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Home My WebLink AboutCouncil Information Memorandum 12-29-1994.# Y DECEMBER 29 1994 UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS .... 1. CITY COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE FOR JANUARY: JANUARY 3 6:00 p.m. SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING Council Conference Room TOPIC: Review plans for City Council Chambers Renovation 7:00 P.M. COUNCIL MEETING City Council Chambers ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - -- JANUARY 17 7:00 P.M. COUNCIL MEETING City Council Chambers ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - -- JANUARY 23 6:00 P.M. SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING Public Safety Training Room TOPIC: Meeting with legislators, county commissioners and Met Council officials serving Plymouth. JANUARY 30 6:00 P.M. SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING City Council Chambers TOPICS: 1995 Goals & Objectives; Review parliamentary rules; Economic Development Strategy; and City Manager Evaluation Process 1 CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION MEMO December 29, 1994 Page 2 2. CITY OFFICES CLOSED -- MONDAY, JANUARY 2, NEW YEAR'S HOLIDAY i f 3. WATER QUALITY COMMITTEE -- TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 7:00 p.m., Public Safety Library. r 4. SNOWMOBILE TASK, FORCE -- WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 7:00 p.m., Public Safety Library. l 5. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION -- THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 7:30 p.m., Public Safety Library. 't 6. METRO MEETINGS — -- The weekly calendar of meetings for the Metropolitan Council and its advisory commissions is attached. (M -6) 7. MEETING CALENDARS - January and February meeting calendar are attached. (M -7) 1. DEPARTMENT REPORTS a. Weekly Building Permit Report for CommerciaUlndustrial/Public and Use Types 2. 3. 4. (I- WATER QUALITY COMMITTEE WORK PLAN FOR 1995 - The attached report from Dan Faulkner conveys the 1995 Work Plan for the Water Quality Committee. (I -2) REGIONAL BLUEPRINT -- A copy of the Metropolitan Council's Regional Blueprint is attached for the Council's information. (I -4) MEMOS & CORRESPONDENCE: i a. Letter from Wayne Sames, Outdoor Recreation Grant Program, Minnesota DNR, advising that the City's 1995 grant application for West Medicine Lake Park was not approved for funding. Out of 100 applications received, the DNR recommended only 26 projects for funding. (I -4a) b. Letter to Councilmember Edson from TCF Bank and Ryan Construction on a group meeting to discuss concerns regarding a TCF branch located adjacent to Target at Rockford Road Plaza. (I -4b) c. Letter responding to Mickie Larson, 1905 Kingsview Lane, from Ed Goldsmith, regarding the building materials and color design of Plymouth Towne Square. (I -4c) i d. Letter to Metropolitan Council Chair, Dottie Rietow, from City Manager, urging immediate coordination of the "scoping" step process for the policy issues requirement of the Elm Creek Interceptor project. (I -4d) i e. Letter from Suburban Alliance thanking the City for the increase in 1995 funding levels. (I -4e) i r R CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION MEMO December 29, 1994 Page 3 f. Letter to Bob Renner, MLC, from Councilmember Granath, providing comments on the MLC's report on affordable housing. (I -4f) g. Fax memo to Fred Moore and City Attorney from Councilmember Granath regarding City Project No. 214. (I -4g) h. Fax memo to City Manager from Councilmember Granath regarding review of the 1994 Information Systems Steering Committee Activities. (I -4h) I. Letter mailed to Plymouth elected and appointed officials inviting them to attend to the Council's January 23 special meeting. (I -4i) NAPPY NEW YEAR Dwight Johnson City Manager M -lo METRO MEETINGS A weekly calendar of meetings and agenda items for the Metropolitan Council, its advisory and standing committees, and three regional commissions: Metropolitan Airports Commission, Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission, and Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission. Meeting times and agendas are occasionally changed. Questions about meetings should be directed to the appropriate organization. Meeting information is also available on the Metro Information Line at 229 -3780. i DATE: December 23, 1994 1 WEEK OF: December 26 - December 30, 1994 t METROPOLITAN COUNCIL Christmas Holiday - Monday, Dec. 26, Council offices are closed. 1 TENTATIVE MEETINGS THE WEEK OF JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 6, 1995 1 New Year Holiday - Monday, Jan. 2, Council offices are closed. Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission - Tuesday, Jan. 3, 4 p.m., Room 1A. i Transportation Technical Advisory Committee to the Transportation Advisory Board - Wednesday, Jan. 3, 9 a.m., Chambers. Environment Committee - Wednesday, Jan. 4, 4 p.m., Chambers. Finance Committee - Thursda (y, Jan. 5, 4 p.m., Room 2A. Executive Committee - Friday,` Jan. 6, 7:30 a.m., location to be determined. Metropolitan Radio Systems Planning Committee - Friday, Jan. 6, 9 a.m., Mosquito Control District Offices, 2099 University Ave., St. Paul. Legislative Coordinating Gro l p - Friday, Jan. 6, Noon, Room 1A. j The Metropolitan Council is located at Mears Park Centre, 230 E. Fifth St., St. Paul. Meeting times and agenda are subject to change. For more information or confirmation of meetings, call 291 -6447, (TDD 291 - 0904). Call the Metro Information Line at 229 -3780 for news of Council actions and coming meetings. I OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS January 1995 Sunday Monday Tuesday Friday Saturday TT 9 City Offices Closed 3 6:00 PMSPEGIAL COUNCIL -Wednesday 4 7:00 PM SNOWMOBILE -Thursday 5 i7:30PMHUMAN 6 7 flit 7:00 PM COUNCIL MEETING - Council Chambers 7:00pm WATER QUALITY COASM= TASK FORCE - Pub. Safety Library RIGHTS COMMISSION 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5:00 PM FINANCIAL 7:00 PM PLANNING 17:00 PM PRAC ADVISORY COMMISSION - Council COMMITTEE Chambers 15 S16 17 18 19 20 21 Martin Luther King, Jr. - 1117:00 PM COUNCIL MEET] 17:00 PM HRA 17:00 PM BOARD OF City Offices Closed ING - Council Chambers ZONING _L] 17:00 PM PACT 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 6:00 PM SPECIAL COUN- 7:00 PM PLANNING CIL MEETING COMMISSION - Council Chambers 29 30 31 December 94 February 95 6:00 PM SPECIAL COUN- CIL MEETING _j S M T W T F S S M T WT F S 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 12 13 H 15 16 17 IS 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 • 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 26 27 28 12/29/94 3 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS 1� February 1995 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday 1 Thursday 2 Friday Saturday 3 4 7:30 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION PLYMOUTH FIRE & ICE FESTIVAL - Parkers Lake Park 7:00 PM CHARTER CO- MMISSION - Pub. Safety Trng Room 7:00, PM COUNCIL MEET. `'ING - Council Chambers 8-- 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION - Council Chambers -9 -- 17:00 PM PRAC -1 -- 11 - - - — 7:00 PM WATER QUAL ITY COMMITTEE 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 5:00 PM FINANCIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE 7:00 PM HRA 7:00 PM BOARD OF ZONING 7:00 PM PACT 19 *_ �� 22 23 24 25 PresidenNs Day - City 117:00 Offices Closed PM COUNCIL MEET ' ING - Council Chambers 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION - Council Chambers 26 27 28 January March S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 I8 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 31 12/28/94 3 DATE: DECEMBER 29, 1994 TO: DWIGHT JOHNSON, CITY AGER FROM: CARLYS SCHANSBERG, � ATA CI NTROL/INSPECTION CLERK SUBJECT: BUILDING PERMIT ISSUED REPORT FOR COMMERCIAL /INDUSTRIAL /PUBLIC & CHURCH USE TYPES WEEK OF DECEMBER 22 THROUGH DECEMBER 28, 1994 PERMIT #/64623 WAS ISSUED TO RAYCO CONSTRUCTION FOR A PARTIAL REROOF FOR GAGE MARKETING GROUP LOCATED AT 10000 STATE HIGHWAY 55, VALUATION $58,945.00. PERMIT ##64024 WAS ISSUED TO OPUS CORPORATION FOR THE SHELL OF A BUILDING LOCATED AT 6055 NATHAN LANE NORTH, VALUATION $1,895,000.00. 820 KINGSVIEW LA N ; 0001095 I 13 118 22 31 0059 M H SEIFERT CONST 10500 38TH AVE N 0003119 34 118 22 14 0037 HAMMANG, JOHN 805 WINDEMERE DR 0003119 28 118 22 14 0004 ROBERT RODE 14318 21ST AVE N 0003119 01 118 22 11 0004 OPUS CORP 6055 NATHAN LA N 14 118 22 12 0067 JOE MILLER HOMES 11605 43RD AVE N 0002431 19 118 22 21 0003 MINNESOTA EXTERIORS INC 3355 URBANDALE LA N 4 3 PARKDALE $9,610.00 $121.81 ADDITION 12/23/94 64633 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 31 2 MEADOW LAWN EST 3RD $2,000.00 $46.00 REPAIR 12/27/94 64648 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 6 2 GLEANLOCH 2ND $3,500.00 $64.75 ALTERATION 12/28/94 64675 LOT BLK COMMERCIAL BUILDING LLS28QQ140004 $500.00 $15.25 NEW CONST 12/22/94 64024 LOT BLK INDUSTRIAL BUILDING 2 1 BASS CREEK BUSINESS PARK 3RD $1,895,000.00 $87,739.17 NEW CONST 12/22/94 64042 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 4 3 EAGLEWOOD $125,808.00 $3,068.22 REPAIR 12/27/94 64111 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 30 1 AMBER WOODS $6,485.00 $93.24 r I ' PERMITLIST I LIST OF PERMITS ISSUED PAGE 2 12/29/94 ! AGING DAYS FROM 12/22/94 TO 12/28/94 PIN NUMBER ' CLASS OF WORK DATE PERMIT ## APPLICANT NAME LEGAL USE TYPE ISSUED ERMT.TYPE SITE ADDRESS DESCRIPTION OUTLOT /TRACT UNIT# STATE ---------------------------=---------------------------------------------------- LICENSE # VALUATION TOTAL FEE 33 118 22 13 0044 1 REPAIR 12/22/94 64628 KEN ROELOFS CONST INC LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 820 KINGSVIEW LA N ; 0001095 I 13 118 22 31 0059 M H SEIFERT CONST 10500 38TH AVE N 0003119 34 118 22 14 0037 HAMMANG, JOHN 805 WINDEMERE DR 0003119 28 118 22 14 0004 ROBERT RODE 14318 21ST AVE N 0003119 01 118 22 11 0004 OPUS CORP 6055 NATHAN LA N 14 118 22 12 0067 JOE MILLER HOMES 11605 43RD AVE N 0002431 19 118 22 21 0003 MINNESOTA EXTERIORS INC 3355 URBANDALE LA N 4 3 PARKDALE $9,610.00 $121.81 ADDITION 12/23/94 64633 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 31 2 MEADOW LAWN EST 3RD $2,000.00 $46.00 REPAIR 12/27/94 64648 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 6 2 GLEANLOCH 2ND $3,500.00 $64.75 ALTERATION 12/28/94 64675 LOT BLK COMMERCIAL BUILDING LLS28QQ140004 $500.00 $15.25 NEW CONST 12/22/94 64024 LOT BLK INDUSTRIAL BUILDING 2 1 BASS CREEK BUSINESS PARK 3RD $1,895,000.00 $87,739.17 NEW CONST 12/22/94 64042 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 4 3 EAGLEWOOD $125,808.00 $3,068.22 REPAIR 12/27/94 64111 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 30 1 AMBER WOODS $6,485.00 $93.24 r I PERMITLIST LIST OF PERMITS ISSUED 12/29/94 AGING DAYS 1. FROM 12/22/94 TO 12/28/94 PAGE 1 PIN NUMBER CLASS OF WORK DATE PERMIT # APPLICANT NAME LEGAL USE TYPE ISSUED ERMT.TYPE SITE ADDRESS DESCRIPTION OUTLOT /TRACT UNIT# STATE LICENSE ## VALUATION TOTAL FEE -------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - -- 32 118 22 11 0028 SKYLINE DESIGN 1140 XENE LA N 0006431 36 118 22 31 0002 P M SERVICES INC (SIGN) 10700 OLD COUNTY RD NO 15 367 10 118 22 32 0002 LUNDGREN BROS CONST 4840 EMPIRE LA N 0001413 29 118 22 11 0028 TIMM WEISS CONST CO 15905 25TH AVE N 0009074 36 118 22 42 0018 RAYCO CONST 10000 STATE HWY NO 55 0003396 O1 118 22 31 0007 COLSON CONST 10655 56TH AVE N 0002253 25 118 22 14 0053 PANELCRAFT INC 2045 KILMER LA N 0002179 ADDITION 12/27/94 64561 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 24 2 CIMARRON PONDS $20,500.00 $366.65 ALTERATION 12/28/94 64566 LOT BLK COMMERCIAL BUILDING LLS36QQ310002 $10,000.00 $198.05 NEW CONST LOT BLK SFD 1 1 SAVANNAH 12/28/94 64575 BUILDING $140,000.00 $3,156.17 ALTERATION 12/27/94 64617 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 1 1 FOX RUN 4TH $19,775.00 $351.44 REPAIR 12/27/94 64623 LOT BLK COMMERCIAL BUILDING LLS36QQ420018 $58,945.00 $484.47 NEW CONST 12/28/94 64624 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 3 2 THE PONDS AT BASS CREEK $169,000.00 $3,338.15 REPAIR 12/22/94 64627 LOT BLK SFD BUILDING 36 15 RGT IN MED LK PK 3RD $6,118.00 $93.06 3 t DATE: December 29, 1994 TO: Dwight D. Johnson, City Manager through Fred G. Moore, P.E. ,Director of Public Works FROM: Daniel L. Faulkner, P.E. City Engineer SUBJECT: WATER QUALITY COMMITTEE WORK PLAN FOR 1995 In response to the requirements of Resolution No. 94 -507, the Water Quality Committee finalized its 1995 Work Plan at its December 6, 1994 meeting. While the Work Plan focuses primarily on water quality issues, the committee will begin to emphasize other environmental concerns in 1995. The committee had previously revised its Mission Statement and the City Council received a report on this 'requested revision at its December 5 meeting. Included in the revised Mission Statement would be a name change for the committee from Water Quality to Environmental Quality with emphasis in all areas of environmental concerns. i At its December 6 meeting, the Committee did elect to make one small change to its revised Mission Statement to include "Urban Forestry Management" as part of the committee's scope which is detailed under its objective. The committee will also � continue to prepare and coordinate monthly articles on environmental quality in the Plymouth News. Copies of the Public Education Plan and Work Plan for 1995 are attached. Daniel L. Faulkner, P.E. i ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE WORK PLAN FOR 1995 January Review wetland monitoring and erosion control monitoring program for making recommendations. February Review Plymouth's tree ordinance and discuss possible changes. March Finalize recommendations for changes intree ordinance; discuss current monitoring program for commercial/industrial pollution for possible changes and recommendations. April Begin review of Surface Water Management Plan. May Continue review of Surface Water Management Plan. Discuss plans for a presence at Music in Plymouth. June Staff booth at Music in Plymouth. July Review erosion control and monitoring measures for further recommendations. August Review cmmercial/industrial pollution monitoring for further recommendations.. September Review the draft Surface Water Management Plan for recommendations. October Continue review of Surface Water Management Plan. November Discuss the ice fishing houses and discuss possible recommendations that might be made relative to their impact on water quality. December Develop work plan for 1995 and consider Sunset provision fo for he Committee work.. �-D- PUBLIC EDUCATION PLAN FOR 1995 a i January & Request Helen LaFave to update her articles used last year on February lake debris: March Article on fertilizer awareness. April Article on tree preservation. May Article on turf management to be prepared by Chuck Lymangood. June Article previously prepared by Sharon Meister on wetland buffers and wildlife. f Jul Article on Urasian Water Milfoil. August j Article on noise pollution to be prepared by Bridget Jodell. i September Article on business (commercial/industrial) pollution to be prepared by David Shea. October Article on yard waste (old article). f November Open. I December Open. rr\\nn STATE OF DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES 500 LAFAYETTE ROAD • ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA • 55155 -40 CNR INFORMATION (612) 296 -6157 December 19, 1994 Mr. Eric Blank Park and Recreation Director 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 RE: FY 1995 Outdoor Recreation Grant Program Application West Medicine Lake Park City of Plymouth, Hennepin County Dear Mr. Blank: The review and ranking of F.Y. 1995 Outdoor Recreation Grant Program applications has been completed. This review, which included a careful analysis of each application and an on -site visit of each proposed project area, was completed by staff of the Outdoor Recreation Grants Unit. Competition for the limited federal Land and Water Conservation Fund dollars and state bonded dollars was intense. Only 26 projects were recommended for funding out of the 100 applications reviewed. Unfortunately, your application did not rank highly enough to be recommended for funding this year. If you would like information regarding.your application and/or suggestions on how your proposed project might be revised to make it more competitive, please call your Grants Manager, Tom Kranz, at 612/297 -3168. We thank you for your interest in the Outdoor Recreation Grants Program and we are sorry that 'your application did not rank highly enough for funding this year. Sincerely, Wayne M. Sames, Supervisor Outdoor Recreation Grant Program AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER 1 '-A to CB COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE GROUP, INC. FICB BROKERAGE AND MANAGEMENT BROKERAGE SERVICES COMMERCIAL LICENSED REAL ESTATE BROKER ' Local Perspective Worldwide ♦y,N , ,.. .* _,�,(,: FOUNDED 1906 December 22, 1994 Dear Council Member Edson: TCF Bank and Ryan Construction would like to invite you to an open discussion meeting to address any and all concerns you may have regarding a TCF branch located adjacent to Target at Rockford Road Plaza. We' are resubmitting plans for city approval but would like your input and ideas so that we can make any additional changes before our reapplication. i We are planning to have a group meeting, Wednesday, December 28 at 7:30 P.M. at the Bakers Square in Rockford Road Plaza. We are very committed to moving ahead with the project and also very committed to your concerns as neighbors. Please contact Paige Rickert at 924 -4658 with questions. We look forward to seeing you Wednesday. Seasons Greetings, TCF Bank cbL081.psr cc: Mayor Tierney Ryan Construction 7760 FRANCE AVf ENUE SOUTH, SUITE 770, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55435 -5282 I (59 -Itt-e- Ax Ala- December 16, 1994 Mickie Larson 1905 Kingsview Plymouth, MN 55447 Dear Mickie: Your letter to the City Council regarding the new seniors' housing project, Plymouth Towne Square has been referred to me for response. As you noted, this is a somewhat unusual building in terms of the use of a variety of building materials and colors. I In discussing the building with the architect, Jay Nelson of BRW Elness Architects, he stated how he attempted to "break up" the significant mass of the building by giving the appearance of several buildings clustered together, as in a colonial townscape. In such a setting, a variety of building materials and colors would be used on the individual structures. The lighter colors at the ends of the building are' to provide a contrast to emphasize the center section. The two - color brick was suggested by the contrasting tones of the brick and stone facade at the Mission Lodge and Nursing Home on East Medicine Lake Boulevard in Plymouth. Obviously individuals will apply their own tastes and judgments to any design. You were not the first to comment on this aspect of the building. As with any public project, we have heard comments that both criticize and approve of the design. However, we are not planning any modifications to the building at this time. We appreciate our sharing ur thoughts with us and will keep them in mind for an future Y g Y' g P Y projects. Please feel free to write to us again or call me at 550 -5047 with any further questions or comments. Thank you. . Sincerely, Edward J. Goldsmith Housing Supervisor EJG:jab hrakorres\5047 \ptslarso December 19, 1994 • Ll • ■� Dottie Rietow, Chair Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities 300 East Fifth Street St. Paul, Minnesota 55101 Dear Chair Rietow: LAC--�- On December 15, the Metropolitan Council approved the design of the Elm Creek Interceptor project as a part of its MCWS Capital Improvements Program. The approval was conditioned upon a requirement that by March of 1995, the affected local governments will identify the scope and to formalize their cooperation in addressing a number of policy issues in the areas of regional/local cost - sharing, housing, transportation, environmental standards and development timing and staging. While Plymouth has raised concerns about the scope, cost, timing and commitment required for this planning process, we are pleased that the Council has added this "scoping" step to the process. However, if any agreements are to be reached and presented to our City Council for approval prior to March, it is critical that meetings among the affected cities and the Council be scheduled immediately. The Council must take the lead and commit its staff resources to facilitate the process. Please contact me (550 -5011) or Community Development Director Anne Hurlburt (550 -5059) to coordinate the schedule for the next steps in the process. Sincerely, &t?j Se Dwight Johnson City Manager cc: Roger Scherer, Metro Council District 1 Mayor and City Council Anne Hurlburt, Community Development Director Fred Moore, Public Works Director p1an \corres\5059 \e1cr1tr2.doc . We Listen • We Solve • We Care 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447 • TELEPHONE (612) 550 -5000 FA .Suburban 01liance .r December 27, 1994 Mayor Joy Tierney City of Plymouth 3400 Plymouth Boulevard 1 Plymouth, MN 55447 i Dear Mayor- Tierney: On behalf of Suburban Alliance, I want to extend the appreciation of Suburban Alliance to the City of Plymouth for the significant increase in our 1995 funding level. i We appreciate the continuing support of the City of Plymouth. It is important to us to have the participation of our member municipalities. My best wishes to you. Sincerely, i M 11rcy Shapiro j Executive Director i West Hennepin Human Services Planning Board 9 Seventh Avenue South • Hopkins, MN 55343 • (612) 930 -3356 • Fax (612) 930 -3540 i Thursday, December 29,1994' CI C PLYMOUT i- . Mr. Bob Renner Lobbyist for MLC 161 'St. Anthony 830 Kelly Inn St. Paul, MN 55403 Subject: Presentation by MLC on Affordable Housing, to Plymouth City Council, Dec. 94 Dear Renner: Thank you for your presentation to our Council of the MLC report, "An Overview of Affordable Housing and Mated Issues" earlier this month. As you may recall, during that meeting and in response to your request for input from the Plymouth City Council, I indicated I would be corresponding with you on this subject in the future. 'This is my input to the MLC. I would like to say first of all that I encourage the MLC's efforts to "keop the debate honest" as someone put it during the meeting, but I was also very encouraged to Bear chat you were planning on continuing a direct dialogue with the "other side" at the state legislative level. Beyond that I don't think it would be profitable for me' to advise on detailed positions on this subject but I do think it is important that the MLC, as a lobbying organization for our City, take the philosophical input, if you will, of those of us in elected office representing WC client cities. To this end I offer, spea' for myself only of Gow'sr,, the following: I start by saying it may not be accurate to assume a unanimous viewpoint on this matter in the western suburban communities. I know that to be the case at least in so for as I am concerned. I believe that the goal of full diversity in housing affordability is a worthwhile and responsible end for our community to pursue. While those of us representing outer ring suburban communities at the municipal level have a primary responsibility to our constituents' immediate interests, it is also true that we havo a grave responsibility to our nation as well. We have all solemnly sworn so upon taking the oath 4f office; Reasonable persons may disagree fundamautally.on this sometimes volatile issue, it is true. For myself, however, I approach this issue in the belief that the long term interests of Plymouth are not unaffected by. the welfare of all its neighbors, that we are vitally interested in the future of our nation, We Usten • We Solve We Care M PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH. MINNESOTA 55447 • TELEPHONE (812) 550.5000 CITY OF PLYMOUTR Regarding Plymouth Specifically, I strongly endorse and recommend to you Ms. Anne Hurlburt, Plymouth Community Developnmt Director's series of reports ("Housing Affordability in Plymouth , "Housing in the City of Plymouth: an Excerpt of Characteristics, Needs and Barriers', and "Public Sector Housing Aciivities'�. Together Ms, Hurlburt's reports present a very accurate, objective portrayal.of housing in our community, My conclusion from them is that we have been proactive in Plymouth in promoting affordable housing, although not always, I think, recognized for our efforts. Nevertheless, I also conclude that there may well be other'steps we can take at our munieipal,lovel to remove any unnecessary obstacles to diverse housing in Plyriiouth, • Again, thank you for your report. I encourage the ULC to play a constructive a role on this issue, even as it may find itself if adversarial roles from time to time. I may be reached at my city voice mail 'number 656.5092, or during the day at my office 945 -9563. Sincmrely, Nick Granath Council Member, Ward 3 Plymouth City Council {� I . j • j 1• Mayor, Council Members, City Manager, Ms. Hurlburt, Plymouth. HRA, Rep. Leppik 45B. •r ' 2 We Listen • We Solve • We Oars X494 KWOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447 • 'TELEPHONE (612) SWBMD 1r. .. :'z rt •Yi: .:":J3,3'?•• {�y �r ■�1 j•`�:.:.r /��.�.t(.1 �n>rw.... •�j \, /}�j,�y�,�l... c'�3vM Ma..........♦ >s'1. ..... ♦'a: :;• 4tYi•'•�.i`r 'd1tA4�'.'1�'i Y•t 48 r . ; aYl'nr .'•• 11 . .'. Y• . 1. it ■•,1{,I.MI.wr .• . • 1 � t 1 Li: ^^tl P• Ir i� .. .. : •,• t t; ' t •• i�t ��+ •ih I :f 1'fN''.'ll O.1 t' krPAt9 �•t,. �,� �. ' ' • • • ♦ . • '. • �• . ' Y. {��ui ��(.'1 ffi �vM 1 •h >y:l..i• • h• 1• • : h /Y ..il .• •. •r K •" •' .• �r" • • • .•Y.• �•N�'11't' • l• +' • • t: �� r f� {�,,�y�'■!y�f ,.�ihitrlrbr'1 ffy•'�r• , JI. •, 1. 1 ..�. i ' t•••• 1 f F�"�•YVf fj� '.tr. r:9�i� ��. • ItIN'•i'.'•,<hl�l{•S,A� i "li'ri t?; "�.�.r .• ii +Yhr• �.• I. 1 • •h. •;. ..••• ♦ i • I t • t t`0'lft'•1 ri ��/�}��1 •i�hf.� •r •. .. ':�:`L >,{ IWf ♦i: �i.l � • � • . } • . .. �•>t'C .... r... 1.1 ♦ . 1:.. '.fJl'�•t blii.. ,�•,I�t; .rY r'�134111•tii �Ntl ii 11.•'r •� .0 11•llt ♦P }�: i.l. (',t. ":'.• . • ' t. . � /�f�61r. i•;,yy1yyQQ• �ii pf.•• =fp•, � rqqvv��,,,, . 1'�I t'}4 h.•• •_ °`.' •. � _ fIN :r. i`i .�:11rt i •ViW t, r .�f,M.S/�hr.. �.tl .Sfa`.i' ; •t •1• Date: Thursday, December 29,1994 To: Fred Moore + City Attorney SubjCrt: City Pmj"t No. 214 cc: Mayor, Council Members, City,Manager & Staff According to my information, the Xenium Lane Street and Utility Improvement project is now in quick take. Action Please very briefly inform the Council as to the status of efforts to obtain the necessary right -of- way to move this project forward. Background • I have constituents that are especially interested in this project whom I am attempting to keep well informed, • As you are aware, there have beefy s,4tric delays on this project, which were not the fault of the city but which nevertheless have concerned some interested residents. — end — 0- Date: Thursday, December 29,1994 To: City Manager Dwight Johnson Wafa ..cam mite Subject: review of 1 994 Information Systems Steering Committee Activities I CG: Mayor, Council Members, City Manager & Staff This memo is in reference to Kathy Lueckert, Assistant City Manager's memo reviewing the 1994 activities of the Information Systems Steering Committee (ISSC), dated Dec 22, 1994, to D. Johnson. i • Kathy, thank you for this report; it is apparent that the city is a nigh tech operation and a lot of exciting things are happening. • I want to especially express my support for your statement "[A]nother goal is to have the City "on line" on the Internet by the spring[.]'; I encourage all your efforts in this regard in 1995, and volunteer any assistance towards this effort I can. 0 . ITU 11 � As you are aware, I take a special interest in communications technologies in general and in particular the Internet and all the possibilities this holds, We have talked "off -line" (excuse the pun) about this before and since then I have encountered even more local governments doing interesting things on the Not ! ' —end— i December 21, 1994 CITY OF Representative Ron Abrams PLYMOUTH+ Room 209 State Office Building St. Paul, MN 55155 Dear Representative Abrams, The New Year is nearly upon us, and 1995 will bring many challenges at the state and local level. The Plymouth City Council would like an opportunity to meet with you and with other elected and appointed officials serving Plymouth. We want to discuss with you our concerns about several local issues, as well as various metropolitan and statewide issues. We also want to hear from you about the legislative and public policy challenges facing us in 1995. We invite you to join us for a light dinner and informal discussion on Monday, January 23, 1995 at 6 PM in the Plymouth Public Safety Building. The City Council is inviting all the state legislators serving Plymouth, the three Hennepin County commissioners representing the City, our Metropolitan Council representative, and key Plymouth staff members. We look forward to talking with you about the opportunities and issues facing us in 1995. Please let us know by January 'l l if you will be able to attend by calling Kathy Lueckert, Assistant City Manager, at 550 -5013. Thank you for your commitment to serving our community. . Very truly yours, V Joy Tierney Mayor of Plymouth cc: City Council We Listen • We Solve • We Care 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447 • TELEPHONE (612) 550 -5000 in CITY OF PLYMOUTH PLANNING COMIVIISSION MINUTES DECEMBER 14, 1994 The regular meeting of the Plymouth Planning Commission was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chairman Mike Stulberg. MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Mike Stulberg, Commissioners Barb Stimson, Christian Preus (arrived at 8:10 p.m.), Ed Albro, Virginia Black, and Allen Ribbe. MEMBERS ABSENT: Commissioner Linda Oja STAFF PRESENT: Director Anne Hurlburt, City Engineer Dan Faulkner, Planning Supervisor Barbara Senness, Associate Planner John Keho, and Planning Secretary Jackie Watson PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING ISD 284 (WAYZATA) AND CITY OF PLYMOUTH (94131) Chairman Stulberg introduced the request by ISD 284 (Wayzata) and the City of Plymouth for a RPUD Concept Plan for the new Wayzata Senior High School to be located at the northwest intersection of Peony Lane and the Soo Line Railroad. Planning Supervisor Senness reviewed the December 7, 1994 staff report. Chairman Stulberg introduced Mr. Barry Warner from Barton - Aschman, representing the school district. Mr. Warner reviewed the plans for the new Senior High School. City Engineer Faulkner stated that the consultants are doing a study for the exact location of the bridge over the railroad tracks along Peony Lane. Chairman Stulberg introduced Mr. Gregg Anderson of 421 Bushaway Road. Mr. Anderson stated he was representing the Youth Hockey Association. He said that he did not see any plans for a hockey facility and they are very interested in this type of facility being available. He said that he is pleased that the plans include the performing arts. He said they want a strong community concept with ice rink, auditorium and gymnasium. Chairman Stulberg introduced Mr. Mark Campbell of 18815 27th Avenue North. Planning Commission Minutes December 14, 1994 Page 260 Mr. Campbell stated he supports this new facility and this is essential for a strong community. He said he would like to suggest an indoor ice skating facility. Chairman Stulberg introduced Mr. Jim Gleason of 16505 4th Avenue North. Mr. Gleason stated he represents soccer sports. He said they are very impressed with the design for soccer, tennis and baseball. Chairman Stulberg introduced Ms. Kathleen Thompson of 16010 46th Avenue North. Ms. Thompson stated she was representing the baseball association. She said it is their hope that the current high school will be able to use the new baseball fields. i Chairman Stulberg asked if the new high school could be called Plymouth High School. i Mr. Eric Blank, Director of Park and Recreation, stated that two additional facilities are shown on the site which could accommodate a field house and sheet of ice. He said there are no funds available at this time. He said that current baseball fields at the high school will be turned over to the community and there are plans for additional baseball fields to be added within the City. I MOTION by Commissioner Stimson, seconded by Commissioner Black to recommend approval of the request by: ISD 284 (Wayzata) and the City of Plymouth for a RPUD Concept Plan for the new Wayzata Senior High School to be located at the northwest intersection of Peony Lane and the Soo Line Railroad, subject to all conditions listed in the December 7, 1994 staff report. Roll Call Vote. 5 Ayes. Motion carried on a unanimous vote. PUBLIC HEARINGS S.T. & M., INC. (94145 i Chairman Stulberg introduced the request by S.T. & M., Inc. for a Preliminary Plat, Rezoning and Variance for Hunter's Bluff located at the south side of County Road 6, east of Ferndale Lane. Associate Planner Keho reviewed the December 6, 1994 staff report City Engineer Faulkner discussed the grading plan relating to the drainage from the site. He discussed the pre- existing problem with the drainage which was created by the developer of The Villages.! He stated that this proposal will not cause an increase in the drainage problems. He said it is not up to this developer to solve the drainage problems at The Villages. I Planning Commission Minutes December 14, 1994 Page 261 Chairman Stulberg introduced Mr. Steven Bohl, the petitioner. Mr. Bohl described the development of the site and stated he agreed with the staff report. Chairman Stulberg opened the Public Hearing. Chairman Stulberg introduced Mr. Spencer Holmes of 18605 13th Avenue North. Mr. Holmes pointed out the location of his home and his problems with water drainage. He said he has discussed this with Mr. Bohl. Chairman Stulberg introduced Mr. John Lindell of 18785 11th Avenue North. Mr. Lindell stated he was from The Villages and his hope was that drainage from the new site does not affect them. Chairman Stulberg introduced Ms. Elinor Ogden of 1505 Xanthus Lane North. Ms. Ogden stated that her concern was the entrance to the site on County Road 6. She asked if the entrance could be across from the Inverness site. Chairman Stulberg introduced the letters in the packet from Mr. and Mrs. William Ogden and Mr. and Mrs. William Driscoll into the record. Chairman Stulberg closed the Public Hearing. City Engineer Faulkner stated they will be working with the developer to ensure drainage from the site will not increase drainage at The Villages. He said that Hennepin County has looked at the entrance to the site and feels it is safe. He said the entrance would work best if it was across from Inverness but it does not look as if that will happen. Associate Planner Keho stated that staff have also asked the developer to look at this alternate for an entrance into the site but the developer was not able to purchase the land to move the entrance to the site. Chairman Stulberg asked City Engineer Faulkner to keep those concerned about the drainage informed. MOTION by Chairman Stulberg, seconded by Commissioner Stimson to recommend approval of the request by S.T. & M., Inc. for a Preliminary Plat, Rezoning and Planning Commission Minutes December 14, 1994 Page 262 Variance for Hunter's Bluff located at the south side of County Road 6, east of Ferndale Lane, subject to'all conditions listed in the December 6, 1994 staff report. i , Roll Call Vote 5 Ayes. Motion carried on a unanimous vote. Chairman Stulberg called a recess at 7:50 p.m.; the meeting reconvened at 8:10 p.m. WETLAND ORDINANCE (94072) { Planning Supervisor Senness reviewed the draft ordinance and the changes incorporated , into the ordinance since the last meeting. Commissioner Stimson stated that the changes made do not reflect the opinions of the entire Planning Commission. i Commissioner Black asked if there was written comment from the City Attorney. Planning Supervisor Sennss stated that these conversations were by telephone. I Director Hurlburt stated that the City Attorney stated that there will be situations where there will be requests for variances and this ordinance will allow standards that will guide what conditions need to be met, and it will strengthen the City's stand. Commissioner Black stated that she does not see that language stated in the ordinance. Director Hurlburt stated that the ordinance allows for the reasonable use of the land. I Commissioner Black stated that she was concerned that in some situations most of the land could apply to Section 5, but some would fall into Section 6. She asked if this would allow all of the site'to use Section 6. , 1 Director Hurlburt stated that this gives the City Council the authority to decide, and it must be other than for financial gain. This application for Section 6 is totally different from the previous draft. Commissioner Stimson asked if the written replies were requested from Hennepin County and the DNR. Planning Supervisor Senn Iss stated the DNR was consulted but not Hennepin County. i Planning Supervisor Senness discussed the letters from the DNR and Ceil Strauss' concerns. She said that the Section 6 suggestions were done. Planning Commission Minutes December 14, 1994 Page 263 Planning Supervisor Senness briefly discussed the letters attached to the staff report from Orrin Thompson Homes indicating use of a no phosphate fertilizer, and porches should be allowed to encroach; the Don Bushek letter which favors more protective measures before revision, and concern with infiltration trenches; the Hennepin Parks