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<br />City of Ramsey <br />MASTER HOUSING PLAN <br />DRAFT <br /> <br />----..--...--.....---..------------------..----------.---.----...-.----------------------- <br /> <br />HOUSING GOAL #4: <br /> <br />Provide a development environment that increases residential health and respects the natural <br />environment. <br /> <br />SUPPORTIVE FINDING: <br /> <br />Ramsey is a developing community that will have an impact on the protection and <br />improvement of the environment. According to the U.S. Department of Energy's Center for <br />Sustainable Development, buildings consume 40% of the world's total energy, 25% of its wood <br />harvest and 16% of its water. While researchers remain cautious, many public health professionals, <br />and a growing number of affordable housing developers believe sufficient evidence exists to justify <br />adoption of basic "healthy homes" practices to keep homes dry, clean, well ventilated. Some of the <br />key benefits to encouraging green building and sensitive land planning include: <br /> <br />. lower electric and water utility costs <br />. environmentally effective use of building materials <br />. enhanced health and productivity <br />. long-term economic returns <br />. reduced environmental impact <br /> <br />IMPLEMENTATIONS STRATEGIES: <br />1) Encourage development that incorporates environmentally sensitive site planning, resource <br />efficient building materials and superior indoor environmental quality practices. <br />a. Tactic: coordinate policies within the land use section of the comprehensive plan <br />update that will include specific code amendments <br />b. Tactic: educate residents on environmental issues and the financial impacts of <br />implementing sustainability within the home <br />2) Evaluate additional sustainability standards, such as Minnesota Green Star Certification or <br />LEED, for the Ramsey Town Center. <br />3) Encourage housing development that incorporates connections to existing pathways and <br />creates natural and safe walkable areas. . <br />4) Develop partnerships with utilities, banks and green building experts to develop financial <br />incentives for incorporation of green building technologies. <br />5) Evaluate the cost and benefits of incorporating geothermal heating within new and existing <br />housing developments. <br />a. Tactic: create a geothermal prototype to present to housing developers <br />b. Tactic: create a deferred loan program for households that incorporate geothermal <br />heating within scattered site housing development and renovation. <br />c. Tactic: evaluate zoning and building codes to ensure that geothermal heating can be <br />implemented with no additional permitting costs <br /> <br />City of RamseyMaster Housing Plan <br /> <br />(draft #1) November 2007 <br />