Other programs’ participation
Observations and takeaways
Climate Champions non-residential programs
The Climate Champions programs for large buildings (businesses, organizations and multifamily)
has remained relatively flat and is projected to increase only modestly in the coming years.
Further, while several businesses have undergone energy audits and taken action, in most cases
those businesses have completed only lighting retrofits (i.e., projects that have a short payback
and do not require invasive construction) and not larger projects with more climate impact.
There are a number of possible reasons for these participation levels:
• Many businesses are still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,
including having difficulty hiring and retaining staff.
• Managing energy projects (beyond lighting retrofits) may be outside their ability to
manage or fund/finance.
• Many of the easy-to-reach businesses have signed up for assessments. The largest
commercial buildings may have tenants who rent, and out-of-state owners who sell
their properties every few years and are less connected to the city.
• All types of property owners may also be struggling financially or may simply not want
to expend the time and hassle to add or replace insulation, replace their HVAC systems
or appliances before the point of failure or install rooftop solar.
• There is a limited number of nonprofit organizations housed in St. Louis Park
(approximately 50). Staff has reached out to all, with repeated outreach to organizations
that have been harder to reach. Some may not be in a position to complete projects yet,
but the city’s energy assessment partner has been excellent at offering guidance as
needed.
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
2022 2023 2024 2025 2026Participants
Year
Tree programs and Depave SLP:
Historic and projected participation
Shade SLP Depave SLP Full-service tree planting
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 2) Page 12
Title: Sustainability division program status
• Participation in the multifamily sector is difficult to predict. Staff hopes to see an
increase in participation as the state and the federal Inflation Reduction Act provisions
come online and multifamily property owners are able to stack incentives. This is a
historically difficult group to reach, even with large incentives, for a number of reasons:
the split incentive problem (capital improvements that yield energy savings result in one
party paying for improvements while the other party receives the benefits of reduced
utility costs), the fact that so many property owners live out of state and a lack of
maintenance staff (or high staff turnover) to manage projects.
Staff has tested a few strategies to increase participation in non-residential Climate Champions
programs, including a 2022 cost-share bonus for restaurants and a 2023 cost-share bonus for
dental offices. While a few business owners expressed enthusiasm for the bonuses and decided
to undergo energy assessments, none committed to completing energy projects once they
received their energy reports and estimated project costs (including all financial incentives)
despite repeated follow-ups.
Climate Champions for Homes
Climate Champions for Homes was designed as a replacement for the Energy Efficient Rebates
program that would focus resources on reducing both energy use and greenhouse gas
emissions. Like the rebates program, it has proven to be popular despite the additional step
required (a Home Energy Squad “Planner” visit prior to completing any projects). Staff
anticipates that participation in this program will grow in the coming years because of the
combination of awareness and soon-to-be-released rebates and tax credits from the state and
the federal Inflation Reduction Act (especially as some state incentives will require an energy
assessment prior to receiving funds). When combined with Climate Champions, these new
incentives will remove some barriers to participation (e.g., upfront cost) and reduce project
payback.
Climate Champions solar bonus
Once new funding becomes available from state and federal governments to make energy
improvement projects and electric vehicles more affordable, some residents will likely be
incentivized to complete projects before or at the same time as going solar. Since dozens of
property owners installed rooftop solar under the Solar Sundown program in 2021-2022, the
city may not see high numbers of additional rooftop installations in future years as many of the
homes remaining without solar are not suitable due to feasibility constraints such as shade.
Other programs
The city will continue to offer the Building Operations Champion cost share incentive program
despite little to no interest from property owners. While the utilities have not focused on
promoting their building operations training rebates, staff believes that offering a path to
reduce energy from daily operations is crucial given that operational energy makes up
approximately 80 percent of an existing building’s total lifecycle energy (with the remaining 20
percent from embodied energy, i.e., building materials and construction).
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 2) Page 13
Title: Sustainability division program status
Interest and participation in Depave SLP and Shade SLP will grow as the programs have only
recently launched. Signs installed after the completion of the first Depave SLP projects will help
communicate the benefits of the program. Sustainability staff will continue to collaborate with
staff in community development and natural resources to promote these programs.
Climate Investment Fund expenditures
Depending on participation trends and any adjustments to existing cost share amounts (for
example, staff could decide to decrease the percentage reimbursed for an insulation project
once the Inflation Reduction Act and state rebates are active), staff anticipates that the current
fund balance will be sufficient to fund all sustainability incentive programs through 2024 and
that no additional infusions of cash will be needed. Regardless, staff will reexamine the Climate
Investment Fund and its needed fund balance and project future expenditures during annual
budget discussions.
Next steps: Sustainability staff will continue to administer programs and conduct outreach in
the community.
Meeting: Study session
Meeting date: August 14, 2023 Discussion item: 3
Executive summary
Title: Lithium-ion battery safety
Recommended action: None currently.
Policy consideration: Is council supportive of staff reviewing adopted city codes and policies
relevant to lithium-ion battery usage for potential amendments?
Summary: The fire department, in partnership with building and energy and community
development, will present information about lithium-ion battery usage and emerging risks for
education and potential mitigation. This is a developing issue; the goal of the report and
discussion is for council to be aware of the various considerations and the work staff is doing to
prepare the city for a future where lithium-ion battery charging is ever-present.
Financial or budget considerations: The fire department has been researching and investing in
response capability to minimize risks associated with lithium-ion battery fires. There is the
potential for budget requests in future years.
Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to continue to lead in
environmental stewardship.
Supporting documents: Discussion
Prepared by: Steve Koering, fire chief
Approved by: Kim Keller, city manager
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 3) Page 2
Title: Lithium-ion battery safety
Discussion
Background
The city of St. Louis Park has prioritized energy conversion as a component of its climate action
plan since the plan’s inception in 2018. Since then, the city amended the green building policy
to include electric vehicle (EV) charging in 2022. There have been several contributing factors
that supported the city’s decisions including support from Xcel Energy to encourage, promote
and incentivize the proliferation of EV charging.
Lithium-ion batteries are the prevalent source for stored energy, and they are used in every
application across the entire spectrum of energy conversion. The projected growth of lithium-
ion usage is projected to increase from $11.2 Billion USD present day to $35 billion USD by
2028. Today, the greatest percentage of this market is in micro mobility/consumer products.
Globally, the lithium market is expected to reach $273.8 billion USD by 2030.
Present considerations
It is generally accepted that lithium-ion battery use is safe. There is also emerging evidence that
there are fire risks associated with the batteries, especially when they are damaged or used
with an incompatible device. When the technology fails, either through damage, defect or
human error, the consequences can become an extremely dangerous situation involving fire,
explosive gas and rapid thermal runaway. This is compounded when the battery is in proximity
to other flammables. In those situations, a rapidly escalating emergency is created. This is not a
St. Louis Park-specific issue; this growing concern is experienced worldwide as the technology
expands and more becomes known about the risks.
Most lithium-ion battery fires occur in locations where the use of stored energy is prevalent. As
the State of Minnesota and local cities increase adoption of the technology, there are key
proactive applications to reduce the risk of fire and damage. Staff has researched the issue and
identified two use cases – micromobility and underground parking – that warrant further
investigation and potential policy updates.
Micromobility:
Micromobility refers to a range of small, lightweight vehicles operating at speeds typically
below 25 km/h and driven by users personally. Micro mobility devices include bicycles, e-bikes,
electric scooters, electric skateboards, shared bicycle fleets, and electric pedal assisted bicycles.
This category represents nearly half of all lithium-ion batteries. The market is growing at a rate
of 16.2% per year and should reach $186.2 billion USD in 2023; it expected to become the
dominant mode of transportation in urban areas. Globally, the most common consumer of
micro mobility is affluent, young, and male. Lower-income residents are increasingly recognized
as potentially benefiting from access to devices that are safe and affordable. Several initiatives
across the country are being launched to ensure that low-income people are not left out of the
market.
