Resilient Communities Project (RCP)

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https://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/201605

The Resilient Communities Project (RCP) partners with city and county government agencies in Minnesota to address locally identified environmental, social, economic, and livability issues and needs through year-long, collaborative community-university partnerships. Through the program, University faculty, staff, and students have an opportunity to provide research and technical assistance on real-world issues by way of course-based and independent student projects. This collection includes student reports and other deliverables from RCP’s past partnerships. RCP is a program of the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA). Learn more at http://rcp.umn.edu.

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Making Duluth a Smart City
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2024) Masson, George; Schoonover, Garrett; Sciamanda, Marianne
This project was completed through a partnership between the City of Duluth and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (https://rcp.umn.edu/). The goal of this project was to investigate the feasibility of deploying a “smart city” network in Duluth that would allow staff to gather instant and location-based data for core city functions—including water meter reading, public safety, and emergency response—to ensure equitable access to services, and reduce energy and water use. City of Duluth project lead Mindy Granley collaborated with a team of students in Steve Kelley’s course PA 8081 to construct a series of cost-benefit analyses for three smart city technology deployment scenarios. A final student report and presentation from the project are available.
Duluth Property Condition Scorecard and Resource Guide
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2024) Kohler, Elizabeth; Sindelar, Danielle Elizabeth Dorothy; Vanagas, Eve
This project was completed through a partnership between the City of Duluth and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (https://rcp.umn.edu/). The goal of this project was to investigate the use of residential property condition scorecards in other communities, develop a standard metric to score residential properties in Duluth, and pilot the scorecard to begin identifying and mapping properties in poor condition that are at risk of deterioration and demolition, and that might benefit from City investments in infrastructure, housing assistance, and targeted services. City of Duluth project lead Jon Otis collaborated with a team of students in Dr. Nichola Lowe’s course PA 8081 to complete a literature review, conduct case study analyses, and develop and pilot a residential property scorecard. A final student report, presentation, and resource guide from the project are available.
City of Edina Density Study
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2024) Briggs, Kenton; Leaf, Holly; Menhennet, Johnny; Olberding, Greg; Thompson, Jem; Wu, Yuping
This project was completed through a partnership between the City of Edina and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (https://rcp.umn.edu/). The goal of this project was to investigate if the City of Edina’s 2030 population density targets are adequate to meet its transportation and climate 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. City of Edina project lead Matthew Gabb collaborated with a team of students in Dr. Nichola Lowe’s course PA 8081, which performed policy and literature reviews, ran multivariate regression analyses to determine which factors impact vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions, modeled potential density scenarios and relevant policy changes to introduce greater density, and made final recommendations for how the city might best achieve its transportation and climate goals. A final student report and presentation from the project are available.
To Acknowledge and to Celebrate: Indigenous Placemaking on Hoocak and Dakota Homelands
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2024) Greenberg, Gillian; Leon Gomez, Edgar; Molberg, Mason
This project was completed in partnership between the City of La Crescent and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (https://rcp.umn.edu/). The goal of this project was to identify opportunities for the City of La Crescent to share the history and celebrate the culture of indigenous communities that have inhabited the land in and around La Crescent as they develop a plan for public spaces in the community. City of La Crescent project lead Larry Kirch supported a team of students in Peter Brown’s course PA 8081 who researched indigenous history in the area, conducted interviews with indigenous residents to learn about their own and their family's history in and ties to the area, participated in advisory council meetings, and hosted a community engagement workshop to inform design of a future Overlook Plaza near the city's downtown. A final student report and presentation from the project are available.
Incorporating Traditional Ecological Knowledge into Urban Tree Canopy Projects
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2021) Jennings, Cody; Ziegler, Ben; Schiltz, Dennis; Warren, Angela
This resource is adapted from a report originally created for the City of Woodbury, Minnesota, as part of a year-long partnership with the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (RCP), with financial support and technical assistance from the Metropolitan Council. This guide was created to inform urban tree canopy projects in cities and counties in the Twin Cities metropolitan area by introducing the concept of traditional ecological knowledge and suggesting ways that local government agencies might engage Native American Tribal Nations in their urban forestry planning efforts.
Assessing Equitable Tree Canopy Coverage
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2021) Gjertson, Daniel; Kennedy, Jamie; Murphy, Megan; Scott, Derell
This resource is adapted from a student project and report originally created for the City of Woodbury, Minnesota, as part of a year-long partnership with the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (RCP), with financial support and technical assistance from the Metropolitan Council. This resource describes a replicable method used in the City of Woodbury to assess current tree canopy cover, as well as identify potential areas for additional investment to increase tree canopy cover in a way that is both equitable and sustainable.