letter of concerns including a buffer around low quality wetlands; the Paul Lague concern that the ordinance is weak and favors special interest groups; Karen Graham favors a stronger ordinance and feels Section 6 provides loopholes; Jeff and Ann Bipes like the ordinance but felt Section 6, pages 46 -47, paragraph 6 was not appropriate; a phone call from Ellen Steen wanting a more protective ordinance; David Steed letter stating the ordinance would be difficult to enforce; the copy of the Maplewood Ordinance; Barbara Ohman's letter from the Board of Water & Soil Resources; Steven Woodard's letter; Councilmember Nick Grannath's letter favoring a stricter ordinance; and, a memo from Commissioner Black. Chairman Stulberg opened the Public Hearing. Chairman Stulberg introduced Mr. Ken Wendinger of 5465 Orleans Lane North. Mr. Wendinger commended staff for the work on the ordinance. He said he endorses maximum buffer widths to offset past damage. He said he would like to see buffers of 90 feet for exceptional wetlands, 65 feet for high quality wetlands, 45 feet for medium quality wetlands, and, 15 feet for low quality wetlands. He said this would help wild life as well as water quality. He said rear yard setbacks should return to 25 feet. He said taxpayers will pay more in the future to rectify previous shortsightedness. He said silt fences are not erected until neighbors complain and there should be stiffer penalties for those who do not comply. He said Section 6 is already covered by Best Management Practices. The objective of the ordinance is to be clear, understandable and easy to administer, which Section 6 is not. , Chairman Stulberg introduced Ms. Beth Walling of 2415 Jewel Lane North. Ms. Walling stated she agreed with the items presented by Mr. Wendinger and wants the maximum setbacks used to help save the wetlands. Chairman Stulberg introduced Ms. Erika Urban of 1541 West Medicine Lake Drive. . Ms. Urban stated her concerns have been addressed. She said that developers have too much leeway, and she was concerned with enforcement as Commissioner Black had documented. She said we need a record of developers who do not comply. She said Medicine Lake development problems are a concern of hers. Chairman Stulberg introduced Ms. Jennifer Tiemens of. 14605 39th Avenue North. Planning Commission Minutes December 14, 1994 Page 264 Ms. Tiemens stated she endorses a strong ordinance and she thinks the rewrite seems to address some of the issues to preserve wildlife habitat. Chairman Stulberg introduced Mr. William Ogden of 1505 Xanthus Lane North. Mr. Ogden endorses the wetland ordinance. He said it was important that what is being done is for Plymouth and the rest of the twin city area. It offers open space, but is in conflict with other procedures such as higher density; the Zoning Ordinance has no interim open space and no interim zoning. He said people like to have the larger sites rather than high density and staff should consider something for zoning so that there are not small parcels, which would protect the wetlands. He said it is difficult to define low quality versus `,exceptional quality wetlands. I Chairman Stulberg introduced Ms. Sharon Meister of 3615 Evergreen Lane North. Ms. Meister passed out some pages from the Water Quality Committee. She discussed the recommended buffer width and said she felt the ordinance should have buffers similar to her handout and that Section 6 should be eliminated. She said infiltration trenches would be a problem ' and not filter, that sod was not good for natural filtration, and siltation fences are eyesores. She said she did not feel enforcement works. She said she commended the consultants on the ordinance if Section 6 were dropped. ( - Chairman Stulberg introduced Mr. Tom Jess of 5055 Evergreen Lane North. Mr. Jess stated he agreed with the past comments against Section 6. He said lines 25- 37 of Section 5 are already covered in the State Wetland Ordinance. He said it seems that the 2 year window (for grandfathering) is too long. He said erosion controls, enforcement and fines should be included in the ordinance. He said the City should be able to reclaim damage done to the wetlands. He said NURP ponds should have some type of guarantee so if they fail, the developer would have to redo them. Chairman Stulberg introduced Ms. Marsha Hinitz of 1304 West Medicine Lake Drive. Ms. Hintz, from the Sierra Club, stated that the language in Section 6 provides loopholes to developers. She said that storm water runoff is the only protection of the ordinance and it does not protect wildlife. i Chairman Stulberg introduced Mr. William Gimble of 5405 Orleans Lane North. Mr. Gimble stated he agr� with previous comments regarding Section 6. He said he wants a strong ordinance without the loop holes in this ordinance. He said there are too many things that are unenforceable in this ordinance. Chairman Stulberg introduced Mr. Greg Frank of McCombs, Frank, Roos. Planning Commission Minutes December 14, 1994 Page 265 Mr. Frank stated he was representing Plymouth Developers Council. He said the Woodard study looked at erosion of construction sites and compared developed and undeveloped for two years and the phosphorus levels were equal on both. He said that a small window of one year during the construction season, if controlled, would solve most of the problems. He said the increments in the Woodard study showed the 25 foot increment to be most effective in sediment removal. He said the PDC supports stronger erosion control during construction. Chairman Stulberg introduced Mr. Terry Forbord from Lundgren Bros. Construction. Mr. Forbord stated that they would like the Soo Line West property included in the exempt sites as requested in their letter of November 29, 1994. He said his company supports all protection of natural resources but the proposed ordinance is anti business, encourages poor land planning, encourages sprawl, and, increases the cost of homes. He said open space has always been included in development but the requirement that open space must be in one place on a site around a wetland diminishes the flexibility of planning. He said he regrets that this extreme has happened. Chairman Stulberg introduced Ms. Judy Dyrud of 4745 Goldenrod Lane North. Ms. Dyrud stated her concerns were that the ordinance in Section B does not protect the rights of property owners. She said she favored no net loss of private property. She quoted disparities between articles on the amounts of wetlands being lost and the purchasing of easements was not covered in the ordinance. She quoted Jay H. Lehr, and an article discussing the increase in mosquitoes resulting from wetlands. She said that locking up ground water that will never be used by humans or animals is not good. She said she believed property owners should be compensated for loss of property due to wetlands. Chairman Stulberg introduced Mr. Marc Denis of 5105 Norwood Lane North. Mr. Denis stated he was concerned with the rights of private property owners. He said they would be infringed upon by the ordinance without any compensation for their land. He said that by increasing the prices of property, there would be fewer homeowners which would not result in lowering the tax base. He said there was no ability to appeal the designation of a wetland and he opposes the wording. Chairman Stulberg introduced Mr. Don Bushek of 4615 Shenandoah Lane North. Mr. Bushek stated he opposed shortening the buffer widths. He said studies have been used to support the buffer widths. He said that in Section 6 the presence of Extraordinary Measures does not address water quality. He said he wants a stronger more protective ordinance. Planning Commission Minutes December 14, 1994 Page 266 f Chairman Stulberg introduced Mr. Marc Anderson of 420 Merrimac Lane North. Mr. Anderson stated he supports Mr. Frank's comments. He said he felt the major source of pollutants comes from roadways and chemicals used. He said driveways, roofs and front yards are very small contributors. He said the Storm Water Management Plan should help to reduce this pollution and NURP ponds should help. He said that most of the information in the Woodard study is during construction He said a point being missed is the distances in Section 6. Section 5 and erosion control should clean up the problems. He said the Plymouth Development Council (PDC) believes there should be some buffers; Section 6 is necessary; and he favors no phosphorus fertilizers. Chairman Stulberg introduced Mr. Marlin Grant, landowner on Fernbrook Lane and Schmidt Lake Road. ! Mr. Grant asked that the Planning Commissioners consider the scientific information discussed by Mr. Greg Frank and the PDC. I Chairman Stulberg introduced Mr. Bob Donley of 11740 38th Avenue North. Mr. Donley stated that he' thought the 15 foot rear yard was inadequate. He said the Extraordinary Management Measures should be a part of the ordinance but Section 6 is not needed as a variance could be used. He said we should look at other communities with ordinances. He said property values around wetlands should be in the same category as lakes, as an enhancement to the property. Mr. Forbord stated that incentives should be included in the ordinance for developers when they clean up wetlands and improve them. This ordinance does not allow developers to do this because of the cost and no incentive. I Mr. Tom Jess stated that incentives should be used when trying to protect land that should not be developed and trying to rectify earlier damage. Chairman Stulberg closed the Public Hearing. Chairman Stulberg explained the continuing process of the wetland ordinance. 3 Chairman Stulberg reviewed the concerns relating to buffers, small setbacks, and penalties for non compliance. 1 Director Hurlburt stated that penalties are part of the Zoning Ordinance. Planning Commission Minutes December 14, 1994 Page 267 Chairman Stulberg discussed wildlife, preservation of open space, interim zoning, definition of wetlands, the 2 year window, balance of wetlands with uplands, incentives, and the taking issue rights of property owners. Director Hurlburt stated that the taking issue has to be looked at on an individual basis. She said that due process on classification can be looked at if the landowner brought in information. Chairman Stulberg stated that the reduction of buffer size was because of all input not only information from the developers. He said that this is a change in the ordinance from two weeks ago and it may change again. He said that the Commissioners and consultants did look at other cities for their wetland ordinances. Chairman Stulberg called a recess at 10:15 p.m.; the meeting reconvened at 10:30 p.m. Planning Supervisor Senness discussed the developments that would be grandfathered in under this Wetlands Ordinance. MOTION by Commissioner Black, seconded by Commissioner Ribbe to move the Wetland Ordinance on to the City Council. Commissioner Stimson asked if the new Section 6 would protect the City in a taking, or, would the old Section 6 have accomplished this. Director Hurlburt stated that the change was that the alternative would become the norm; that the City needed guidance when it was not practical to apply the ordinance. MOTION to Amend by Chairman Stulberg, seconded by Commissioner Stimson to remove lines 18 - 22 on page 8 in old Section 6. Commissioner Black stated she opposed this as it is against the testimony heard tonight. She said these buffer zones are very weak and residents want something stronger, only the development community supported this, and we should respect what residents have said and the strong supportive documentation for the larger buffers. If there were a written opinion from the City Attorney she may support it. Commissioner Black stated that Best Management Practices enforcement should be a part of the ordinance. She said that infiltration trenches are a problem and she is concerned that they would remove water from the wetland. She said that the clay in Plymouth is not mentioned in Best Management Practices and infiltration trenches would be inappropriate. She said application of trenches should be used only after construction and the site has been stabilized. She said they would plug and become ineffective. They would need to be monitored after each rainfall and annually to see if Planning Commission Minutes December 14, 1994 Page 268 they provided the benefit it was supposed to serve. She said trenches would not be able to handle a 3 inch rainfall. Commissioner Ribbe asked for a description of the differences in the old versus the new Section 6. i Director Hurlbert explained. Commission Ribbe stated that the proponent would have to establish a case first with approval by the Council before applying. 1 Commissioner Stimson stated she seconded the motion because of the issue of incentive for those that are sensitive to the environment. 1 Director Hurlburt stated staff would evaluate with outside help, then go to Planning Commission and City Council. . i Chairman Stulberg said this would be a separate process to use Section 6. Director Hurlburt stated this would take 60 to 90 days as an extra step. i Commissioner Preus stated that the end result would be the same regardless of any change on Page 8. Director Hurlburt stated that this is true except that a Preliminary Plat could not be submitted until the developer had approval to use Section 6. f Commissioner Preus stated that the burden would be on the developer. 1 Director Hurlburt stated that because of the unique characteristic of the land it would need to be proved. _, Mr. Shardlow stated that the old Section 6 meets the technical standards and demonstrates that it meets the intent of the ordinance. Commissioner Black stated she believed that Section 6 will become the standard and we would lose much wildlifej and was not consistent with the goals at the start of this study. We are looking at strictly water quality. I Commissioner Albro stated that lines 3 -8 on page 8 for background levels may not be enough as they are already high in Plymouth. He said developers are looking for alternatives not incentives. He said we need to strengthen the City's stand in a taking. Planning Commission Minutes December 14, 1994 Page 269 Commissioner Stimson stated that past development have protected the wildlife by not requiring large buffers. He said we have to look at the overall picture. Commissioner Albro stated he objected to Commissioner Black's comment that we are just looking at water quality. This has always been the main issue. He said that legal issues need to be considered. He said that if we are acting in the best interest of the general public, water quality is the main concern and water quality is more defensible. Substitute Motion by Commissioner Albro, seconded by Stimson to add lines 3 -8, page 8 from the old Section 6. Roll Call Vote on the Substitute Motion. 6 Ayes. Motion carried. Roll Call Vote on Motion to Amend. 2 Ayes, Commissioners Albro, Preus, Ribbe and Black voted Nay. Motion to Amend by Commissioner Black to increase the buffers for all categories of wetlands. MOTION failed for lack of second. Commissioner Black questioned page 5, line 14. Planning Supervisor Senness stated that the City Attorney recommend the change. She said the Chanhassen ordinance was changed to 75 feet. MOTION to Amend by Commissioner Black, seconded by Commissioner Ribbe to Amend Section 4 of the General Standards on page 5 to state that the City reserves the right to be more stringent than stated on line 12. Commissioner Ribbe asked if there was a way to add more strength to this section. Director Hurlburt stated that we need to be consistent with the General Standards and explained that No. 4 is the only one possibly that could be changed. Substitute MOTION to Amend by Commissioner Albro, seconded by Commissioner Preus that City inspection schedules and fines will double on portions for erosion control abutting wetlands by adding a No. 5 on page 5. Commissioner Preus stated he was concerned that this puts more teeth into the Motion to Amend by Commissioner Black. City Engineer Faulkner stated that there is no set schedule as to when inspections are done for erosion control. Planning Commission Minutes December 14, 1994 Page 270 Roll Call Vote On Substitute Motion. 2 Ayes, Commissioners Albro, Stimson, Ribbe and Chairman Stulberg voted Nay. Motion failed on a 2 to 4 vote. Roll Call Vote on Motion to Amend. 6 Ayes. Motion carried on a unanimous vote. MOTION by Commissioner Stimson, seconded by Chairman Stulberg to replace Section 6 with the old Section 6. Commissioner Stimson stated that we just doubled the fine, allowing for more creativity. 1 Commissioner Albro stated this would double the burden on staff. He said we need a strong ordinance to encourage developers. 1 Roll Call Vote. 2 Ayes, Commissioners Albro, Preus, Black and Ribbe voted Nay. Motion failed on a 2 to 4 vote. i MOTION by Black, seconded by Chairman Stulberg to change Section 8, page 9 , lines 24 and 27 to define the meaning of undisturbed; on line 32 what is undesirable plant species; and on page 10, line 11, this is low according to the Corps; and what is the rationale for native grasses, should say native prairie grasses for line 25. 1 i Mr. Ron Peterson stated that undisturbed means unbroken or uncultivated, undesirable means we don't want to limit certain plants. Planning Supervisor Senness stated that staff could include certain species, but state that the list is not limited to these species. i Mr. Peterson said he would have to look at the seed mix on line 25 and would have no problem changing this. Commissioner Black stated that the Commission could allow staff to determine seed mix. Commissioner Preus stated he does not want seed mix left to staff, that the Commissioners should determine this. I Roll Call Vote. 6 Ayes. I Motion carried on a unanimous vote. Commissioner Black asked about the manual mentioned on page 10, line 37. Mr. Peterson stated that this has not been developed, but will be a quick and easy way for developers to know what to do to establish engineered buffers. Planning Commission Minutes December 14, 1994 Page 271 Director Hurlburt stated it is not unusual to do this for standards. MOTION by Commissioner Preus, seconded by Commissioner Black, to change the setbacks in the low column on page 6 to 10', 20', 15', 15', 30'. Commissioner Ribbe stated that trying to add a buffer to the low quality wetlands smacks of trying to govern what nature is already handling. Commissioner Black stated that types 1 and 2 wetlands are disappearing and that they are biologically important for invertibrates. Director Hurlburt asked what the qualities of low quality wetlands were. Mr. Peterson replied that most are open water and are excavated for storm water retention. Roll Call Vote. 2 Ayes, Commissioners Albro, Stimson, Ribbe and Chairman Stulberg voted Nay. Motion failed. MOTION by Commissioner Albro, seconded by Commissioner Black to delete line 27 on page 8 regarding infiltration trenches. Planning Supervisor Senness stated that infiltration trenches is in the Best Management Practices and this list could be removed. Commissioner Albro changed the motion to remove the list. Commissioner Preus stated that the change makes it narrower rather than broader, and that lines 27 - 30 should be eliminated. Substitute MOTION by Commissioner Preus, seconded by Commissioner Black to delete line 27 to 30, page 8. Commissioner Preus stated that we are not limiting the practice to the Best Management Practices, but eliminating this redundant part. Roll Call Vote on Substitute Motion. 6 Ayes. Motion carried. Roll Call Vote on Motion to Amend. 6 Ayes. Motion carried. MOTION to Amend by Commissioner Albro, seconded by Commissioner Black, to amend page 8, line 5 to 7 regarding established unfertilized lawns. Planning Commission Minutes December 14, 1994 Page 272 Mr. Shardlow and Mr. Peterson stated that they could come up with numerical standards. Roll Call Vote. 2 Ayes, Commissioners Stimson, Black, Ribbe and Chairman Stulberg voted Nay. Motion failed.. MOTION to Amend by Commissioner Albro, seconded by Commissioner Black to add the wording requiring the placement of a monument sign in the middle of the yard on page 9, line 9. r Roll Call Vote on Motion to Amend. 2 Ayes. Commissioners Albro, Stimson, Ribbe and Chairman Stulberg voted Nay. Motion failed. MOTION to Amend by Commissioner Albro, seconded by Commissioner Black to change the wording on page 9, lines 17 and 18. Mr. Peterson explained the meaning of these lines. t Commissioner Preus stated that the wording is contradicting. i Commissioner Stimson stated that we should not pick apart words. Roll Call Vote on Motion to Amend. One Aye, Commissioner Preus, Stimson, Black, Ribbe and Chairman Stulberg voted Nay. Motion failed. MOTION to Amend by Commissioner Albro to change page 11, line 7 and pages 13 and 14 to 6 feet and this should include balconies and unenclosed porches. Motion to Amend died for lack of a second. t _ i Director Hurlburt stated that we could lump all 6 feet in both front yards and rear yards. Chairman Stulberg stated that the last hour has been spent word smithing. Planning Supervisor Senness addressed items in the Hennepin Park and DNR letters. 1 MOTION to Amend by Commissioner Stimson, seconded by Commissioner Albro to add language to the ordinance regarding notice of title to the land, after discussion with the City Attorney. Roll Call Vote on Motion to Amend. 6 Ayes. Motion carried on a unanimous vote. Planning Commission Minutes December 14, 1994 Page 273 MOTION to Amend by Commissioner Ribbe, seconded by Commissioner Albro, to add language to the ordinance regarding adding the language "except low quality wetland" to page 5, line 29. Roll Call Vote 5. Ayes, Commissioner Black voted Nay. MOTION to Amend by Commissioner Preus, seconded by Commissioner Ribbe to add language to reestablish page 11, line 4, and page 6, line 5 regarding the reestablishment of the buffer by the developer during the first two years. Roll Call Vote on Motion to Amend. 6 Ayes. Motion carried on a unanimous vote. MOTION to Amend by Commissioner Stinson, seconded by Commissioner Preus to add language to page 10, line 29 regarding "except on highly disturbed sites when deemed necessary to establish acceptable buffer vegetation. Roll Call Vote on Motion to Amend. 6 Ayes. Motion carried on a unanimous vote. Roll Call Vote on Main Motion. 4 Ayes, Commissioner Stimson and Chairman Stulberg voted Nay. Motion carried on a 4 to 2 vote. Commissioner Preus and Chairman Stulberg commended staff and consultants for the wetlands ordinance. TAX INCREMENT FINANCING PLAN Director Hurlburt reviewed the staff report. MOTION by Commissioner Stimson, seconded by Commissioner Albro to recommend approval of the request by the City of Plymouth to Review the Tax Increment Financing Plan for Soils Condition District No. 7 -3 (P.O.S. Business System Project). Vote. 6 Ayes. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 12:45 p.m. it Metropolitan Council Regional Blueprint Twin Cities Metropolitan Area Adopted by the Metropolitan Council on September 22, 1994 This report was printed on recycled paper containing at least 10% post- consumer waste using soy -based ink. Upon request, this publication will be made available in alternative formats to people with disabilities. Please call the Metropolitan Council Data Center at 291 -8140 or TDD 291 -0904 Metropolitan Council Mears Park Centre 230 E. Fifth St. St. Paul MN 55101 291 -6359 voice 291 -0904 TDD Working for the region Planning for the future Publication no. 78 -94 -057 Metropolitan Council Members and Their Districts Dottie Rietow, Chair i Roger Scherer, District 1, northwestern Hennepin County Bill Schreiber, District 2, Robbinsdale, Crystal, New Hope, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park Mary H. Smith, District 3, Edina, Hopkins, eastern Lake Minnetonka communities Julius C. Smith, District 4, Lakeville, Eden Prairie, Carver County, most of Scott County Vacant, District 5, Shakopee, Savage, Bloomington, Richfield Martha M. Head, District 6, Golden Valley, St. Louis Park, southwestern Minneapolis Barbara Butts Williams, District 7, downtown and north Minneapolis, portion of south Minneapolis Carol A. Kummer, District 8, eastern half of Minneapolis David Hartley, District 9, Anoka County except Coon Rapids Patrick C. Leung, District 10, Coon Rapids, Fridley, Hilltop, Columbia Heights, St. Anthony, New 4 Brighton, Mounds View Esther Newcome, District 11, several communities in northern Ramsey County E. Craig Morris, District 12, almost all of Washington County, portions of North St. Paul, Maplewood Diane Z. (Dede) Wolfson, District 13, southern half of St. Paul Stephen B. Wellington, Jr., District 14, northern half of St. Paul, Lauderdale, Falcon Heights Kevin Howe, District 15, Mendota Heights, Lilydale, Eagan, Burnsville, Apple Valley Terrence F. Flower, District 16, south Washington County, and large portion of Dakota County A plan for action z Executive Summary A Vital, Livable Region for Future Generations he Metropolitan Council Regional Blueprint serves as a guide or framework of ideas and program of action for a vital and livable Twin Cities metropolitan area. Regional directions and strategies, roles and actions outline policies and steps needed for the short -term and long- term health of the region. While the Metropolitan Council is the principal architect of the Blueprint, many have contributed to its shaping and development. More will need to participate in its implementation. The entire region plays an important role. The public sector, private business and corporations, nonprofit agencies, associations, civic and community groups and neighborhood residents all must work together as partners for the well -being of the region. Critical Directions for the Region The Metropolitan Council welcomes the new challenges of bringing together regional planning and policy development and direct operations of regional services in the areas of transit, wastewater treatment and affordable housing. The foundation of the Blueprint is based on the Council's new role to strengthen public support of the regional economy, in addition to the Council's historic role of coordinating regional development with regional systems and sound fiscal management. The Blueprint cites these critical policy directions for the region: • encourage regional economic growth. • foster reinvestment in distressed areas. • build stronger communities. • preserve the natural environment. • set directions for guided growth. • expand life -cycle housing opportunities and affordable housing choice. • provide financially sound regional public facilities. REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 4M Action Steps to Build a Stronger Region The Bluep)int is a "living action plan" that will adapt to the changing needs of the region. Policies and actions integrate regional planning and operations and emphasize regional collaborative action. a The Bluepiint cites these specific objectives and actions for the Council: Position the region • analyze and report regional economic growth and monitor progress toward to compete economic goals. • ensure a high quality regional infrastructure to meet economic/technological changes. • support local economic development initiatives. • support improving shills of the region's labor force. • work toward a strong business climate that balances business and public needs. w Create a climate • reduce barriers to redevelopment. for reinvestment 0 work with others to put contaminated sites into productive use. • explore creation of target economic development zones. • work with others in community redevelopment planning. • support solutions to turn around declining neighborhoods. Increase confidence • work with others to find comprehensive solutions. in neighborhoods 0 support broadening of economic and housing opportunities in areas of poverty. • encourage local efforts to enhance physical environment and flexibility. • foster full range of family activities in local community facilities. • make policy and siting decisions while considering effects on local • communities. promote regional citizenship and use of diverse resources in decision - making. ' Integrate • f work to protect natural watercourses and adjoining land areas. environmental quality 0 pursue no adverse impact on water quality by year 2015. and economic growth 0 help manage orderly development and use of Mississippi, Minnesota and St. Croix rivers. • encourage protection of region's remaining woodlands and urban forests. ® 1 1 f A plan for action Support cost - effective • promote policies and planning to protect and improve air quality. regional growth and • provide regional services for urban -scale development within urban service revitalization area. • retain current urban service area for year 2000, verifying land demand and supply. • work with others to designate areas for future urbanization. • support commercial agriculture, rural centers and general rural use. • plan higher- density development along selected transportation corridors and hubs. • promote a flexible "cluster" planning process to resolve common issues, tailor needs. Expand regional housing • provide leadership to meet life -cycle housing needs and affordable housing opportunities choice through financial and planning tools. • work with communities to jointly address local and regional housing needs. • use public funds to support affordable housing production throughout the region. Integrate environmental • quality and economic • growth make best use of funds region has already invested. ensure fiscally sound regional investments for services. REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 440 Contents Index 6 Preface 8 Overview: Region at a Crossroads 10 The Twin Cities Area: Building from Strength 10 Challenges to the Region's Vitality 10 Mission of the Blueprint 11 Regional Economic Strategy 14 Positioning the Region to Compete 16 Regional Economic Objectives 16 Regional Infrastructure for Economic Development 17 i Local Economic Development Efforts 18 A High - Quality Work Force 19 A Strong Business Climate 20 Regional Reinvestment Strategy 21 Creating a Climate for Reinvestment 22 Promoting Business Development 23 Increasing Confidence in Neighborhoods 27 Poverty Concentrations 28 Regional Strategy for Building Strong Communities 31 Charting Directions to Build Strong Communities 32 Using Land Use Planning to Create Community 32 Making Neighborhood Connections 33 Protecting Communities 34 i Building a Civic Infrastructure 34 } i i A plan for action Regional Environmental Strategy 36 Integrating Environmental Quality and Economic Growth 37 Protecting Natural Watercourses and Wetlands 39 Water Quality for the Future 39 Major River Corridors 41 Woodlands and the Urban Forest 42 Air Quality 43 Regional Strategy for Guiding Growth 44 Setting the Direction for Guided Growth 45 The Urban Service Area 47 The Rural Service Area 51 Land Use and Transportation 55 Expanding Housing Opportunities in the Region 56 "Cluster" Planning 59 Priorities for Regional Investments 63 Special Facilities and Regionally Funded Programs 65 Fiscal Management of Regional Systems 65 Appcndix 67 A. Guidelines Affecting Regional Systems 67 Q. Proposed Land Planning Act Changes 74 C. Criteria for Changing the Urban Service Area 76 D. Examples of Rural Area Land Uses 78 E. Population, Employment and Household Forecasts 79 F Handbook for Local Comprehensive Planning and Other Referrals 79 G. Council Work Program 80 I -i. Council Policy Documents 84 REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 Index to Policies and Action Steps Topic Policy /Action Page Step Access to jobs, housing and training k 2G 28 Affordable housing 5F 56 Agriculture Commercial agricultural areas Agricultural preserves Air quality —land use, transportation impacts Business climate Cluster planning Commercial/industrial revitalization Communities, strengthening Community connections Impacts of regional decisions Physical environment Contaminated sites Coordination, local/regional planning Cost - effective regional services Density of development Targets Transportation corridors Economic strategy Objectives Economic growth, monitoring Local economic development Enterprise fund Environmental limitations for development } 5D 5D 4E lE 5G i2 j3 [ 3B J 3C 3A i 2C 5G 5 i 5F 5E `1 lA lA 1C 2B i4 i i 51 51 43 20 59 23 32 33 34 32 25 59 46 56 55 16 16 16 18 24 Topic Policy /Action Page Step Environmental preservation Air quality River corridors, coordinating management of Water quality Watercourses and wetlands Woodlands and urban forest Freestanding growth centers General rural use area Higher- density development Housing opportunities, expanding Access to jobs, housing and training Life -cycle and affordable housing Infrastructure and regional facilities Cost - effective services Maintenance and replacement Supporting economic development Labor force skills Land demand/supply Life -cycle housing Minnesota Land Recycling Act MUSA (see "Urban service area ") Neighborhood revitalization Regional redevelopment strategies Collaboration, local/regional Poverty concentrations, broadening opportunities in 4E 4C 4B 4A 4D 5A 5D 5E 2G 5F 5 5H 1B 1D 5B 5F 2C 43 41 39 39 42 47 51 55 28 56 46 63 17 19 49 56 25 2 23 2F 27 2G 28 A plan for action Topic Policy /Action Page Step Priorities for regional investments Housing performance 5F Regional infrastructure High quality 1B Housing performance 5F Serving existing urban development 5H Resources for reinvestment 2 Targeted areas 2D Transit/transportation funding 51 Employment opportunities 2G Higher - density development 5E Redevelopment and reinvestment 2 Barriers 2A Contaminated sites 2C Enterprise fund 2B Local plans, support for 2E Neighborhood revitalization Long -term solutions 2F Region -wide effort 2 Resources, targeting system plans Distressed areas 2 Targeted areas 2D Poverty concentrations, 50 broadening opportunities in 2G Strategies 2 Targeted reinvestment areas 2D Technical and planning assistance 2E REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 56 I Topic Policy /Action Page Step Regional decision - making, diversifying 3D 34 Regionally funded programs, reviewing 5I 65 River corridors, coordinating 17 management of 4C 41 56 Rural service area 5D 51 63 Commericial agricultural areas 5D 51 23 General rural use area 5D 51 26 Rural centers 5D 51 Special facilities, reviewing 5I 65 28 Staging/location of urban service area 55 Local comprehensive plans/metro 23 system plans 5A 47 24 Long -term future urbanization 5C 50 25 System facilities 24 Fiscal management 51 65 26 Maintenance, replacement 5H 63 Targeted reinvestment areas 2D 26 27 Tax and regulatory structure lE 20 23 Transportation and land use 5E 55 Urban service area 23 Modifications to 5B 49 26 Staging for 5C 50 Urban development within 5A 47 28 Water quality, no adverse impact 4B 39 23 Watercourses and wetlands 4A 39 26 Woodlands and urban forest 4D 42 26 Work readiness 1D 19 Preface A Plan of Action for the Region he Regional Blueprint outlines a plan of action to sustain and improve the livability of the region for current and future regional citizens. The E Blueprint takes a dramatically new direction to shaping the future of the Twin Cities area. • The Blueprint moves the Metropolitan Council beyond its traditional focus of regional systems planning and fiscal management to address complex economic and societal issues. • It draws on the Metropolitan Council's new responsibilities for operating Traditional Council Focus vital regional services for transit and wastewater treatment, and • Coordination of coordinating those services more effectively with regional planning. development with regional • It'promotes a role for the Council as an active partner with both public and private interests to take actions benefiting the region as a whole. systems. • It'supports and advocates incentives rather than penalties as the preferred • Sound fiscal management and most effective method for resolving regional issues. of regional systems. • It'provides broad directions rather than detailed requirements to better encourage flexible, innovative approaches that respond to unique New Blueprint Focus circumstances, while achieving regional objectives. 4 • Flexible approach to land In addition to the Council's historic role in coordinating regional development with use planning. regional systems, and sound fiscal management, this Blueprint provides general • Revitalization of distressed direction for the Council in five critical areas: areas. ✓ A strengthened economy. t • Regional economic vitality— economic growth and development, infrastructure, ✓ Use of partnerships and and work .force issues. • Reinvestment and redevelopment — revitalization of distressed areas, removal of incentives to achieve barriers to redevelopment, strengthened confidence in older neighborhoods, objectives. including a multi -part strategy to address the concentration of poverty. ✓ Operation of transit and . • Strong communities —local land use patterns that support livable, safe urban and sewer systems to enhance suburban neighborhoods; more opportunities for people to invest time and regional vitality. energy in their neighborhoods; and a strengthened regional community. • Preserving the natural environment —water quality, urban woodlands and air quality. • Orderly regional growth — efficient regional services, joint local planning and investment priorities. 