Because of their size, micromobility devices are easily carried or rolled into an apartment for
security and plugged in to charge, placing the devices inside wood-frame, multiunit residential
buildings – which are often unsprinklered. One of the most likely points of failure is during the
charging process due to damaged batteries or incorrect replacement batteries. EV and
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 3) Page 3
Title: Lithium-ion battery safety
micromobility-related fires spread rapidly and create explosive, toxic gas, making it difficult or
impossible to exit to safety.
Staff continues to monitor and research how other cities are responding to EV and
micromobility fires, both to implement immediate response-related best practices and to
consider more long-term and proactive interventions. New York City fights an average of one
micromobility fire each day and on numerous occasions, three or four per day, and has banned
all e-bikes from being stored in apartments. Staff monitors these responses to proactively
mitigate risk while preparing for a future where battery charging is routine and pervasive.
Charging stations in underground parking:
According to Health Facilities Management Magazine, EV cars represent about 1% of the
vehicles on the road in the United States. Industry and government goals will drive this
percentage much higher in the coming years.
While longitudinal data on the likelihood of a fire from an electric car is still being compiled,
there is growing awareness of the significant resources required to extinguish an EV fire. Similar
to micromobility devices, when EVs have a fire, it is usually while connected to a power source
or within 1 hour of charging.
Fire attack on vehicles with an internal combustion engine is less complex and requires far
fewer resources. EV fires are significantly different in that they burn much hotter, about 4500
degrees Fahrenheit versus 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, the amount of water
required to extinguish an EV fire is thousands of gallons (versus hundreds of gallons) and water
needs to be sustained for several hours. This adds an environmental risk for runoff, particularly
in underground garages.
The resources needed and impact of the fire both increase if the vehicle is parked in an
underground garage. In those situations, the combination of high heat and weight of the
vehicle can impact the structural integrity of the steel and concrete ramp. Lastly, removing the
vehicle from the garage is extremely difficult because it needs to be put on dollies to move so
as not to reenergize the power source and reignite the fire.
Responding to an EV fire would represent a significant challenge to the current response
capability of the Fire Department and its ability to manage life-safety, property conservation
and environmental impacts consistent with regular operations. The department is aggressively
exploring all response options.
Public education and responsible planning
The continued expansion of stored energy including lithium-ion batteries is inevitable and is an
important component of slowing climate change. As St. Louis Park prepares for a city where
electric battery charging is ubiquitous, there are important steps to take to ensure the
community is educated and prepared. St. Louis Park is in the situation of being able to prepare
proactively, not reactively.
Individual and community steps can be taken to significantly reduce fire risk posed by lithium-
ion batteries.
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 3) Page 4
Title: Lithium-ion battery safety
Community education: A staff work team has been established to develop an education
campaign that informs residents and property owners about how to safely use the
products. Unexpected battery failure can generally be attributed to consumers using
replacement batteries and/or chargers that were not designed for the specific product.
Each product/battery combination is unique and buying generic batteries, even if they
seem equal, can be a mismatch at the molecular level. Another opportunity would be to
educate consumers on the risks of charging or storing these batteries inside the living
space. Education efforts would also include information encouraging property
management to provide safe charging and storage space to minimize risks of loss. These
best practices will also be a highlighted area at the upcoming fire department open
house, where fire department staff will be available to answer questions and provide
direction.
•Response capabilities: The fire department is reviewing its response capabilities to
incorporate EV-fire best practices wherever possible. This may include financial
allocations in future department budgets.
•Incentive programs: Staff will explore the need for and availability of funds toward a
potential incentive program for property owners to create secure, safe charging areas in
multifamily housing complexes.
•Policy review: Staff is seeking council support of a review of the green building policy
and property maintenance code. If there are recommended changes, they would be
brought to council for consideration.
Next steps
Given that this is a developing issue, full solutions are not readily known at this time. To be as
prepared as possible, staff will continue developing the educational campaign and response
capabilities discussed above. Staff will also continue to explore the potential for an incentive
program to create secure, safe charging areas in multifamily housing buildings.
Upon obtaining council support, staff will begin reviewing applicable city codes and policies and
report back to council with any recommended updates. Any additional response capability
needs will be included in budget discussions in future years.
Meeting: Study session
Meeting date: August 14, 2023 Written report: 4
Executive summary
Title: Overview of city tree policies and programs
Recommended action: No action requested.
Policy consideration: None at this time. The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of
St. Louis Park’s current tree programs and policies. This background information is provided in
advance of future discussions as part of the Environmental Stewardship system.
Summary: Healthy urban trees and canopy preservation has been a focus of the City of St. Louis
Park for many decades. This is evident by 42 consecutive years of recognition as a Tree City
USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. During that time, St. Louis Park has developed ordinances,
policies and programs that protect the urban forest from disease, infestation and damage. The
city has also outlined maintenance practices for public trees and reforestation efforts. These
are supported by four divisions or departments in the city: natural resources, planning and
zoning, engineering and sustainability.
The need for effective ordinances, policies and programs has been emphasized by the positive
impact urban trees have on climate change. They also help to elevate the negative impact of
invasive pests such as emerald ash borer which is rapidly killing trees and reducing canopy in
the city. Zoning and vegetation codes provide specific protections for existing trees on public
property (including boulevard trees) and on commercial properties. Planting trees is required
by zoning codes on new commercial and residential developments. Planting on existing
commercial and residential properties is supported through multiple city cost-share programs
such as the annual Tree Sales, ShadeSLP and DepaveSLP. Replacement of public trees is
managed by the natural resources division and funded through the Park Improvement Fund,
and tree removal replacement fees.
Financial or budget considerations: Not applicable.
Strategic priority consideration: St. Louis Park is committed to continue to lead in
environmental stewardship.
Supporting documents: Discussion
April 25, 2022 study session agenda
April 25, 2022 study session minutes
Urban Forestry Management Plan
Prepared by: Michael Bahe, natural resources manager
Reviewed by: Jason T. West, director of parks and recreation
Cindy S. Walsh, deputy city manager
Approved by: Kim Keller, city manager
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 4) Page 2
Title: Overview of city tree policies and programs
Discussion
Background: The city utilizes several existing policies and plans to develop tree programs,
respond to requests from the public and identify funding needs. A summary of these policies
and plans, along with when they were approved, is below:
2040 Comprehensive Plan (2018)
The 2040 Comprehensive Plan mentions tree preservation in several sections:
•Chapter 4, page 62: The city’s zoning ordinance requires the protection or replacement
of significant trees on all public and commercial property and the replacement of trees
on public land on a one-to-one per caliper basis. However, the city’s tree preservation
ordinance does not cover the single-family areas of the city, where the city is
experiencing the greatest tree canopy loss. Future policies could look at ways to achieve
a one-for-one replacement for trees on private property.
•Chapter 4, page 68: Preservation, maintenance and diversification of the city’s natural,
ecological and scenic resources will remain a high priority for the city. The city will
continue efforts to combat invasive flora and fauna species and incorporate natural
vegetation and trees to expand the city’s tree canopy.
•Chapter 4, page 72: Natural Resources Goal 4: Collaboratively maintain the natural
environment of the city.
o Strategy A. Protect, maintain, diversify, and expand the city’s tree canopy, and
continue boulevard tree planting and replacement programs.
Climate Action Plan (2018)
Tree planting is listed as a carbon offset strategy under Advanced Strategies (post-2030) in the
Climate Action Plan. The plan suggests, “The city can use iTree to inventory trees in its urban
forest and calculate current and future carbon sequestration.”
In the city’s official communications, trees are highlighted as important to mental wellbeing,
helping curb greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, reducing heat island effect, purifying the air,
decreasing energy costs and mitigating excessive stormwater runoff.
Urban Forestry Management Plan (2023)
In 2023, natural resources staff began drafting an update to the Urban Forestry Management
Plan. The purpose of the plan is to outline and guide tactics for maintaining and growing the
urban forest in St. Louis Park. The completed plan is attached to this report.