Urban Tree Canopy Community Engagement Toolkit
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2021) Baker, Bill; Kennedy, Jamie; Stower, Kathryn; Rodiles, Naomi
This resource is adapted from a toolkit originally created for the City of Woodbury, Minnesota, as part of a year-long partnership with the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (RCP), with financial support and technical assistance from the Metropolitan Council. The goal of the project was to create resources for local governments to inform and engage residents in urban tree canopy initiatives. The toolkit include templates for developing a comprehensive communications plan, a checklist for designing an inclusive engagement effort, an animated vision-sharing video; a tree stewardship event template; and three tools for gathering public input—online surveys, pop-up engagements, and focus groups.
Creating and Sustaining Equity in Little Canada through Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Public Transit Connectivity
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2022) Berger, Jacob; Burstein, Regina; Koenen, Frank; Paquin, Jarred
This project was completed in partnership between the City of Little Canada and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (https://rcp.umn.edu/). The goal of this project was to research how the City of Little Canada might equitably prioritize improvements to its transportation infrastructure to provide safe, accessible, and connected pathways for people walking, rolling, biking, and taking public transit. City of Little Canada project lead Corrin Wendell collaborated with a team of students in Dr. Greg Lindsey’s course PA 8081 to conduct four analyses - demographic, crash risk, connectivity, and economic – and solict feedback from the community through an online survey and several key informant interviews. A final student report, executive summary, and PowerPoint presentation slides from the project are available.
An Electric Solution: Research and Recommendations for Washington County’s EV Infrastructure
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2022) Freier, Ben
This project was completed as part of a partnership between Washington County and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (https://rcp.umn.edu/). The goal of this project was to research policies and best practices related to electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure to support future transportation planning in Washington County. Washington County project lead Sara Allen collaborated with a graduate student enrolled in PA 8991 to research case studies of EV adoption in other counties and propose recommendations for future investments. A final student report and PowerPoint presentation slides from the project are available.
The Permanent University Fund: Land Grants and Mineral Leases
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2022) Fuecker, Danielle; Goodwin, Audrianna; Paddock, Henry; Titus, Madeline
This project was completed as part of a partnership between the University of Minnesota’s Office of American Indian Tribal Nations Relations and the Resilient Communities Project (https://rcp.umn.edu/). The goal of this project was to provide a preliminary historical and financial analysis of the University of Minnesota’s Permanent University Fund, its sources of revenue, and its allocation of those funds. Office of American Indian Tribal Nations Relations project lead An Garagioloa collaborated with a team of students in Dr. Greg Lindsey's course PA 8081: Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone to quantify the mineral extraction revenue the University has collected from the land-grant lands, and how that revenue has been allocated both within the University and throughout Minnesota. A final student report from the project is available.
University Relationships with Tribal Nations: Opportunities for University Action
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2022) Fuecker, Danielle; Goodwin, Audrianna; Paddock, Henry; Titus, Madeline
This project was completed as part of a partnership between the University of Minnesota’s Office of American Indian Tribal Nations Relations and the Resilient Communities Project (https://rcp.umn.edu/). The goal of this project was to research potential avenues for the University of Minnesota to improve University-Tribal relations, backed by experiential knowledge and effective practices of the University's peer institutions. Office of American Indian Tribal Nations Relations project lead An Garagioloa collaborated with a team of students in Dr. Greg Lindsey's course PA 8081: Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone to conduct qualitative research interviews with representatives from 10 universities in the United States about how they are evaluating and addressing harms done to Tribal populations. A final student report from the project is available.
Keeping Our Cool with the Metropolitan Council: Extreme Heat Through Storytelling
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2023) Anders, Mattie; Hewitt, Alice; McDonald, Katie
This project was completed as part of a partnership between the Metropolitan Council and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (https://rcp.umn.edu/). The goal of this project was to assist the Metropolitan Council in updating its extreme heat tool to include narratives that document extreme heat impacts on public health and natural systems, and demonstrate the equity and human health considerations related to extreme heat events. Metropolitan Council project leads Eric Wojchik and Ellen Esch collaborated with a team of students in Dr. Peter Brown’s course PA 8081 to provide a qualitative and human-centered focus on how extreme heat is impacting residents around the Twin Cities metropolitan area. A final student report and StoryMap website (https://z.umn.edu/MetCouncilExtremeHeat) from the project are available.
Internal Capacity Building for Health, Resilience and Racial Equity in Ramsey County
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2023) Luo, Abigail; Sepehr, Sara; Stamp, Shannon; Tryggestad, Andrea
This project was completed as part of a partnership between Ramsey County and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (https://rcp.umn.edu/). The goal of this project was to identify County employee staffing and 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. Ramsey County project lead Abigail Phillips collaborated with a team of students in Dr. Stacy Doepner-Hove’s course HRIR 6801 to convert the County's existing climate action framework to a user-friendly Excel spreadsheet that can be used to track goals and progress, identify existing and additional staff capacity needed to achieve the goals in the framework, develop job descriptions for proposed new staff positions, explore Ramsey County's organizational structure and how existing and proposed new positions relate to each other, and develop a case to leadership within the County for the staffing and other recommendations included in the report. A final student report, PowerPoint presentation slides, and final framework Excel spreadsheet from the project are available.