1 To encourage economic growth and job creation, the Blueprint to proposes strengthen public supports of the regional economy. The Blueprint both promotes and guides growth through prudent use of incentives and land -use planning. It removes barriers and targets limited public dollars to stimulate business j A plan for action development in distressed areas of the region. It encourages new development, but in areas where essential public services can most economically support new urban growth_ The Blueprint serves as a tool for building environmental features into new development, to help sustain our region's high quality of life. By fostering the revitalization of distressed areas and the targeting public resources where they are needed most, the Blueprint facilitates greater economic opportunity. The goals are new and stabilized private sector jobs, a better trained work force, revitalized neighborhoods, a competitive regional economy and a strong tax base to pay for public services to serve the people of the region. The Blueprint establishes broad policies and specific action steps to strengthen the metropolitan community. The Council will carry out some action steps as the sole or primary implementing agency. Others are carried out in partnership with public and private organizations, or support the efforts of others. Some of the action steps will be carried out in the next few years. Others may take many years to accomplish, and may be reevaluated in the meantime. The Blueprint sets an ambitious agenda, but one that the regional citizens of the Twin Cities area, working together, can achieve. The Blueprint is the Council's most important policy document —the foundation for the Council's planning and decision - making. The Blueprint will evolve as strategies are reassessed and circumstances change. More detailed strategies in the form of system plans, an annual Council work program, and a handbook will be refined in partnership with others that play a role and have a stake in the region's success. Authority The Regional Blueprint was prepared by authority of Minnesota Statutes, section 473.145. The law states: The Metropolitan Council shall prepare and adopt ... a comprehensive development guide for the metropolitan area. It shall consist of a compilation of policy statements, goals, standards, programs and maps prescribing guides for an orderly and economic development, public and private, of the metropolitan area. The comprehensive development guide shall recognize and encompass physical, social or economic needs of the metropolitan area... The Regional Blueprint replaces the Council's Metropolitan Development and Investment Framework, amendments to the framework, policies for the rural service area, and the interim policies for reviewing metropolitan urban service area requests. Metropolitan Council Mission With a charge of bringing together regional planning and operation of regional services more effectively, the Council is well - positioned to accept the challenge of regional leadership. That includes serving the interests of the region as The mission of the Council a whole through regional research findings, providing trend analysis and outlining is to provide leadership in the strategies for critical and emerging issues facing the metropolitan area. effective planning for the orderly growth and redevel. opment of the region and in the delivery of regional services. The Council is the chief policymaker for regional systems such as regional highways airports and parks, and coordinates these systems with the land use decisions and economic development plans of 189 local governments. The Council also operates both the region's transit system and its wastewater treatment system. Fundamental decisions about how this region should develop and how regional systems should support this growth are determined under the leadership of the Council. REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 T The Twin Cities area ranked high among 25 largest metro areas in 1990... • 8th in employment growth • 6th in median household income (about $36,700) 1990 Census But the region also... • Ranked low (20th) in income per worker • Had higher poverty rate in Minneapolis and St. Paul than elsewhere in region 1990 Census 10 Overview: i Region at a Crossroads The Twin Cities Area: Building from Strength he Twin Cities metropolitan area is a regional community of 2.35 million people, 189 cities and towns, and seven counties. It stretches outward from the central cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul to the surrounding suburbs and rural areas. i A beautiful natural setting is graced by three major rivers and more than 900 lakes. A magnet for business, it is the headquarters for 17 Fortune 500 manufacturing corporations and another 14 Fortune 500 service companies (1994). In 1990, the region ranked high among the 25 largest urban areas in employment growth (8th) and household income (6th). The region has a consistently lower unemployment rate than the national average. The region's cultural life is rich and vibrant —with theaters, museums and galleries —and its major league sports teams have strong followings well beyond the state's boundaries. It is home to 16 four -year colleges and universities, including the state's major teaching and research institution —the University of Minnesota —as well as 12 two -year public colleges. New residents attracted to the region by job opportunities have expanded the labor market that our growing economy can tap. The region is justifiably proud of its productive and expanding workforce, and its tradition of solving regional issues through joint civic efforts. Challenges to the Region's Vitality Despite its strengths, the region faces serious challenges to its continued economic and societal vitality. Looking at the longer -range future of the region, some worrisome trends are apparent. The region's future place in the global economy is still an open question. Doubts are growing about maintaining the quality of worker skills. The region ranked low (20th) among the 25 largest urban areas in worker income (1990 Census). Business A plan for action may need new kinds of infrastructure to help keep it competitive, as well as costly improvements to existing systems, like transportation. Our standard of living and our ability to meet the various societal needs of the region hinge on the future of the region's-economy. Problems are emerging in the economic and societal profile of the region. Certain areas in the central cities, several suburbs and a few outlying towns are in decline or severely deteriorated. Some are marked by serious poverty; in others, the problem is just emerging. Increasingly poverty is becoming a problem passed from one generation to another. The region as a whole will not achieve its full economic potential, with the benefits of jobs, income and tax base, unless the problem of concentrated poverty is addressed. Our expanding labor market makes it important that the region's economy continue to grow and create new jobs. We must also become more aware of the long -term effects of today's decisions, and how they will affect future generations. For example, building or maintaining the region's infrastructure must be guided so the cost does not prove a burden in the future. Much of the region's economic development— residential, commercial and industrial —is occurring in suburban areas. This growth represents a major contribution to the economic life of the region and requires supporting regional infrastructure, like sewers and transportation. At the same time, it is also important to guide new growth to help preserve irreplaceable natural resources and agricultural lands, and opportunities for a rural lifestyle. A great deal of development is occurring beyond the seven - county area. The result is a heavy use of highways into the region for commuter trips, as well as loss of tax base and economic activity to the region. Mission of the Blueprint The Regional Blueprint is the Council's action plan for the regidn, with short- and long -term strategies to meet the challenges of enhancing economic growth and development, bolstering reinvestment, strengthening environmental protection, and building stronger local and regional communities. The Blueprint lays out policies and action steps that will help guide the Council's decision - making. While the policies set general directions, the action steps are more specific measures. These steps may be carried out primarily or solely by the Council ( "Council actions "), by a partnership involving the Council and other organizations ( "partnership actions "), or by the Council in support of the efforts of others ( "supporting actions "). REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 The region's natural environment is a highly prized feature of our quality of life. It makes the region an attractive place to live and do business. The region has made Blueprint Mission good progress in dealing with obvious pollution sources. But its environmental quality, including its water supply, runs the risk of being damaged. • Jobs and economic growth In the past 20 years the region's population became more diverse —in race and • Reinvestment ethnicity as well as age and household composition, as new residents moved here • Sense of community from other countries and other parts of the United States. There is a greater variety ✓ Environmental of views, priorities and hopes for the future. The challenge is to find common goals preservation and shared concerns that allow us to work together when necessary. Many factors ✓ Good public facilities determine whether people come together in a community of interest and'support. Among the important building blocks to social cohesion are an adequate level of economic activity, including jobs and economic opportunity, and a healthy civic infrastructure of partnerships, coalitions and networks of people and organizations to develop and carry out solutions. Mission of the Blueprint The Regional Blueprint is the Council's action plan for the regidn, with short- and long -term strategies to meet the challenges of enhancing economic growth and development, bolstering reinvestment, strengthening environmental protection, and building stronger local and regional communities. The Blueprint lays out policies and action steps that will help guide the Council's decision - making. While the policies set general directions, the action steps are more specific measures. These steps may be carried out primarily or solely by the Council ( "Council actions "), by a partnership involving the Council and other organizations ( "partnership actions "), or by the Council in support of the efforts of others ( "supporting actions "). REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 As a "living plan" t . ,.;t will need to adapt to changing needs in the region, the Blueprint's policy •t•;;ements help define standards to keep our region among the most "livable" rt ,v,c :._,s in the country, and will work toward the following goals: Encourage economic ■ The region IIccc,z :o strengthen its economy —made up of many successful, growth, increased private, indepciulr::: enterprises —so it can compete effectively in the international productivity and job marketplace :,ii(I i, :.:rove the standard of living of the region's residents. creation through a regional t economic strategy. Economic grr,wi I, ,; ,.uires strong public foundations, including a supportive business clim;i tc. „•.:;•,istructure that meets business needs and a work force that is well - trained. Successful loc ;,I c;,•:•,omic development efforts need to encourage the growth of local businesv-,, ;��,,; .-etain existing businesses. Cities should cooperate in encouraging it(-\\- t::;iness development. Foster reinvestment in ■ The strenfi I i .c region as a whole depends on the vitality of all its parts. distressed parts of the region, Distressed aww. it central cities and other older areas of the region need to be with a focus on supporting economically ;, i ,, I l : ,ysical revitalized— attracting new business development and and improving local business. expanding ti'Y' i;,\ raise. Neighborhoods facing decline require bolstering to renew confidence in i I wit, ,;; good places for people to live, raise children and invest in a home``or bussr u•., . jobs, affordaNc I iou:ing and transportation need to be linked together. These links would open 11I, ;,c; css to new jobs where lower - income people live, more affordable housing when- Iw jabs are located, better transportation to employment centers, and job trainii gyp, i I i,it improves work skills and work readiness. Expand life -cycle housing ■ Many resid(-1 i,, of the region cannot find housing in their neighborhood or city opportunities and housing that is suitahl(• It), i heir stage of life —for example, as students living away from choices for lower-income home, as your;: ,,n w1c wage - earners or as couples with grown children. While the people throughout the region. majority of d ,. I cy,1011s residents have good shelter, many others cannot afford housing outsic v concentrations of low -cost housing, or they may have to pay too much of their it wonic for rent. In addition, many older housing units are in need of rehabilitation. Strengthen the sense of ■ Achieving v n „c success in revitalizing distressed areas, more attention to land use community. and developrovi,i patterns, and creating inclusive partnerships to do so can go a long way tow;, r r I i n i proving the quality of region's civic infrastructure. The Council vii II work to help achieve successes in economic growth, reinvestment, financing sour,rl ic' ional investment, environmental preservation and strengthened communitie%. 'I I try can only be accomplished in partnership with business, local and state gow-niti i•iit, schools, nonprofit agencies, community groups and others. ® A plan for action Preserve the natural environment and incorporate environmental features into the development and redevelopment of the region. ■ Correcting damage to the environt:-c -lit is less effective and more costly than preventing the problem. The key is to :);;lance economic growth and environmental quality _for example, through devel: moment projects that preserve environmental features like wetlands and woodlands :)\• incorporating them into the project's design. A goal of causing no adverse i:.ipact on the water that flows through the metropolitan area would help mobili =e efforts to make sure that the quality of water leaving the region is as good as when :: enters the region. Provide financially ■ Public services are needed to supper-, new growth but they must be provided sound public facilities cost - effectively and in ways that help ; ; stain urban sprawl. that support business growth and overall Orderly urban and suburban growth ; ierated by the private market needs to occur regional development. concurrently with the provision of re -.oral facilities like sewers and transportation. The needs of urbanization must be re; ,mciled with preserving prime agricultural land and a rural life style. Innovative community -based solutiot::— developed individually and jointly by communities to deal with housing ncc,is, environmental protection, redevelopment and other issues —need to be fostered Increased- density development along certain transportation corridors would provic'e housing and commercial opportunities that are more transit- and pedestrian- orien:cd. REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 4M Despite solid achievements, the region faces increasingly strong competition in the marketplace. 14 Regional Economic Strategy Introduction i he basic foundation for the future of the region rests with a strong and competitive regional economy. The future challenges of a global market will require that our regional business community is internationally competitive, and the region's workforce is both well - trained and versatile. In the last two decades, the region's economy has clearly performed well. It held to a steady employment growth rate of 2.7 percent annually, and ranked high in a number of economic indicators. Twin Cities Employment, 1970 -90 (average annual growth rate = 2.7%) Thousands 1,800 1,600 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - j1,400 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ,I 1,200 - - - - - - - - - - - - j {1,000 - - - - _ I 800 600 400 200 O 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Despite solid economic achievements, the region and its businesses face increasingly strong competition in the national and international marketplace. The U.S. Department of Commerce ranked Minnesota 17th among the 50 states in the dollar value of its exports (1992). However, because of our mid - America location, far from either coast, the November 1992 issue of Fortune magazine viewed the region as more insular than international —while recognizing the Twin Cities area for its r a A plan for action top -rated educational system, quality labor force, low poverty and unemployment rates and strong business involvement in the community. Business and industry in the Twin Cities region have a tremendous impact on the overall economy of Minnesota as well as the entire Upper Midwest. The outward spread of economic activity along major highways (toward St. Cloud, Rochester, Duluth and Eau Claire) enlarges the region's critical interests beyond the seven - Government's role is to invest county area, and even beyond the state into Wisconsin. State government plays a in "foundations" the economy lead role in addressing key economic issues facing Minnesota as a whole, and needs to grow, adapt and effective coordination between the region and the state will be essential for fostering compete. economic growth. Despite overall economic growth, the benefits have not been shared by everyone in the region. Over the past two decades, 80 percent of the region's commercial - industrial growth has been concentrated in 20 of its 189 cities and townships. The 1990 Census reported that unemployment was 4.6 percent for the region as a whole, but 15.2 percent for racial and ethnic minorities in Minneapolis and St. Paul. A healthy regional economy is dependent on the economic health of all communities within the region. Part of any regional economic strategy must address private redevelopment and reinvestment in older, distressed parts of ,the region. The Council's regional reinvestment strategy is described in the next section, "Regional Reinvestment Strategy," page 21. s the region works to strengthen the economy, a range of issues to be addressed includes: The challenge of ■ For many, an eroding standard of living makes it all the more important for global economic competition business, government, educators and others to work in partnership to strengthen the region's economy. A regional economic strategy — setting out objectives, actions and organizational roles —is essential to the future vitality of the area. Economic performance ■ It is crucial to gauge how well an economic strategy is performing, but there is currently no consensus in the region about what specific economic results should be achieved or measured. Regional infrastructure ■ Well- designed and efficient transportation and wastewater treatment facilities are basic infrastructure for business and industry. New technologies, especially in telecommunications and goods movement, need to be carefully examined to determine if new kinds of infrastructure are needed. Local economic ■ While essential in promoting economic growth, too often today's development development activities decisions are made without regard to their longer -term and intercommunity effects. In addition, local governments have used public funds to attract development at the expense of other cities, even when the net effect does not increase jobs or productivity for the region as a whole. Job training ■ Too many in the workforce do not have the necessary work skills to hold a job and contribute to the economy. In addition, the region must consider what skills the economy will need in future years. A favorable business climate ■ The region needs to foster business growth and productivity if its economy is to compete successfully in the global marketplace. REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 F i Economic opportunity i In the past, the region's racial and ethnic minorities have not fully benefited from economic growth. A growing economy must provide greater employment opportunities and access to jobs for people of color, especially those who live in distressed areas of the region. Positioning the Region to Compete Aregional economic strategy is an essential component for positioning the region in a world economy.The region's economic future depends on a vital, market- driven private sector in a climate that stimulates business creation, innovation, expansion and retention. Government's proper role is to invest in "foundations" the economy needs to grow, adapt and compete. These public foundations include an educated work force, infrastructure that serves current and future business needs, a stable and equitable tax system, and well - balanced regulations. Long -term economic competitiveness is so critical to the region's future vitality that the Metropolitan Council must assume an active role in helping the region to compete. This is a new area of concern to the Council, and the Blueprint outlines specific roles for the Council: • Act under its current authoritY in regional systems and land use to consider the effects of these systems and land use on the region's business and industry. • Encourage others to work together —the region's business, nonprofit and public sector organizations —to promote a metropolitan -wide partnership that blends the individual efforts of man\, groups into an overall cohesive strategy for the t. region. i • Analyze, monitor and report positive and negative trends in the region's economy and outcomes of regional economic development projects. I . -The Metropolitan Council will actively promote development of a.regional PO LrcY 1 ,economic strategy to strengthen the area's ability to compete in the inter -, ' }• :- '-< national marketplace and to improve the standard of living of its residents. A plan for action Regional Economic Objectives Action Step lA The Council will analyze and report regional economic growth and monitor progress toward economic goals. It is essential to establish a Partnership actions: set of objectives as part of a 1. Initiate a Twin Cities industry project to identify the region's major industry region -wide strategy to gauge groups (interrelated businesses and industries) and the major issues affecting them. how well a regional economic This information will provide the necessary background information for Action strategy is working. Steps 1B, 1C and 1D. i 2. Analyze the effectiveness of the regional economic strategy, including monitoring selected outcomes and reporting periodically on the progress of the region's economy. The five state economic goals in the Minnesota Blueprint developed by the Minnesota Department of Trade and Economic Development will be used as a starting point. Examples of objectives include: • sustained, above - average economic growth, consistent with environmental protection. • productivity growth at internationally competitive levels. A plan for action • Household incomes that provide a reasonable standard of living. • Prudent capital investment to ensure economic renewal and competitiveness. • Improved employment and economic opportunity for all citizens in the region. • A diversified industry mix to insulate the regional economy from shocks and national business cycles. Regional Infrastructure for Economic Development Action Step 1B The Council will ensure that the region's infrastructure, both existing and new, is of high duality and well maintained to respond to the economic and technological changes of the future. Council actions: 1. Identify the needs for new infrastructure to support economic productivity in the region. Important upcoming decisions include possibly expanding the existing airport or building a new one, making major roadway improvements and developing light rail transit. Possible future needs are a regional telecommunications network or intermodal linkages of the region's transportation systems to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of goods movement. 2. Complete the Council's work on the dual -track airport planning process and address related land use and infrastructure issues with the Metropolitan Airports Commission, Minnesota Department of Transportation and other interested parties. 3. Initiate projects to align regional infrastructure investments (such as highways, airports, telecommunications, data development and exchange, intermodal facilities, etc.).with needs for regional economic vitality and productivity. Regional system plans should allow expansions of regional systems to accommodate major new economic development, provided the development is consistent with the Council's other policies and plans. 4. Promote the best overall infrastructure strategy for the region, including sound fiscal decisions at all levels. The Council will assign priorities to regional system investments with an eye to economic needs. Priorities could be given to investments that would increase productivity or increase exports. Part of this effort will be to determine the regional implications of infrastructure financing: • What infrastructure is needed? Where is it needed in the region? • What are the sources of funding for this project? Are revenues adequate to make these investments? • What are the long -term financial obligations for maintenance, repair, replacement? 5. Give special consideration to investments in regional facilities to meet the reasonable needs of major new economic developments, including business expansions of local companies. The Council will include provisions in its regional system plans allowing expansions of regional systems to accommodate major new economic development, provided the development is consistent with the Council's review of special facilities and regionally funded programs (see "Special Facilities and Regionally Funded Programs," page 65.) REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 egional facilities play a major role in the economic life of the metropolitan area. I\Regional sewer lines and highways connect with local sewer and road networks directly serving business sites. The region's airports connect local businesses to the entire nation and the world. The transit system carries commuters to and from major employment centers, especially downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. They represent sizeable infrastructure investments and are important in any economic development expansion. As the chief regional policy agency, the Council determines the long -term direction for many of these regional systems. The Council is also the operating agency for regional transit and wastewater treatment services. As a result, the Council is in a . position to ensure that these systems provide strong support for business, and to ensure that systems are expanded and maintained to support the region's economic growth (see "Directions for Regional Systems" for transportation and aviation, in Appendix A, pages 68 and 70). Occasionally, an economic development project comes along that will create a very large number of jobs and represents a very large private investment —for example, the Saturn automobile plant of the early 1980s. If a facility of similar size and scope required additional wastewater treatment capacity, better road and transit access or even improvements to a reliever airport, the payoff in new jobs and taxable property could outweigh costs of expanding the regional systems. A good business climate depends in part on getting the most value from infrastructure investments. The Council provides stability and predictability in the quality and capacity of the region's infrastructure. Businesses are less likely to select a site for expansion if there is doubt about the availability of key public facilities. In addition, the region's citizens must be assured of the best return for their collective infrastructure dollars. Local Economic Development Efforts Action Step 1C The Council will support local economic development initiatives that retain and foster the growth of local businesses, bring new businesses to the region, add to the tax base and generate new jobs for the region as a whole. Council actions: 3 1. Coordinate regional -level planning and priority- setting for regional ' infrastructure investments with local public/private development efforts in targeted areas. t Minnesota has "a fairly 2. Monitor redevelopment projects in distressed areas of the region, and report the numbers and types of jobs that are actually created by cities and their diverse economy, but the level development agencies. and growth of new firms is poor." Partnership actions: The 1993 Development Report Card for the States, Corp. for Enterprise 3. Develop strategies with local governments on ways to help business achieve a net increase in productivity, good new jobs, and tax base for the region. Development Discourage intraregional competition that merely shifts jobs or tax base from one city to another (often at some public expense) with little or no regional payback. Most job growth comes from expansion of existing businesses and creation of new local businesses. The Corporation for Enterprise Development cites A plan for action Minnesota for its diverse economy but says "the level and growth of new firms is poor" (The 1993 Development Report Card for the States). Merely shifting businesses from one part of the area to another is not regional economic expansion if it produces no net gain for the region as a whole. The Council advocates retaining existing employers and encourages them to expand in place (when space allows) rather than moving jobs around the region. In some cases, market forces make it difficult to expand businesses in existing locations. Public support for expansion may be necessary if it serves a larger public interest (see Action Item S, page 27). A High - Quality Work Force Action Step 1D The Council will support efforts to improve the skills of the region's labor force to meet the current and future needs of the economy, and to strengthen the work readiness of all those seeking employment, especially young and difficult -to- employ people. Supporting actions: 1. Support efforts to continually update vocational and technical training programs. Using information from the regional industries project (Action Item 1, page 16), work with public colleges, vocational - technical schools, the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Private College Foundation to develop strategies to meet the specific education, training and retraining needs of this region's industrial groups. 2. Encourage collaboration among nonprofit organizations, state and county agencies and business to combine training with other services that support people entering the job market — including transportation initiatives, work - readiness programs and daycare services. Support the efforts of the educational system and private industry, working cooperatively to create apprenticeship programs for noncollege -bound young people to enter the work force. Percent and Number of Children in Poverty, 1979 -89 Percent 60 _ ®1979 ■ 1989 50 4 - - - - - -- 17 The number of children in poverty 40 - - - 1 j - - - - - (in 000s) is shown above each column_ 7 3 30 -.3 ------- - - - - -- 3 20 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ 2 10. -28-33- - - - Asian Black Indian White Hispanic' Racial Group Ethnic Group 'People of Hispanic ethnicity may be of any race, and are included in racial breakdowns. U.S. Census Bureau REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 3. Encourage discussions between business and education sectors. Draw attention to issues involving the education and training needs of a changing job market, changing-labor force and changing technology. Additional issues could include training resources, illiteracy problems, and funding issues. A ny long -range approach to economic growth must address both the creation of jobs and the improvement of work force skills and training. If the region is to capture and hold higher -wage jobs, a well - trained, well- prepared work force with skills for the future should be maintained. Skills often cited include analytical ability, communications abilities, and competency in applying technology. These actions are intended to deal with growing concerns about the quality of the region's work force. For example, according to the Minnesota Literacy Council, more than 500,000 Minnesotans cannot read, write, compute, problem -solve or cope with changing conditions sufficiently well to meet the requirements of adult life. In addition, many children are not getting a good start in life. A growing number of children live under poverty conditions that are producing a generation of future citizens who may be limited in their productivity, and who do not participate fully in the community. Strategies to provide transit to link people in distressed areas with new jobs, and plans to create new jobs in deteriorated areas are both important; however, neither approach can guarantee that local residents will have the necessary skills to fill those jobs. An overall effort to raise the job -skill level of the region's work force should include a program specifically aimed at strengthening the job skills of people living in distressed areas. A Strong Business Climate Action Step lE The Council will work toward achieving a strong business climate, including a tax anti regulatory stnicture that balances both business and public needs. Council actions: I. Recommend strategies for streamlining regulations and procedures, at the Metropolitan Council and other government levels, that hamper business development, innovation, and competition. These recommendations should be based on discussions with business groups, and state and local agencies. Action Steps 2E (page 26) under "Regional Reinvestment Strategy" and 4A (page 39) under "Regional Environmental Strategy" propose initial areas for procedural streamlining. Supporting actions: 2. Promote open discussion of tax climate issues through long -term dialogue with'large and small businesses, local governments and others. The Council will support a long -term, broad -based legislative strategy to improve the tax climate. esponding successfully to international competition means closely examining all potential barriers to economic growth. Making Minnesota less competitive with other, states are its tax system and workers compensation program. The regulatory climate, also cited for raising business costs, has prompted complaints about never - ending procedures and requirements that seem unnecessary and nonproductive. Two types of regulations frequently mentioned as problems are environmental regulations, and building and development requirements. While taxes and regulations serve worthwhile public purposes, the challenge is to uncover opportunities for greater efficiency and streamlining. ® A plan for action Regional Reinvestment Strategy Introduction Alost of the region's communities are healthy —with adequate jobs and services, where residents feel safe and are confident in their community 's future as a place to live. But other areas of the region face I� owing problems, and a few are in the throes of serious decline. Hie problems of deteriorating areas are varied and complex -- -crime, dilapidated Some areas of the region Housing, lack of jobs and adequate job training, and spreading poverty. Most of.the face growing problems of seriously distressed areas in the metropolitan area are in the two central cities of dilapidated housing, crime, Minneapolis and St. Paul and several older suburbs. There are others — lack of jobs and poverty. Percent Unemployment in Working-Age Population, 1990 AREA �wl •. HEIGHTS REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 neighborhoods at risk —where conditions are less serious but deserve attention. It is essential to the overall vitality of the region that all of its communities are places where residents want to live and work. Their well -being affects the region as a whole. Areas in varying degrees of distress are not confined to any single part of the region; they'can be found in urban, suburban and rural communities. For the most part, the incentives of the private market alone are not going to promote vitality in these distressed areas. Public and private funds and programs will be necessary, especially for commercial and industrial development. Targeting priorities should be based on criteria,for measuring distress and needs as well as potential for positive outcomes. In metropolitan areas where central cities have a much lower per capita income than their suburbs, total employment growth is slower than in areas where the disparity is less, according to a study by the National League of Cities. Another study by the Federal Reserve of Philadelphia found that, with few exceptions, the better a central city does, the better its suburbs do. Even if suburban areas do not show the most acute problems of decline, central city decline is likely to be a slow, long -term drain on the economic and social vitality of a region. The central cities' well -being influences the perceptions of prospective investors and businesses about the entire region. The region's reputation as an urban center with a high quality of life may suffer, affecting new business development, unless deteriorated areas are revitalized. Further decline will be even more difficult to reverse unless the region acts now to deal with problems before they reach the stage experienced by other large metro areas around the country. The region faces several key issues in revitalizing its distressed areas: Limited public financing tools ■ Competition for scarce dollars to stimulate and foster redevelopment must be strat r egically directed. Land contamination or pollution ■ This is a major barrier to reinvestment, especially in the region's older areas. ! Cross- sector partnerships ■ To accomplish redevelopment, the region needs to build on its successes and promote cooperation, not confrontation, among governmental agencies, the business community and the nonprofit sector. , Public resources for housing ■ Encourage and support home ownership and rehabilitation in older, at -risk communities. I Neighborhood vitality ■ A; sense of safety and confidence in a neighborhood as a good place to live must be addressed in any revitalization effort. 