Comprehensive Plan Implementation Partnerships

• Urban Tree Canopy Community Engagement Toolkit: Includes resources to assist with designing and implementing community engagement efforts in support of urban tree canopy or urban forestry planning projects.
• Incorporating Traditional Ecological Knowledge into Urban Tree Canopy Projects: Introduces the concept of traditional ecological knowledge, and suggests ways to engage Native American Tribal Nations in urban forestry planning efforts.
• Assessing Equitable Tree Canopy Coverage: Describes a method to assess current tree canopy cover, and identify areas to increase tree canopy cover to ensure equity and sustainability.

• Workforce Development and Employment Interview Guide: An interview/focus group guide to assess jobseekers’ perceptions of and experiences with workforce development programs, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the job-seeking process.

• Local Business Interview Guide: An interview guide for assessing the needs of your business community during times of crisis. Although developed for use during the COVID-19 pandemic, the questions can easily be adapted for use during other types of crises, such as a natural disaster or a major economic downturn.

Project Goal: Investigate if the City of Edina’s 2030 population density targets are adequate to meet its transportation goals, analyze how this density target aligns with the City’s current comprehensive plan, and recommend site-specific and general strategies for increasing density to meet the target goal (Project Brief)

Partner: City of Edina (with matching funds provided by the Metropolitan Council)

Project Lead: Matthew Gabb, Sustainability Specialist, City of Edina Engineering Department 

Matches: 

PA 8081: Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone (Instructor: Dr. Nichola Lowe) | Final Report >

Project Goal: To identify areas where stormwater infiltration is both technically feasible and protective of the community’s drinking water source (Project Brief)

Partner: City of Edina

Project Lead: Jessica Wilson, Water Resources Coordinator, City of Edina

Course Matches: 

CEGE 4102W: Capstone Design for Environmental Engineering (Spring 2022) | Final Report | Presentation (video) > 

Project Goal: To explore the advantages and disadvantages of active land management and passive land management approaches (Project Brief)

Partner: Washington County

Project Lead: Connor Schaefer, Public Works Planner, Washington County

Matches: 

Capstone: Master of Professional Studies in Horticulture (fall 2022) | Final Report and Poster

Capstone II: Master of Professional Studies in Horticulture (fall 2023) |  Final Report and Poster

Project Goal: To create policy recommendations to ensure Washington County is EV-ready (Project Brief)

Partner: Washington County

Project Lead: Sarah Allen, Planner, Washington County

Course Matches: 

PA 8991: Transportation Policy Independent Study (spring 2022) | Final Report | Presentation (video) > 

Project Goal: To assist with community engagement focused on identifying services to address the health impacts of changing climate on Ramsey County’s most vulnerable residents (Project Brief)

Partner: Ramsey County

Project Lead: Abigail Phillips, Climate and Health Planner, Saint Paul–Ramsey County Public Health

Matches: 

RCP Scholars Team (fall 2022) | No final report available 

PA 5145: Civic Engagement in Public Affairs (spring 2023) | Final Report (poster-format)

Project Goal: Identify County employee training needs and develop appropriate training resources to better promote health, resilience, and racial equity in County efforts to prepare for and address climate change impacts (Project Brief)

Partner: Ramsey County

Project Lead: Abigail Phillips, Climate and Health Planner, Saint Paul–Ramsey County Public Health

Matches: 

PA 8081: MURP Capstone (spring 2023) | Final Report 

HRIR 6801: Master of Human Resources and Industrial Relations Experiential Learning Capstone (fall 2023) | Final Report

Project Goal: To identify best practices to create a program that offers affordable, owner-occupied, single-family homes (Project Brief)

Partner: City of Maplewood

Project Lead: Jeff Thomson, Community Development Director, City of Maplewood

Course Matches: 

PA 5261: Housing Policy (Spring 2022) | Final Report | Presentation (video) > 

PA 8081: Public Affairs Capstone (Summer 2022) | Final Report and Presentation 

Project Goal: To find ways to reduce barriers and increase park participation among underrepresented parks users (Project Brief)

Partner: Washington County

Project Lead: Connor Schaefer, Public Works Planner, Washington County

Course Matches: 

PA 5041: Qualitative Methods for Policy Analysts (spring 2022)

BIPOC Communities Team: Final Report | Presentation (video) >
Seniors Team: Final Report | Presentation (video) > 

Project Goal: To identify strategies to improve and enhance the equity, accessibility, connectivity, and safety of pedestrian, bicycle, and public transit pathways (Project Brief)

Partner: City of Little Canada

Project Lead: Corrin Wendell, Director of Community Development & Planning, City of Little Canada

Course Matches: 

PA 8081: Urban Planning Capstone (spring 2022) | Final Report | Presentation (video) > 

Project Goal: To determine the current unmet transit needs and demands and to predict transit needs of the future based on the growth, demographic shifts and commuting changes faced by the County. (Project Brief)

Partner: Carver County

Project Lead: Adriana Atcheson, Planner, Carver County Planning & Water Management

PA 5311 Program Evaluation: Fall 2020 | Final Report | Final Presentation (video)

ISyE Senior Design Project: Spring 2021 | Final Report | Final Presentation (video)

Project Goal: To identify land use, zoning ordinance, and economic development changes the City should consider changing to effectively plan for a future pandemic. (Project Brief)

Partner: City of Minnetonka

Project Lead: Drew Ingvalson, Planner, City of Minnetonka

PA 5041 Qualitative Methods for Policy Analysts: Fall 2020 | Final Report | Final Presentation (video)

PA 8081 Planning & Public Affairs Capstone: Spring 2021 Final Report | Final Presentation (video)

Project Goal: To identify traditional and emerging economic sectors that Saint Paul should target for growth and recruitment in order to maximize well‐paid jobs for Saint Paul residents and inform strategies for establishing strong connections between Saint Paul employers and residents. (Project Brief)

Partner: City of Saint Paul 

Project Lead: Michael Richardson, Senior City Planner, City of Saint Paul, Department of Planning and Economic Development

PA 5041 Qualitative Methods for Policy Analysts: Fall 2020 | Final Report | Final Presentation (video)

Project Goal: To equitably increase the tree canopy coverage, update the approved tree species list, and help educate and engage residents on the importance of trees to promote environmental stewardship. (Project Brief)

Partner: City of Woodbury

Project Lead: Kristin Seaman, Environmental Resources Specialist, City of Woodbury

PA 8081 Public Participation Capstone: Spring 2021 Final Report | Final Presentation (video)

FNRM 4501 / 5501 Urban Forest Management: Managing Greenspaces for People: Spring 2021 Final Report | Final Presentation (video)