Metropolitan Council Seeks Input

 The Metropolitan Council invites the public to review and comment on the draft of the region’s long-range planning document, called Thrive MSP 2040, released today following Council action.

Thrive MSP 2040 is a vision for the region’s development. It will serve as a foundation for coordinated and consistent planning between regional and local government, and promote the partnerships and efficiencies that foster prosperity, equity and livability throughout the region today and into the future. The policy document reflects two years of outreach, discussion and deliberation among Council members, local officials, the region’s residents, and business and community organizations.

Thrive MSP 2040 takes into account projections for population, jobs, and anticipated needs for transportation, wastewater infrastructure, and community development. It will provide the policy direction for the Council’s transportation, water resources, and regional parks plans, as well as the housing policy plan and water supply plan.

“Our region is healthy, but it’s also changing,” said Metropolitan Council Chair Susan Haigh. “Through planning and engagement, our region can be a stronger, thriving, more prosperous home to us all.”

The Twin Cities region is projected to add about 800,000 more residents by 2040, along with nearly 500,000 jobs. In addition, the region will grow older and more diverse by 2040 – 40% of the region’s population will be people of color in 2040. Today, people of color comprise about 24% of the region’s population.

The plan lends guidance about future development and redevelopment trends as communities throughout the region put together their local, long-range comprehensive plans. It also highlights considerations communities should weigh as they plan, including their connections and contributions to the broader region’s prosperity, and how to best leverage community assets to provide all residents with greater access to opportunity.

“Our region’s investments in transportation, jobs, community development and redevelopment, and affordable housing provide an important economic foundation, not for just a few, but for everyone,” said Haigh. “They’re the bricks and mortar that create the opportunities and help build the communities that make us all proud to call ‘home.’”

Taking a regional approach to long-range planning provides an opportunity for leaders and community members to collaborate on achieving specific desired outcomes. A key piece of feedback: make sure the plan is flexible enough so communities can provide abundant choices, accommodate residents in different stages of life, and meet local needs as they evolve over time.

Policies in the draft Thrive MSP 2040 address:

• Approaches to new development and redevelopment in the region.
• The growing need to preserve and maintain aging infrastructure, including highways, wastewater, and multifamily housing.
• Strategies for encouraging development near transit investment.
• The role that our quality of life plays in attracting and maintaining talent to the region.
• The value of housing and transportation choices.
• New planning challenges and opportunities based on anticipated needs of the Twin Cities region.
• Environmental challenges and considerations, including natural resources, water supply, water management, and climate change.
• Development and engagement practices that are equitable and empower communities to intentionally support prosperity for all residents.

“Our region’s highways, transit system, parks and trails, and other community amenities that contribute to our high quality of life are no accident,” Haigh said. “They were planned. They’re here today for us to enjoy and appreciate. They’re intended to last a long time, and the Thrive plan will help support that quality of life for future generations.”

The Thrive MSP 2040 document is grounded in principles that led to the creation of the Council nearly 50 years ago. It helps address issues that:

• Are bigger than any one community can address alone,
• Cross community boundaries to affect multiple communities,
• Could benefit from  opportunities to share best practices, and
• Require resources that are most efficient and cost effective at a regional scale.

The Council has scheduled two public hearings for feedback on the Thrive MSP 2040 plan, in addition to a number of other methods the public can use to weigh in on the plan: 

Thursday, April 10, 5 p.m.
F.T. Heywood Office Building, Chambers
560 Sixth Avenue North, Minneapolis

Wednesday, April 16, 5 p.m.Metropolitan Council Chambers
390 Robert Street North, St. Paul

Public comment will be received through Monday, April 28 by the following means:

• Written comments: Metropolitan Council, 390 N. Robert St., St. Paul, 55101
• Fax comments to: 651-602-1464
• Send TTY comments to: 651-291-0904
• Email: public.info@metc.state.mn.us
• Record comments on Council’s Public Comment Line at 651-602-1500
• Submit comments through the Council’s online Your Ideas site, at http://yourideas.metrocouncil.org/. 

For more information, visit www.thrivemsp.org or the Council’s website at www.metrocouncil.org.

The Metropolitan Council is the regional planning organization in the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. The Council runs the regional bus and light-rail system and Northstar commuter rail, collects and treats wastewater, coordinates regional water resources, plans regional parks, and administers funds that provide housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income families. The Council board is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Governor.