Staffing tree programs and policies
Staff to support tree programs and policies span four divisions:
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 4) Page 3
Title: Overview of city tree policies and programs
• Natural resources: the natural resources division manages the city’s urban forestry
program, including public outreach, inspecting trees, private tree consultation, planting,
watering, pruning and other general tree care in city parks, boulevards, vacant lots and
Westwood Hills Nature Center. This division also enforces zoning and nuisance tree
ordinances such as tree preservation, tree protection during construction, development
plan review, tree disease/infestation sanitation programs on private and public property
and management of the city brush and compost disposal site. In addition, it manages
the annual tree sale and volunteer tree planting events with local partner Tree Trust.
• Planning and zoning: the planning and zoning division coordinates review of subdivisions
and new development, including review of compliance with the landscaping
requirements in the zoning code which is summarized and supplemented in the
landscaping guidelines handout.
• Engineering: engineering staff oversees construction projects on city infrastructure,
including roads, bridges, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, watermain, sidewalks, trails and
bikeways.
• Sustainability: sustainability staff helps natural resources staff manage the full-service
residential tree planting option and Shade SLP for commercial properties. Staff
promotes opportunities such as those and the annual tree sale and volunteer plantings
in the Climate Action Plan newsletter and at public events.
Natural resources division staffing and budget
The natural resources division budget supports the following:
• Total budget: $507,429.00
• Staff:
o One full-time staff – natural resources manager
Supervises two parks maintenance staff
o Seasonal staff (limited April – November per union contract)
• Contracted operations:
o Public tree pruning
o Public tree removal
o Private tree removal (expenditures and revenue)
o Public tree injections (emerald ash borer and Dutch elm disease treatments)
o Native prairie maintenance
Emerald ash borer’s effect on tree canopy
Emerald ash borer (EAB) has devastated large sections of tree canopy in St. Louis Park. Per city
code, infested ash trees are considered a nuisance and must be removed on public and private
property. In 2022, an estimated 1,500 ash trees were removed through city programs. The ash
trees that are impacted are typically mature trees. Although these are replaced with new trees,
the younger trees are smaller and, initially, provide a reduced tree canopy that will persist until
the young trees develop.
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 4) Page 4
Title: Overview of city tree policies and programs
While many trees continue to be removed due to EAB, smaller numbers of trees are removed
annually due to disease, drought, structural failure of trees, high risk trees, new development
and death from other factors. Removals from EAB are expected to be consistent at 2022 levels
for another 2-5 years as infestation numbers peak.
Present considerations:
Current tree programs
There are several programs in St. Louis Park to support tree preservation, planting and health.
• Tree planting: private property
o Annual Tree Sale: This sale is managed by our partners at Tree Trust, a local
nonprofit, every year in early March. Residents pay for discounted trees online,
then pick up their trees in May. Trees are $35 each, and there is a limit of 3 trees
per St. Louis Park address. Trees include large shade, pollinator-friendly,
ornamental and more. The online shopping portal also designates which trees
are suitable ash replacements in terms of size and shade provided.
o Full-service tree planting option: St. Louis Park is also partnering with Tree Trust
to offer a full-service tree purchasing and planting option for residential property
owners. It has been marketed as a good option for residents that would like
discounted trees but need assistance with transporting, siting or planting.
Additional discounts are available based on location (environmental justice
priority rate) and recent ash tree removal.
o Shade SLP. This is a commercial tree planting cost-share program: commercial
and nonprofit property owners can hire any vendor to plant up to three trees on
their property and the city will share the cost. Additional discounts are also
available based on location (environmental justice priority rate) and recent ash
tree removal.
o The Depave SLP program incentivizes replacing asphalt and concrete parking lots
and other hardscapes with green space, including trees.
o Free tree consultations to property owners to assess tree health: the Natural
Resources manager can be consulted via email, phone calls and house visits to
answer questions about tree care, tree diseases, landscaping or other concerns.
They will also advise on tree and plant species that are suitable for the site.
o Subsidy for fungicide injections to preserve elm and oak trees: healthy elm trees
and oak trees can be injected with a fungicide that prevents Dutch elm disease
or oak wilt disease. The City of St. Louis Park reimburses 15 percent of the cost of
a three-year warranty injection.
o Bulk rate discount agreements with contractors for emerald ash borer
treatments: A citywide discount is available to St. Louis Park homeowners to
treat privately owned ash trees.
• Tree planting: public property
o Boulevard tree replacement program: one-for-one replacement of all boulevard
trees removed (due to limited spacing).
o Parks tree replacement program: one-for-one replacement for all parks trees
removed.
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 4) Page 5
Title: Overview of city tree policies and programs
o Additional plantings through annual community tree plantings at Westwood Hills
Nature Center, Arbor Day, etc.
o Restoration plantings in natural areas/vacant lots.
o Partnerships for grant solicitation for natural space restoration and/or tree
planting with non-profit organizations (i.e., Great River Greening and Tree Trust).
Additional parks and boulevard trees funded by Forest Service and Minnesota Department of
Natural Resources grants that the natural resources division pursues.
Current tree watering practices:
The recent drought conditions have made watering new trees necessary. The city’s approach
has been to place watering bags around newly planted trees. Private property owners are
educated on watering best practices and public trees have their bags filled every other week.
The city also works with volunteers who water when possible. Providing a higher level of
watering service would require the purchase of an additional water truck and hiring of
additional seasonal staff.
Current tree policies
The city currently regulates the preservation and planting of trees through sections of the
zoning and vegetation codes:
1) Restrictions for tree removal and standards for replacement (i.e., “the tree
replacement formula”), regulates the preservation of trees on lots except for existing
single-family and two-family lots.
2) Tree protection, requires that all trees retained on any site shall be marked and
physically protected from harm or destruction during construction.
3) Minimum number of tree plantings, requires a certain number of trees be planted on a
site based on either the lot dimensions or the number of dwelling units.
4) Tree disease/infestation nuisance abatement, requires private property owners to
remove any tree infected with an injurious pest (disease or insect) that could spread in
epidemic proportions to other trees in the community.
Restrictions for tree removal and standards for replacement
Tree replacement formula for development
The zoning code includes tree removal restrictions and standards for replacement for public
and private trees. To summarize:
• Public land tree removal: only people authorized by the city may remove any tree from
public land, and the tree must be replaced by the entity who removed it. Replacement
of any live tree removed must be replaced on a caliper inch for caliper inch basis. The
city may also elect to receive cash in lieu of trees based on a fee per caliper inch
determined by the City Council (2023 fee: $225 per diameter inch). Replacement trees
shall be placed in public boulevards, public parks, or public open space. The tree species
need to be approved by the city forester.
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 4) Page 6
Title: Overview of city tree policies and programs
• Private land: (does not apply to trees removed from existing lots developed with single-
family or two-family dwellings; only applies to single-family land when there is a
proposed subdivision of land for single-family lots.) No significant tree shall be cut
down, destroyed, or removed from any property unless authorized by city permit.
Permit approval is subject to a replacement plan and verification by the city forester.
There are follow-up provisions to ensure the replacement trees remain healthy, an
opportunity for the replacement trees to be planted on public land if needed, and an
option for the city to receive cash in lieu of planting at the rate of $225 per caliper inch.
Tree protection during construction
The zoning code states, “All trees which are to be retained on any site shall be marked and
physically protected from harm or destruction caused by soil compaction, equipment and
material storage within the drip line, bark abrasions, changes in soil chemistry, out-of-season
pruning and root cutting during construction”.
The code further specifies details regarding placement of safety fencing, heavy equipment, soil
chemistry, drainage and care of damaged oak and elm trees. It states, “Any tree determined by
the city forester to be destroyed or damaged shall be replaced in accordance with the tree
replacement section above”.