1 Poverty concentrations ■ This is one of the region's most complex, urgent issues. Community amenities ■ Character, a sense of identity, and attractive amenities are important ingredients to local vitality. Creating a Climate for Reinvestment The problems of distressed areas require a region -wide response drawing on efforts of business, local and state government, social service agencies and others. A regional strategy is needed to break the cycle of disinvestment and create a climate for reinvestment. ® j A plan for action Such a strategy includes the following components: • Focus existing and new public dollars on the region's distressed areas, giving The region needs to draw on them priority for dollars spent on regional services like transit. efforts of business, • Provide stronger incentives to attract business development for jobs and government, social service expanded tax base. • Stabilize neighborhoods that are at risk or in decline, and help healthy agencies and others to break neighborhoods remain attractive to current and prospective residents. the cycle of disinvestment. • Strengthen programs that help people become more self - sufficient. • Increase people's skills to match job needs; improve transit and transportation to better link workers living in older areas to job opportunities in growing communities; provide wider opportunity for housing choice across the region. • Eliminate policies that restrict the housing choices of low- income people to at -risk neighborhoods; link economic development with community development in target neighborhoods; and encourage cities and counties to jointly develop strategies to reduce crime in target neighborhoods. Reinvestment is an area of emphasis and concern for the Council. The Blueprint sets initial direction for the Council in addressing this issue. During the lifetime of this document, it is expected that more specific action steps for the Council will be defined. At the outset, the Council's role is to: • Act under its current authority in land use, transportation and housing. • Promote and support hey recommendations for state and federal legislation. • Convene regional, city and neighborhood interests to work toward common goals and develop action plans. • Support actions of education, social services, churches and other organizations important to a regional redevelopment and reinvestment strategy in areas where the Council has not been active, or has a limited role and authority. • Provide research and information to identify barriers and opportunities to implement the investment and redevelopment proposals of the Blueprint. The Council will lead a multifaceted, region- wide.effort to carry out redevelopment strategies focused on the revitalization of distressed areas of _ ixy 2 . , the region, :especially coin merciaUindustrial revitalization and efforts ~to " ,., strengthen neighborhood vitality. The Council"will support_the targeting of r public and private financial resources for redevelopment and reinvestment. _ Promoting Business Development Although the problems of distressed areas go beyond economics, jobs and economic development clearly are a key part of any solution. jobs that pay a living wage help people escape the bonds of poverty jobs generate income that ripples throughout the local economy. New business development stabilizes neighborhoods and strengthens the property tax base. This approach has to be supported by other measures that bolster confidence in distressed areas. - REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 4M REDUCING INVESTMENT BARRIERS Acriorl Step 2A The Council will work to remove or substantially reduce barriers that make it more difficult to develop in distressed parts of the region compared with newer communities. Supporting actions: The 1980s saw a proliferation of tax - increment financing districts, prompting concerns by the Minnesota Legislature that the program was open to misuse. In 1988 and later sessions, the legislature imposed a series of restrictions and changes limiting the use of the program. Although the restrictions have helped head off abuses, they made the program difficult to use for redevelopment. Action Step 2B The Council will work to create a metropolitan enterprise fund or funds, using private and public funding sources for a wide variety of revitalization purposes. Council actions: t 1. Examine possible funding sources for an enterprise fund. ®I A plan for action 1. Promote a stronger role for cities and/or their development agencies in both site assembly and creative use of existing buildings for commercial/industrial redevelopment. Such a role could include making more effective use of existing tools such as rezoning or eminent domain to aid in assembling larger sites for redevelopment; creating incentives to use a greater proportion of a city's available development funds for commercial/industrial projects to increase the number of jobs: and continued use of tax increment financing, industrial revenue bonds or other financial tools to underwrite the added costs of redevelopment, and to make Examples of Additional i older communities regionally competitive. Development Costs in Older ' 2. Support changes in state law governing the property tax system to provide Areas incentives for redevelopment and reinvestment, working jointly with local • Razing unusable structures government and others. Support changes in state law to make it easier to use • Pollution cleanup tax- increment financing for redeveloping distressed areas and for rehabilitating low- 40 Complex land assembly and moderate- income housing. I 1: reas experiencing disinvestment need to successfully attract economic Adevelopment and jobs to increase the tax base. One strategy of the Blueprint is to attract economic development to distressed areas of the region —as well as older, underutilized areas —by reducing the cost difference between suburban development and urban redevelopment. Current incentives, primarily lower costs, make it more desirable to develop in the newer, rather than older, parts of the region. Usually the costs are substantially higher for redevelopment than for first -time development in previously undeveloped areas. For example, barriers include razing unusable structures, pollution cleanup and difficult land assembly. r In Minnesota, as in most other states, a number of public financing tools enable local governments to attract business to their community. One of the most important, according to local redevelopment officials, has been tax - increment financing. Originally intended to help redevelop distressed areas, tax - increment financing legislation has broadened over the years to support low- and moderate - income housing, economic development, and hazardous waste cleanup. The 1980s saw a proliferation of tax - increment financing districts, prompting concerns by the Minnesota Legislature that the program was open to misuse. In 1988 and later sessions, the legislature imposed a series of restrictions and changes limiting the use of the program. Although the restrictions have helped head off abuses, they made the program difficult to use for redevelopment. Action Step 2B The Council will work to create a metropolitan enterprise fund or funds, using private and public funding sources for a wide variety of revitalization purposes. Council actions: t 1. Examine possible funding sources for an enterprise fund. ®I A plan for action Partnership actions: 2. Work with local governments, community development groups and others to identify revitalization needs that offer the best opportunity for producing successful results through an enterprise fund. evitalization is a regional problem and it calls for a region -wide approach. vailable techniques, like tax - increment financing, can help in redeveloping distressed areas but they alone have a limited effect. New tools, like an enterprise fund, are needed. Using private and public funding sources, an enterprise fund would need to be flexible to meet revitalization needs. The range of possible applications could include, for example, cleanup and acquisition of contaminated sites, site assembly, housing rehabilitation, increased owner - occupied housing, and diversification of the job base in distressed areas (see Action Item 6, page 57). Funds from such a fund should be targeted as described in Action Step 21), page 26. RECYCLING POLLUTED SITES Action Step 2C The Council will work with local governments and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to put contaminated sites back into productive commercial and industrial use through aggressive use of the Minnesota Land Recycling Act and similar measures. Partnership actions: 1. Identify issues, responsibilities and barriers involved in putting contaminated sites back into productive use, working with lenders, the Pollution Control Agency, developers and others. 2. Support changes in federal and state laws to establish various standards for defining clean sites, based on their intended future use. Use of these sites would be spelled out in cities' land use plans. Work with federal, state and local officials to develop workable proposals for defining clean sites. The federal Superfund cleanup program has too few dollars to pay for cleanup at all designated sites. Moreover, hundreds of contaminated REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 4M sites have been identified in the region that do not qualify for Superfund money, most of them in the central cities and older suburbs. If the region hopes to see local polluted sites recycled, it must take action itself. r There are two major issues related to regional action. Financing cleanup is a key one. A second issue is: how clean is clean, and who determines that question —state or federal agencies or both? A safe level for a factory could possibly be less clean than for houses or a playground. Many toxic wastes are not amenable to current cleanup methods and are difficult to remove completely The new state Land Recycling Act allows companies to clean up polluted sites and proceed with new economic development, with protection from liability. This law is a beginning, but the region still needs to allow different levels of cleanup, depending on the proposed use of a site. TARGETED AREAS Action Step 2D The Council will identify targeted areas that have the greatest need and/or potential for economic development in order to focus attention and resources. t Partnership actions: 1. Work with cities to develop criteria for prioritizing areas most appropriate for the targeting of public financial resources. Supporting actions: 2. j Encourage the participation of local governments in programs such as the federal empowerment and enterprise program that link economic development with community development in identified target areas. i Dtstressed areas should receive priority for funding, especially for commercial and industrial development. Needs should be addressed where they emerge based on criteria for measuring distress and needs. Targeting economic development drew increased national attention in the 1980s with the idea of enterprise zones as a way to strengthen areas with a long history of poverty, lack of jobs and physical deterioration. With financial tools such as tax credits, grants and tax abatements, enterprise or opportunity zones are intended to attract new employers that would draw heavily on area residents as workers. fi COOPERATION AND INFORMATION - SHARING Action Step 2E The Council will work with communities in developing and carrying out redevelopment plans by mahing sure that regional services and facilities support local actions, by being a catalyst for focusing action on critical needs, and by providing local planning and technical assistance. Council actions: 1. Provide technical assistance to cities, especially those with limited resources, to carry out redevelopment models that could be adapted to local needs and conditions. A plan for action 2. Create a task force of developers and local officials in planning, zoning and redevelopment to determine the impact of development regulations on redevelopment efforts. The task force would make recommendations or develop a model process to improve local redevelopment procedures and practices. 3. Carry out small -scale demonstration projects to illustrate the merits of redevelopment models, and to further identify strengths and weaknesses of redevelopment options. Funding could come, for example, from foundations or possibly from federal transportation funds, where the project is part of transportation improvements. 4. Hold a series of regional forums involving local community leaders that would meet to discuss mutual goals and objectives, and ways to collaborate to achieve them. Partnership actions: 5. Develop ways to facilitate business expansions and land assembly for redevelopment, working in partnership with local governments. Supporting actions: 6. Encourage local governments engaged in redevelopment to identify regulations and procedures that impede or slow redevelopment and take action to streamline them. Encourage them to adopt the recommendations or models developed by the task force discussed above. 7. Promote information - sharing among and within cities about successful redevelopment methods, and programs to stimulate new business development and economic revitalization. 8. Promote a climate of cooperation and collaboration whereby public, private and nonprofit organizations work toward common goals supporting redevelopment. Sharing information about successful redevelopment projects can help cities develop new marketplace niches, identify their strengths and build on them. There are good examples in the region that others could learn from. Greater public - private cooperation is also a factor. Local approvals and regulations can sometimes slow or even halt a redevelopment effort. On the other hand, the city and its residents have the right to scrutinize a development that will affect them. Government officials and private developers need a better understanding of each other's point of view. Increasing Confidence in Neighborhoods Action Step 2F the Council will support ways to make declining neighborhoods more desirable places to live by working with local governments concerned about decline to find more comprehensive, effective, long -lasting solutions. Council actions: 1. Identify and pursue transit service designs that can strengthen neighborhoods (see Appendix A, pages 68 -69). REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 4M Partnership actions: 2. Explore programs that can help preserve residents' investment in their homes and help preserve stability in home values. 3. Actively participate in discussions about issues affecting confidence in neighborhoods. The most frequently cited issues include the quality of education provided by schools in central cities and older suburbs, and neighborhood crime rates. Supporting actions: 4. Promote wider use of successful neighborhood -level planning models to preserve an area's assets and amenities, including parks, shopping areas and services, historic features and other desirable features. Older areas can keep and attract new residents by offering housing stock in good condition, parks and playgrounds, shopping and other services, well - preserved historic areas, and the basic requirements of confidence and safety. Any strategy to reinvest in the region's distressed areas must work to rebuild confidence in the future of neighborhoods. That means strengthening neighborhood stability and vitality. Of most concern are those neighborhoods with the highest crime and unemployment rates. Targeting housing assistance to distressed areas is one part of a multipart strategy to strengthen them. See Action Step 5F, page 56, for more detail regarding housing assistance — targeting housing assistance to distressed areas and to areas with identified affordable housing needs. As the region has increasingly experienced big city urban problems, homeowners ,may question their neighborhood's stability, and the value of their home on the open market. Another important factor, for parents of school -age children, is the quality (or. perceived quality) of schools their children will attend. I While home ownership and housing maintenance are important to the image of a neighborhood, other factors also affect its future. Confidence is the key to neighborhood preservation because it leads residents to make financial investments in their property and neighborhood and feel pride in living there. Further, lenders will direct their investments to neighborhoods in which they have confidence. Poverty Concentrations Action Step 2G The Council will support actions to improve conditions in areas where poverty is concentrated, especially efforts to broaden economic and housing opportunities inside and outside those areas and to improve accessibility to job, housing and training opportunities. Council actions (see also Action Items under "Expanding Housing Opportunities in the Region," page 56): 1. • Improve transit to employment opportunities for residents of areas experiencing disinvestment. The Council will work with others to develop improved transit services connecting areas of low income with areas of growing employment, and advocate for a higher funding priority for transit, especially to provide reverse- commute and suburb -to- suburb transit improvements (see Appendix A, page 68). fA plan for action Partnership actions: 2. Seek expansion of state one - for -one housing replacement legislation to provide mechanisms for region -wide responsibility for replacement of displaced housing units to support regional housing goals, and to prohibit the building of such units in areas of poverty concentration or areas experiencing disinvestment. Supporting actions: 3. Support the efforts of communities to help rental property managers become a conduit for information that helps residents find services'in the community that promote self - sufficiency (information about employment counseling, job training, job placement), and to promote successful local initiatives with other communities. 4. Encourage efforts to base support services in neighborhood- or community -based locations, such as in schools or community centers convenient to transit, rather than in downtown locations. 5. Support neighborhood, city and state efforts that assist people to achieve self - sufficiency —for example, employment and service combinations that work toward this goal. 6. Support efforts to provide renters and first -time homeowners with skills and information on how to maintain their apartments and homes, such as private and nonprofit management groups. 7. Support building entrepreneurship among residents in core areas, especially people of color. 8. Encourage all lenders to support businesses that create jobs in core neighborhoods. W tle the majority of residents in older communities are doing well, the umber of households in poverty is increasing. Poverty is highly concentrated in a small but growing number of neighborhoods — especially in the core areas of Minneapolis and St. Paul (a central area surrounding the downtowns). In many parts of the core area, poverty has persisted for decades, and it has deepened —and spread —over the years. Some neighborhoods appear to be caught in a self - perpetuating cycle that fuels property disinvestment, concentrated poverty and ultimately social and economic decline. Racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to be poor in Minneapolis/St. Paul than in other U.S. core cities. Among the nation's 25 largest metro areas, poverty rates for the white population and for people of color living in Twin Cities suburbs rank in the middle. But poverty among central cities residents of color is highest among the 25 areas. A significant number of households are headed by single parents (many of whom are not in the labor force). A household with only one adult is more vulnerable to economic setbacks, with the children more vulnerable to the physical and emotional stress of poverty. Research shows that strategies must simultaneously address both economic/business development and community development to be effective. Hopelessness, anger and crime may develop in a community that does not offer future opportunities for its residents. The region cannot afford to ignore the families and children in neighborhoods at risk, nor do we want to see their individual investments (in REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 homes and businesses) destroyed. Neither does the region want to waste the investment in public infrastructure in these areas. Public and private interests must -, ork together to make all neighborhoods livable and attractive to people — places where residents are willing to invest in building and maintaining homes, businesses, jobs and schools. Addressing issues of poverty concentrations will require a multifaceted approach to be successful. One approach to alleviating the effects of poverty is to improve conditions within areas of high poverty concentration. That would include creating jobs, upgrading housing conditions, and adding stores. services and community centers in the neighborhood. A second approach would provide additional housing choices in suburban locations, where educational, job and other opportunities can improve conditions in people's lives. it is important to note that, especially in suburban locations, people without cars need to be close to good public transit and jobs, or access will be a significant problem. Local governments have responsibilities, under the Metropolitan Land Planning Act, to provide opportunities for affordable housing through their comprehensive plans and official controls. including zoning ordinances. A third approach involves providing ways to help people make connections to opportunities in other parts of the region. No single approach will work; a combination of all three is necessary. -Percent of Persons Below Poverty Level, 1989 (Census Tracts Above Metropolitan Average) ® 27.7-76.6% Highest ten percent of all metro area census tracts 4" 13.8 -27.7% Second highest ten percent of all metro area census tracts 8.1 -13.8% .2� Remaining tracts above regional poverty level* a Tracts 701.01 and 612.00 are the only tracts with poverty rates above the regional rate not shown on this map 1 A plan for action Regional Strategy for Building Strong Communities Introduction 0 ur metropolitan region is only as strong as its individual and interrelated communities. All the region's communities —its building blocks —are stronger if they have a sense of identity and cohesiveness. One aspect of every community is its identity —the history and`characteristics that make it unique. Over time, these identities change, some for better and some for worse. But it is largely this identity that makes communities different, and gives them a sense of place. This sense of place can result from one or more factors, such as a strong commercial and employment base; sound, attractive housing; or amenities such as parks and lakes. A feeling of community can mean a "family support" system of neighbors to whom people can turn in case of a crisis, a sense of trust among residents, and personal interconnections. t Time, and economic and social changes can change a community's identity and alter the expectations and needs of its residents. Planning and re- planning are necessary Development can enhance— to help preserve that identity and uniqueness. or impede sense of The Blueprint's Policy 2 discusses ways to strengthen communities in the older parts community. of the region through using redevelopment and reinvestment to build confidence in neighbhorhoods. However, communities in all parts of the region can be strengthened by land use planning and other strategies that enhance neighborhood and community formation. A regional strategy for building strong communities is essential if the region is to work effectively on behalf of its increasingly diverse population. Basic is the notion that different communities have different priorities. People in different parts of the region have different experiences from which to form their viewpoints: Understanding the region's issues and problems from differing viewpoints is the first step to building a workable strategy. As the region works to promote local and regional community, the range of issues to be addressed include: ■ Land use planning that creates community identity and fosters a civic infrastructure. ■ Urban design that helps make neighborhoods safer, creates amenities and improves livability. REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 4M ■ Community -based ways for people to connect with residents and activities in their neighborhoods. ■ Potential effects of state, regional and city decisions on local communities. ■ Regional decisions that actively include all the diverse interests of the region. Charting Directions to Build Strong Communities Building strong communities requires regional partnerships beyond the typical public - private alliances. Local governments, developers; neighborhood businesses, neighborhood groups, churches and residents all have a stake in renewing community spirit, and in local economic and community development. Neighboring communities and the region as a whole must also demonstrate a commitment to help "neighbors in need" and work together by sharing ideas, expertise and time k The Councils role is to: • Convene various parties to worh toward common goals, and develop and carry out action plans. • Consider local effects in its decision - making process on regional issues. • Actively include the wide variety of diverse interests in regional decision - making. • Use its regional leadership role to focus attention on regional issues and regional citizenship. i i p The Metropolitan Couricil'will actively promote a variety of efforts to,help I il build strojiger local c`ommuniaes-and a stronger regional civic Infrastructure. Using Land Use Planning to Create Community Action Step 3A The Council will encourage and foster local efforts to shape and/or reshape physical environments -in order to enhance neighborhoods and communities. Council actions: 1. Promote land use planning that meets the changing needs of residents in a changing market in carrying out the Metropolitan Land Planning Act. As local communities update their comprehensive plans, the Council will encourage them to work toward urban design practices that use transit- and pedestrian- oriented development and redevelopment, and other principles of livable communities. Partnership actions: 1 2. Work with local governments to develop models, tools, processes and demonstrations that integrate existing development, including use of historic ® A plan for action preservation, or guide new development to enhance community identity and promote community interaction. Local and national models of successful neighborhood planning will be promoted. 3. Jointly conduct forums with local governments to foster use of community - strengthening land use tools by local elected and appointed officials. A major future issue facing many suburbs is how to integrate the random pattern of development that has resulted from development of individual parcels that was not coordinated with adjacent uses. Some suburban cities are looking for ways to create an integrated community identity, through land use planning for vacant parcels that integrates existing uses. A current issue for some newer suburban cities is creating a focus for civic identification or "heart." Making Neighborhood Connections Action Step 3B The Council will encourage and foster efforts to support adults' and children's connections with others in their neighborhoods and communities. Supporting actions: 1. Support a full range of after - school activities in schools, libraries, recreation centers and parks. Participate in discussions about the potential role of schools as neighborhood centers for community programs and services for adults REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 1 and use planning is a means to building strong neighborhoods and ommunities. The physical design, siting and arrangement of land uses can make it possible for people to carry out their daily activities in an attractive and interactive community environment. Land use planning can foster a sense of place Livable Communities" and can help create safer environments. It can also create a downtown or town is an center, a place where people can go and feel a part of their neighborhood or city. approach to planning, designing and building neighborhoods Mixed -use patterns can help meet needs for diverse, affordable housing; provide a with a focus on meeting the variety of shops, restaurants and entertainment; serve as a community or town center needs of people and creating a where people can gather; serve as a venue for concerts, plays, art fairs; or provide parks, sense of community. trails and other green spaces. Many of these designs for "livable communities" have been created across the country. Livable communities provide for walkable, pedestrian - oriented areas easily accessible by transit. The Council will take a lead role in working with local governments to ensure that local land use supports transit- and pedestrian - oriented development (see Action Item 6, page 55, and Appendix A, pages 68 -69). Some principles for livable communities are: • Provide a mix of life -cycle and affordable housing, shops, work places, civic facilities — within walking distance of each other and accessible to transit. • Develop sufficient common community spaces that are accessible and comfortable for all residents. • Use to advantage the character, culture, history and amenities of the community. • Integrate natural /topographical/environmental features. The design of physical • Address year -round seasonal and climatic conditions. • Involve community residents and businesses in defining needs, desires, land environments is important in use and design. deterring crime and taking Although these same principles for livable communities apply at some level in advantage of amenities. planning all communities, the results will look quite different because of the different needs, geography and historical land use patterns of each community. A major future issue facing many suburbs is how to integrate the random pattern of development that has resulted from development of individual parcels that was not coordinated with adjacent uses. Some suburban cities are looking for ways to create an integrated community identity, through land use planning for vacant parcels that integrates existing uses. A current issue for some newer suburban cities is creating a focus for civic identification or "heart." Making Neighborhood Connections Action Step 3B The Council will encourage and foster efforts to support adults' and children's connections with others in their neighborhoods and communities. Supporting actions: 1. Support a full range of after - school activities in schools, libraries, recreation centers and parks. Participate in discussions about the potential role of schools as neighborhood centers for community programs and services for adults REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 and children, including private nonprofit social clubs for youth, such as scouts. Other issues include finding ways to provide after - school transportation so children can participate in extra - curricular activities with their neighborhood friends; provide transportation to after - school programs for children at the school in their neighborhood (even though they may attend a school elsewhere) or neighborhood libraries. i 2. Support local "neighborhood- strengthening" activities such as Neighborhood Watch and other programs which enlist local residents and volunteers in reducing crime and otherwise promoting neighborhood vitality. R esidents' well -being can be enhanced by the neighborhoods they live in, or onversely, inhibited, if there is no local contact or meaningful connection to local activities. For people in economic distress, social isolation can compound their situation. Children who attend a school far from home may not get a chance to make friends in their own neighborhood. r Protecting Communities Action Step 3C The,Council will consider effects on existing communities in making regional policy decisions and in siting regional facilities. t i Council actions: - t 1. Route transit to serve neighborhood needs and to be convenient but not disrupt neighborhood identity or safety. 2. Design, site and build regional facilities to enhance the positive characteristics of host communities and to avoid, or at least mitigate, negative effects. i Partnership actions: I 3. Develop criteria and a process for community impact analysis in order to review projects such as new or improved roadways, locations of new housing developments, and building of major regional facilities such as malls and recreational centers, from physical, societal and economic perspectives. i _he regional decision - making process is an opportunity to evaluate potential local effects as well as consider regional benefits. In some instances, regional needs and community needs maybe in conflict. If it is determined that the regional benefit will supersede possible negative local effects, such effects should be reduced to the extern possible. r 1 Building a Civic Infrastructure Action Step 3D The Council will actively work to promote regional citizenship and use the wide variety of regional resources to diversify the regional decision - making process. Council actions: 1. Incorporate a broad cross - section of the population— economic, geographic, social, racial, ethnic and cultural groups —in regional decision - making through committee and task force membership, public participation process, and other strategies for obtaining public opinion. � A plan for action (t 1 2. Ensure adequate information about regional issues is disseminated and accessible in a variety of ways to citizens and community and interest groups. Explore use of forums, conferences and seminars, and partnerships and participation with civic and local organizations. 3. Develop a regional "Leadership 2010" program— similar to Leadership St. Paul and Leadership Minneapolis —to prepare local officials and community leaders to examine issues from a regional perspective and be advocates for regional solutions. ood government, a Minnesota tradition, means having a good civic infrastructure —the social and political tools of a community process that includes how decisions are made, how citizens interact with one another and with governmental institutions, and how challenges to the community are met. A vibrant, strong community needs informed, participating citizens, and ways to stimulate communication across diverse populations, to integrate people of color into community -wide activities. The Council and communities must work together to achieve the best results possible for the whole region. REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 Region-al Environmental Strategy i Introduction The region has made good progress in protecting the environment from obvious sources of pollution like smokestack emissions or sewage disch'arges. Although some environmental problems remain, the more difficult issues now are how to deal with the combined impact of many, small -scale individual sources of pollution, and how to coordinate planning to address the interrelatedness of the region's environment. We have not inherited the earth from our ancestors... we are only borrowing it from our children. -old Swahili proverb Destruction of local natural features, like natural drainageways or woodlands as the region develops; the loading of rivers, lakes and streams with fertilizers; spills of hazardous waste into groundwater; and land use patterns that generate a great deal of car traffic and air pollutants —all erode the quality of the environment. Perhaps the region's greatest natural resource is its abundance of good quality water, which sets this region apart from most urban centers. This water resource is a firm foundation for economic growth well into the next century, provided it is protected. The region boasts over 900 lakes, three major interconnected rivers, and a multilayered aquifer system capable of yielding a large supply of good - quality water, as long as it is used wisely and protected from pollution. The region must use water in a way that is sustainable, that is not jeopardizing development needs of future generations, or current users, by careless management A plan for action t of water resources. Otherwise, development in some parts of the region may exceed s the available groundwater supply. Regional economic vitality relies on the ability to use this water resource wisely and plan well for its future use. Protecting the region's environmental resources suggests several key issues: t' Damaged or altered ■ Lakes, wetlands, streams, rivers, drainage channels, floodplains and shorelands, ' natural watercourses when not integrated properly, can cause serious problems for development. They can also be lost as amenities. Economic growth and ■ The region's future could be jeopardized if the quality of its surface and water quality groundwater is not protected. Interrelated river system ■ The region's three major rivers have many economic and recreational purposes and, together, make up one river system. However, planning takes place without fully recognizing their multiple roles or their interconnection. Preserving woodlands and ■ Trees and woods enhance and improve the urban environment. However, efforts the urban forest to protect the region's significant woodlands from destruction and maintain the urban forest in older areas have been sporadic. Air quality ■ Current solutions to the region's air quality problems focus on technological fixes, while land use tools are not adequately recognized as ways to improve and protect air quality. Integrating Environmental Quality and Economic Growth Recent years have seen a change in attitudes toward use of the land, water and air. Today, working with nature has taken on a new value because people increasingly recognize the benefits of improved water quality, widened recreation opportunities and appealing aesthetic qualities. Incorporating natural features into development often saves money, enhances property values and makes sense. The features of the natural environment —for example, soils and topography —are capable of supporting certain kinds of development but pose limitations for others. Development can benefit from adapting or tailoring itself to the natural capabilities of the land. Planning ahead avoids expensive after -the -fact mitigation of environmental impacts. For example, it can reduce development costs of having to duplicate a natural drainageway, build holding ponds to replace natural wetlands, or having to clean up polluted sites to prepare them for new development (discussed in `Regional Reinvestment Strategy "). Developers can know the rules of the game ahead of time so their projects reflect environmental guidelines. REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 4M " W The Council's role is to: • Convene federal, state and local partners to consider ways to streamline regulations, coordinate activities and clarify needs and priorities. • Review various projects and the comprehensive land use plans of local governments to make sure they adequately protect the environment to meet the needs of present and future generations. • Provide assistance and information to local governments and others to help them develop and carry out environmental protection measures. • Develop data to document the extent and limitations of key natural resources. • Develop regional plans on water quality and water supply outlining actions to be taken by the Metropolitan Council, local government, regional agencies and others to protect the region's natural resources. • Work with other organizations in pollution prevention and cleanup programs. i The Council will consider the limitations of the natural environment to support 'development in its regional- land use, infrastructure and PQLjCy 4 development plans, •and -in designing and building re Y onal f acilities. • The Council will'also examine how well environmental capabilities are reflected in local land use plans.and development projects that it reviews. 