Cross-Pollinating Actions CC 2: Facilitate External Support Needed for Climate Action Plan Implementation.

CP 2-4 Establish a coordinated Region 4 CAP Communication and Education Campaign to support public engagement needed for successful CAP implementation. The campaign should support the communication and educational needs of each of the CAP sections through coordinated presentations, community events, newsletters, media, and social media. The campaign should also look to help community members:

•Understand climate change in general and within Region 4 specifically, anticipated impacts, and the function and importance of implementing a Climate Action Plan in a "benefits and need" perspective.

•Understand why change at the individual, farm, community, City, and business level needs to occur,

•The role of individuals, households, and businesses in making change

•How to make those changes correctly, and

•What the benefit/incentive to them might be; for example, articulating that switching to solar energy and or an electric bus fleet might help reduce bills

CP 2-5 Establish a youth engagement and program to empower, motivate, and support the region’s youth in the transition to a resilient future and provide an opportunity for their voices to be heard. Program goals may include a focus on turning apathy/fear/depression into action and hope. Examples of program potentials include Youth Climate Storytelling, Youth Climate Action / Design Thinking Forums, and Climate Champion / Climate Internship to provide support in climate action implementation at the local level.

CP 2-6 Explore creating an annual regionall climate action education, resource and celebration event. The event could promote and support climate action through educational programming, "expo" access to resources, and entertainment. Explore building Alliance Opportunities for regional retailers and service providers to exhibit, stage educational sessions, offer incentives, etc.

CP 2-7 Establish and maintain a West Central Initiative Climate Action webpage supporting CAP resources for residents and businesses in the region as well as a resource hub for the region's county and municipal elected officials and staff leaders. Include communication of the Region's plan as well as incentives, programs, resources, and events that can support taking action.

CP 2-8 Explore opportunities for engagement with broad segments of region to increase awareness/enthusiasm. Approaches may include establishing partnerships with arts foundations and artists to enourage and promote climate action oriented art installations.

CP 3: Maintain appropriate funding to support plan implementation.

CP 3-1 Establish and maintain a database of federal funding, incentives, and grants available to support regional and local government climate action implementation resulting from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and others. Distribute updated information monthly to Region 4 communities and flag potential strategies and actions which may be supported by available funding mechanisms. Support collaborative Region 4 grant submissions.

CP 3-2 Maintain a budget and identify funding sources for staff dedicated to the implementation of the CAP.

CP 3-3 Identify a budget necessary to support projects on an annual basis as per annual implementation plans.

CP 3-4 Utilize no-cost technical assistance offerings as available.

TM 1: Decrease community wide VMT by 5% by 2030.

TM 1- 1 Improve safety for pedestrians and alternative modes of transportation such as by restoring two-way traffic to one-way streets.

TM 1- 2 Partner with the region's school districts to create and implement Safe Routes to School Plans and to expand bike safety education for students through public workshops and web content.

TM 1- 3 Collaborate with local partners to identify areas which can benefit from improved bike / walk path connectivity and safety, identify strategies for improved safety (such as protected paths parallel to highways rather than on road shoulders) and establish a Path Connectivity Plan with implementation measures and schedule.

TM 1- 4 Develop a public communications campaign and incentives promoting alternative transportation for mid and long-range travel between communities in the region and from outside the region, such as rideshare, carpool, public transit, shuttle, bike, ebike, walk etc

TM 1- 5 Encourage local governments to change ordinances allow and promote small efficient houses and the construction of accessory dwelling units ("ADU") as well as "Tiny Homes" to increase affordable housing opportunities in established neighborhoods. This will add additional housing options for the region's workforce, seniors, families with changing needs, and others for whom ADUs present an affordable housing option.

TM 1- 6 Encourage development of projects within mixed use districts that promote a combination of neighborhood-scale residential, commercial, and institutional uses with pedestrian-oriented design and multi-modal transportation options. Developments should maximize equity considerations and minimize community wide VMT by creating a more walkable, bikeable, and transit friendly community.

TM 1- 7 Conduct a study to identify underutilized paved areas within the region and incentivize conversion to sustainable green space or infill development. Conversion focus should take into consideration neighborhood's greenspace, heat island mitigation, affordable housing, and bike/walk mobility needs and prioritize site utilization based on addressing the greatest needs at each site as determined through appropriate engagement with the community, particularly people traditionally under represented.

TM 1- 8 Encourage local governments to eliminate parking minimums to reduce surface parking. Explore parking pricing models to maintain 85% utilization (performance-based parking, off-street parking tax, dynamic pricing, etc.).

TM 1- 9 Identify environmental impact assessment tools and approaches for rural infrastructure projects to support infrastructure investment choices that support the goals of this Climate Action Plan and climate resilience.

TM 1- 10 Support increased work from home opportunities throughout the region through expansion of rural broadband, and cultural normalization. Explore establishing incentives such as regional tax breaks for home office spaces or supporting local businesses with improved access to technology to enable an increased work-from-home shift.

TM 1- 11 Solicit existing car share, bike share, and eBike share service provider(s) or establish a new program for the Minnesota Region 4 area. Prioritize car sharing providers or programs that focus on EV utilization. Seek models or examples and create a pilot project neighborhood or apartment/housing development car and/ or bike sharing. Existing car share service providers include Zipcar or Hourcar. Person to person carsharing programs include Turo and Get around.