In addition to the zoning code, the vegetation code states “No building material, machines or
equipment of any description shall be piled near any street tree unless such tree is first
sufficiently protected by a proper guard and/or tree protection fencing...” and “No person shall
remove, destroy, cut, deface or in any way injure or interfere with any tree or shrub on any of
the avenues, streets or public grounds, including parks and parkways of the city...”.
Minimum number of tree plantings
All open areas of a lot that are not used for buildings, required parking or circulation areas,
patios or storage must be landscaped with a combination of canopy trees, ornamental trees,
evergreen trees, shrubs, flowers, sod, ground cover materials and other site design features.
The zoning code sets a minimum number of plant materials according to the type of building on
the site. The plant materials may include a combination of the options listed above to ensure
soil stabilization. This does not apply to undisturbed areas retained in a natural state. There are
provisions to substitute some of the larger “canopy” trees with smaller “ornamental” trees in
the zoning code.
• Single-family and two-family dwellings built on newly subdivided lots must plant one (1)
tree per lot in the boulevard.
• Multi-family residential dwellings must plant one canopy or evergreen tree per dwelling
unit.
• Non-residential uses must plant the greater of:
o One canopy or evergreen tree per 1,000 square feet of gross building floor area,
or
o One (1) canopy or evergreen tree per 50 lineal feet of site perimeter.
Study session meeting of August 14, 2023 (Item No. 4) Page 7
Title: Overview of city tree policies and programs
New tree plantings can be used to meet both the minimum number of trees and the minimum
caliper inches of replacement tree plantings. Staff use the greater of the two to determine the
minimum requirement.
While the code seeks to maximize the number of trees preserved/planted in open areas for any
given development plan, sometimes there is not enough room on the site to plant all the trees
the formulas require and have them grow to maturity. The code allows alternative features, in
place of the plantings, that also contribute to the landscaping of a site, such as green roofs,
native plantings and public art.
Tree disease/infestation nuisance abatement
The vegetation code defines seven instances where trees in the city are considered nuisances
and must be removed. At the time of this report, trees infested with emerald ash borer, the oak
wilt fungus, or the Dutch elm disease fungus fit at least one of these definitions and must be
removed to preserve the larger population.
City staff licensed by the State of Minnesota as tree inspectors inspect public and private
properties in the city annually. Nuisance trees identified on private property are marked with
an ‘X’ on the trunk. Property owners are then notified and are subsequently required to remove
the trees within 40 days of notice. The city has a contract with a city licensed tree maintenance
company that will remove private nuisance trees if the tree owner elects to utilize them or fails
to remove the tree within the allowed period. If the city contractor is used, the costs can be
assessed to the property taxes and spread out over a set number of years depending on cost.
Next steps: Staff will return to council for a discussion on tree preservation at the August 28
study session.
Urban Forestry Management Plan
City of St. Louis Park
Updated August 4, 2023
Study session of August 24, 2023 (Item No. 4)
Title: Overview of tree policies and programs Page 1
Contents
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................. 2
The Benefits of Trees .......................................................................................................... 2
Defining the Scope of the Urban Forestry Management Plan ........................................... 5
Relationship to Other Documents ...................................................................................... 6
Current Regulations & Policies Related to Forestry ........................................................... 7
History of St. Louis Park’s Urban Forest.............................................................................. 8
City Operations ................................................................................................................. 10
Tree Planting Programs for Property Owners .................................................................. 15
Tree Inventory ................................................................................................................... 16
Safety & Training ............................................................................................................... 17
Public Outreach & Education ............................................................................................ 17
Funding Sources & Partners .............................................................................................. 17
Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 18
References ........................................................................................................................ 19
Glossary of Terms ............................................................................................................. 21
Study session of August 24, 2023 (Item No. 4)
Title: Overview of tree policies and programs Page 2
Urban Forestry Management Plan
City of St. Louis Park
Executive Summary
The urban forest is a fundamental part of life and leisure in the City of St. Louis Park, in
addition to playing a key role in the city’s green infrastructure. When properly managed,
the urban forest provides substantial ecological, social, and economic benefits. The
benefits include improved air and water quality, reduced erosion and storm water runoff,
conserved energy, carbon storage, improved health, protected wildlife habitat, enhanced
livability, traffic calming, reduced noise, and increased property values.
This document records the urban forestry management practices utilized by the City of
St. Louis Park. These practices are based on current peer-reviewed research and industry
best practices. This is considered a living document and will change as the city faces new
challenges and adopts updated best management practices in urban and community
forestry. The standards and guidelines outlined in this plan ensure the continued
protection, maintenance, and management of the city’s urban forest. Applying these
standards and guidelines serves to protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of the
residents of St. Louis Park.
The city’s Natural Resources Division is primarily responsible for executing this plan,
though collaboration with other departments within the city is necessary to make
informed and fiscally responsible management decisions.
The Benefits of Trees
Trees are remarkable in that the benefits they provide far outweigh the cost. The City of
St. Louis Park utilizes i-Tree to estimate the direct economic benefit of its tree canopy. i-
Tree is a state-of-the-art, peer-reviewed software suite from the USDA Forest Service that
provides urban and rural forestry analysis and benefits assessment tools to its users.
Other benefits can be more difficult to quantify; for purposes of this document, cited
research is used to support the social and ecological benefits of trees.
Trees clean water and reduce flooding
Urban trees reduce the amount of storm water a city must manage through interception,
evapotranspiration, and infiltration. This reduces the amount of infrastructure needed by
a city to transport and treat storm water, aids in the recharging of aquifers, and reduces
runoff into lakes and streams. iTree estimates that St. Louis Park’s public trees intercept
2.975 million gallons of storm water runoff per year (March 2023).
Study session of August 24, 2023 (Item No. 4)
Title: Overview of tree policies and programs Page 3
Trees clean air
Urban trees clean the air by absorbing carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxides,
and particulate matter. They also reduce ozone emissions from vehicles by shading cars,
streets, and parking lots (McPherson E. G., et al., 2006). iTree estimates that the carbon
storage of St. Louis Park’s trees is equivalent to $1.31 million or 7,669 tons of carbon. Each
year that sequestration is an estimated 154 tons (March 2023).
Trees sustain the food web
Native trees, along with forbs and grasses, are essential for the life cycle of pollinators,
which go on to support local agriculture and food webs. Some trees produce flowers that
provide nectar and pollen for pollinators. Even better, many more native trees are host
plants for caterpillars (i.e., caterpillars feed on their leaves during the larval stage of
growth), which themselves are food for a wide variety of species of wildlife (Tallamy,
2007). The city promotes planting trees native to this region, especially keystone species,
wherever site conditions allow.
Trees provide wildlife habitat
Trees (whether alive or dead) serve as critical habitat for wildlife, providing ecological
niches (microhabitats) such as cavities, bark pockets, large dead branches, cracks, or trunk
rot. Many of these features would be considered undesirable to humans yet are host to
a vast array of wildlife and insect species throughout the tree’s aging process. At least
25% of forest wildlife species depend on or benefit from deadwood and habitat trees, and
many of these trees host endangered species (Bütler, Lachat, Larrieu, & Paillet, 2013). The
city leaves “habitat trees” such as this standing in natural areas (where it is safe to do so)
due to their significant ecological value.
Trees mitigate effects of urban heat islands
The urban heat island effect occurs when urban ambient air temperature is hotter than
its rural surroundings (Musco, 2016). Infrastructure (buildings, sidewalks, streets, etc.)
absorbs short-wave radiation from the sun during the day, emitting it later in the evening
and forcing temperatures to remain high. Impermeable surfaces, like concrete and
parking lots, prevent evaporative cooling from reducing temperatures. This urban heat
island effect is most prominent in industrial areas and marginalized communities. Planting
trees and replacing impermeable surfaces with vegetation, especially in these vulnerable
communities, lowers surface and air temperatures by providing shade and through
evapotranspiration (Using Trees and Vegetation to Reduce Heat Islands, n.d.).