3 E378 7] k 1 t i r i A plan for action MW Q A plan for action Protecting Natural Watercourses and Wetlands Action Step 4A The Council will work to protect natural watercourses, such as lakes, wetlands, rivers, streams, natural drainage courses and the critical adjoining land areas that affect them, to maintain and improve water quality and quantity, and to preserve their ecological functions. Council actions: 1. Ask the 1995 legislature to amend the Metropolitan Land Planning Act to require local comprehensive plans to include a section identifying all protected watercourses such as lakes, wetlands, rivers, streams, natural drainage courses and the critical adjoining land areas that affect them, as well as land use and other management strategies to ensure their preservation (see proposed Land Planning Act changes for natural resource protection, in the Appendix). 2. Study the costs and impacts of current water management regulations and work with local, state and federal water management entities to develop a strategy to streamline the regulatory process. I Provide technical assistance to local governments and watershed organizations to support their efforts to develop adequate protection strategies, including recommending steps for evaluating the environmental, economic and other benefits of restoring significant natural watercourses that have been replaced by artificial systems. w atercourses drain water runoff, store and treat surface water and affect the groundwater. Changing the landscape, channeling runoff through pipes, filling floodplains or wetlands, paving over areas so less water filters into the ground and removing natural vegetation —all change the ability of the landscape to handle water. The results can be serious — erosion, less water to recharge groundwater supplies, increased pollution from runoff and localized flooding. When the natural drainage system is altered, expensive artificial systems have to be built to perform the same functions, or costly remedial measures will be required to reduce the effects of damaging the natural system. Water Quality for the Future Action Step 4B The Council will pursue steps toward a goal of no adverse impact on water quality so that, by the year 20I5, the quality of the water leaving the region is as good as when it enters. The Council will reassess this goal if it poses an unreasonable cost burden for the region. Council actions: The region's 1. Develop by 1997 the comprehensive surface water quality management ega ms water supply and wastewater treatment policy plans for the region required by state law (see provides a major resource "Directions for Regional Systems" for wastewater treatment, in Appendix A, page base for economic growth- 67). The plans would define the sustainable capability of the regional water supply, provided it is used wisely and recommend how the region could live within it, and plan the regional wastewater protected from pollution. treatment system to assist in achieving the no adverse impact goal. 2. Work toward the "no adverse impact" goal in its review of comprehensive plans, federal discharge permits, environmental impact statements and long -range water management plan; through the Councils regional water resources and REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 4M wastewater treatment plans (see "Directions for Regional Systems" for wastewater treatment, in Appendix A, page 67); by developing and implementing an effective pollution prevention program; and by providing technical assistance to other jurisdictions. The Council will monitor progress toward this goal and assess the costs and implications for economic development and reinvestment of achieving it. 3. Through its review of comprehensive plans and projects, work to minimize the environmental impact of development on all drainage features so their natural functions can operate unhindered, and monitor the results by documenting the changes in .vater quality in the region's water bodies. 4. Establish a means to coordinate the water management structure and process in the metropolitan area. The region's economic prosperity, continued development and quality of life depend on good water quality. The region needs a safe, adequate supply of drinking water, and suitable water for industrial and commercial development. But the quality of the region's water is threatened on many fronts. The Metropolitan Area is blessed with a vast underground system of aquifers that supply the region with good - quality water. However, the most productive aquifer —the Prairie du Chien-Jordan—is not available in many rapidly developing parts of the region and has experienced substantial drops in its water levels in areas where it has supported growth in the past. There have also been spills.and discharges of toxic and other polluting material into the groundwater system. For example, a special statewide survey by the Freshwater Foundation in 1989 showed that groundwater contamination cost 18 private companies and 17 cities more than $69 million to pay for site cleanup, technical assistance and replacement wells. The region must ensure an equitable means of financing water quality protection and improvement efforts through such means as the Minnesota River Improvement Project, watershed planning and federal and state cost - sharing programs. The Mississippi River, with its large volume of water, is a great underused asset to the region. In all but extremely drought- affected years, far more water flows through the region in the Mississippi River than could ever be used. However, the river must be protected from the numerous chemical and oil storage and transportation facilities, Viand rail and highway crossings that pose threats to its quality. Surface water runoff is another issue. Despite state legislation, communities have had varying success in controlling nonpoint pollution from water runoff and increased runoff-from development. And correcting problems can be expensive. For example,'restoration of the water quality in lakes affected by urban and agricultural runoff costs about $15,000 per acre of water, with no guarantee of success. Further effort is needed to reduce pollution in everyday activities of the region through pollution' prevention programs, public education and review of discharge permits. Permit reviews, long -range water management planning, and federal and state grant 1 programs must continue to correct past surface and groundwater problems. Continued joint efforts by intergovernmental groups and other organizations, such as the Minnesota River Improvement Project and the Lower Minnesota River Technical Advisory Group, are needed to address water quality problems. t A plan for action Major River Corridors Action Step 4C The Council will reconlinend Ways of coordinating the management of the Mississippi, Minnesota and St. Croix River corridors that recognize their importance for orderly regional developinent, their multiple uses, unique characteristics, and the impact they have on each other. Council actions: 1. Hold a forum to identify the areas of coordination needed to more effectively plan for and manage the Mississippi, St. Croix and Minnesota Rivers, working in partnership with counties outside the metropolitan area, the Mississippi River Coordinating Commission, the Minnesota - Wisconsin Boundary Commission, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. River Corridors in the Twin Cities Area — Encompassing Multiple Uses ANOKA Z I to C k` HENNEPIN WASHIN RAMSEYr in US L s CD I c p s 1 Lkesota� t —CARVERS e:I —=1 SC T �' "- %' D KOTA #• ZI ❑ tom. _ A'Y I Q Yqr Mississippi River Corridor Boundary High Density Residential ,4'. O Low -Mad. Density �s Residential O Commercial Institutional Od Industrial ® Transitional ( Industrial to other uses) _ Transportation ® Woodland/Welland Ezisling /Proposed Parks and Open Space 1 Mile REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 The Mississippi, Minnesota and St. Croix Rivers have played a key role in shaping the historical and economic development of the region. More recently, they have been recognized'for their importance in providing recreation and open space opportunities. The three rivers also link the impacts of river management activities in the metropolitan area with river management decisions both upstream and downstream of the region. Efforts to manage the three river corridors, however, have been piecemeal. They are not treated as one system, even though factors that affect one also affect another. For example, the silt and phosphorus in the Minnesota River degrades water quality in the Mississippi River. The construction of boat marinas on the Mississippi increases recreational traffic on the St. Croix and leads to shore erosion. i A plan for the Mississippi River is being prepared under its federal designation as a National River and Recreation Area. However, many conflicts in river use, such as economic and recreational use, are not likely to be resolved by the plan. V Much of the Minnesota River in the metropolitan area is designated a National Wildlife Refuge and Recreation Area. But protections for the river focus on recreation and trails in the valley bottom. There is no protection, for example, of the bluffs, overlooking the valley The St. Croix River is managed as a National Scenic Riveray. Protections extend to land use and water quality, but their effect is limited unless the other two rivers are managed to the same degree. i Woodlands and the Urban Forest Action Step 4D The Council will encourage the protection of the region's significant woodlands and the long -term management of the urban forest. Council actions: 1. Review proposed local comprehensive plans and projects to consider how they support and encourage the protection of significant woodlands and the urban forest. Partnership actions: 2. Work with local and state agencies to provide technical assistance strategies and information, such as model standards, to local governments for their local plans in protecting and managing woodlands. The, region has lost many of its stands of trees to development and to the devastation of Dutch ['elm, oak wilt and other diseases. Yet woodlands and the "urban forest" of our older cities play many valuable roles. They are important in reducing air pollution 42 A plan for action. r and moderating local temperatures and winds. They control runoff and erosion, especially on steep slopes and along lakes and streams. They enhance the appearance of new and old neighborhoods, and can raise property values. They can provide habitat for wildlife such as song birds. Many U.S. and European cities have taken significant steps to use trees and other vegetation to improve the urban environment, including the cities of Dayton, Ohio, and Stuttgart, Germany. Air Quality Action Steep 4E The Council will promote development and land use and transportation policies and planning that protect and improve the quality of air Council actions: I. Review proposed local comprehensive plans and amendments and projects for the potential impact on air quality and existing air quality problems. 2. Assess the impact of regional plans and include strategies for protecting and improving air quality in those plans. Partnership actions: 3. Work with state and local agencies in evaluating existing air quality problems and developing plans to mitigate them. Supporting actions: 4. Provide technical assistance, including development of tools and techniques for air quality analysis and land use criteria and standards, to local governments to help them develop planning strategies to protect air quality 5. Encourage local governments to address air quality issues in their local comprehensive plans, development projects and capital investments for transportation infrastructure, especially communities in air quality "nonattainment" areas that do not meet federal standards. it quality is a key indicator of the quality of life in the region. Maintaining and improving air quality will affect the region's ability to continue growing economically. Generally air quality in the region is considered good in comparison to other major urban areas around the country. Even though the region has not exceeded carbon monoxide air quality standards in the past two years, 1990 amendments to the Clean Air Act require the region to continue to ensure ongoing compliance with air quality standards for mobile emission sources such as automobiles and stationary emission sources such as smokestacks. Solutions to these problems have focused on "technological fixes" and solutions tailored to specific sources. These types of solutions will continue to play a role in resolving specific air quality problems for the foreseeable future. Over the long term, however, the region will need to examine the effect of its development and land use policies on air quality. REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 X43 Regional Strategy for Guiding Growth Introduction egional services like highways, transit, wastewater treatment and airports play a key role in supporting new development, and it is important that regional investments provide services efficiently and effectively. Regional services like The'costs of public services are ultimately passed on to businesses and households highways, transit, wastewater by way of taxes and user fees. These costs are a part of the overall economic climate treatment and airports in which businesses operate. Trends indicate that fewer federal and state dollars will support new development and be available to pay for regional facilities, making it all the more important to invest those dollars wisely. reinvestment ; The Council operates the regional wastewater treatment and transit systems, and plans for the region's major highways, airports and regional parks. It also plans for other services that are not considered systems but are nonetheless important to the region, such as housing diversity and water supply. The Council works with providers of other major services —such as telecommunications, electrical power, rail lines, and river barges to make sure the region has the facilities it needs to grow and develop. The effectiveness and efficiency of public services go beyond regional facilities. Local governments are responsible for a range of public services and land use decisions that affect the provision of those services, such as housing, redevelopment projects, environmental protection, transportation and schools. These local decisions play an essential role in meeting the needs not only of the community but also of the region. The economic and societal health of the region requires partnership among all public service providers and the private sector. The challenge of guiding growth poses a range of issues: The timing, location and capacity ■ Wastewater treatment facilities and highways must be coordinated with new of regional facilities development to make services adequately meet development needs at reasonable cost. A plan for action The urban service area ■ Generally there is sufficient land to accommodate development until the year boundary 2005. but the Council needs to monitor development trends and verify its land estim.:tcs with local communities. Linking transit to high- ■ The region needs to create more pedestrian- friendly environments in combining density development transit improvements with development. Flexible, better ■ Many regional issues require a flexible approach that recognizes the diversity coordinated planning among different parts of the region. There needs to be better communication between adjacent communities and with other levels of government to coordinate planning and solve regional and local issues. Targeted public investments ■ lKlicil dollars are limited for investments in regional facilities, where should they be tar�'cted —in growing communities or older urban areas? Urban sprawl ■ When urban development encroaches into rural areas, it can create demands for into rural areas costly- services, jeopardize the rural life style that attracted many people to the area in the first place, and consume prime agricultural land. Special, ■ The Metrodome and Mall of America have an impact on regional systems such as one -of -a -kind facilities highways, transit or wastewater treatment. Special facilities such as these that are proposed for the region should be evaluated to determine whether they are built in the most appropriate locations and at the right scale for the region. Also, programs that draw on regional funds should be reviewed. The debt burden for ■ Possible new major capital projects are under consideration for wastewater regional facilities treatment, highways, transit and airports. Since such projects are usually financed by regional bonds, it is important that debt levels be managed within reasonable bounds. Setting the Direction for Guided Growth The Council is in a unique position to oversee major regional facilities that are part of the underpinnings of economic and development activity. It sets the direction for the timing, location and capacity of regional systems, and issues bonds to finance capital improvements for several regional systems. The Council also sets the direction for land use planning by local governments under the Metropolitan Land Planning Act. The Council coordinates the delivery of regional services and extension of services into newly developed areas. Making maximum use of existing investments before making new ones is an important fiscal principle. Good fiscal management of regional facilities assures that the debt for these facilities is not a burden to the region. Maintaining and upgrading existing facilities in the urban part of the region and effectively managing these facilities is necessary to preserve the region's large financial investment. As one means to ensure orderly development, in the early 1970s the Council divided the region into two areas for planning purposes and established a boundary between the two —the metropolitan urban service area boundary. In one, the urban service area, the Council supported urban growth and provided regional services. In the rural service area, urban development was discouraged. Regional urban services include central sewer and large - volume sewage treatment, higher - capacity highway improvements and more closely spaced highway interchanges, mass transit, and high levels of public services in general. The Council will continue to use the urban service area boundary as a planning tool. REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 4M With local communities, the Council works through local comprehensive plans to examine not only the factors and forces affecting their communities today but those they will face in the future. Many important issues regarding natural resource protection, economic development, redevelopment, shared services and fiscal impacts are not addressed or adequately dealt with now in local comprehensive plans. Also, many issues that directly affect a community —like transit, the upgrading of a highway or library service —need to be planned with adjacent communities and other governmental units. The Council discourages incremental changes to a local community's urban service area plan and, instead, encourages communities to stage their development through comprehensive, long -term planning. The.Council's processes for decision - making about how the region will develop will emphasize cooperation. The Council will establish urban service area boundaries for 2005 and 2010 working in partnership with local communities. This extension of the planning horizon will allow local communities to stage development beyond the current year -2000 urban service area boundary with confidence about the timing of regional services expansion. The Council, in turn, will use local comprehensive plans to assist with its plans to stage the provision of regional services cost - effectively. The Council's role is to: • Guide development into areas that have regional and local services available and promote new development to occur adjacent to existing development. • Establish comprehensive land use guidelines that address: Sharing and restructuring of government services. – Coordinating development with infrastructure investments. Diversity of housing prices, types and locations. – Incorporating planning for environmental preservation into the development Process. ' job creation and economic development. Impacts of development on services (police, fire, local roads, schools). –'. The interrelationship of jobs, housing and transportation. Agricultural land preservation and rural area density standards. • Mahe more efficient use of local and regional infrastructure by working with local governments and the private sector to selectively increase the density of development —for example, intensifying development along certain transportation corridors or filling in vacant land parcels. i The Council will ensure that regional services and facilities under` its juris- p diction are provided 'cost - effectively 'to support development and revital -.; 1 OLICY S . ization in the region. The Council_,will work with the providers of other �.. important infrastructure to make sure the region has the facilities it needs to - fi grow and develop."'-,.' evelop." :r.. I A plan for action The Urban Service Area REGIONAL SERVICES WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE AREA Action Step 5A The Council will provide regional services for urban -scale development only within the urban service area, including the freestanding growth centers, consistent with local comprehensive plans mid metropolitan system plans. The Council will ►vorh with local units of government to establish the location mtd staging of the metropolitan urbmi service area. Council actions: 1. Ensure there is sufficient developable land in all sectors of the urban service area to: • Meet regional demand for economic development. • Establish land for life -cycle and affordable housing opportunities. • Reserve reasonable amounts of land for commercial - industrial development. • Prevent an artificial increase of land prices. • Discourage leapfrog urban development into the rural service area or adjacent counties. 2. Develop models indicating how local governments can meet the staging requirements in the Land Planning Act in ways that are consistent with regional goals and plans. 3. Seek changes to the Metropolitan Land Planning Act to ensure that local governments periodically update their comprehensive plans to reflect changes to metropolitan system plans that affect their community, changes in demographics and socioeconomic changes (see Appendix B, page 74). Partnership actions: 4. Plan and implement strategies to deal with unplanned development that leapfrogs beyond the seven - county area, in cooperation with representatives of adjacent counties, Minnesota and Wisconsin state agencies and regional development commissions. 5. Work with the Environmental Quality Board to coordinate sustainable development and statewide comprehensive planning initiatives with regional policies and plans. The reasons for the urban service area are still valid today. The urban service area helps ensure that urban services are provided in the most economical way to the region. It is more cost - efficient to provide regional services to development that expands incrementally from existing development. Also, focusing development in an urban service area and reserving land for staged future urbanization protects agricultural lands and preserves the option of a rural lifestyle. While growth continues in suburban areas, the Council and local government must work to ensure the continued stability and maintenance of the older areas of the region. The region has a diverse mix of different kinds of residential development— ranging from apartment buildings and townhouses to rural homes on sizable acreages, from suburban and central city houses to semirural homes on large lots. This diversity offers the region's residents a wide range of lifestyles and settings. However, not all REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 i of these choices are amenable to providing urban services cost - effectively. The urban service area is a mechanism for making this distinction. Most of the urban service area consists of one large, urban - suburban area in the central portion of the region. A number of cities lie outside this area but are also considered a part of the urban service area. These freestanding growth centers have a full range of services and thus are able to accommodate a full range of urban land uses. However, they are physically separated from the larger urban service area by undeveloped land; and they have an employment base within the community that is large enough to provide work for the local population. The Council has identified seven communities as freestanding growth centers: Forest Lake, Stillwater - Bayport -Oak Park Heights, Hastings, Farmington, Jordan, Belle Plaine, and Waconia. They are locations where development and redevelopment is encouraged and are the focus for growth in the rural area. The Council is committed to providing regional services to these cities under the same conditions as cities in the larger portion of the urban service area. i For development or uses in an unincorporated area that requires or desires urban services such as wastewater treatment, orderly annexation to adjacent communities —rural centers, freestanding growth centers or urban service area communities —is preferred in order to provide those services. j A plan for action To be a freestanding growth center, a city must: Freestanding • Be physically separated from the metropolitan urban service area by Growth Center undeveloped, unserviced land. Criteria • Have a basic set of urban services including sewer and water, full -time police and fire protection. • Have schools from elementary through high school. • Be an economic center and provide a basic level of employment and retail. URBAN SERVICE AREA BOUNDARIES Action Step 5B The Council will retain the current urban service area boundary for the year 2000, making appropriate changes after verifying land demand and supply with local governments along the boundary line. Council actions: 1. Review the adequacy of the year 2000 urban service area boundary with communities along the boundary by the end of 1996. 2. Establish comprehensive plan amendments or formal agreements where appropriate and needed with local jurisdictions for changes to the urban service area boundary, including freestanding growth centers, to: • Integrate regional and local plans for highways, parks, schools, local sewers and other investments. • Ensure housing is available in a variety of types and prices for current and future residents of the community. • Preserve environmental resources. • Maintain agricultural land and support the Council's rural area policy. 3. Use local geographic information system (GIS) databases where available and consistent with regional guidelines in reviewing local comprehensive plans and proposed urban service area changes. The Council will improve its own GIS capability to further this process. In the interim, the Council will continue to verify land use with communities using its current process but with updated data. Each time the Council expands the metropolitan urban service area, it makes a commitment to provide regional services to that area. In addition, the local government makes a commitment to provide local services to that area. To minimize public expenditures for these services and to ensure orderly and economic development of the region, the addition of new land to the urban service area should be timed and staged in an orderly manner. The criteria the Council will use to consider requested changes to a local urban service area boundary are contained in Appendix C, page 76. When a local government requests a change in staging in its comprehensive plan, by either adding more land to its urban service area or changing the urban service area boundaries, the Council will use the following guidelines to ensure that orderly and contiguous development occurs: a.The Council will support local comprehensive planning that carefully stages development. When a local government submits a request for a change to its urban REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 ' 50� service area it must analyze hov: that change will affect regional forecasts, system plans and operations. Because this analysis is most effectively accomplished when changes are considered in aggregate, the Council prefers that a local government limit its requests for such changes to one per year rather than seeking piecemeal amendments. b. Based on the currently established year 2000 urban service area boundary the extension of wastewater treatment service will be limited to those communities already receiving some service. The Council will reevaluate the need to add a new community to the urban service area as it works with local communities to establish the location and staging of the metropolitan urban service areas for 2005 and 2010. c. Expansions of a local urban sen-ice area will be allowed only where appropriate and sufficient regional wastewater treatment and transportation capacity exists or is planned to coincide with the requested expansion. Redevelopment potential within each sector will also be considered when re ,,dewing expansion requests. d. Amendments to a local government's comprehensive plan will be the usual method of reflecting agreements between the Council and the local government for the'provision of regional urban services or urban service area boundary changes. However, in some cases, because of unusual circumstances or issues, it may be more appropriate for the Council and the local government to develop a special agreement or compact outlining their respective roles, responsibilities and commitments regarding a service or urban service area boundary expansion. For example, special agreements have been developed with the cities of Eden Prairie and Shakopee. Agreements/compacts will be tied to performance through local comprehensive plans. The Council will review progress toward implementation of the agreement in future decisions involving the community. i Action Step 5C The ,Council will woriz with local connnnities through the comprehensive planning process to designate Wrens for longer teen j uture urbanization by establishing 2005 and 2010 Urban sel -vice area boundaries. i Council actions: 1. Establish urban service areas boundaries for 2005 and 2010 (and for 2020 if desired by local communities) that are consistent with regional policies, regional growth forecasts, local needs and plans, and aggregate land demand and supply within regional sectors and appropriate clusters of communities. The boundaries established should fit capabilities for existing and planned regional service systems, and should be set in consultation with local communities. Of the eight regional sectors, the following four have general priority and are listed in order (1) Northwest Minneapolis, (2) North Minneapolis, (3) Southwest Minneapolis and (4) South St. Paul (see map, right). For regional systems planning, when no geographic staging is set liar the 2010 -2020 period, estimates of 2010 -2020 urban land demand using regional long range Forecasts %\-ill be used. A plan for action i I r�_ 2. Explore designating long -term urban reserve lands for potential inclusion within the urban service area over the next 50 years. Work with local communities to establish.a hierarchy of criteria that could be applied to select and preserve land currently outside the urban service area as most appropriate for future urban development. Urban reserve lands could be incorporated into the next revision of the Regional Blueprint. 3. Share, review, and update the Council's land use information to improve its quality. Monitor and regularly publish data on vacant developable urban land supplies in the region. Evaluate the potential of using county GIS systems as the source of regional land use information. Partnership actions: 4. Establish a working group made up of representatives of local communities, builders, developers, planners, environmental interest groups, and academic community to help the Council evaluate and propose improvements to the urban land supply and availability methodology /process, including land use data specifications/definitions for the regional GIS. Also, the Council will work with representatives from local communities in the older, developed portion of the region to establish a process/methodology to determine land available for "reuse, redevelopment and infill." After review and comment by all communities a revised methodology /process will be incorporated into the handbook (Appendix F, page 79). 5. Annually monitor land use consumption, wastewater treatment system use and traffic counts and assess at least every 3 -5 years the need for services and urban service area changes/expansions. Reexamine the boundaries of the urban service area each time the Council adopts new forecasts of population, households and employment. The Council's preliminary land supply estimates for 1990 and projected land demand from 1990 to 2020 show for the region as a whole and for the quadrants and sectors that sufficient serviced land currently exists to meet needs through 2005 in the metropolitan urban service area. The year -2000 urban service area boundary factors in an additional five -year supply of land to avoid undue increases in land prices, provide greater choice in development locations, and accommodate unexpected growth. These estimates of land supply are based on the assumption that the region will continue to develop according to today's trends in density and general geographic patterns. The Council does not expect that development will occur evenly across the region. The Council needs to better ensure that developing communities have adequate land for new development and also to better recognize the potential for redevelopment and reinvestment. The Rural Service Area Action Step 5D The Council will support three land use types outside the metropolitan urban service area: commercial agriculture, rural centers and general rural use. The rural service area includes the commercial agricultural area, rural centers and the general rural use area. The commercial agricultural area includes "agricultural preserve" land under the Metropolitan Agricultural Preserves Act that is certified by the local government as eligible for the agricultural preserves program. REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 51 The general rural use area is land outside the urban service area that has a wide variety of land uses, including farms, provide for low - density residential development and facilities that mainly serve urban residents, such as regional parks. "Low- density residential development" is defined as a maximum density of one unit per 10 acres computed on the basis of 640 acre parcels (one square mile). Regional facilities and services should not be extended into this area to serve high- density development like that found in the urban service area. Council actions: 1. The Council will support agriculture as the primary long -term land use in the rural service area. The Council will use the priorities below in protecting those prime agriculture lands most capable of supporting long -tern agriculture production. The Council will not support extensive development in the rural service area. However, the Council will support low- density residential development at densities of no more than one unit per 10 acres, with a maximum of 64 units per 640 acre parcel (one square mile). Appropriate rural land uses must meet all environmental quality standards, not require urban -level support services, and be of a scale to serve local market demands. The Council will use the following ranking in decisions affecting prime agricultural land: 1. Land covenanted in agriculture preserves will receive primary protection. Urban facilities should be prohibited in this area unless there is strong documentation that no other locations in the Metropolitan Area can adequately meet the siting and selection criteria. 