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Chapter 04. Resilience Scandia 2040 Comprehensive Plan Resilience Prepared by: Bolton & Menk, Inc. Page 36 IV. RESILIENCE Resiliency in planning and development helps to ensure the prosperity, livability, equity, and sustainability of a community for future generations. Resilience planning focuses on all aspects of community, ensuring the economy, the environment, and social/living conditions are vibrant and upheld through adversity. Resilience Goals and Policies Goal: Encourage the use of renewable, local and diverse forms of energy in order to increase use of local resources, mitigate the local risk from fossil fuel scarcity and price increases, and help meet Minnesota’s climate protection goals. Objectives: • Encourage the use of alternative renewable heating fuels as biomass while establishing standards to limit nuisances associated with such systems. • Encourage the use of alternative fuels and alternative means of transportation for City residents and businesses. Goal: Encourage energy efficient housing that exceeds the minimum efficiency levels required in the State building codes. Objectives: • Protect solar access for homes and businesses. • Promote the use of renewable energy systems on housing and in areas where such systems can be safely operated and produce a minimum level of visual impact. Goal: Review the goals of the Minnesota GreenStep Cities Program. Implement GreenStep Cities Best Practices as appropriate. Solar The Metropolitan Land Planning Act (Minnesota Statues 473.859, Subd. 2) requires local comprehensive plans to include for the protection and development of access to direct sunlight for solar energy systems. Within Scandia’s development code, the administration chapter details the allowance of variances in regard to solar access. § 6.4.7 reads, “Practical difficulties include, but are not limited to, inadequate access to direct sunlight for solar energy systems.” Also, the subdivision regulations, in § 13.2.7, states “All new subdivisions, where appropriate, should be designed to accommodate use of passive and active solar energy systems with special attention given to street, lot and building orientation.” According to the Metropolitan Council, Scandia has the following solar potential, detailed in Table 17. These calculations assume a 10% conversion efficiency and current (2016/17) solar technologies. The average home in Minnesota consumes between 9 and 10 Mwh/year (Solar Energy Industries Association; US Energy Information Administration). Using only Scandia’s rooftop generation potential, between 2,778 and 3,086 homes could be powered by solar energy annually. Scandia 2040 Comprehensive Plan Resilience Prepared by: Bolton & Menk, Inc. Page 37 Table IV-A – Solar Resource Calculations Gross Potential (Mwh/yr) Rooftop Potential (Mwh/yr) Gross Generation Potential (Mwh/yr2) Rooftop Generation Potential (Mwh/yr2) 51,157,938 277,765 5,115,793 27,776 Source: Metropolitan Council These calculations done by the Metropolitan Council are not necessarily an absolute number. Due to limitations in data and maps, some areas may be left out from gross and rooftop potential. These numbers should be interpreted as a baseline; if more accurate numbers are desired, the Metropolitan Council advice a more extensive, community-specific analysis of solar development potential for both solar gardens and rooftop or accessory use installations. On average, communities would be able to expect between 30% and 60% of total energy used to be able to be generated by solar rooftops. The rooftop potential estimated here does not consider ownership, financial barriers, or building-specific structural limitations. Solar potential in the City of Scandia is displayed in Figure IV-A. Scandia 2040 Comprehensive Plan Resilience Prepared by: Bolton & Menk, Inc. Page 38 Figure IV-A - Solar Potential Map Scandia 2040 Comprehensive Plan Resilience Prepared by: Bolton & Menk, Inc. Page 39 Minnesota GreenStep Cities In May 2014, the City Council approved a resolution to make Scandia a GreenStep City through the MPCA and League of Minnesota Cities’ program. As of 2017, the city has implemented 11 actions for four best management practices: buildings and lighting, land use, environmental management, and economic and community development. Scandia is currently a Step 1 City but is anticipated to achieve Step 2 in June 2018. • Buildings and Lighting – Scandia has implemented two actions in efficiency in building operations and lighting. The city has earned two stars for entering building information in the Minnesota B3 Benchmarking database, allowing the city to track their monthly energy and water use in all city-owned buildings. Scandia has also earned one star for the use of a solar-powered light on the flagpole of the Veterans Memorial in Lilleskogen Park. • Land Use – The city has implemented three actions regarding comprehensive plans and two practices for natural resource conservation design. In comprehensive planning, Scandia has earned one star for adopting a comprehensive, long-range land use plan and another star for updating its zoning code and ordinances with the comprehensive plan. The city has also earned two stars for adopting the Carnelian-Marine St. Croix’s watershed plan and for entering agreements with May Township and Osceola, WI. Scandia provides fire services to a portion of May Township, and Scandia entered a mutual aid agreement with Osceola in 2009. In natural resource conservation design, the city has earned two stars for implementing and Open Space Subdivision process that allows development to occur while preserving woodlands, natural corridors, agricultural land, open space, and significant natural resources. Scandia has also earned two stars for adopting a Woodland and Tree Preservation Plan requirement in the City Code. A Woodland Preservation Plan is required whenever significant trees or woodlands exist in a proposed construction zone. • Environmental Management – Scandia has implemented two actions for this best management practice. The city earned two stars for adopting a shoreland overlay district with shoreland management regulations. Scandia also earned one star for contracting with a service provider to provide single-sort curbside recycling for all Scandia households. • Economic and Community Development – The city has implemented two actions for this best management practice area. Scandia has earned two stars for adopting a solar farm and community solar garden ordinance, which has resulted in four solar farms being approved for construction. The city has also earned two stars for partnering with the Gammelgarden to bring a Farmer’s Market to Scandia. This effort helped bring fresh, locally grown produce to residents while creating an enjoyable, safe community event in the cultural/social heart of Scandia. As Scandia plans for the future, it will continue to consider GreenStep City Best Management Practices as they relate to the goals and objectives of this comprehensive plan. Scandia 2040 Comprehensive Plan Economic Competitiveness Prepared by: Bolton & Menk, Inc. Page 40 V. ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS Minnesota Statutes §473.859 Subd. 1 states local comprehensive plans “shall contain objectives, policies, standards, and programs to guide…redevelopment and preservation for all lands and waters within the jurisdiction of the local governmental unit.” This comprehensive plan will address this requirement through the implementation chapter at the end of the plan. The following sections detail basic background information on employment and income to provide current conditions for the community and to summarize public comments from the community survey, focus groups, and open houses relating to economic development. Economic Competitiveness Goals and Objectives Goal: Concentrate on retaining and expanding local businesses in and around the Village Center and existing Rural Commercial districts. Objectives: • Strengthen public services to attract and retain businesses and workforce. • Identify and allow in-fill development opportunities for business expansion. • Promote appropriately sized new businesses that create synergy with existing businesses and overarching goals. • Use outreach/branding initiatives to retain businesses and employment in Scandia. • Cooperate with businesses, educational institutions, community organizations, and government to provide information to local businesses. • Create development and land use standards to guide development into the Village Center and away from a linear pattern along the highways or undeveloped rural intersections. • Encourage businesses providing local services, as well as tourism and recreation businesses in the Village Center. • Work with building owners to maintain and upgrade building facades and properties consistent with the Village Center’s small town image and historic character. • Encourage public and private investment in community-oriented institutions including the community center and city hall, church, cemeteries, and Gammelgarden. Goal: Actively support the retention and expansion of Scandia community-scale agricultural operations. Objectives: • Work cooperatively with other governmental agencies and community groups to develop programs to help keep agricultural land affordable in Scandia. • Update ordinances and regulations to facilitate growth of small-scale agricultural uses. Goal: Encourage home-based entrepreneurs and businesses. Objectives: • Identify opportunities to encourage home-based businesses to transition to a storefront when its market is adequately developed. • Review standards to support home occupations while ensuring compatibility with surrounding land uses. Goal: Expand access to internet services throughout the entire City. Objectives: • Encourage internet providers to expand service areas and bandwidth throughout the Scandia 2040 Comprehensive Plan Economic Competitiveness Prepared by: Bolton & Menk, Inc. Page 41 City. • Explore potential opportunities for public investment or grants to expand internet capabilities. • As development or redevelopment occurs, support the addition of infrastructure that will enable expansion of internet technology. Employment in Scandia Figure V-A shows the historical employment in Scandia from 1970 through 2016 and projected employment to 2040. Employment in Scandia peaked in 2011 with 620 employees. Projections show employment increasing in Scandia considerably in the next 20 years, projecting to add 190 jobs by 2040. However, this is contingent on the ability of businesses and industries in the city to support employment growth as well as the ability of the city to support new and growing businesses. Figure V-A - Historical and Projected Employment in Scandia Source: Metropolitan Council Tabulation of US Census and American Community Survey Data Figure V-B shows employment in Scandia by industry in 2015. Of Scandia’s total 540 jobs, 46% fall into “All Other Industries,” suggesting a diversity of jobs within the city. The largest single industry is Educational Services, which provides 21% of jobs located in Scandia. Health care and social assistance and construction make up the second and third largest single industries in the city, respectively. 40 50 387 272 519 620 607 531 526 540 620 690 730 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2020 2030 2040 Employment in Scandia (Historical and Projected) Scandia 2040 Comprehensive Plan Economic Competitiveness Prepared by: Bolton & Menk, Inc. Page 42 Figure V-B - Employment by Industry Source: Metropolitan Council Income Figure V-C shows median household income in Scandia over the last 25 years. Median household income has increased in Scandia, with the largest increase between 1990 and 2000. These medians are nearly identical to Washington County median household incomes. Figure V-C - Median Household Income 1. Public Comments Appendices D and E provide detailed responses regarding community and economic development. In brief, Community Survey respondents identified businesses struggling in the low-density city as one of the top three challenges facing the city and commercial growth as the number one priority for the city for the next 20 years. Residents of Scandia $45,915 $68,036 $80,556 $84,130 $0 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 $80,000 $90,000 Census 1990 Census 2000 ACS 2006-2010 ACS 2011-2015 Source: US Census and American Community Survey (Not Adjusted for Inflation) 4% 46% 21% 11% 10% 2% 6% 1% Administrative and Waste Services All Other Industries Educational Services Health Care and Social Assistance Construction Professional and Technical Services Public Administration Transportation and Warehousing 0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50% Employment by Industry in Scandia, 2015 Scandia 2040 Comprehensive Plan Economic Competitiveness Prepared by: Bolton & Menk, Inc. Page 43 want growth to match existing community character, supporting existing small businesses and the history of the community. There is interest in a range of community businesses and attractions, many of which can cater to both local and tourist markets, such as coffee shops, restaurants, and recreation. There is also interest in exploring alternative agricultural opportunities, like co-ops, and tourism as key elements of the city’s economy, as traditional agriculture will become increasingly difficult to maintain. Focus groups also noted slow and sporadic internet speed as a limiting factor in business operations.