A Resilience-Based Site Assessment Tool for Ecological Restoration Planning in Washington County
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2023) Petel, Ashley
This project was completed as part of a partnership between Washington County and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (https://rcp.umn.edu/). The goal of this project was to explore the advantages and disadvantages of active land management and passive land management approaches. Washington County project leads Dan MacSwain and Connor Schaefer collaborated with a graduate student completing their Horticultural Science Master's Degree capstone project to build a resilience-based site assessment tool for common ecosystem types found in Washington County: upland prairie, oak savanna, deciduous forest, and palustrine wetland. A final student report, which includes the site-assessment tool, and a poster summarizing the project are available.
City of Maplewood Housing Policy Implementation: Distressed Housing Rehabilitation
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2022) Eldridge, Krystin; Weidensee, Marah; Logsden, Libby; Foley, Lucas
This project was completed as part of a partnership between the City of Maplewood and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (https://rcp.umn.edu/). The goal of this project was to identify best practices to create a program that offers affordable, owner-occupied, single-family homes. City of Maplewood project lead Jeff Thomson collaborated with a team of students in Dr. Anthony Damiano’s course PA 5261 to research case studies of distressed housing rehabilitation program models, racial equity concerns and opportunities, and possible financing mechanisms. A final student report and PowerPoint presentation slides from the project are available.
Barriers to Regional Park Use for Black Individuals Who Were Born in the United States: A Study Focused on Regional Parks in Washington County, Minnesota
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2022) Betancourt, Zoe; Benda, Samuel; Dalsheim, Hannah; Sebora, Caleb
This project was completed as part of a partnership between Washington County and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (https://rcp.umn.edu/). The goal of this qualitative research project was to find ways to reduce barriers and increase park participation among Black residents. Washington County project lead Connor Schaefer collaborated with a team of students in Dr. Greta Friedemann-Sánchez's course PA 5041 to conduct interviews with Black residents of greater Washington County and Twin Cities area about their park usage. A final student report and PowerPoint presentation slides from the project are available.
A Qualitative Study of Washington County Parks: Senior Usage
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2022) Lee, Alexander; Stekr, Delaney; Surosh, Mahdi; Huber, Olivia
This project was completed as part of a partnership between Washington County and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (https://rcp.umn.edu/). The goal of this qualitative research project was to find ways to reduce barriers and increase park participation among seniors, who are underrepresented parks users. Washington County project lead Connor Schaefer collaborated with a team of students in Dr. Greta Friedemann-Sánchez's course PA 5041 to conduct in-depth, semi-structured interviews with senior residents of Washington County about their park usage. A final student report and PowerPoint presentation slides from the project are available.
Stormwater Infiltration Siting for the City of Edina
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2022) Anderson, Karina; Burket, Martha; Gallagher, Noah; Turner, Owen
This project was completed as part of a partnership between the City of Edina and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (http://rcp.umn.edu). The goal of this project was to identify areas where stormwater infiltration is both technically feasible and protective of the community’s drinking water source. City of Edina project lead Jessica Wilson collaborated with a team of students in Robert Krussow's course CEGE 4102W in the U of MN College of Science and Engineering to create an ArcGIS-based mapping tool to evaluate the suitability of areas for infiltration-based stormwater control measures. A final student report and presentation slides from the project are available.
Understanding the History, Evolution, and Effectiveness of Transit System Governance in the Twin Cities and Assessing the Effectiveness of Transit System Governance Policy and Planning
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2022) Moorthy, Kribashini Narayana
This project was completed as part of a partnership between SouthWest Transit and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (http://www.rcp.umn.edu). The goal of this project was to understand the legislative history and effectiveness of the transit system governance policy and planning in the Twin Cities region. SouthWest project lead Matt Fyten collaborated with a student enrolled in Dr. Frank Douma’s independent study course PA 8991 to explore the history of suburban transit providers, how funding has evolved for suburban transit over time, the impact of the pandemic on transit goals, and to develop recommendations for future action. A final student report and PowerPoint presentation slides from the project are available.
Hennepin County Elections: Design Thinking for Absentee Voting
(Resilient Communities Project (RCP), University of Minnesota, 2022) Howard, Eric; Westerlund, Emma; Shannon-Tamrat, Sisay; Xiong, Ma
This project was completed as part of a partnership between Hennepin County and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (http://www.rcp.umn.edu). The goal of this project was to explore the potential impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on future absentee voting trends. Hennepin County project leads Lance Pemberton and Shaina Fritz collaborated with students in Sandra Wolfe Wood’s course PA 5190 to apply human-centered design thinking to absentee voting during the 2020 election, identify barriers to absentee voting in Hennepin County, and propose recommendations for engaging eligible voters who did not vote absentee in 2020. A final student report and PowerPoint presentation slides from the project are available.