2. Land certified but not presently in agricultural preserves will receive a level of protection secondary to agricultural preserves. Urban facilities should not be located in this area unless there is strong evidence that a proposed urban use cannot be located in the general rural use area. 3. Land with Class I, II, III and irrigated Class IV soils will receive a third level of protection. 2. Seek ways to better implement the Council's rural area density policies. The Council will not extend metropolitan systems to serve urban - density residential development in the rural area. Where a local government has allowed urban - density residential development, it should address service issues in its comprehensive plan. The Council will support urban - generated uses in the rural area provided that they are consistent with local and regional plans. i 1 A plan for action {a i It also includes the long term agricultural land that is categorized as Class I, II, III or The rural service area irrigated Class IV land according to the Capability Classification Systems of the Soil Conservation Service and the county soil survey. In a prime farmland area, the includes the: Council will support a density of one housing unit per 40 acres. • commercial agricultural area • rural centers The rural centers are 34 small cities that used to serve primarily as retail and •general rural use area transportation centers for surrounding agricultural areas, but are now home to many residents who work in the urban area and many industries with few ties to agriculture. Examples include Young America, New Market and St. Francis. These cities should pace development with their ability to provide their own urban services, but without regional facilities. The general rural use area is land outside the urban service area that has a wide variety of land uses, including farms, provide for low - density residential development and facilities that mainly serve urban residents, such as regional parks. "Low- density residential development" is defined as a maximum density of one unit per 10 acres computed on the basis of 640 acre parcels (one square mile). Regional facilities and services should not be extended into this area to serve high- density development like that found in the urban service area. Council actions: 1. The Council will support agriculture as the primary long -term land use in the rural service area. The Council will use the priorities below in protecting those prime agriculture lands most capable of supporting long -tern agriculture production. The Council will not support extensive development in the rural service area. However, the Council will support low- density residential development at densities of no more than one unit per 10 acres, with a maximum of 64 units per 640 acre parcel (one square mile). Appropriate rural land uses must meet all environmental quality standards, not require urban -level support services, and be of a scale to serve local market demands. The Council will use the following ranking in decisions affecting prime agricultural land: 1. Land covenanted in agriculture preserves will receive primary protection. Urban facilities should be prohibited in this area unless there is strong documentation that no other locations in the Metropolitan Area can adequately meet the siting and selection criteria. 2. Land certified but not presently in agricultural preserves will receive a level of protection secondary to agricultural preserves. Urban facilities should not be located in this area unless there is strong evidence that a proposed urban use cannot be located in the general rural use area. 3. Land with Class I, II, III and irrigated Class IV soils will receive a third level of protection. 2. Seek ways to better implement the Council's rural area density policies. The Council will not extend metropolitan systems to serve urban - density residential development in the rural area. Where a local government has allowed urban - density residential development, it should address service issues in its comprehensive plan. The Council will support urban - generated uses in the rural area provided that they are consistent with local and regional plans. i 1 A plan for action {a i 3. Support rural centers' plans to accommodate additional growth provided they are consistent with the centers' ability to finance and administer services and are consistent with Council policies and forecasts. The Council supports rural center service improvements but not at regional expense or at the expense of neighboring communities. 4. Revise regional wastewater treatment and transportation policy plans to recognize that cumulative negative impacts of small -scale development may have a substantial impact on or constitute a substantial departure from these plans. Partnership actions: 5. Develop guidelines consistent with the 64/640 principle for siting low - density residential development in the rural service area working with the counties, local communities, University of Minnesota Extension, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Environmental Quality Board among others. (Exceptions to these guidelines are to be addressed in the handbook for comprehensive planning and other referrals.) 6. Develop guidelines and informational materials for agricultural preservation working with the counties, communities, University of Minnesota Extension, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Environmental Quality Board among others. Commercial ■ One of the region's prime natural resources is its productive agricultural soils. The Agricultural Area current Metropolitan Agricultural Preserves program emphasizes protecting lands that are planned and zoned for long -term agriculture use and enrolled under an eight -year covenant with the land owner. Productivity of the soils should be a consideration in the Council's protection of farmland. A common misconception is that agriculture and other rural land uses are only temporary, waiting for the land to be developed. Most of the rural area will not be needed for urban development in the foreseeable future. Agriculture and rural land uses are legitimate and permanent land uses in these areas. Many facilities exist in the rural area that serve the urban or entire metropolitan area public. These facilities include campgrounds, regional parks, solid waste management facilities, gun clubs, festivals, mining sites and similar facilities. These facilities should be provided with adequate public services, consistent with local and regional plans, and to the extent possible, should not interfere with agricultural activities. Rural Centers ■ These historically served as trade centers for the surrounding rural area. However, with changes in agriculture and rapid urban expansion, many have become residential areas for people who'work in urban and suburban cities, and locations for industries with little tie to local agriculture (see map of rural centers). While some rural centers have metropolitan transportation and sewer service, the Council does not support the extension of regional systems to rural centers because of the distance from the urban center and the small populations of rural centers. Rural centers can accommodate some additional development, provided that they can locally finance and administer services, including sewer, roads, water and stormwater drainage, and as long as the development is consistent with their comprehensive plan and the Council's urban and rural area policies and forecasts. If additional land is needed to accommodate growth, rural centers should extend services in a staged, contiguous manner. Residential, commercial and industrial development at urban densities should be accommodated only in rural centers with REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 central sanitary sewers that are meeting state and federal water quality standards. Larger projects should be located in freestanding growth centers that have a full range of services.,_ Rural Centers in the Metropolitan Area Bethel St. Francis ANOKA i Dayton i l Centerville Marine I Rogers Hugo Rockford HENNEPIN Loretto WASHINGTON Medina Maple Plain p RAMSEY Lakeland Watertown Minneapolis Lake Elmo Lakeland I New St. Bonifaciusa St. Paul Shores Germany Afton St. Croix Beach - Mayer St. Mary's Point young America CARVER Norwood Coates Cologne —Carver — Alk Hamburg SCOTT I DAKOTA - Vermillion T New Market Hampton - - Elko New Trier Miegvllle Randolph i General Rural Use Area ■ To preserve the rural character of the area and minimize the demand for local services, development should occur at very low densities and should minimize conflicts with those who depend on agriculture for all or part of their livelihood. } People then can still enjoy a rural lifestyle, with a home "in the country" near nature and away from urban life. Residential subdivisions, mobile home parks and clusters of moderate - density residential development exist in the rural area. While urban -type senrices may be expected in these areas, their locations make these services difficult or costly to provide. A substantial amount of development in the rural service area can lead to premature and costly demands to extend regional services like sewers and expand facilities like highways, and does not take advantage of regional investments that have been made in the urban service area. Local governments can maintain low densities in several ways. The Council encourages grouping residential units in ways that keep a substantial amount of the parcel in open land. This practice can help preserve natural features like wetlands, lakes, and wildlife areas or help avoid soils or topography that are not suitable for housing units with on -site sewage disposal systems. The Council also encourages local governments to use performance standards (for example, suitability of soils for an on -site system) to determine appropriate lot sizes for rural areas, rather than to rely on, a uniform minimum lot size. A plan joy action Land Use and Transportation 1 Action Step SE The Council will plan for higher - density development along selected transportation corridors where major transit capital investments are made, or at major transit transfer points (transit hubs and park- and -ride lots), and guide a portion of the region's future growth to such corridors and locations. Some of the region's growth Council actions: should be guided along 1. 'Combine regional transportation improvements with land use strategies to transportation corridors to encourage more direct links among housing, jobs and transportation and to reduce support development that is heavy dependence upon the automobile. oriented to transit, bicycle use and pedestrians. 2. Give priority in the allocation of state and federal transportation funds to areas where cities have development plans, land use controls, targeted higher densities for transportation corridors, and local development support to complement and use regional transportation investments to increase transit use and mixed use development. 3. Research successful development models and planning concepts that support transit and make them available to communities planning development to encourage transit use. 4. Assist communities to set overall target densities for their communities and higher densities in designated transportation corridors. 5. Develop pricing methods for the transportation system that would encourage use of transit facilities, where available, and address the transportation demand on the metropolitan highway system (example: parking fees, "congestion" pricing). Partnership actions: 6. Lead partnership efforts with local communities to implement higher - density development along specific transportation corridors by: • integrating local activities in engineering and design plans from the beginning of transit project development. • identifying underutilized lands and other opportunities for increased - density development and redevelopment along transportation corridors. • ensuring adoption of land use policies, urban design practices and zoning controls to support transit- and pedestrian- oriented development, including higher density and mixed -use development. 7. Initiate discussions with areas adjacent to the seven - county area to explore transportation, land use and development issues of mutual concern. Aportion of the region's future growth should be guided along transportation corridors to support development that is transit- and bicycle/pedestrian- oriented. In the older, developed portions of the region, such an approach would support not only neighborhood revitalization efforts but also strengthen commercial and employment centers. In all areas, including the fast - growing suburbs, a transportation/land use strategy would, over time, provide a number of significant benefits, including: • Less consumption of land. • Reduced traffic generation. REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 400 ® Less need for and less costly urban services. • Higher - density development along transportation corridors. • Less air pollution. • Reduced energy consumption. 0 More human -scale urban and suburban living environments. The Council has identified a number of transportation corridors where major transit capital investments, in the form of light rail transit lines or high- occupancy vehicle lanes, will be made. To maximize development and redevelopment opportunities along these corridors, local units of government must be involved in efforts such as developing specific improvement plans (including the necessary regulatory and zoning changes), assembling or acquiring sites, removing substandard or underutilized structures, cleaning up polluted sites, and providing financial incentives. In addition, the Council has identified other key transit capital investments such as transit, hubs, intermodal facilities (which transfer freight from one form of transprtation to another), and park- and -ride lots. These facilities can also become a focus for local development/redevelopment efforts. Transportation routes have stimulated the growth and development of areas just outside the region. Development and transportation issues involving the Twin Cities region'and adjacent areas should be jointly discussed and analyzed, and potential solutions recommended. 4 Expanding Housing Opportunities in the Region Action Step SF The Council will work with local communities in a partnership to meet the range of housing needs of people at various life -cycle stages; broaden locational choice and access throughout the region for people of all income levels; and support use of public funds to help achieve these goals. Council actions: t 1. Give priority for regional infrastructure investments or expenditure of public dollars to communities that have implemented plans to provide their share of the region's low- and moderate - income and life -cycle housing opportunities. Work with local government to develop measures of progress toward meeting housing goals, whether achieved individually by communities or through participating with other communities in a multicommunity cluster. A plan for action 2. Establish criteria for reviewing housing elements of local comprehensive plans. By December 1994, working with local governments and municipalities, develop goals for life -cycle and affordable housing by municipality and/or cluster. The Council will continue to review the housing and implementation elements of local comprehensive plans, provide local governments with technical assistance and information on housing finance mechanisms, and actively monitor and evaluate progress in the provision of affordable and life -cycle housing in the region. Information needed to develop affordability goals includes: • Housing profiles for individual communities. • Index to compare local housing market with region and subregion. • Identification of barriers to housing production or rehabilitation . 3. Six months after establishing criteria for reviewing housing elements of comprehensive plans (Action Item 2, above), take into account the progress made by cities toward life -cycle and affordable housing goals when making discretionary funding decisions, and reviewing comprehensive plans and amendments. In 1997, evaluate results in achieving expanded life -cycle and affordable housing, and determine whether to pursue additional legislative authority in order to increase life - cycle and affordable housing. 4. By December 1995, establish density standards on a community basis, or in clusters of communities (subregional areas) that have cooperative agreements to address housing needs jointly. The goal of these standards is to increase density along selected transportation corridors and to address long -term objectives regarding development of life -cycle housing, affordable housing, and redevelopment plans. • Calculate densities on the basis of net developable land, recognizing historical trends, unique circumstances and needs of each individual community or cluster of communities. • Work with local governments and developers to develop and implement models of transit- oriented, pedestrian friendly development that are appropriate or adaptable to various urban or suburban locations. 5. Monitor and evaluate progress in expanding life -cycle and affordable housing in the region, and publicize findings: • Work with local governments to measure housing performance through a biannual reporting of local housing conditions and progress during reporting period— number, type and cost of housing units built or rehabilitated/converted, zoning standards in effect and proposed changes, other pertinent information. • Provide technical assistance to increase affordable housing opportunities throughout the region. Partnership actions: 6. Support use of public funds for development and rehabilitation of owner - occupied and rental housing to achieve housing and density standards, including: • Work to create a metropolitan enterprise fund which could be used for a wide range of revitalization activities, including housing rehabilitation in distressed areas and increased owner - occupied housing (see Action Step 2B, page 24). REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 • Support legislation to target federal and state - financed or - authorized home ownership and housing rehabilitation programs and federal tax credits to implement regional housing goals. • Examine state property tax laws to determine how to remove disincentives that discourage improvements to rental properties without imposing undue additional burdens on homesteaded and commercial - industrial properties. 7. Work with local governments singly or in clusters to revise the comprehensive plans of each community within the urban service area to plan for a diversity of housing types and costs that meets residents needs at all stages in their lives. 8. Work with the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to target new public dollars for rental housing production and rent assistance for low- and moderate - income households to areas that do not have concentrations of poverty but do have transit service and employment opportunities. 9. Work with the Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul and other local governments in the region to implement the provision of replacement housing pursuant to the requirements of 1994 legislation (Minn. Stat. 504.33), which allows replacement outside Minneapolis and St. Paul; and assist with the preparation of annual housing impact reports, as required. nder the Metropolitan Land Planning Act, the Council reviews and comments on housing elements of local comprehensive plans, but cannot require changes in those housing elements. Local governments are responsible for providing opportunities for affordable housing in their land use ordinances. The Land Planning Act requires each local government in the metropolitan area to adopt a land use plan which includes a housing element containing: t ...standards, plans and programs for providing adequate housing opportunities to I meet existing and projected local and regional housing needs, including but not y limited to the use of official controls and land use planning to promote the availability of land for the development of low and moderate income housing. The Land Planning Act also requires local governments to adopt implementation programs to carry out comprehensive plans and ensure conformance with metropolitan system plans. The local implementation programs must contain a housing implementation program which includes: ...official controls to implement the housing element of the land use plan, which will provide sufficient existing and new housing to meet the local unit's share of the metropolitan area need for low- and moderate - income housing. Changing land use ordinances in itself will not result in more affordable housing. The federal housing program dollars available in the 1970s no longer exist. The result is complicated financing for rental housing that often requires coordination of multiple funding sources. Local governments often need assistance with the technical tools and financing mechanisms to operate in this environment and succeed in providing affordable housing. The housing market is quite complex, involving actions of local government through their land use authority and zoning controls; other governmental units, such as; county HRAs that finance and build housing; and developers who respond A plan for action r Housing Units Needing Repair. Minneapolis & St. Paul 25,700 Older Suburbs (12 cities) 11,500 Developing suburbs (21) 3,300 Rural towns (27) 600 to perceived market trends and local zoning in locating housing, and must work within constraints of land and construction costs, financing and lenders' requirements. State and federal tax policy, and federal monetary policy affecting capital markets are additional influences. The housing market functions in many ways as a single entity, with actions in one part of the region affecting housing markets in another part of the region. Adding to the housing system's complexity is the private ownership of most of the region's housing. While this complex housing "engine" provides good shelter for the majority bf people in the region, the housing market has some unintended and undesirable consequences. In some communities, young people who grew up there and want to remain when they move from their parents' home cannot find affordable housing. Similarly, lower -wage workers may have limited options for living in the city where they grew up or work. Older people who want to move to a townhouse, condominium or apartment in their later years may not find suitable housing in the community where they have strong personal or family attachments. Another consequence in the Twin Cities region, and in other large U.S. cities, is a concentration of the oldest, most affordable housing —and therefore its poorest residents —in the region's core. Despite major gains in areawide housing distribution in the 1970s, 58 percent of the subsidized housing is located in the region's core. Residents of the core often miss out on opportunities other people have access to, such as new suburban employment opportunities. 1992 Council survey of 117 cities Aging housing stock presents a concern for the region as well. Over three - quarters of the housing in Minneapolis and St. Paul is 50 years old or older. A quarter of the housing in the older, developed suburbs is already over 30 years old, the age when more substantial investments are needed for maintenance, such as lead -paint , removal, replacement of roofs, and improved insulation. Adequate investment in maintenance and rehabilitation, or clearance and replacement are needed to preserve the tax base of communities and personal home equity. "Cluster" Planning Action Step SG The Council will promote a flexible, "cluster" planning process whereby local communities and other governmental entities can work 1 ogether to resolve issues of regional concern in ways that are tailored to the needs and concerns of those involved. • Elm Creek Watershed and I -94 corridor in northwestern Hennepin County (may include adjacent metro and nonmetro counties). REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 59 Cluster planning is an approach proposed by the Council to bring communities together to work jointly on issues of common concern, like sewers, pollution clean -up or affordable housing. A cluster of communities might be located within the same transportation corridor, or share a common natural resource, watershed or Cluster planning brings river corridor location. The communities could be part of the same housing market area or face similar problems —for example, environmental remediation or together communities to work redevelopment projects. The issues can even link parts of the urban area with those on the same issue, like sewers, in the rural area or adjacent parts of Minnesota or Wisconsin. pollution clean -up or affordable housing. Council actions: 1. Provide increased planning assistance to local governments and clusters of communities to help them achieve regional goals. Examples of potential cluster areas include: • Elm Creek Watershed and I -94 corridor in northwestern Hennepin County (may include adjacent metro and nonmetro counties). REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 59 • General rural service area adjacent to the urban service area in northern Anoka County where there are concentrations of large lot rural development. • Reuse of contaminated sites in the central cities and suburbs (areas could be geographically-contiguous or detached). • Southeast part of the region (southern Washington County and eastern Dakota County) as a service area for metropolitan sewer /transportation facilities. • Areas of concentration of poverty affecting the overall social and economic vitality of the region. • Downtowns of the central cities (individually or jointly around a specific issue). 2. Revise and streamline guidelines for reviewing local comprehensive plan amendments, "metropolitan significance" rules, metropolitan system plans and other policy plans, including cluster planning approaches. Partnership actions: 3. Work with local governments to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness in local services through shared arrangements and service redesign. 4. Work with local governments and housing interest groups to foster the efficient development of housing that reflects the unique geographic, political and societal conditions of suburban communities. 5. Collaborate with adjacent counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin concerning land use, development and infrastructure issues. In addition to the counties and . other appropriate agencies, include the Minnesota - Wisconsin Boundary Area Commission, University of Minnesota Extension, regional development commissions and civic and business groups in the discussions. The Council's responsibility to coordinate and plan for the orderly and economic development of the region requires a partnership with local government and with regional, state, and federal agencies. The Council recognizes that the complex' issues facing the region require flexible, targeted and innovative approaches. The Council believes that "cluster" planning can encourage innovative solutions that are tailored to local area needs and resources while meeting regional objectives. f Cluster planning recognizes that there are significant diversity and differences throughout the region in terms of the nature and degree of problems and in the ability of the public and private sector to respond to issues of regional importance. Cluster planning allows for more performance -based implementation and gives local communities, in partnership with the Council, flexibility to determine the best way to, achieve regional objectives. In the past the Council used geographic policy areas to differentiate and prioritize needs among communities and areas in the region. The basic differentiation between urban and rural remains, but other policy areas have been eliminated. Cluster planning is intended to present a new flexible approach to link parts of the urban or rural areas based on shared needs, circumstances or interests. Proximity is not always necessary. For some regional services like highways, transit and sewers, physical location is important, but not for issues like pollution clean -up. Problems need to be framed and addressed at the level and locale that reflect how the region functions. Cluster planning needs a region -wide perspective and policy direction, but it is a way to tailor and target solutions to the "problem" and the actual area or areas affected. Cluster planning will also be used in the review of special- purpose facilities or programs proposed by public or private entities that are designed to serve the general public. MA plan for action The basic tool for implementing cluster planning at the regional and local level will be the local comprehensive planning process. Cluster planning will function through the - comprehensive planning process in two ways. • First, each local community should consider including an "intergovernmental coordination" element in its comprehensive plan. This element could be used by a community to establish how the community fits into its part of the seven - county region and/or beyond as well as how it fits into the region's social, economic and development fabric. As amendments to comprehensive plans are prepared by local governments, adjacent communities and other levels of government affected by those plans should compare those plans with their own plans and policies. Where differences occur or where mutual problems are identified, the affected units of government should attempt to negotiate a resolution of the problem. If the respective units of govemment cannot reach a negotiated resolution of the issue, the local units may request that the Council work with them to resolve the question. • The second way cluster planning will work allows for issues to be identified and addressed in a manner appropriate to the particular issue. Working with local government and other governmental units, the Council will identify cluster planning areas considering various factors including: — regional highway and transit corridors — regional seNver system treatment plants/interceptors and service areas — regional housing submarkets — regional transit service areas — employment concentrations and commuting patterns — environmental resources (major rivers, lakes, regional parks designated protection areas, watersheds) — shared service agreements — jurisdictional boundaries Regional investments will be guided by the objectives of the cluster planning areas as established in each metropolitan system and policy plan. In an effort to achieve consistency and compatibility across the various levels of government in the metropolitan area, the Council will compare local comprehensive plans (including any intergovernmental coordination element) with other comprehensive plans and with regional policies and plans. The Council may establish formal agreements or compacts with local jurisdictions to coordinate regional and local planning, so that highways, parks, schools, local sewers and other investments are made in a coordinated way. The region's role in providing urban services within a local community will be based on an evaluation of how well that community meets or is willing to help meet regional goals and policies. REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 61 Cluster Planning Process Step 1 Preliminary Definition of the Problem and the Geographic Area Involved What is the issue or problem that has a broader - than -local nature? What grouping of communities have a common interest in solving the problem or concern, or should be part of the solution? What group of communities, by reason of geography, patterns of association or land use characteristics, can be an effective area for implementation? What is the "area" of interest, considering how the region functions in terms of the problem? If it is a housing issue, what area or cluster of communities makes sense to begin a process of more in -depth problem definition and research? If it is a transportation issue, what transportation corridor or service area encompasses the relevant travel patterns and transportation networks? Step 2 Identification of Participants (Stakeholders /Diversity of Interests) • Who are the parties with a direct interest/stake /role in problem resolution (cities, townships, counties, school districts, special districts, regional or state agencies, nonprofit, civic or business organizations)? Step 3 Problem Definition and Scope of Inquiry Convene the interested parties and negotiate a focused statement of the issue or problem; also identify related issues or links and regional objectives to be addressed. These related issues may be included in the study but only if they are relevant to "solving" the problem and as they add to a comprehensive understanding of the situation such as regional fiscal and economic criteria. Checklist of potential regional objectives to be addressed: • r Guide development into areas that have regional and local services available and promote contiguous orderly development of the region. • Establish comprehensive land use strategies at the regional and local levels that address: coordination and integration of services housing diversity (price, type and location) job creation and economic development fiscal and service impacts (police, fire, local roads, schools) • Link regional transportation improvements to land use strategies. • Link regional sewer investments to land use strategies. • 'Ensure availability of developable land within all parts of the urban service area to meet regional demand. • Incorporate environmental planning and protection into the development process at the local, subregional and regional levels and use environmental features to guide development. • 'Support redevelopment and reinvestment in the older parts of the region. • Allow for unforeseen significant large -scale regional development proposals that help achieve regional goals and objectives. • Support increased density of new development in areas where it will result in better use of existing metropolitan facilities and/or system capacity. • Ensure an adequate potable water supply to meet expected short- and long -term 'development needs. (A definitive list of regional objectives and their implications will be developed as part of a handbook on local comprehensive planning and other referrals, to be prepared by the Council.) Step 4 Conduct the Study Negotiate ground rules, identify who does what and when, how the process and product are to be evaluated. Step 5 Develop the Strategy, Implement and Evaluate Summarize the analysistresearch, define findings and conclusions, establish a strategy for problem - solving. Determine who does what for implementation, evaluate the process and, after an appropriate period of time, the success and inadequacies of the implementation strategy. A plan for action Priorities for Regional Investments Action Step SH The Council ,vill give priority for fiords for regional systems to maintaining, upgrading aril replacing system facilities serving existing urban development to make the best use of ffivestrnents the region has already made. Council actions: 1. Determine the needs for maintenance, replacement and upgrading of infrastructure in the urban service area, especially in older areas. This examination would be part of the general examination of infrastructure needs in the region (see Action Step 1B, page 17). 2. Examine the combined infrastructure plans of the Council, regional agencies and the metropolitan highway plans of the Minnesota Department of Transportation to make sure they provide adequately for maintenance and replacement of facilities in the older parts of the region. 3. Ensure that plans for regional systems, especially sewers and transportation, carry out this priority. 