Trees calm traffic
Trees have been found to improve driving safety and reduce vehicle speeds. One study
concluded the presence of curbside trees in a suburban landscape significantly reduced
driving speeds of individuals for both faster and slower drivers. (Naderi, Kweon, &
Maghelal, 2008). This would indicate there may be fewer car accidents on streets where
trees are present.
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Title: Overview of tree policies and programs Page 4
Trees reduce crime
A study done of public housing residents in inner-city Chicago found that 25% fewer acts
of domestic aggression and violence were reported in areas with nearby trees and natural
landscapes than areas without (Kuo & Sullivan, Aggression and Violence in the Inner City:
Effects of Environment Via Mental Fatigue, 2001). A separate study conducted in the
same area found that apartment buildings with high levels of vegetation had 52% fewer
total crimes reported than those with low levels of vegetation (Kuo & Sullivan,
Environment and Crime in the Inner City: Does Vegetation Reduce Crime?, 2001).
Proposed reasons for this reduction of crime are the increase in surveillance due to higher
outdoor activity and lowered mental fatigue due to exposure to green space.
Trees foster community
Researchers have found that people living in communities with mature trees report a
stronger feeling of unity and cohesion with their neighbors compared to communities
with little to no tree cover (Kuo & Sullivan, Do trees strengthen urban communities,
reduce domestic violence?, 1996).
Trees improve our physical and mental health
Cleaner air quality means fewer health risks. Researchers from Columbia University found
childhood asthma rates were highest in the parts of New York City where tree density was
lowest. The rate of asthma fell by 25% for every extra 340 trees per square kilometer, a
pattern that held true even after considering differing sources of pollution, levels of
affluence and population density (Lovasi, Quinn, Neckerman, Perzanowski, & Rundle,
2008). In a separate study, it was concluded that patients recovering from surgery in
hospital rooms with window views of a natural scene had shorter postoperative hospital
stays than patients in similar rooms with windows facing a brick wall (Ulrich, 1984).
Trees cut energy costs
Trees can save us a tremendous amount of energy through shading buildings and
pavement, along with serving as windbreaks. Properly placed trees can reduce cooling
costs in the summer by 30% (Nebraska Forest Service, 2011). Evergreens serving as
windbreaks in the winter can save 10-50% on heating costs (Maryland Department of
Natural Resources, 2015). In Minneapolis, street trees alone save $6.8 million in energy
costs annually (McPherson E. , et al., 2005).
Trees reduce road maintenance costs
Although trees can cause damage to infrastructure in situations of poor planning, the
shade they provide can increase the life and decrease maintenance costs of streets and
pavement when proper planning takes place (McPherson & Muchnick, 2005).
Trees increase property values
Properties with or near trees are typically worth more money. Studies have found general
increases of 10% (and up to 37%) in residential property values associated with the
presence of trees and vegetation on site (Foster, Lowe, & Winkelman, 2011).
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Title: Overview of tree policies and programs Page 5
Trees help businesses
Shoppers are willing to travel further, stay longer, and spend more money in business
districts with high quality trees over those with no trees present. This was found to be
true in cities of varying sizes and across the US (Wolf, 2005).
Defining the Scope of the Urban Forestry Management Plan
Plan scope
The Natural Resources Division is responsible for the promotion and care of tree canopy
within the city, including street trees, trees in developed parks, the 160-acre natural area
at Westwood Hills Nature Center, and undeveloped public properties. This care includes
maintaining a tree inventory, tree plantings, structural pruning, crown cleaning, crown
raising, annual tree inspections, stem and root zone protection, and tree removals.
There are many natural spaces adjacent to parks and water bodies within the city that are
minimally maintained. These areas are managed for invasive species with the goal of
increasing ecological services and wildlife habitat. The city utilizes grant funding through
partnerships with external non-profit organizations to achieve these goals.
This plan guides the work of the Natural Resources Division in the care of both managed
and natural spaces in the City of St. Louis Park.
Plan limitations
This plan outlines best management practices followed for maintenance of trees on public
property within the municipal boundaries of St. Louis Park. These management practices
are not mandated for private property, however, private property owners are encouraged
to use this plan as a guide in the care and maintenance of their own trees and landscapes.
Some areas in St. Louis Park have limits to their tree canopy cover, including:
•Native prairie areas. The city has begun converting underutilized turf areas of
public parks to native prairie pockets, which themselves provide wildlife habitat,
reduce and filter storm water runoff, and store carbon.
•Wetland areas. This includes lakes and other areas prone to flooding.
•Park infrastructure. The city builds and maintains sports courts, baseball fields,
soccer fields, ice rinks, community gardens, playgrounds, park buildings, above-
and below-ground utilities, and open green spaces; it is important to note, the city
actively seeks to complement these spaces with tree canopy that provides shade
along paths and where users’ experience would be enhanced (i.e., shade for sports
spectators or families utilizing playgrounds).
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Relationship to Other Documents
2040 Comprehensive Plan
In 2019, the 2040 Comprehensive Plan was adopted to guide the future of the City of St.
Louis Park. Within this plan, the St. Louis Park City Council outlines the following five
strategic priorities that were developed during the Vision 3.0 process.
The City of St. Louis Park is committed to:
•Being a leader in racial equity and inclusion to create a more just and inclusive
community for all.
•Continuing to lead in environmental stewardship.
•Providing a broad range of housing and neighborhood-oriented development.
•Providing a variety of options for people to make their way around the city
comfortably, safely and reliably.
•Creating opportunities to build social capital through community engagement.
Vision for environmental stewardship
St. Louis Park is committed to continuing to lead in environmental stewardship by:
•Supporting Climate Action Plan strategies and goals through planning, education,
resources, communication and implementation of programs and initiatives.
•Increasing opportunities to connect with nature in the city.
•Continuing to protect and improve the quality of natural resources, parks, lakes,
creeks, wetlands, and surface water planning, and using green spaces effectively.•Continuing to provide quality water to residents.
Climate Action Plan
By 2040, St. Louis Park’s predicted carbon dioxide equivalent emissions were expected to
total over 700,000 tons. In response to these predictions, a Climate Action Plan (CAP) was
created to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040, which means that the community’s net
greenhouse gas emissions shall be equal to zero. Carbon neutrality or net zero emissions
is achieved by a combination of greenhouse gas emission reductions and the purchase of
carbon offsets in an amount equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions not eliminated
through reductions. The CAP establishes climate action goals to reduce greenhouse gases
by 2030, and to capture or offset those that remain by 2040. These goals focus on
reducing energy consumption in buildings, increasing renewable energy use, reducing
vehicle emissions, and reducing solid waste. We will discuss in more detail below how
trees play a critical role in furthering the city’s carbon neutrality goal.
Emerald ash borer (EAB) management plan
The city maintains an Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Management Plan. This plan documents
current industry best management practices utilized by city staff to respond to damage
caused by EAB and prevent the spread of this invasive insect pest.
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Title: Overview of tree policies and programs Page 7
Current Regulations & Policies Related to Forestry
Current regulations adopted by the City of St. Louis Park are essential to maintaining a
healthy urban forest.
Summaries of these regulations are as follows:
Article II, Division 2, Sec. 34-51 through 34-61, Control of Diseased, Hazardous and
Fallen Trees
The City Council determined that the health of the trees within the municipal limits of St.
Louis Park was threatened by tree diseases and pests. As a result, these code sections
were enacted to control spread and prevent future damage from occurring. The city
requires that trees contaminated with highly contagious and fatal diseases and/or insect
pests be removed and disposed of properly. To control the spread of these injurious pests,
this code implements a permit requirement to transport diseased or infested wood within
the city, restricts pruning of certain species to specific times of the year, and allows the
city to condemn infested or diseased trees on private property.
This section addresses abatement of private property trees. Property owners are
physically and financially responsible for the removal of trees on their property when
identified by the city as being in violation of city code.
