2023.10.03 WS Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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New Brighton Climate Action Plan 7 -2 Sector Strategies * Includes impacts associated with population increases. See Appendix B for research compiled during plan development which supported planning team in goal flnalization. 2017 2030 Targets* GT 1: Increase tree cover, particularly in the priority neighborhoods, from 33.5% to 35.5% by 2030 and 37.5% by 2040. Our tree canopy mitigates stormwater runoff, purifies water, reduces urban heat effects, lowers build- ing energy use, sequesters CO2, supports economic growth, and offers crucial climate adaptation ser- vices. Increasing equitable canopy coverage mitigates heat island impacts, benefiting many households. GT 2: Increase pollinator supportiveness of lawns and grasslands in City and achieve a 5% turf replacement with native grasses and wildfiowers Community-wide by 2030. Substituting lawns with native grasses and wildflowers forms a natural Minnesota landscape combating climate change, sheltering fauna, improving water quality, reducing pollution, restoring habitats, and enhancing carbon sequestration. In New Brighton, 21% of land is manicured lawns with less than 4% native/prairie grasses. GT 3: Reduce heat island effect through reduction of Community-wide “dark” impervious surface coverage, particularly in neighborhoods identifled with higher heat island impacts, by 5% from 30.8% to 25.8% by 2030 and 10% by 2040. Heat island effects elevate discomfort and health risks, especially during intensifying heatwaves. Dark impervious surfaces, like asphalt, exacerbate these effects by absorbing light. Reducing such surfaces can mitigate heat and extreme weather impacts in New Brighton. See the City’s Ground Cover, Heat Island, and Carbon Sequestration Study for identification of priority neighborhoods. GT 4: Increase climate resilience, biodiversity supportiveness, connectivity, and accessi- bility of City’s parks and open spaces. Greenspaces enhance physical and mental health, and reduce chronic diseases. They mitigate climate change impacts, boost resilience, and maintain urban biodiversity. Connectivity between habitats pro- motes urban biodiversity by enhancing gene flow and species richness. Click arrow for actions Sector Goals More tree canopy coverage 6% Less turf / more prairie grass -5% Less dark impervious surfaces -5% 1,380 acres 882 acres 1,270 acres 1,466 acres 838 acres 1,200 acres