4. Support increased state financing for transit and highway projects; give priority to projects that help reduce automobile dependency (throughout the urban service area), support concurrence with regional systems particularly wastewater treatment, and support regional objectives for redevelopment/reinvestment. The existing urban area represents an investment in regional facilities that should he maintained. The developing area, accounting for much of the region's new growth, should be provided with facilities to serve its needs. When regional funding is adequate, meeting the needs of both areas is not a problem; when funding is especially limited, the region must target decisions. A prudent policy is to build on existing investments and keep the facilities already serving urbanized areas in good condition. Investing to support new developments at the urban edge would have a secondary priority. For some regional systems such as sewers and highways, facilities in the already urbanized area provide the necessary links between the developing area and other parts of the region. REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 4M Regional Systems Aviation - International Airport eReliever airports JI CAR' EO 64 C �, HENNEPIN -i I Crystal --I o ANOKA - t Anoka Co. /Blaine WASHINGTON r Lake Elmo RAMSEY ineapolis national st. St. Paul Downtown Atew'major Airlaka irport I Sea h area DAKO o Q Parks . Existing regional parks /park reserves MProposed regional parks /park reserves Existing regional trails Proposed regional Irafla HENNEPIN r A 4 G � � IF 44 -CARVER to I 7;,LL� 7_ I= s A 7 i �WASHI RAMSEY, r _ St�. - - -- �� DAKOTA, � c _ A plan for action Special Facilities and Regionally Funded Programs Actions Step 5I The Council will review special - purpose facilities or programs proposed by public or private entities that are designed to serve the general public. The Council will evaluate a proposed special facility by its own initiative or in response to outside requests. The Council's review will focus on the purpose of and need for the facility, whom it will serve, where it works best, and Council development objectives. For special facilities or programs that propose financing with regional bonds or regional tax resources, the Council will review the financial elements for consistency with the Council's economic evaluation criteria and other fiscal policies. Council action: 1. Adopt procedures for reviewing special facility and regionally funded program proposals. Special facilities —the Minnesota Zoo or the Target Center, for example —are usually one -of -a -kind projects with a specific function or focus, like sports or recreation. They are often unique and meet a regional or even state -wide need. When such facilities are proposed, the Council's concern focuses on who should pay for such facilities and whether regional or state public subsidies are appropriate, based on how benefits of the facility are distributed. Regionally funded programs —such as a proposed use of regional financing or a redistribution of regional taxi base or tax revenues —are also a concern to the Council. They can have substantial financial impacts on taxpayers and on regional investment decisions. Fiscal Management of Regional Systems Action Step SJ The Council will ensure that regional investments are made in a fiscally sound manner and achieve their objective of providing needed services and facilities at minimum cost to taxpayers. Council actions: 1. Establish a process for: - Reporting information about the consolidated capital investments for current metropolitan systems or other regional -level capital facilities. - Comprehensive planning of capital investments by the Council and metropolitan agencies. - Evaluating the long -term fiscal impacts of capital investments and capital financing of all metropolitan agencies on taxpayers and users of regional facilities. 2. Manage the Council's long -term debt to maintain the ability of the Council to finance regional services and capital facilities, minimizing borrowing costs and the fiscal impact of regional debt service on taxpayers and regional system users. The total debt for regional facilities — including sewers and transit —is currently within reasonable bounds. The Council, which issues bonds for these facilities, has a triple -A (the highest) bond rating. Regional debt is a relatively small percentage of all local government debt in the metropolitan area and it has declined over the past several years compared to personal income or market values. Currently approved (1993) capital improvements and debt financing plans of the regional systems will cause the annual debt service costs to increase as a percent of REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 4M regional personal income over the next 10 years. These new debt service levels are not excessive in light of the region's ability to pay. This favorable debt situation means the Council does not have to adopt specific limits on regional debt. But the region faces decisions about major investments in new regional facilities —a possible new airport or expansion of the existing one, a light rail transit system, and upgrading of sewage treatment. These potential investments require that the, Council play an active role in the decision - making process. In addition, the economic and financial impacts of these decisions need to be well understood by the region. Projected Debt Service of Metropolitan Services as Percent of Personal Income Perc 0.25 ent of Personal Income 1 0.2 - - - - - - - 0.15_ _ `V ]5. 0.1 i 0.05 10 i 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 i ❑ Airports ® Wastewater U Transit 12 Other "Other" includes parks, sports facilities and solid waste grants Airports" excludes Northwest Airlines - related debt S i i r f A plan for action The Blueprint provides guidance to metropolitan systems... • Wastewater treatment • Transportation • Regional Open Space • Aviation ...and other regional plans Appendix Guidelines Affecting Regional Systems Directions for Regional Systems To achieve the Blueprint's outcomes, the Council will manage regional systems for transportation, wastewater treatment, aviation and parks through its policy plans. These policy plans guide the Council's decisions involving the four systems and provide guidance for the systems' operating agencies as well as the operating aspects of the Council in wastewater treatment and transportation. The Blueprint will be used to help interpret policies in the Council's system plans and its other regional plans. All of the Council's regional plans need to reflect the policies of the Blueprint. The Council will reexamine the role, scope and interrelationships of the various chapters of the Metropolitan Development Guide, of which the Blueprint is the keystone. Priority and order for their revision will be determined. The Blueprint replaces the geographic policy areas for the urban service area, identified in the Council's 1986 Metropolitan Development and Investment Framework, with a cluster planning approach. As a result, each metropolitan system plan will need to identify appropriate cluster areas for planning and implementation activities. As policy plans for metropolitan systems are updated, they should also address the following points: WASTEWATER TREATMENT Plan both treatment plant and interceptor capacity for timely and cost - effective provision of wastewater service to urbanizing areas as provided for in the Blueprint, balancing maintenance and upgrading of existing facilities with expansion into developing areas. Recognize that the cumulative impacts of small -scale development inconsistent with Council rural area policies may have a substantial negative impact on these plans or constitute a substantial departure from them. Continue to address the impacts on the metropolitan wastewater system from development outside the urban service area — specifically, impacts on the service availability charge (SAC) and the underuse of metropolitan sewer facilities. Strengthen the effort to address nonpoint- source pollution issues. Incorporate meeting the year -2015 regional goal of "no adverse impact" on water quality. REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 46b Set regional objectives for the wastewater treatment system consistent with the Regional Blueprint. Develop policies and priorities for wastewater system design and financing to promote the competitiveness of the region. Maintain standards for on -site sewage disposal systems in the rural area to protect the region's groundwater and the health of rural area residents, and to prevent the need for premature extensions of the regional wastewater system. Assess effectiveness of existing sewer policies concerning community on -site sewage disposal systems and package treatment plants in the rural area. Use the Council's policy to encourage clustering in the rural area and work with available technology; revise Council wastewater policy accordingly. Assess need for systematic monitoring of rural water supplies to detect pollution from on -site sewage disposal systems and revise Council sewer policy accordingly. General On -Site ■ Local management programs for on -site sewage disposal systems, except in the Wastewater commercial agricultural area, shall implement the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Standards standards for on -site sewage disposal systems (MN Rule 7080), or equivalent, supplemented by the Council's standards for density of development, location, two disposal drainfields (primary and replacement), installation, maintenance and on -going monitoring of on -site systems as compiled in the Council's Water Resources Management. Part 1, Wastewater Treatment and Handling Development Guide /Policy Plan and in this Blueprint In the commercial agricultural area, local management programs for on -site sewage disposal systems should implement standards in MN rules 7080. The Council will require all communities to certify that they have met these standards prior to approval of local comprehensive plan amendments or making favorable recommendations in project reviews. Minnesota 1994 Session Laws, Ch. 617, directs the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to adopt rules containing minimum standards and criteria for the design, location, installation, use,'and maintenance of individual sewage treatment systems. The Council will review these rules when promulgated and determine whether to continue to require that local management programs for on -site sewage disposal systems include the Council's standards in addition to those in the new rules. TRANSPORTATION Plan the metropolitan transportation system to provide and support effective connections and movement of goods to, from, and within the region and -state by the mode — highway, rail, water —most suitable to the particular function. Plan metropolitan highways in the rural area to support a level of development consistent with the Council's rural density policies. The Council will not plan for a level of service that would support or encourage development at greater densities than the policy provides for. Recognize that the cumulative impact of small -scale development inconsistent with Council rural area policies may have a substantial negative impact on the Council's transportation policy plan or constitute a substantial departure from the plan. Strengthen existing strategies for linking jobs, housing, and transit. A plan for action Set regional objectives for the transportation system consistent with the Regional Blueprint. Emphasize and promote transit services which preserve and enhance neighborhood stability and which reduce automobile dependence to improve air quality, with particular attention to the needs of the central cities. Develop pricing methods for the transportation system that would encourage use of transit facilities. Develop detailed land use guidelines for transit- supportive development along fixed -route transit corridors, and incorporate into alternatives for corridor analyses. Develop policies and priorities for transportation investments to promote economic renewal and competitiveness of the region. Allocate regional highway capacity in accordance with the planned expansion of the urban service area and the intensification of land uses at interchanges and transit hub areas. Take into account the cost of providing transit services to low- density areas and how that may change over time as transit- dependent populations increase in those areas. In highway and transit planning, consider the relationships among transportation needs, population densities and the provision of human services, including public schools, health and social services, employment opportunities and emergency services. Establish torridor priorities based on coordinated land use and transportation planning. REGIONAL OPEN SPACE D evelop investment policies and priorities for regional park capital improvements that maintain existing levels of service by replacing aging facilities and developing new parks/trails to meet demand as the population grows. This investment approach should attract and maintain economic growth by enhancing the quality of life of residents and newcomers. Set regional objectives for the open space system consistent with the Regional Blueprint. Develop strategies for improving the regional trail system to interconnect regional parks within the urban service area and link to the transportation system where appropriate. Develop strategies for preserving open space in the urban service area and in the rural service area. Develop regional park recreation facilities that attract large numbers of users generally in the urban service area, unless the demands cannot be adequately met. If it is necessary to develop such facilities in the rural service area, adequate support services such as roads and sewers must be provided. REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 44D L AVIATION Develop goals, policies, plans, and priorities for investments to promote economic renewal and competitiveness of the region in the international market. Develop strategies to resolve airport/community land -use compatibility issues around all airports in the regional system. Define and develop strategies to address concurrent major airport system development/investment needs and requirements with regional transportation (highway and transit) and regional wastewater treatment systems development/investment. Set regional objectives for the aviation system consistent with the Regional Blueprint. THE COUNCIL'S OTHER REGIONAL PLANS The Council's plans for housing, surface water management and water resources should reflect the policies of the Blueprint and metropolitan system plans. The Council also recognizes the numerous interrelationships among the system plans and its other regional plans. Examples include transportation and housing, and sewers and water resources. For some of the other systems, the relationships are less obvious. All of these plans have the following in common: a) assumptions about future directions of area -wide growth and change and reliance on a uniform set of forecasts; b) accountability to Council legislative mandates; c) concern with orderly and economic development; d) adherence to the same process of regional planning and decision - making; and e) reliance on the areas population for most of their financial support. 4 Investment and Financing Decisions for Regional Systems Metropolitan Council has developed a review process to guide its T;lhe decision- making for regional investments and development proposals submitted for its review. This process includes using a set of criteria for evaluating investments and,development proposals, as well as the methods of financing. These criteria will help the Council to determine whether its investment and financing decisions are carrying out the Regional Blueprint and to evaluate the economic and fiscal impacts of its decisions. INVESTMENT DECISION - MAKING PROCESS Process for regional ne way the Council carries out the Regional Blueprint is by deciding what investments: binvestments are made in facilities and services. For some of these investments, • Determine regional like those in wastewater treatment and transit, the Council plays a major role in needs determining whether projects are undertaken and how they will be financed. For • Determine others, the Council's role is one of strongly influencing projects to be funded by state benefits/costs and or federal agencies. The Council's housing and highway program plans fall into • Develop /evaluate this category. financing plans In either case, the Council must make choices among investments because regional needs exceed the resources available. The Council must decide what is needed most and how it should be funded. A plan for action i The Council will use the process described below to develop plans, determine priorities and select financing methods for regional investments. The Council will also use this process to review local development proposals submitted to it for review that request regional public subsidies. Not all steps will be needed in each review. For example, when the Council reviews a special project, such as a new stadium or racetrack, setting priorities may not be an issue, but the financing method may be an important consideration. In instances where the Council is involved in reviewing projects with considerable potential for stimulating economic development and affecting metropolitan system plans, an economic development review will be added to the review process. Determine regional needs based on this document and, where appropriate, on the policy plans/system plans for the metropolitan systems. The Blueprint discusses needs in a broad context while the system plans provide specific direction to individual agencies or target groups. Projects or programs developed by these agencies or groups must be consistent with regional needs as determined by the Council. Determine regional benefits and costs of individual investments, projects or programs to determine if they should be undertaken. The Council will consider alternatives for addressing regional needs. In addition, the Council will analyze what groups in the population and which geographic areas will benefit from the investment, project or program. Determine regional priorities based on the investment priorities in the earlier sections of this document as well as specific priorities included in the policy plans/system plans. The Council will also use criteria for determining "targeted areas" as a basis for making investment decisions. The Council will initially determine regional priorities without regard to the availability of external funding. Develop or evaluate financing plans following the ranking of proposed investments, projects or programs. The availability and methods of financing may influence the ranking of projects. Decisions on regional investments will be based primarily on identified regional needs and the benefits and costs of alternatives for meeting those needs. However, the method of financing and the region's "ability to pay" for investments, projects or programs may be a secondary factor. CRITERIA FOR ECONOMIC AND FISCAL EVALUATION The Council will use the following economic evaluation criteria and fiscal principles in the investment decision- making process, including the review of metropolitan agency investment and financial plans. Special projects and major economic development proposals will also be reviewed against these criteria/principles. Efficiency ■ Will financing methods, including the tax or fee structure, lead to better or more efficient use of regional investments or services? Will a policy, program or financing method create incentives for individuals, business firms or others to make decisions that support regional policies. Equity in service provision ■ Are programs distributed fairly in terms of availability, service level and quality? Have minimum service levels or quality standards been established? REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 Equity in payment for services ■ Payments through taxes or user fees should relate closely to services or benefits received, either directly or indirectly. Payments should consider externalities - costs/benefits to individuals or groups not directly receiving regional services. Generational equity ■ Payments for regional services should relate to benefits received on a generational basis. What is the timing of benefits and costs/payments and how do they correspond? Ability to pay ■ How do payments through taxes or user fees relate to the ability to pay of individuals or specific target groups? Do payments place a financial hardship on low- income individuals or families? External funds ■ Federal, state, local and private funding sources should be used to the maximum extent feasible to finance regional services and advance regional priorities. Regional priorities should be determined without regard to external funding availability. Regional debt ■ Where appropriate, the Council will make use of long -term debt to finance regional investments/facilities. The Council will monitor the use of long -term debt in relation to the region's fiscal resources. User charges ■ User charges should be used to the maximum extent feasible and should be related to benefits received. The general public may pay for services where the general public receives an indirect benefit, user fees are not feasible or user fees are inequitable for target populations. Broad -based taxes ■ Income taxes, general sales taxes and other broad -based taxes should be reserved for general public purposes rather than dedicated to selected, narrow service areas or functions. Funding flexibility ■ The Council encourages flexibility in the application of funding sources to regional solutions and discourages the dedication of funding to narrow purposes where the dedication would preclude other potential solutions to a regional need. Federal, state and ■ The Council encourages the distribution of federal, state and regional funding for regional funding regional projects based on a priority- setting and project- selection process reflecting distribution regional needs and priorities, and discourages funding distributions by formula. i Disparities in fiscal ■ The Council supports reductions in disparities in fiscal capacity and service capacity and service expenditures within the region. Disparities include differences in fiscal capacity, or expenditures the availability of resources to finance public services, and recognize thatux base is not distributed equitably throughout the region. It also recognizes disparities in service needs and public expenditures resulting from factors outside a governmental units control and encourages revenue - sharing through federal, state and regional programs that address these disparities in service needs and expenditures. Local/private ■ The Council will consider local/regional cost - sharing where it can demonstrate a cost - sharing net regional benefit and the project is consistent with Regional Blueprint priorities. The Council will consider the regional benefits, regional facility capacity needs and regional timing/staging requirements when negotiating the allocation of costs between parties. 4MA plan for action Regional/Local Cost - Sharing Agreements for Regional Systems T he implementation of cluster planning or special agreements/compacts may require sharing the costs of regional facilities. The Council will consider local/regional cost - sharing only at the request of a local government. Cost - sharing will typically arise in a situation where a local government seeks to change the capacity, timing, or staging of regional facilities to meet local needs. Upon the request of a local government, the Council must decide whether it is appropriate to enter into such an agreement based upon the following factors: Costs ■ Laying out the costs and timing of all projects, both regional and local. The Council will compare costs using a present value analysis when appropriate. It will also examine the cost burden and allocation of costs. Services ■ Specifying the services being provided, service levels, which communities are being served and what segments of the population within a community are being served. Consistency with ■ Evaluating how well the community is achieving regional policies and the regional policies consistency of the proposal with regional policies. The Council will evaluate the net benefit to the region, as well as analyze what the region would gain under such a proposal and what local government would gain. The Council will also use this information, as well as the information obtained through the cluster planning process, to establish the scope of the agreement. This scoping will include identifying the appropriate parties to the agreement, and the Cost- sharin g is usually an issues that need to be resolved as part of the agreement. issue when a community If the Council determines that there are net regional benefits and that the proposal is wants to change the capacity, appropriate from a regional perspective, then it will negotiate a resolution of the timing or staging of a regional issues with the interested parties and decide how the costs should be shared. The system. Council will evaluate both the project and the financing against its economic and fiscal evaluation criteria. In general, the Council would like to see both parties, the agency and the local government, better off with the cost - sharing agreement than without it and would like costs shared according to measured and/or perceived benefits. The Council's policy plans for metropolitan systems should include more specific criteria such as measures that ensure the integrity of the individual regional system and language that specifies regional ownership and control of the facility involved. As part of the agreement, additional formal steps may need to be followed. The local government may need to amend its comprehensive plan; the Council may need to amend the affected policy plan to include the project. The affected agency may need to amend its development program or capital improvement program and capital budget to include the project. REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 46b Proposed Land Planning Act Changes The planning process outlined by the Land Planning Act is still necessary today. Changing needs, however, dictate that the planning process should be strengthened to better conserve the natural resources of the region, strengthen the older areas of our cities, protect the quality of the environment, address housing concerns, and provide adequate public services at a reasonable cost while promoting beneficial economic development and renewal. Better communication among various units of government such as cities, school districts and watershed districts is needed to ensure consistent and coordinated development. Because the planning process needs to address a broader range of issues than originally intended (redevelopment, reinvestment and economic development, for example), the Council will pursue efforts to amend the "Metropolitan Land Planning Act" as the "Metropolitan Comprehensive Planning Act." This legislation will seek to update outdated portions of the existing law and strengthen the comprehensive planning process in the following manner: 1., The relationship between zoning and comprehensive planning The original intent of the Land Planning Act was to require that local governments use zoning and other official controls and fiscal devices to implement the policies of their comprehensive plans. The act, however, never included an effective method to ensure that local communities followed the intent of their comprehensive plans when adopting local official controls and fiscal devices. Clarifying the relationship between zoning and comprehensive planning will be an important first step in realizing the intent of the Land Planning Act. The Council will also explore other ways to hold local governments accountable for implementing their comprehensive plans. Such a system of accountability recognizes that local communities are key players in helping to implement regional policies. The ultimate objective in making local communities accountable will be to limiit the Council's involvement in the local decision - making process. I Following the adoption of the Regional Blueprint, the Council will revise and streamline the process for its review of local comprehensive plans to ensure greater flexibility. The details of the revised comprehensive planning review process will be included in a handbook for local comprehensive planning and other referrals, which will be developed by the Council. A more specific description of the handbook is included in Appendix F. 2. Periodic Updates In order to make the local plan a meaningful tool for development and redevelopment, plans should be up to date. Also for better coordination among local communities and the region, the Land Planning Act should be amended to ensure that communities amend their comprehensive plans to reflect applicable changes to metropolitan system policy plans. The timing of the updates will vary based on the needs of the community and the region. Local communities will be notified through the system statement process of the need to update their comprehensive plans. The act should also be amended so that school districts within the metropolitan area are periodically required to prepare capital improvement programs that are reviewed by local governments and the Council. The Council will establish a process for communities to examine the need for a complete update of their local comprehensive plans every 10 years after the Council revises its forecasts of population, households and employment. 4 A plan for action I Natural Resources Element The Land Planning Act should be amended to include a natural resources element addressing the protection and management of environmental features. In the element, local communities would identify all protected watercourses such as lakes, wetlands, rivers, streams, natural drainage courses and the critical adjoining land areas that affect them. They would also identify land use and other management strategies to ensure the preservation of these resources. The element can be used to incorporate land use and environmental considerations into local decisions about infrastructure investments. It would also provide a way to coordinate existing natural resource protection programs. Finally; the element would be used to explore ways in which the Council, acting in partnership with local communities and the state regulatory agencies, can develop a streamlined environmental permitting process. 4. Overall Update of the Land Planning Act The act should be updated to repeal obsolete references, to better reflect the ongoing comprehensive planning process and to make the process more "performance based." 5. Optional Planning Elements Recognizing the changing needs of the metropolitan area, the Council will also seek to amend the Land Planning Act to explicitly enable local communities to better plan for the future. These elements would not be mandatory. Local communities can include these elements at their discretion as their particular needs warrant. The Council will work with local communities to tailor these elements to help individual communities plan strategies to address issues confronting them in a timely fashion. The Council recommends additional elements for inclusion in local comprehensive plans. Coordination of the elements of the comprehensive plan is a major objective of the planning process. a. Intergovernmental Coordination Element This element would describe how the land use and urban service elements of a local unit's comprehensive plan relate to the part of the region where the community is located. The objective would be to ensure better coordination among various levels of government and to achieve goals promoting the regional general welfare. This element would also promote coordination -Mth other government jurisdictions. It would identify existing services and programs shared by one or more communities and identify principles and guidelines to be used in coordinating the adopted comprehensive plan with the comprehensive plans of adjacent municipalities, the county, adjacent counties, the region, and the state. In addition, this element could ensure consistent land use practices. For example, the management of land use to conserve and protect environmental values requires adjacent communities to use consistent land management programs — otherwise, the efforts of one community may be undone by an adjacent community's actions. Where appropriate, this element would lay out procedures to identify and implement joint planning areas, especially for the purpose of annexation and joint infrastructure service areas. This element would also state principles and guidelines to help coordinate local comprehensive plans with the plans of school boards and other governmental units providing facilities and services but not having regulatory authority over the use of land. Each local community, district school board and service provider in the local community could establish —by formal agreements executed by all affected entities REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 and in their respective plans —joint processes for collaborative planning and decision- making on public school siting, the location and extension of public facilities, analyzing the fiscal impacts of growth, and siting locally unwanted but necessary land uses. b. Economic Development Element This element would set forth principles and guidelines for commercial and industrial development, if any, and employment within a community. It could detail the type of commercial and industrial development sought, related to the present and projected employment needs of a cluster area and to other elements of the plan, and could set forth methods for pursuing a balanced and stable economic base. This element could also be used to ensure the availability of housing for the employees of new enterprises. c. Redevelopment and Redesign Element This element would be used by local communities, the region and the state to target various tools to address redevelopment and reinvestment. While some communities may not have an immediate need for redevelopment, all communities need to look ahead to how they will change over the next 20 years and whether they can meet the life -cycle needs of their residents. This element would consist of plans and programs for redeveloping specific sites in the community and for more general community redevelopment, including sites for housing, business and industry, public buildings, recreational facilities and other purposes. It could also address building maintenance code and enforcement. I If local communities include a redevelopment element, the Council will use it to identify regional system capacity constraints that need to be addressed and determine the priority to fund improvements to remedy the constraints. Technical Assistance Tl e Council will provide technical assistance to local communities in designing these elements and in preparing environmental land management, redevelopment and reinvestment, and economic development strategies to implement them and other regional goals. The Council will seek to expand the local assistance loan fund to help communities needing financial assistance for planning activities. Criteria for Changing I Increasing the Size of a Local Urban Service Area the Urban Service Area Boundary The Council will consider requests from local units for expansion to their urban service area. These requests will be considered together for their impact on the region as a whole, metropolitan systems, regional policy objectives and other units of government. Each request, submitted in the form of a comprehensive plan amendment, will be evaluated at both the local level and at a subregional level, as appropriate, and must satisfy the following criteria: Forecasts and Urban Land Demand. Is there demonstrated urban land need? The Council first reassesses land'supply and demand based on current Council forecasts and a comparison of figures provided by the local governmental unit. The Council analyzes the local community's request in terms of the urban land supply /demand in the pertinent regional data sector(s), cluster planning area (if applicable), the wastewater interceptor and treatment plant service area, and transportation corridor area to ensure a five -year overage. Land in a rural service area community will not be added to the urban service area for a net increase of A plan for action serviced land unless there is a shortage of land suitable for development in the urban service area communities within the pertinent data sector(s). 2. Transportation Facilities. Metropolitan transportation facilities and the local transportation system must be in place or planned for implementation to maintain an appropriate level of service concurrent with the development proposed in the request. Analysis of transportation system impacts will include those communities or areas that are within the same regional transportation (highway or transit) corridor(s) or service area(s). Adequate capacity in the regional highway system, as defined in the Council's transportation system plan, must be available to serve any new development. The local government must have an up -to -date local transportation plan. 3. Wastewater Service. Metropolitan wastewater service must be in place or planned for implementation concurrent with the development proposed in the request. Adequate capacity in the metropolitan wastewater system (treatment plant and interceptors), as defined in the Council's wastewater system plan, must be available to serve any new development. Analysis of wastewater service capacity will include those communities that are within the same service area of the wastewater interceptor or treatment plant. The local government must have an up -to -date local comprehensive sewer plan, including on -site wastewater management requirements. 