2014–2015 Partner: Rosemount

Investigate options for private student housing for Dakota County Technical College students.

Evaluate the impact of non-motorized transportation plans and investments in Rosemount and recommend strategies to increase biking and walking. 

Conduct a travel shed analysis of where Rosemount residents and employees work and live that can inform future transit and transportation planning, and provide recommendations for increasing transit use. 

Research the characteristics of place-making in a suburban setting and identify opportunities for place-making through redesign or redevelopment.

Identify strategies to support healthy neighborhood cohesion among residents, as well as integration of neighborhoods into the larger Rosemount community. 

Identify opportunities for collaboration and partnership with homeowners associations to provide public benefit and improved services.

Identify strategies for publicizing existing community amenities and engaging residents in future capital improvement planning.

Inventory, evaluate, and identify gaps in services and programs geared toward new immigrant groups in Rosemount.

Develop a proposal for a broadly inclusive public engagement process for Rosemount's upcoming 2040 Comprehensive Plan update.

Investigate successful programs and partnerships to reduce teen traffic accident risks.

Conduct a program inventory, evaluation, and gap analysis of mental health services and substance education and prevention programs that serve youth.

Develop a strategic plan to increase the amount of on-call firefighters available during work week hours.

Assess the health and wellness issues that are most prevalent for Rosemount city employees and provide recommendations for a comprehensive wellness program.

Assess opportunities for nature-based recreation and play, and recommend improvements to park and recreation systems to provide more nature-based opportunities for children.

Evaluate how well current recreational offerings meet the needs of underserved populations (people with disabilities, seniors, new immigrants) and recommend improvements to better serve the needs of these groups.

Assess Rosemount’s existing community gardening program and recommend programmatic changes to improve gardeners’ success, reduce the administrative burden on staff, and balance the use of public spaces for gardening against other recreational uses and needs. 

Evaluate existing restoration activities in the Mississippi River Critical Area Corridor and recommend an overall restoration strategy or plan that builds on these efforts and incorporates additional public access opportunities. 

Identify strategies or opportunities to reduce long-term turf and landscaping maintenance costs; analyze the lifecycle costs of using synthetic turf versus natural turf grass on athletic fields.

Design an education and outreach approach for Rosemount residents to inform them about invasive species and how to manage them on private property

Assess and make recommendations for the use of solar, wind, and other alternative energy sources to power municipal facilities. 

Identify potential local impacts of climate change in Rosemount, as well as specific strategies to reduce the community’s vulnerability to these impacts, including an education and outreach campaign. 

Develop a climate action plan that identifies specific strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions throughout the community.

Identify opportunities or design strategies for storm water infiltration that balance aesthetics and functionality, reduce long-term maintenance costs, manage winter snow melt, and provide opportunities for other passive uses.

Investigate the feasibility of reusing storm water or treated effluent for irrigation, industrial applications, or other uses.

Identify community assets that can be leveraged for community and economic development purposes.

Analyze existing business clusters in Rosemount and Dakota County, identify opportunities for synergies between existing businesses and clusters, and create a marketing strategy to attract or grow synergistic businesses. 

Explore opportunities for attracting green businesses and encouraging adoption of green building/manufacturing standards for a future green business park in Rosemount.

Explore opportunities to capitalize on the existing local agricultural economy in Rosemount by supporting locally grown food and value-added agribusinesses.