Article II, Division 3, Sec. 34-81 through 34-88, Planting of Trees on Public Property
These code sections detail restrictions and requirements surrounding the planting of
trees on public property. This includes outlining soil and spacing requirements, tree size
at planting, and proper protection of trees from building materials and equipment. It also
prohibits the laying or maintaining of pavement that would deprive any tree from
adequate air and water.
Article V. Special Provisions, Sec. 36-364, Landscaping
This code section consists of the minimum landscaping and screening requirements for
use throughout the City of St. Louis Park. The landscape standards in this section were
established to encourage innovative and creative landscape design for the benefit of the
city.
Within this section, the city requires detailed landscape plans for all new developments,
modifications and additions to existing developments, and any changes made to existing
commercial landscape plans (single and two-family dwellings are excluded from this
requirement). This zoning ordinance creates a minimum requirement for quantity of trees
and shrubs planted and encourages the use of native plant materials. It also requires the
protection or replacement of significant trees on all public and commercial property
under development and the replacement of trees on public land on a one-to-one per
caliper inch basis.
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Protecting trees during construction
This code section requires the protection of all trees which are to be retained on any
development project site within the city. Trees must be marked and physically protected
from harm or destruction caused by soil compaction, equipment and material storage
within the dripline, bark abrasions, changes in soil chemistry, out-of-season pruning and
root cutting during construction.
The following guidelines must be adhered to before, during, and after construction:
•Before any construction or grading of any development project occurs, orange
safety fencing must be placed around the protected root zone (PRZ) of any trees
to be preserved, as determined in the planning stages of the project
•Signs must be placed along this fence line identifying it as a tree protection area
and prohibiting grading beyond the fence line
•This fencing must remain in place until all grading and construction activity is
terminated
•No equipment, construction materials, or soil may be stored within the PRZs of
any significant trees to be preserved
•Care must be taken to prevent the change in soil chemistry due to concrete
washout and leakage or spillage of toxic materials such as fuels or paints
•Drainage patterns on the site must not change considerably causing drastic
environmental changes in the soil moisture content where trees are intended to
be preserved
•Pruning of ash, oak, and elm tree branches and roots is prohibited from May 1
through July 31
•If wounding of ash, oak or elm trees occurs, a nontoxic tree wound dressing must
be applied immediately; excavators must have this with them on the development
site
Inspectors will regularly check and verify that the guidelines are being met before,
during, and after construction. Any tree determined by the City Forester to be
destroyed or damaged is required to be replaced in accordance with the standards
of tree replacement (as per city ordinance).
History of St. Louis Park’s Urban Forest
Tree City USA
St. Louis Park has been awarded recognition as a Tree City USA for 42 years as of the end
of 2022, making it one of the oldest members in the state of Minnesota. This program,
founded in 1976 by the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the US Forest Service,
provides communities with a framework to maintain and grow their tree cover. It also
gives them an avenue to celebrate their work, showing residents, visitors, and the entire
country that they’re committed to the mission of environmental change.
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Historical urban forest management
Historically, the city has actively managed infectious tree diseases (Dutch elm disease and
oak wilt) and pests to reduce or prevent spread. Dutch elm disease has killed thousands
of elm trees, gaining momentum in the late 1970s before slowing to a more controlled
pace. More recently, the emerald ash borer (EAB) beetle, an invasive insect species, has
been attacking and killing our community’s thousands of ash trees.
Managing pests and disease will always be an important function of urban forest
management. By proactively planting and caring for a diverse range of tree species and
following other best management practices set forth in this document, we can foster a
healthy, resilient tree canopy for members of the community.
Dutch elm disease (DED) and oak wilt
Dutch elm disease (DED) and oak wilt are both caused by invasive fungal pathogens. Dutch
elm disease was first introduced to Minnesota in 1961, while oak wilt was first discovered
in the state around 1945.
Since DED and oak wilt were added to the city ordinance, the city has completed an annual
citywide tree inspection. While both diseases can be controlled, it is often expensive and
must be caught early. Severely infected trees on public property are identified and
removed, while those on private property are identified and abated. In taking this action,
the city controls the spread of these diseases and, therefore, the total number of trees
killed. Many more mature trees would have been lost without this management plan in
place.
Emerald ash borer (EAB)
Emerald ash borer (EAB) is an extremely destructive insect pest that infests and kills all
species of North American ash trees (trees in the genus Fraxinus). Ash trees can be
protected from EAB with an insecticide injection treatment unless the infestation has
already spread to most of the tree. Ash trees that are not treated will ultimately become
infested and die.
The city’s goal has been to treat mature, healthy ash trees with a 15” diameter at standard
height (DSH) or greater and determined to be of high value to the community. Ash
injections occur every three years, per industry best management practices. Of the city’s
remaining ash trees, approximately 1,300 have been treated under the three-year
treatment cycle as of the end of 2022. The city continues to remove infested ash trees on
public property.
The city partners with treatment contractors to provide a discounted ash injection cost to
residents. As of the end of 2022, 776 privately owned ash trees are being protected
utilizing this discount. Through this partnership, the city also educates homeowners on
the value of treating their ash trees. This includes promotional mailings, featured pieces
in local news media, social media campaigns, and the utilization of neighborhood
communication applications.
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Title: Overview of tree policies and programs Page 10
City staff completes annual citywide inspections to identify severely infested ash trees on
both public and private property that are in violation of city code. These trees are marked
for removal. Private tree removal is the responsibility of the property owner. Public trees
are removed by the city at no cost to adjacent property owners.
The emerald ash borer beetle will only move up to one mile a year from infested sites. To
help control the spread of emerald ash borer, it is essential that firewood from infested
ash trees is not transported. This activity carries the insect potentially hundreds of miles,
where it will take hold and spread in previously EAB-free communities. All ash trees
removed within the city must be disposed of at the city brush drop-off site, located at
6215 Cedar Lake Road.
City Operations
Planting practices
The city has an active tree planting and replacement program in its parks and along
boulevards with the goal of establishing a diversity of tree types and species to create a
healthier, more resilient urban forest environment. Since 2010, tree planting on public
property has been accelerated with hundreds of new, diverse trees planted.
The importance of species diversity
Invasive species are responsible for nearly 75% of all known species extinctions (Guyot,
et al., 2015), causing major losses in biodiversity in many different ecosystems.
Susceptibility to invasion increases with a decrease in biodiversity. In other words, a lack
of diversity in tree plantings results in a higher risk of future tree loss due to vulnerability
to diseases and pests.
The city plants approximately 500 trees per year within boulevards and city parks. The
plantings diversity goal is to follow the 10-20-30 rule, which states that no more than ten
percent of one species, no more than twenty percent of one genus, and no more than
thirty percent of one family should be planted throughout the city. When a street or park
tree is removed, the city replants the tree within one year. As budget allows, the city also
strives to increase tree canopy by planting trees in vacant public spaces. This tree planting
and replacement program culminates in a rich, hardy tree stock diverse in species, size,
and age, which is better suited to survive an unforeseen invasive pest or disease epidemic.
Recommended tree list
With the above diversity goal in mind, the city promotes planting the right species in the
right place for the right reason (i.e., slowing stormwater, shading buildings, providing
habitat for wildlife, etc.). It is highly recommended that native tree species be selected
over non-native species wherever the native selection would succeed.
The Natural Resources Division has created a Recommended tree list (stlouisparkmn.gov),
available to residents on the city’s website. This document provides guidelines for tree
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species to be planted in the City of St. Louis Park. Species are categorized as preferred,
acceptable, and limited space, with large native shade trees being preferred over smaller
native tree species and non-native tree species. The purpose of this categorization is to
ensure the city can grow and maintain its canopy cover, as well as protect and restore
ecosystem function wherever possible for the health of our residents and our plant and
wildlife communities.
