Environment
Shorewood Taking GreenSteps
The city has started the process of becoming a Minnesota GreenStep City! Minnesota GreenStep Cities is a voluntary challenge, assistance and recognition program to help cities achieve their sustainability goals through implementation of 28 best practices. Each best practice can be implemented by completing one or more specific actions from a list of four to eight actions. These actions are tailored to all Minnesota cities, focus on cost savings and energy use reduction, and encourage innovation. Watch our progress!
Tree Preservation
It is the policy of the City of Shorewood to recognize and preserve existing natural resources of the community. In its effort to maintain the wooded character of the area, the City finds that trees provide numerous benefits including, but not limited to: stabilization of the soil by the prevention of erosion and sedimentation, reduction of storm water runoff, improvement of air quality, reduction of noise pollution, control of urban heat island effect, protection and increase of property values, protection of privacy, energy conservation through natural insulation, providing habitat for birds and other wildlife and conservation and enhancement of the city’s physical and aesthetic environment.
Shorewood established a Tree Preservation Policy that applies to all new construction within the City. The purpose of this policy is to preserve and protect significant trees or stands of trees whose loss due to land disturbances associated with the process of development or construction would adversely affect the character of our community.
Conservation Area
The Land Conservation Environmental Committee (LCEC) completed a study and plan for the conservation of open space within the City of Shorewood. This plan is available for review upon request at City Hall.
Gideon Glen
Gideon Glen, a 5.8-acre parcel with an old-growth remnant of the Big Woods on its west side, was purchased by the City in 2000 with the financial assistance of the MCWD. Planning to provide a demonstration of systems to improve the quality of surface waters and preserve the old-growth forest was coordinated by the MCWD. With the new CR 19 intersection project, a grit chamber was installed to capture debris and large particles prior to the stormwater pond and wetland areas, that ultimately flow to Lake Minnetonka. Currently, Gideon Glen is maintained by the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District.
The Gideon Glen project is meant to be educational. Observation areas and informational kiosks were installed tocomplete the scientific experience. The view west to the woods is intended not to be accessible to insure the preservation of these sensitive areas; however, the wetland restoration will give residents a sense of what the Lake Minnetonka area was like in pre-settlement times once vegetation has had an opportunity to mature.
The wetland project came together financially with funds by the City (through a $75,000 grant from the Metropolitan Council), the MCWD, and Hennepin County (through the CR 19 project.)
Water Quality Report
2010 Drinking Water Report - The City of Shorewood is issuing the results of monitoring done on its drinking water for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2010. The purpose of this report is to advance consumers' understanding of drinking water and heighten awareness of the need to protect our precious water resources.
Should I test my private well for arsenic?
Yes. Arsenic over the recommended safe level has been detected in groundwater in some private wells in Shorewood. Arsenic in water has no taste or odor, so the only way to know if drinking water contains arsenic is to have it tested.
Storm Water Pollution Prevention Program (SWPPP)
Residents of Shorewood can participate in the storm water pollution prevention management process designed to maintain or improve the quality of our natural resources.