4. Staging. As communities seek to provide urban services to areas which are not currently urbanized, the communities must specify in five -year urbanization areas, the timing and sequence of major local public facilities in the capital improvement program and also the official controls which will ensure that urbanization occurs only in designated urbanization areas and in accordance with the plan. 5. Rural Area Policy. Areas of the community not receiving urban services must be consistent with the Council's rural area policy for land uses and protection of prime agricultural land. 6. Local Assessment Practices. The local government must have assessment practices that limit creation of vested development rights, to avoid premature requirements for the provision of urban services. In addition, the request must also explain how the community has addressed and intends to address the following regional issues: 7. Housing. Local implementation of strategies and actions that: • indicate that the community is providing its share of the region's low- and moderate - income and life -cycle housing which includes a variety of housing types and prices for current and future residents; and • allow for building mixed -use or infill development and increasing the density of residential development (including along selected transportation corridors and at major transit transfer points). 8. Environmental Resources. Use of environmental factors to guide urban development. 9. Shared Services. Local plans for service cooperation or consolidation and cost savings as well as the governmental unit's place in the broader cluster planning context, including relationship to school districts. Land Trades That Change a Local Urban Service Area Boundary If a community cannot justify increasing the size of its urban service area and /or if the community seeks to otherwise change the configuration of its urban service area, the Council will consider land -trade proposals involving vacant, developable land adjacent to the REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 urban service area provided metropolitan systems and other governmental jurisdictions are not adversely affected. The Council will use two options to evaluate land trade proposals. • The proposals must involve equal amounts of vacant, developable land with similar land use types and intensities as well as similar urban service (transportation and sewers) characteristics; or • If the scale of land use and the intensity of potential development differ between the parcels, then proposed land trades must have similar urban service characteristics. Proposals will also be evaluated to determine their impact on the affected sectors five -year overage of land. Under either option, the Council will use the above criteria to evaluate the proposal, with the exception that the local community need not demonstrate regional urban land need. of Rural Area Land Uses IriExamples Even though a particular land use may be acceptable in the rural area from a regional perspective, the Council will not recommend that every community provide for every possible land use in its rural area if it would not be consistent with local plans. All uses would also be sbbject to local, regional or state permits or licenses. COMMERCIAL Agricultural: broad range of agricultural land uses, including horse boarding and training, AGRICULTURAL AREA kennels, sod farms, tree farms, fish production and processing, storage areas or buildings includes "agricultural preserve" land I under the Metropolitan Agricultural Residential: single - family residences, maximum density of 1/40 acres, accessory Preserves Act that is certified by the apartments local government as eligible for the agricultural preserves program. It ! Commercial /industrial: small on -farm operations normally associated with farming also includes the long term agricultural land that is categorized I Institutional: urban - generated facilities, such as waste disposal facilities; prohibited from as Class 1, 11, 111 or irrigated Class IV primary protection areas unless no other location available; prohibited from secondary land according to the Capability protection area unless no site in general rural use area available Classification System of the Soil Conservation Service and the county soil survey. f GENERAL RURAL USE Agricultural: all uses listed for commercial agricultural policy area AREA is land outside the urban Residential: Low - density residential development is defined as single - family residences at service area that has a wide variety a maximum density of 1/10 acres computed on the basis of 640 acre parcels (one square of land uses, including farms, low- mile), twin homes/duplexes (meeting density standard), accessory apartments, group - living density residential development and homes with shared cooking facilities facilities that mainly serve urban residents, such as regional parks. Commercial /Recreational and Urban - Generated Uses: urban- generated uses, Regional facilities and services including recreational vehicle parks, racetracks, festival sites, campgrounds, gun clubs, should not be extended into this private airports, solid waste facilities, auto salvage /recycling, other similar facilities, neighborhood convenience /service /retail uses, such as financial offices, video stores, area to serve high- density gasoline, groceries, daycare centers, commercial/service/retail uses adjacent to or served by development like that found in the existing metro highways, agricultural products processing, home occupations, bed and urban service area. breakfast lodging facilities, dentist and doctor offices, landing areas for ultralight and model airplanes, retreat facilities, golf courses .I Industrial: sand and gravel mining, urban- generated uses that require a spacious, isolated location, small manufacturing firms originating from home occupations, oil or gasoline storage tank farms, refineries, solid waste transfer /processing facilities I Institutional: urban - generated uses, such as waste - disposal installations, jails, prisons, public airports, human service agency satellite offices, parks trails, open space, other similar facilities, unique natural or conservation areas, schools, churches, cemeteries t A plan for action RURAL CENTERS are 34 Residential: urban- density housing development consistent with local plan and ability to small cities that used to serve primarily as retail and transportation provide and finance services including sewer, roads, water and stormwater drainage; new residential development in staged contiguous manner and larger centers for surrounding agricultural amounts within local central sanitary sewer service area meeting state and federal water quality standards; on -site areas, but are now home to many systems to meet installation and inspection standards residents who work in the urban area and many industries with few Commercial /16clustrial: commerciaVretail /services meeting the needs of the center and adjacent rural area; manufacturing and agricultural- related ties to agriculture. Examples include service operations including grain elevators, creameries; urban -scale development consistent with local plan and ability to Young America, New Market and St. provide and finance services including sewer, roads, water and stormwater drainage Francis. These cities should pace Institutional: urban uses such as schools, churches, human development according to their service agency offices, community/public buildings ability to provide their own services, without regional support. Population, Employment, and Household Forecasts The development expectations reflected in the Metropolitan Council's Blueprint are expressed as forecasts of population, households and employment for the metropolitan area, its seven counties and each of the 189 cities and townships within them. (See forecast tables in back pocket of Blueprint.)The 1990 Census provides the base year for the forecasts, although the most current data in residential construction and employment change are also considered. The forecast process relies on straightforward methods using an extensive and reliable data base. (This process is described in the Council's forecast publication, available from the Council's Data Center.) The process includes consideration of Council development policy and extensive local input. Although the forecasts provide reasonable expectations of future demographic and economic change for the region and the communities within it, long -range forecasts can never be done with certainty. As a result, the Council will regularly monitor its forecasts and make interim adjustments as appropriate. (A complete review and revision of the forecasts is done about every five years.) The adjustments are made for specific planning purposes such as sewer or highway facility design or requests for community plan amendments. The Council uses this flexible approach so that the reality of an uncertain future is addressed in a cost - effective and equitable way, consistent with regional policy and based on the best information available at the time. Handbook for Local Comprehensive Planning and Other Referrals The Council will revise its referrals process and the guidelines for reviewing local comprehensive plan amendments to reflect the direction of the Regional Blueprint. The Council will develop a handbook for local communities and others that explains how the comprehensive planning and referrals process works. The Council will introduce a performance -based process for the review of local plan amendments and other referrals. The performance -based review will be a flexible process which evaluates how well communities meet certain criteria. The Council will develop different criteria for the various review functions of the Council. Many of the criteria will actually include REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 two classes of review criteria. There will be several required criteria which all referrals will need to satisfy. For example, see Appendix C, "Criteria for Changing the Urban Service Area Boundary," page 76. The second class of review criteria will be variable criteria. The variable criteria will provide the flexibility to recognize the differences inherent in the region. Examples of variable criteria are included in the checklist of potential regional objectives contained in the cluster planning process discussion, page 62. Expansions of the urban service area as well as setting priorities for regional funding will be based on how well the referral item meets the criteria. This effort is not intended to restrict the quantity of development but rather focus on the quality of development and working together to meet regional objectives. The performance -based process is designed to reward, not penalize, communities for helping achieve regional objectives. Council Work Program As part of the Council's work program process, the Council will: • Develop and regularly monitor benchmarks to measure progress toward Blueprint goals. • Identify emerging issues and new challenges to the region to get out in front of them and forestall crises. • Use this information in developing its annual work program, making changes or eliminating of any Council actions that are not effective and re- directing Council efforts — policy= development, research, and/or technical assistance —to other priority issues. ANNUAL WORK PROGRAM UPDATES A Council work program will be prepared annually, beginning with the one prepared for calendar year 1995, to describe: • The Council's overall work effort and specific "action steps" arranged by the five Regional Blueprint strategies — regional economic strategy, regional reinvestment strategy, regional strategy for building strong communities, regional environmental strategy, and regional strategy for guiding growth; • Expected long -term outcomes of Council action; and • Staff division within the Council that has primary responsibility for the work. MONITORING THE REGION AND FOCUSING COUNCIL ACTION ■ Regional Outcomes The Blueprint describes the need for regional action in five major areas: 1 the regional economy, reinvestment in older parts of the region, building strong communities, ensuring the region's environmental quality, and guiding new regional growth. This section outlines examples of long -term outcomes or performance indicators for these policy areas. These indicators provide a way to measure the effectiveness of our efforts. The majority of these outcomes will require public and private action, and a level of regional collaboration that is new A plan for action The Council's intent is to monitor and to report the region's collective success, as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of the Council's own specific role in the effort. In most cases, the Council is not the appropriate agency to collect the primary data for performance indicators. Other public and private agencies collect the information. It should be understood that these indicators will be modified as appropriate to ensure reliability, validity, timeliness, relevance and representativeness. ■ Performance Indicators for the Regional Economy 1. The region's aggregate economic growth exceeds the U.S. average. 2. Public capital investments in regional infrastructure compare favorably with other regions in the U.S. 3. Public incentives for economic development result in net increases in jobs in the region; the proportion of new jobs in the region that pay above minimum wage exceeds the state and national averages. 4. The skill level of the region's labor force is nationally and internationally competitive. 5. The proportion of business leaders who perceive the region's business climate to be favorable increases --- compared to comparable regions in the U.S. ■ Performance Indicators for Regional Reinvestment 1. Cost barriers for reinvestment/redevelopment in older parts of the region are reduced from 1990 levels. 2. The number of contaminated sites in the region that are put back into productive commercial/industrial use is higher than the number of sites that are abandoned. 3. Identified at -risk areas in the region are "targeted" for innovative programs that link economic development with community development. 4. The local assistance and policy development/implementation roles of the Council are perceived to be positive (conducive) to local redevelopment efforts. 5. A higher proportion of public investment dollars are targeted to the region's distressed areas. 6. The regional trend of increasingly concentrated poverty is reversed. ■ Performance indicators for Building Strong Communities I. Redesign and redevelopment activities in the region increasingly reflect safe, pedestrian- and transit- oriented design. 2. The research and local assistance roles of the Council are perceived by local governments as helpful to neighborhoods facing decline — promoting renewed confidence in those neighborhoods as places to live, raise children and invest in a home or business. 3. Decreasing proportions of the region's children are unsupervised after school until parent(s) come(s) home. REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 400 4. Neighborhood residents affected by Council siting actions do not rate their neighborhoods lower with regard to neighborhood confidence after siting; aggregate scores are unchanged -or at a higher level of confidence. 5. An increased proportion of regional citizens participate in regional decision - making; participants proportionally represent communities of color in the region. ■ Performance Indicators for Environmental Quality 1. 1990 levels and/or increased quality of water in the region's natural watercourses (lakes wetlands, streams, rivers, drainage channels, aquifers) is maintained. .1 2. By 2015, there are no adverse impacts on the region's waters, so the quality of water is as good when it leaves the region as when it entered. 3. The region's woodlands and "urban forests" have been documented and strategies are adopted to protect and manage them. 4. The Fegion's air quality is improved. ■ Performance Indicators for Guided Growth 1. The 'level of consistency between actual land use and planned land use for the urban service 1 the freestanding growth areas, and the rural service area is increased. 2. Council decisions on changes to the current urban service area boundary and regional infrastructure investments reflect adopted policy criteria. 3. Density within the urban service area is increased, particularly along transportation corridors and in designated activity "nodes." 4. Local comprehensive plans and implementation activities — zoning, building codes and ordinances, capital improvement programs — actively support and are consistent with regional development objectives. 5. The rate of development of identified "prime farmland" in the region is reduced. ADDRESSING EMERGING AND ONGOING REGIONAL ISSUES Chan es in the region may signal issues or problems that must be addressed for the overall good of the region —or they may indicate that an old problem has been solved. Regional planning and the local comprehensive planning process put the Council in a position to identify critical issues and assess them so the Council can seek out entities, public or private, to take new action on the issue or to assess their programs and methods to be more effective. The vast majority of issues would not becomef the Council's responsibility for action or ongoing attention. The Council will use the five -step process and criteria listed on the next page to identify, sort, evaluate, and move regional issues for study and action. Building accountability is a cornerstone for focusing action, both for the Council itself and for other, independent groups, without resorting to regulation or control over them. In most cases, there is likely a "responsible party or parties." However, in some cases, the Council could ask the Minnesota Legislature to intervene —to identify a responsible agency in the region. In that case, the Council will propose and advocate for new legislation to address the issue. A plan for action The Council will annually update its work program, reviewing prior years' performance —how effective were the Council's action steps in moving the region toward Blueprint outcomes; incorporating any "new" regional issues that survive the five -step priority- setting process; and dropping any `old" issues that are no longer regional priorities, or which are more effectively dealt with by others in the region. Criteria for Identifying and Managing Emerging Issues Step 1 Identify Issues — Is this a regional issue? • Is the issue of regional importance? – What aspect of the issue needs a regional perspective? — Is there a role for regional advocacy? By whom? — Is it being dealt with by someone? — Has the Council looked at the issue previously? What action did it take? • What are the potential overall regional impacts with or without action? • Does the issue cross local government/district lines? • Does this issue affect/concem equity within the region? — Does it involve a redistribution of resources? — Does it involve access to resources? • Does the issue involve cost - effective /efficient delivery of services? — Are economies of scale involved? Is the regional level an appropriate scale? • Is regional financing/oversight required to ensure cost - effective /efficient operations or service delivery? — Are there implications for overall capital costs or for total costs of consolidated regional operating budget? Step 2 Examine and Define Problems — What is the best way to use regional and Council resources? • What level and type of action is needed? What of the following is needed: — Research? Proposing a solution? — Implementation of a solution? — Performance accountability? • What unique contribution can the Council make? — Will the key organizations collaborate in addressing the problem? — Can the Council's interdisciplinary and /or regional perspective make a difference? • Does the Council have the resources to take on the issue? — How important is the issue compared with other Council priorities? — Who can work with the Council on the issue? — Is the issue time - limited? Step 3 Propose Solutions — What are the recommended roles? For the Council? For others? • What are the consequences if the Council takes no action? Would that hamper the ability of others to carry out their roles? • Will other key organizations carry out their recommended role? • Do the Council's decisions on individual ongoing or emerging issues, when taken as a whole, result in a Metropolitan Council that can execute its role and purpose? • What is the best way to use regional/Council resources? • Is there a direct service role? • What impact would it have on the Council workforce? • What are the fiscal impacts? — What are costs of activity if performed by Council? By,others? Step 4 Carry Out Solutions — Is the solution being implemented? What modifications are needed? Step 5 Performance Accountability — Is the Council done? Is this still a regional issue? What new issues have emerged? REGIONAL BLUEPRINT September 1994 Council Policy Documents The Council's policy documents include: Regional Blueprint Other Policies • Aviation • Housing • Recreation Open Space • Trani sportation • Water Resources — Surface Water — Wastewater Treatment — Water Supply ® A plan for action Metropolitan Council Regional Blueprint Appendix Population, Employment, and Household Forecasts, 2000 -2020 POPULATION I HOUSEHOLDS 1990 2000 2010 2020 1990 2000 2010 2020 ANOKA COUNTY ANDOVER 15,216 22,300 28,500 38,000 4,430 7,150 10,000 14,200 ANOKA 17,192 17,700 17,800 17,700 6,394 6,950 7,350 7,800 BETHEL 394 460 530 600 130 150 180 200 BLAINE (PART) 38,975 45,000 49,000 53,800 12,825 15,800 18,400 21,500 BURNST 2,401 2,800 3,050 3,300 754 940 1,100 1,300 CENTERVILLE 1,633 3,050 3,950 4,650 519 1,000 1,400 1,750. CIRCLE PINES 4,704 4,830 4,620 4,320 1,562 1,700 1,750 1,750 COLUMBIA HEIGHTS 18,910 19,600 19,600 19,600 7,766 8,050 8,050 8,050 COLUMBUST 3,690 4,100 4,350 4,650 1,129 1,350 1,550 1,750 COON RAPIDS 52,978 63,500 69,500 66,300 17,449 22,800 26,900 27,500 EAST BETHEL 8,050 9,100 9,800 10,400 2,542 3,000 3,450 3,900 FRIDLEY 28,335 28,500 29,000 29,000 10,909 11,000 11,100 11,200 HAM LAKE 8,924 9,900 10,500 11,800 2,720 3,150 3,550 4,300 HILLTOP 749 750 750 750 410 410 410 410 LEXINGTON 2,279 2,350 2,300 2,250 829 880 910 950 LINO LAKES 8,807 14,600 19,600 25,000 2,603 4,600 6,600 9,000 LINWOODT 3,588 4,250 4,600 5,050 1,146 1,450 1,700 1,950 OAK GROVE T 5,488 7,000 8,000 8,900 1,638 2,200 - 2,700 3,200 RAMSEY 12,408 17,600 22,800 28,300 3,620 5,400 7,200 9,000 ST. FRANCIS 2,538 3,150 3,600 4,000 760 980 1,200 1,400 SPRING LAKE PK (PART) 6,429 6,650 6,500 6,450 2,302 2,500 2,650 2,850 TOTAL 243,688 287,190 318,350 344,820 82,437 101,460 118,150 133,960 CARVER COUNTY BENTON T 895 880 860 840 276 290 300 310 CAMDEN T 910 920 900 .890 287 310 330 350 CARVER 744 820 880 940 262 290 320 340 CHANHASSEN (PART) 11,732 19,900 26,000 32,000 4,016 7,000 9,800 12,800 CHASKA 11,339 14,900 17,600 19,900 4,212 5,700 7,100 8,550 CHASKAT 174 170 170 170 60 70 70 80 COLOGNE 563 590 600 620 216 230 240 250 DAHLGRENT 1,296 1,350 1,350 1,400 394 440 480 520 HAMBURG 492 520 540 570 184 200, 210 220 HANCOCK T 364 380 370 360 110 120 130 130 HOLLYWOOD 1,060 1,050 1,050 1,000 327 340 360 370 LAKETOWN T 2,232 2,250 2,300 2,300 601 660 720 780 MAYER 471 540 570 610 166 190 200 220 NEW GERMANY 353 370 390 400 138 150 150 160 NORWOOD 1,351 1,450 1,550 1,700 515 580 630 670 EMPLOYMENT 1990 2000 2010 2020 2,278 3,150 3,550 3,700 11,755 13,600 14,400 14,600 193 240 280 290 11,401 15,200 17,300 18,000 259 320 350 360 168 210 250 260 861 1,100 1,200 1,250 4,536 4,800 4,950 4,950 100 140 150 160 16,449 22,200 25,000 26,000 457 580 640 660 23,821 27,000 28,500 29,000 1,820 2,300 2,550 2,600 325 370 380 390 1,220 1,500 1,700 1,750 1,229 1,600 1,750 1,800 50 80 90 90 281 370 400 410 1,941 2,550 2,800 2,850 793 950 1,050 1,050 3,019 4,000 4,450- 4,600 82,956 102,260 111,740 114,770 227 290 310 320 12 30 40 40 95 130 160 180 4,605 6,870 9,090 9,820 7,833 10,400 11,900 12,400 97 140 170 190 117 150 170 180 109 180 210 220 58 80 90 90 20 •40 50 50 27 50 60 60 274 430 570 620 44 60 70 80 43 60 70 80 450 470 480 480 September 1994 TOTAL 47,915 63,220 74,550 85,810 DAKOTA COUNTY HOUSEHOLDS POPULATION 1990 2000 1990 2000 2010 2020 SAN FRANCISCO T 773 860 910 960 VICTORIA 2,354 3,600 4,500 5,600 WACONIA 3,498 4,700 5,600 6,700 WACONIAT 1,287 1,350 1,350 1,400 WATERTOWN 2,408 2,800 3,100 3,350 WATERTOWNT 1,349 1,350 1,300 1,300 YOUNG AMERICA 1,354 1;550 1,750 1,900 YOUNGAMERICAT 916 920 910 900 TOTAL 47,915 63,220 74,550 85,810 DAKOTA COUNTY HOUSEHOLDS I 1990 2000 APPLE VALLEY 34,598 44,500 48,500 54,000 BURNSVILLE 51,288 58,300 62,800 62,000 CASTLE ROCK 1,480 1,550 1,600 1,600 COATES 186 ,180 170 170 DOUGLAS T 670 690 690 690 EAGAN 47,409 63,500 68,500 71,000 EMPIRE T 1,340 1,500 1,700 2,350 EUREKAT 1,405 1,500 1,600 2,050 FARMINGTON 5,940 8,700 12,900 16,200 GREENVALE T 685 710 700 710 HAMPTON 363 r 400 410 430 HAMPTON T 866 890 900 910 HASTINGS 15,473 17,600 19,800 22,200 INVER GROVE HEIGHTS 22,477 29,000 34,500 44,000 LAKEVILLE 24,854 41,000 56,000 73,500 LILYDALE 553 r 600 650 650 MARSHANT 1,215 , 1,300 1,350 1,300 MENDOTA 164 170 180 190 MENDOTA HEIGHTS 9,381 r 10,800 12,150 13,300 MIESVILLE 135 130 130 130 NEW TRIER 96 100 100 100 NININGER T 805 830 840 860 NORTHFIELD (PART) 170 290 420 550 RANDOLPH 331 330 330 330 RANDOLPH T 448 r 580 660 730 RAVENNAT 1,926 2,050 2,150 2,250 ROSEMOUNT 8,622 14,800 22,300 32,300 SCIOTAT 252 260 260 260 SOUTH ST. PAUL 20,197 21,000 21,700 22,500 SUNFISH LAKE 413 510 550 560 VERMILLION 510 560 600 640 VERMILLION T 1,201 1,300 1,300 1,350 WATERFORD T 485 500 490 480 WEST ST. PAUL 19,248 20,000 20,100 20,200 i TOTAL 275,186 346,1, 397,030 450,490 HENNEPIN COUNTY HOUSEHOLDS 17,200 1990 2000 BLOOMINGTON 86,335 91,500 97,500 102,000 BROOKLYN CENTER 28,887 29,000 30,500 30,500 BROOKLYN PARK 56,381 65,500 71,000 75,500 CHAMPLIN 16,849 22,500 25,500 26,500 CHANHASSEN (PART) 0 0 0 0 CORCORAN 5,199 5,700 6,000 6,550 CRYSTAL 23,788 23,800 24,300 24,300 DAYTON (PART) 4,392 4,700 4,850 5,000 DEEPHAVEN 3,653 3,650 3,600 3,500 EDEN PRAIRIE 39,311 54,000 65,000 72,000 EDINA 46,070 47,000 48,000 48,500 September 1994 16,601 22,840 28,410 34,290 11,145 HOUSEHOLDS 17,200 1990 2000 2010• 2020 244 280 320 350 756 1,250 1,650 2,150 1,401 2,000 2,400 2,800 407 450 490 530 848 990 1,100 1,200 439 470 490 520 457 530 600 660 285 300 320 330 16,601 22,840 28,410 34,290 11,145 15,000 17,200 20,400 19,127 23,000 26,300 27,500 460 510 540 580 66 70 70 70 192 210 230 240 17,427 25,000 29,000 32,000 426 500 590 880 447 510 580 770 2,064 3,050 4,600 5,800 228 250 270 290 118 130 130 140 260 290 320 340 5,401 6,400 7,250 8,200 7,803 10,500 13,300 17,300 7,851 13,500 20,300 28,500 297 400 410 410 373 420 460 490 69 70 80 80 3,302 4,150 5,000 5,850 47 50 50 50 29 30 30 30 241 270 300 320 54 100 150 200 111 110 120 120 158 220 260 310 546 640 720 790 2,779 5,000 8,000 11,600 86 90 100 110 7,914 8,200 8,500 8,800 138 180 210 220 157 180 200 210 354 410 450 490 182 190 200 210 8,441 8,700 8,800 8,850 98,293 128,330 154,720 182,150 34,488 36,500 39,000 40,000 11,226 11,300 11,800 11,800 20,386 24,200 27,500 31,000 5,423 7,500 9,200 10,300 0 0 0 0 1,545 1,750 1,950 2,250 9,272 9,300 9,450 9,450 1,359 1,550 1,700 1,850 1,324 1,400 1,500 1,550 14,447 21,200 27,000 32,000 19,860 20,300 20,700 21,000 EMPLOYMENT 1990 2000 2010 2020 20 50 50 60 653 790 840 860 1,946 3,300 3,550 3,650 100 160 190 200 671 790 870 920 76 100 110 110 695 830 930 980 58 80 90 90 18,230 25,480 30,070 31,680 6,528 9,200 10,700 11,500 25,438 36,000 41,000 42,500 273 340 370 380 90 120 140 150 50 70 80 90 26,000 36,300 40,300 41,800 167 230 260 270 250 310 370 380 2,342 2,950 3,350 3,850 302 370 400 410 100 120 130 140 50 90 110 110 6,982 7,700 7,950 8,050 5,724 8,400 9,300 9,600 6,563 9,750 11,700 12,200 50 50 50 50 239 330 380 390 534 670 800 850 5,805 7,550 8,400 8,650 50 50 60 60 50 50 60 60 100 160 200 210 0 0 0 0 50 60 70 70 50 70 80 90 20 30 30 40 4,114 5,820 7,770 9,400 50 70 80 90 5,564 6,050 6,350 6,500 50 50 50 50 167 200 230 240 50 70 80 90 191 250 290 300 9,264 10,400 10,800 10,800 107,257 143,880 161,940 169,370 75,742 88,800 93,500 95,000 17,006 20,400 21,900 22,400 16,592 22,300 25,000 26,000 1,110 1,450 1,850 1,900 1,500 1,800 1,800 1,800 467 590 650 670 6,019 6,550 6,800 6,900 498 660 720 740 507 570 600 610 36,095 50,500 58,000 60,500 44,534 49,100 51,100 51,600 TOTAL 1,032,431 1,109,820 1,166,120 1,202,970 RAMSEY COUNTY HOUSEHOLDS POPULATION EMPLOYMENT 1990 2000 2010 2020 EXCELSIOR 2,367 2,350 2,300 2,150 FORT SNELLING 97 100 100 100 GOLDEN VALLEY 20,971 21,200 21,500 21,500 GREENFIELD 1,450 1,500 1,550 1,550 GREENWOOD 614 580 570 530 HANOVER (PART) 269 380 430 500 HASSAN T 1,951 2,100 2,200 2,350 HOPKINS 16,534 16,700 16,900 17,000 INDEPENDENCE 2,822 2,950 3,050 3,150 LONG LAKE 1,984 2,050 2,150 2,150 LORETTO 404 480 570 660 MAPLE GROVE 38,736 50,500 58,500 65,500 MAPLE PLAIN 2,005 2,350 2,750 3,200 MEDICINE LAKE 385 370 360 350 MEDINA 3,096 3,600 4,050 4,750 MINNEAPOLIS 368,383 370,500 373,000 375,000 M!NNETONKA 48,370 53,000 56,500 55,500 MINNETONKA BEACH 573 580 590 580 MINNETRISTA 3,439 4,500 5,450 5,950 MOUND 9,634 9,400 8,950 8,450 NEW HOPE 21,853 23,300 24,200 24,500 ORONO 7,285 7,800 8,350 8,850 OSSEO 2,704 2,700 2,650 2,600 PLYMOUTH 50,889 62,000 67,000 72,500 RICHFIELD 35,710 36,500 38,100 38,300 ROBBINSDALE 14,396 15,100 15,600 16,200 ROCKFORD 440 540 660 780 ROGERS 698 1,150 1,550 1,800 ST. ANTHONY 5,278 5,300 5,300 5,300 ST. BONIFACIUS 1,180 1,400 1,550 1,750 ST. LOUIS PARK 43,787 46,500 47,500 48,500 SHOREWOOD 5,917 7,200 8,150 8,900 SPRING PARK 1,571 1,600 1,550 1,500 TONKA BAY 1,472 .1,550 1,600 1,600 WAYZATA 3,806 4,150 4,200 4,200 WOODLAND 496 490 440 420 TOTAL 1,032,431 1,109,820 1,166,120 1,202,970 RAMSEY COUNTY HOUSEHOLDS EMPLOYMENT ARDEN HILLS 9,199 9,850 10,700 11,400 BLAINE (PART) 0 0 0 0 FALCON HEIGHTS 5,380 5,500 5,500 5,500 GEM LAKE 439 460 460 470 LAUDERDALE 2,700 2,700 2,700 2,700 LITTLE CANADA 8,971 9,450 9,750 9,600 MAPLEWOOD 30,954 33,000 33,500 34,000 MOUNDSVIEW 12,541 12,700 12,800 12,500 NEW BRIGHTON 22,207 23,200 23,600 23,600 NORTH OAKS 3,386 4,150 4,800 5,150 NORTH ST. PAUL 12,376 12,500 12,000 11,500 ROSEVILLE 33,485 35,500 37,000 38,000 ST. ANTHONY (PART) 2,449 2,450 2,650 2,650 ST. PAUL 272,235 275,000 280,000 285,500 SHOREVIEW 24,587 27,500 28,500 29,000 SPRING LAKE PK (PART) 103 100 90 90 VADNAIS HEIGHTS 11,041 14,600 15,400 15,700 WHITE BEAR T 9,424 11,600 12,800 13,500 WHITE BEAR LK (PART) 24,306 24,300 23,900 24,600 TOTAL 485,783 504,560 516,150 525,460 190,500 200,950 209,360 216,630 1 294,884 328,690 343,340 348,940 September 1994 HOUSEHOLDS EMPLOYMENT 1990 2000 2010 2020 1990 2000 2010 2020 1,160 1,150 1,_200 1,200 1,656 1,900 2,050 2,050 7 10 10 10 29,844 33,500 35,000 35,500 8,273 8,350 8,450 8,450 28,589 30,000 30,500 30,500 457 510 550 600 50 250 350 400 250 260 260 260 185 220 240 240 82 130 150 170 52 70 70 80 585 690 780 880 652 890 990 1,010 7,973 8,050 8,150 8,200 12,252 12,880 13,140 13,240 925 1,050 1,150 1,250 137 200 250 260 747 830 910 960 1,570 2,000 2,200 2,250 167 210 250 290 212 250 260 270• 12,531 17,000 21,200 25,500 7,750 14,600 •19,000 19,800 696 840 990 1,150 1,172 1,250 1,300 1,300 169 170 180 180 50 70 70 80 1,007 1,250 1,500 1,850 2,155 2,600 2,900 2,950 160,682 161,500 162,500 163,500 278,314 282,500 285,500 287,000 18,687 22,200 24,500 25,500 35,536 49,000 56,100 58,000 204 220 230 240 310 360 390 400 1,195 1,700 2,200 2,400 513 760 950 1,020 3,710 3,750 3,800 3,800 1,849 2,350 2,650 2,750 8,507 9,100 9,450 9,600 14,149 17,200 18,600 19,000 2,613 2,950 3,350 3,750 1,020 1,100 1,300 1,500 995 1,050 1,100 1,100 3,120 3,550 3,800 3,850 18,361 23,700 28,000 32,000 38,103 44,000 47,500 57,500 15,551 16,000 16,200 .16,300 10,844 10,900 11,600 11,600 6,008 6,300 6,500 6,750 6,813 7,800 8,200 8,350 163 210 260 310 240 290 330 340 259 460 610 720 1,775 2,250 2,450 2,500 2,208 2,200 2,200 2,200 2,422 2,750 2,900 2,900 398 480 550 610 247 330 400 420 19,925 21,100 21,700 22,100 36,791 39,000 40,000 40,000 2,026 2,600 3,150 3,650 877 1,050 1,150 1,150 741 770 790 810 842 940 980 990 577 640 690 740 75 110 130 140 1,715 1,950 2,050 2,050 5,500 5,600 5,710 5,800 176 180 180 180 100 130 150 150 419,060 454,560 485,540 510,460 725,836 815,370 861,030 883,410 2,904 3,250 3,850 4,450 10,929 12,700 13,400 13,600 0 0 0 0 558 650 720 750 2,016 2,050 2,050 2,050 2,700 3,050 3,200 3,250 140 160 •170 190 537 640 680 700 1,166 1,150 1,150 1,150 500 560 590 600 3,902 4,250 4,600 4,800 4,287 5,350 6,020 6,200 11,496 13,200 14,700 15,900 31,954 40,500 44,000 45,500 4,702 5,100 5,400 5,600 4,142 5,550 6,250 6,500 8,523 8,900 9,050 9,050 9,779 11,100 11,800 11,900 1,085 1,400 1,700 1,900 662 740 - 780 790 4,447 4,700 4,850 4,950 3,200 3,750 4,050 4,100 13,562 14,300 15,100 15,500 33,046 41,500 44,000 44,700 1,245 1,250 1,250 1,250 1,550 1,650 1,700 1,700 110,249 112,000 114,000 116,000 172,504 176,500 178,000 179,000 8,991 10,200 10,700 12,000 5,771 8,000 9,800 10,750 41 40 40 40 0 0 0 0 3,924 5,300 6,000 6,500 3,800 5,000 5,600 5,800 3,205 3,900 4,250 4,500 906 1,450 1,850 1,900 8,902 9,800 10,500 10,800 8,059 10,000 10,900 11,200 190,500 200,950 209,360 216,630 1 294,884 328,690 343,340 348,940 September 1994 METRO AREATOTAL 2,288,729 2,570,910 2,780,300 2,968,920 1 875,504 1,000,540 1,111,400 1,216,710 1 1,293,121 1,499,950 1,604,070 1,647,900 September 1994 POPULATION HOUSEHOLDS EMPLOYMENT 1990 2000 2010 2020 1990 2000 2010 2020 1990 2000 2010 2020 SCOTT COUNTY BELLE PLAINE 3,149 3,450 3,650 3,950 1,092 1,200 1,300 1,450 931 1,100 1,250 1,300 BELLE PLAINE T 691 690 680 660 211 230 250 260 50 80 80 90 BLAKELEYT 456 470 a 460 440 140 150 160 160 50 80 80 90 CEDAR LAKE T 1,688 1,850 1,950 2,050 523 620 710 800 25 50 60 60 CREDIT RIVER T 2,854 3,700 4,200 4,600 864 1,200 1,450 1,650 400 ' 630 800 850 ELKO 223 250 280 310 75 90 110 120 50 100 130 150 HELENAT 1,107 1,100 1,100 1,100 352 390 410 450 50 80 80 90 JACKSON 1,359 1,350 1,300 1,250 459 480 490 510 175 280 350 370 JORDAN 2,909 3,100 3,300 3,550 1,042 1,150 1,250 1,350 913 1,050 1,250 1,300 LOUISVILLE 910 960 980 990 278 310 330 360 953 1,150 1,250 1,250 NEW MARKET 227 230 230 4 230 82 80 90 90 63 110 140 160 NEW MARKET 2,008 2,200 2,350 2,500 627 750 870 990 113 190 240 250 NEW PRAGUE (PART) 2,356 2,600 2,950 3,300 870 1,000 1,150 1,300 1,044 1,200 1,300 1,350 PRIOR LAKE 11,482 14,600 18,300 20,000 3,901 5,200 6,850 8,000 3,000 3,900 4,500 4,750 ST. LAWRENCE T 418 460 470 500 122 140 160 170 186 270 320 330 SAND CREEK T 1,511 1,500 l 1,500 1,500 412 460 490 530 75 150 170 170 SAVAGE 9,906 19,000 27,500 35,500 3,255 6,500 10,100 13,700 3,180 3,850 4,150 4,200 SHAKOPEE 11,739 16,800 22,100 29,500 4,163 6,150 8,650 12,300 8,500 11,700 13,600 14,100 SPRING LAKE T 2,853 3,100 1 3,250 3,450 899 1,050 1,200 1,350 277 360 410 420 TOTAL 57,846 77,410 96,550 115,380 19,367 27,150 36,020 45,540 20,035 26,330 30,160 31,280 WASHINGTON COUNTY AFTON 2,645 2,950 3,150 3,350 890 1,050 1,200 1,350 481 630 720 740 BAYPORT 3,200 3,300 3,500 3,650 743 830 900 970 4,588 5,300 5,550 5,600 BAYTOWN T 939 1,100 1,200 1,350 302 390 460 540 292 380 420 430 BIRCHWOOD 1,042 1,000 960 930 364 380 390 400 30 30 30 30 COTTAGE GROVE 22,935 29,500 33,500 40,000 6,856 9,400 11,400 13,500 4,545 5,950 6,800 7,000 DELLWOOD 887 980 1,050 1,100 301 360 400 450 420 430 440 440 DENMARKT 1,172 1,250 1,250 1,250 367 420 450 490 247 310 350 360 FOREST LAKE 5,833 6,900 7,850 8,750 2,292 2,750 3,150 3,500 4,382 5,100 5,350 5,450 FOREST LAKE T 6,690 7,750 8,300 9,050 2,132 2,600 3,000 3,500 753 960 1,050 1,100 GRANTT 3,778 4,250 4,600 5,000 1,173 1,450 1,700 1,950 967 1,150 1,200 1,250 GREY CLOUD 414 490 560 590 165 200 250 280 50 50 50 50 HASTINGS (PART) 5 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 HUGO 4,417 5,550 6,350 7,700 1,416 1,850 2,250 2,950 1,012 1,200 1,300 1,300 LAKE ELMO 5,903 7,000 7,900 9,250 1,973 2,450 2,900 3,400 1,011 1,650 2,050 2,100 LAKELAND 2,000 2,250 2,500 2,650 645 760 840 890 167 220 250 260 LAKELAND SHORES 291 360 410 450 101 120 140 160 50 60 70 70 LAKE ST. CROIX BEACH 1,078 1,150 1,250 1,300 415 470 500 530 10 10 20 20 LANDFALL 685 690 660 •620 300 300 300 300 50 70 90 90 MAHTOMEDI 5,633 6,950 8,200 9,200 1,874 2,400 3,000 3,600 993 1,250 1,400 1,400 MARINE ON ST. CROIX 602 660 ! 730 800 234 260 290 320 126 130 130 130 MAY 2,535 2,900 3,150 3,400 820 990 1,150 1,300 56 80 90 100 NEWPORT 3,720 3,950 } 3,950 3,850 1,323 1,450 1,500 1,550 1,654 1,900 2,000 2,050 NEW SCANDIAT 3,197 3,550 3,850 4,100 1,060 1,250 1,450 1,650 387 460 490 500 OAKDALE 18,374 26,500 30,000 31,000 6,699 10,200 12,200 13,500 3,962 6,200 7,900 8,650 OAK PARK HEIGHTS 3,486 4,000 4,700 5,350 1,322 1,700 2,000 2,300 2,630 3,470 - 3,660 3,720 PINE SPRINGS 436 440 450 450 135 140 150 150 30 30 30 30 ST. MARY'S POINT 339 350 370 390 126 140 140 150 48 60 70 70 ST. PAUL PARK 4,965 5,100 5,200 5,250 1,749 1,950 2,100 2,250 1,174 1,350 1,450 1,450 STILLWATER 13,882 15,900 i 17,400 19,300 4,982 6,000 6,800 7,600 8,397 9,750 10,200 10,400 STILLWATERTWP. 2,066 2,550 2,950 3,450 639 840 1,050 1,300 136 190 220 230 WEST LAKELAND T 1,736 2,300 2,700 3,100 524 750 940 1,150 50 90 100 110 WHITE BEAR LK (PART) 336 400 380 360 168 170 170 170 125 150 150 150 WILLERNIE 584 560 530 500 227 230 230 230 100 130 160 170 WOODBURY 20,075 30,000 42,000 { 56,500 6,927 11,000 15,800 21,300 5,000 9,200 12,000 13,000 TOTAL 145,880 182,580 r 211,550 243,990 49,246 65,250 79,200 93,680 43,923 57,940 65,790 68,450 METRO AREATOTAL 2,288,729 2,570,910 2,780,300 2,968,920 1 875,504 1,000,540 1,111,400 1,216,710 1 1,293,121 1,499,950 1,604,070 1,647,900 September 1994 Forecast Corrections for the City of Woodbury The following table shows adjustments in the Woodbury forecasts for population and households, and the resulting changes for Washington County and the region. Area Population Households 2000 2010 2020 2000 2010 2020 Woodbury 38,000 51,000 65,000 13,500 18,500 24,000 Washington County 190,580 220,550 252,490 67,750 81,900 96,380 Metro Area Total 2,578,910 2,789,300 2,977,420 1,003,040 1,114,100 1,219,410