Planting locations
Physical characteristics of trees should be taken into consideration at planting to minimize
conflicts with infrastructure. This can include a tree’s height, crown spread and form.
Some basic planting instructions in an urban environment include:
• Planting short trees under overhead utilities
• Planting a minimum of 10 feet away from residential water shutoffs
• Always having underground utilities located and marked before digging
• Avoiding planting short trees at the edge of streets, where they may block signage
or impede traffic
• Avoiding planting on sites that are a poor fit for tree plantings, such as small
cutouts, areas with standing water, or areas that would impede park use
Quality of planting stock
When writing contracts with vendors, the most current ANSI Z60.1 standards of nursery
stock will be used. These standards, set forth by the American Horticulture Industry
Association, establish common techniques and terminology for the industry. Also
described are forms and measurements for diameter, height, and root depth based upon
different species.
ANSI Z60.1 is used to facilitate nursery stock transactions, ensuring the consumer receives
the healthiest tree possible at the time of planting (AmericanHort, 2014).
When possible, vegetative cuttings and cloning should be avoided. Vegetative cuttings
are a form of asexual reproduction used to create nursery stock. Each cutting, which then
grows into a tree, is essentially a clone of the original. Avoiding this type of cutting
maximizes individual genetic variation, which in turn increases resilience to pests and
stress.
Proper planting practices
Proper planting techniques following the International Society of Arboriculture’s “Best
Planting Practices” will minimize losses in both the long and short term (AmericanHort,
2014). The city continues to follow these practices to promote healthy and stable trees.
Newly planted trees are under severe water stress immediately after transplanting, and
will continue to be for the first several years. Maintaining soil moisture is especially
important during this period.
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At planting time, trees must be examined for encircling roots, which will need to be
removed. If left in place, these roots will continue to grow in a circle and become stem
girdling roots when the tree is at or near maturity. This is a common cause of tree death
and must be addressed at planting to ensure a healthy start for the tree.
Other care and maintenance actions that are essential at planting include mulching (a two
to four inch deep circle of mulch around the dripline of the tree, avoiding contact with
the trunk) trunk protection, and pruning of dead and broken branches.
Planting strategically to maximize benefits
The city will continue to plant tree species strategically to maximize their benefits. Some
tree species could be considered a nuisance due to messy fruits or a natural tendency to
drop branches. Trees like this are best suited for parks, where they can be kept away from
high use areas and planted near natural or low-use areas instead. These trees can then
support insects and wildlife without disturbing users of public spaces.
When siting for energy conservation, the Arbor Day Foundation recommends planting
deciduous trees to shade east and west windows. They also recommend planting
evergreens on the north and northwest sides of buildings, where they will act as a
windbreak. In the winter, the deciduous trees will drop their leaves and let the sun in,
warming the building (U.S. Department of Energy, 2022). In a park setting, trees can be
planted strategically to shade park benches, bleachers, and playgrounds.
Planting to anticipate climate change
Tree species planted should be selected strategically in anticipation of the effects of
climate change. Researchers with the U.S. Forest Service who study adapting urban
forests to climate change have the following recommendations for future planting:
• Plant native species at the northern limit of their range, as these are most likely to
succeed into the future
• Manage for species with wide moisture and temperature tolerances; drought and
heat tolerance will become increasingly valuable (Swanston, et al., 2016)
Pruning
A healthy urban forest needs care and maintenance. The city is committed to an active
tree pruning program along streets and in parks. The goal of the pruning program is to
properly manage and revitalize tree resources and investment. It also reduces hazards
and impediments to traffic.
Pruning of public trees is performed on a rotating basis with a goal to prune each street
and park tree every seven to ten years. Pruning is performed by staff or city contractors.
It is necessary to work outside of the rotational pruning schedule when responding to
potential safety hazards created by street and park trees. These situations are addressed
by city staff in order of priority based on, but not limited to, tree location, risk to the
public, and disruption of thoroughfares.
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The city follows pruning best management practices, including crown cleaning, crown
raising, and structural pruning, (Lily, Gilman, & Smiley, 2019).
• Crown cleaning involves the removal of dead, dying, diseased, weakly attached or
low vigor branches. This pruning specification essentially removes non-beneficial
parts of a tree to manage health and risk. This type of pruning is used to mitigate
risk in high use areas.
• Crown raising involves the removal of the lower branches of a tree in order to
provide clearance for buildings, vehicles, park lighting, and park users.
• Structural pruning is pruning that influences the tree structure, the strength of
branch attachment, the growth rate, and the size of branches and stems. It is best
conducted at intervals when the tree is young (Tree Care Industry Association,
2017). This type of pruning improves overall tree structure, decreasing the chance
of structural failure when trees are mature and resulting in longer lived trees that
do not require replanting as often. Investing in young tree pruning leads to a
reduction in pruning costs over the life of the tree. Young trees have dynamic
growth, sealing wounds more efficiently.
Removals
The city removes trees when necessary. The following are situations that require removal
of a tree:
• Trees with crown death of greater than one half of the tree in a boulevard or
maintained portion of a park or that will fall into a maintained portion of a park
• Infected or infested trees that cannot be successfully treated and/or where there
is a strong potential for the pathogen or insect to spread to nearby trees
• High or extreme risk trees determined by the city, where removal is the only
mitigation option
• Infrastructure improvements or park construction necessitate the removal
Public tree removal
Physical removal of trees is conducted by city staff or contractors. The city is responsible
for the cost of removal (including removal of the stump). Trees removed from the
boulevard, for any reason, are replaced within a year of removal at no cost to the adjacent
property owner.
Private tree removal
Property owners are responsible for the cost of removal for privately owned trees. City
staff will follow nuisance ordinance guidelines when identifying and condemning privately
owned trees for removal due to disease, pests, or risk. The city will hire a contractor to
remove these trees when a property owner chooses to utilize the city contractor or fails
to remove the tree per city code. This process is intended to facilitate removals and
provide a cost deferment (i.e., assessment to taxes) and potential savings to the property
owner. Alternatively, property owners may opt to hire a contractor themselves; the
contractor must be selected from the city’s licensed tree contractor list
(stlouisparkmn.gov).
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Condemnation process for private property trees:
1.Evidence of private tree nuisance is noticed by city staff from the public right
of way or a notification from a member of the general public.
2.On residential properties, a tree inspector tries to make contact with
someone at the site before further entering the property. If no contact is
made, the tree inspector continues into the property as allowed by city code.
On commercial properties, the tree inspector proceeds without on-site
contact.
3.Nuisance trees are marked with an orange ‘X’.
4.The tree inspector leaves a field notice at the property with the reason for
condemnation and next steps.
5.An official notice letter is then mailed to the property owner outlining what
mitigation actions are needed. This includes a quote for the costs of
abatement if the city contractor is utilized, as well as an intention form. The
property owner has 20 days from the date on the letter to respond with their
intended actions on the intention form. They can choose to utilize the city’s
contract price or find their own city licensed contractor. Once the city receives
the signed intention form, the property owner, or city contractor, has an
additional 20 days to complete the removal.
6.If the intention form is not received in 20 days, or the property owner fails to
remove the tree with their own contractor as indicated on the intention form
within the 20 additional days allowed, a certified letter is sent to the property
owner indicating that the city will be removing the tree with the city
contactor.
7.If the city contactor is utilized either through the intention form, or through
certified letter, all costs from the contactor are paid by the city. The city then
invoices the property owner for those costs including an administration fee.
The property owner can either pay the invoice immediately, or have it
assessed to their taxes. Assessments can be spread over a set number of years
depending on the costs incurred.
Risk assessment
Street trees are assessed for potential risk following the most current ANSI A300
guidelines. Level 1 Limited Visual Risk Assessments are conducted annually by city tree
inspectors licensed by the State of Minnesota. If it is determined there is an elevated risk,
trees may be pruned or removed. If tree removal is determined to be the appropriate risk
mitigation tactic, the timeline for removal is determined by the city based on level of risk.
