West metro briefs: St. Louis Park City Council commits to climate plan

City Council commits to climate action plan

Spurred by a presentation from St. Louis Park High School students this spring, the City Council voted last week to develop a climate change action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The teens, part of an environmental club at the high school called Roots and Shoots, presented the city with a resolution to create the plan along with a petition signed by more than 550 students.

They gave the council a climate change report card that included A's for waste and renewable energy, but a D-minus for the city's zero emissions plan. The city's overall environmental grade: a B-minus.

The city recently put together an Environment and Sustainability Commission, and council members said they wanted the students to continue their work.

Roots and Shoots developed the resolution in partnership with iMatter, a national youth-driven climate change organization. St. Louis Park is the first city in the group's nationwide campaign to adopt the resolution.

The plan will be developed with youth involvement, according to a release from iMatter.

St. Louis Park has 35 neighborhoods that are recognized by the city, but some of them have not yet formed neighborhood associations.

Now residents from unorganized neighborhoods are invited to attend the Neighborhood Organizing 101 information session from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. on Thursday in the Community Room at City Hall, 5005 Minnetonka Blvd.

The session will include information about neighborhoods and how to organize as an association, along with a tool kit to walk organizers through the process. A panel of residents involved in neighborhood associations will talk about their experiences and answer questions.

For more information, contact Breanna Freedman, community liaison, at 952-924-2184 or bfreedman@stlouispark.org.

JOHN REINAN

The featured speaker will be attorney Peter Kirsch, of the Denver firm Kaplan Kirsch Rockwell. For more than 25 years, Kirsch has been involved in the development of new commercial airports in the U.S. as well as dozens of airport expansions, redevelopment projects and developments of airport collateral lands.

Kirsch is an expert on land use and environmental law, the impact of infrastructure projects, and compliance with federal transportation laws and regulations.

Other speakers will include Steve Kittleson, co-founder of the MSP FairSkies Coalition; Loren Olson, government relations representative for the city of Minneapolis, and Edina City Council Member Ann Swenson.

The forum will be videotaped for later broadcast on Edina TV.

JOHN REINAN

Thousands of peace poles have sprung up around the world. Typically 6 feet high, they bear the words "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in several languages.

In addition to the standard languages, American Sign Language and a Braille plate will be included on Oak Grove's pole, and members will use those languages during the 15-minute ceremony.

Peace poles symbolize an international effort organized by the World Peace Prayer Society, which is affiliated with the United Nations.

Oak Grove is at W. Old Shakopee Road and Penn Avenue S. For more information, go to www.oakgrv.org.

KEVIN DUCHSCHERE

It will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on June 11 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 12 at The Commons, Excelsior's lakeside park.

The event is put on by the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Chamber of Commerce.

For more details, go to excelsior-lakeminnetonkachamber.com.