City of Woodbury honored with 2024 LMC Sustainable City Award

The City of Woodbury was awarded the 2024 Sustainable City Award by the League of Minnesota Cities Thursday at the League’s Annual Conference in Rochester. The city was honored for its “Woodbury Water Wise Implementation Plan” (WWWIP).

To support its growing population, Woodbury prioritized protecting and sustaining its water supply for current and future residents and business owners. Members of the city’s public works, environmental, engineering, and planning divisions researched what actions cities around the nation were taking to preserve water, and how they could be applied in Woodbury with limited barriers for residents. After considering community feedback, the city designed WWWIP – a long-range water efficiency plan.

WWWIP offers and recommends eight different programs:

• Residential Smart Irrigation Controller Program
• Commercial and HOA Cost Share Program
• Pressure Regulated Sprinkler Head Program
• Low Water Use Landscaping Program
• Lawn Dormancy Education Program
• Targeted High Efficiency Toilet Rebate Program
• Water Softener Optimization Program

“Environmental stewardship has been a foundation and a focus of city council for many decades,” Woodbury Mayor Anne Burt said. “We are so proud and thankful for the staff that we have that embraces these programs and helps to implement them, and more than anything, for the residents of our community who have said, ‘Yes, we are on board. We are going to do all we can to help.’”

The Sustainable City Award is presented annually to recognize sustainability efforts by a city among those participating in the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program – a free, voluntary program designed to help cities meet environmental sustainability goals through implementing 29 best practices. The League partners with eight other organizations, including non-profits and state agencies, to administer the GreenStep Cities program.

The League of Minnesota Cities is a membership organization dedicated to helping cities throughout Minnesota build quality communities through effective advocacy, expert analysis, trusted guidance, and collective action. The League serves over 830 member cities through advocacy, education and training, policy development, risk management, and other services.