Any identified mitigation needs and resulting action taken is documented in the city’s
asset management software for future reference.
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When a private property owner contacts the city with concerns regarding the structure
or condition of a private tree, a city tree inspector will review the tree and will assist in
identifying defects or disease/infestation evidence. The city recommends property
owners hire a private consulting arborist to assess the tree as well and provide
maintenance recommendations. Tree concerns between neighbors must be dealt with
privately as a civil matter.
If a concern is raised over a private tree that may impact a public space, a city tree
inspector will perform a Level 1 Limited Visual Risk Assessment to determine if any
mitigation measures are needed. If mitigation of risk is needed per city ordinance, a notice
will be sent to the property owner requiring the issue to be resolved. This may include
pruning and/or bracing, or tree removal.
Tree Planting Programs for Property Owners
The City of St. Louis Park loses hundreds of trees each year due to development, disease,
drought, and other factors. While the city replaces trees removed from parks and
boulevards within a year, not all trees are being replaced on private properties. There are
approximately two to three residential trees lost for every one tree planted. To address
this concern, the city offers several resources for private residents to maintain and
diversify the city’s canopy.
Street tree requests
Property owners may request a tree be planted, at no cost to them, in the boulevard
adjacent to their property (these are referred to as “street trees”). The city inspects the
proposed site for proper planting specifications and, if met, the property address is placed
on the spring or fall tree planting list. Street trees are maintained by the city, although
the city asks residents to help water newly planted street trees the first three years. A
water bag will be provided at the property owner’s request.
Residential tree sales
The city to offers two residential tree planting programs.
Tree Sale: self-service
Residents can purchase up to three trees at a discounted rate; these trees are planted by
the property owner on their private property. Trees are ordered online and picked up by
residents at a designated location in the spring and/or fall. Trees purchased through the
tree sale may not be planted on city property (i.e., boulevard, right of way, parks).
Tree Sale: full-service
Residents can utilize the Tree Sale’s full-service option to have up to three trees planted
on their private property annually. Trees are purchased online at a discounted rate –
higher discounts are available for properties located in Environmental Justice priority
areas and for those who have recently lost an ash tree(s) due to emerald ash borer (EAB).
Study session of August 24, 2023 (Item No. 4)
Title: Overview of tree policies and programs Page 16
After tree orders have been placed, residents work directly with the city’s contractor to
schedule a site visit, utility locate, and planting date. This program will continue
throughout the growing season on a first come, first serve basis. The city cannot
guarantee or warranty any trees planted through this program.
Commercial property tree planting program (Shade SLP)
Shade SLP is a full-service tree planting program for commercial property owners within
the city designed to help offset the costs of purchasing and planting a tree. Commercial
property owners can hire any licensed landscaping company to plant up to three trees on
their property annually. The city will share the cost of these plantings – higher discounts
are available for properties located in Environmental Justice priority areas and for
property owners who have recently lost an ash tree(s) due to emerald ash borer (EAB).
By planting and caring for trees on private property, property owners in St. Louis Park can
grow the tree canopy and ensure new trees provide benefits for generations to come.
Tree Inspections
All street trees will be inspected annually for pests, disease, pruning needs, and hazard
potential.
Vision obstructions
The city enforces removal of tree branch or shrub obstructions including, but not limited
to signs, stop lights, street intersections, and sidewalks per ordinance. The property
owner with the obstruction violation will be notified in writing and given a specified
timeframe to correct the situation. If the obstruction is not corrected as specified, the city
will correct the situation at the property owner’s expense.
Tree Inventory
The city conducted a full inventory of all park and street trees in late 2019 into early 2020.
It was determined there was a need for this information to better understand the
management needs of the city’s urban forest (tree age, tree size, species diversity, etc.).
The tree inventory is managed within the city’s asset management software. Point data
taken from the city’s geographic information system (GIS) database gives the city detailed
information on each public tree, including location, species, maintenance needs,
management decisions, size, and tree health. Point data is also used to assign tree work
requests to city staff.
The city is committed to keeping its tree inventory current and as accurate as possible on
an ongoing basis. City staff collects data on an ad hoc basis using remote GPS devices.
Study session of August 24, 2023 (Item No. 4)
Title: Overview of tree policies and programs Page 17
Safety & Training
The City of St. Louis Park is committed to training staff on proper safety practices when
performing tree work. Staff follow all ANSI Z133 safety standards to ensure that current
safety practices are followed for all tree maintenance activities. City staff also attend
continuing education conferences and maintain professional certifications in the field of
arboriculture.
Public Outreach & Education
To maximize the city’s tree canopy (and all the benefits it provides), it is essential that
private property owners in the city have opportunities to learn how best to manage their
trees.
Educational information and resources relating to the city’s urban forest and general tree
care is provided through a variety of channels:
• City website and publications (www.stlouisparkmn.gov/trees)
• Annual Arbor Day celebration event
• Volunteer tree plantings
• Mailings and social media outreach relating to street tree care and invasive
species, such as emerald ash borer
• Presentations given by city staff regarding the benefits of trees, opportunities to
plant trees on private property, tree protection during construction, and emerald
ash borer status
• Participation by city staff in the annual Parktacular celebration
Funding Sources & Partners
Partnerships are instrumental in successfully preserving and enhancing the urban forest
in St. Louis Park. They increase the resources available to the city, as well as the scope
and depth of urban forestry management plans the city can achieve by engaging industry
professionals across multiple organizations.
St. Louis Park has partnered with Hennepin County, Tree Trust, Great River Greening,
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnehaha Creek Watershed District,
Minnesota Department of Transportation, Climate Impact Corps, and local non-profits
and businesses to improve the urban forest through grants and volunteer opportunities.
The city highly values these important partnerships and continually seeks new partners
to responsibly manage its urban forest.
Study session of August 24, 2023 (Item No. 4)
Title: Overview of tree policies and programs Page 18
Conclusion
The City of St. Louis Park is committed to protecting, maintaining, diversifying, and
expanding its urban tree canopy. Trees provide our community and residents with a
multitude of benefits, making it essential to promote their use and care in our urban
environment. This document will serve as a guiding management plan to be utilized by all
departments when making decisions regarding the St. Louis Park urban forest.
Study session of August 24, 2023 (Item No. 4)
Title: Overview of tree policies and programs Page 19
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Title: Overview of tree policies and programs Page 20
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Study session of August 24, 2023 (Item No. 4)
Title: Overview of tree policies and programs Page 21
Glossary of Terms
Caliper inch
A unit of measurement describing the diameter of a tree measured at 6 inches or 12
inches above the finished grade level.
Diameter at standard height (DSH)
The diameter of a tree measured at a height of 4.5 feet from ground level.
Dripline
The dripline of a tree is the area located directly underneath the outer circumference of
the tree’s branches.
Environmental Justice priority areas
Areas of the city given higher priority in efforts to alleviate the financial burden of tree
planting in communities that face the compounded effects of environmental pollution
and low-canopy coverage, as well as social, political, and economic vulnerability.
Keystone species
Defined by the National Wildlife Federation as “native plants critical to the food web
and necessary for many wildlife species to complete their life cycle”; without them,
many species of wildlife would become extinct, leading to great losses of ecosystem
function and biodiversity.
Particulate matter (a.k.a. particle pollution)
The mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air; some particles, such as
dust, dirt, soot, or smoke, are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye;
others are so small they can only be detected using an electron microscope.
Protected Root Zone (PRZ)
The part of the tree’s roots that lie directly below its branches within the area known as
the dripline.
Significant tree
Any tree (except for willow, boxelder, Siberian elm, and black locust) that is at least 5
caliper inches for deciduous trees and 6 caliper inches for conifers; aspen, cottonwood,
and silver maple trees are considered significant if they are at least 12 inches in diameter
at standard height (DSH).
Study session of August 24, 2023 (Item No. 4)
Title: Overview of tree policies and programs Page 22