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<br />19 <br /> <br />LAND USE <br /> <br />Introduction <br /> <br />The Land Use Plan section of this plan provides the framework for how land will be used to help <br />achieve the City’s vision for future growth. The purpose of the Land Use Plan is to establish <br />desirable land use patterns and to identify places where change or redevelopment is needed. <br /> <br />As a part of the comprehensive plan update, the city is required to include a land use plan that <br />examines how land and water is used now and in the future. Land use planning begins with <br />forecasts of growth in population, household number and employment. These figures are <br />discussed as a part of the required Inventory within the plan. Based on these demographics, the <br />Land Use Plan must identify where residents will live, work, play and shop in conjunction with <br />plans for development and redevelopment. <br /> <br />Existing Land Use <br /> <br />The City of Little Canada is designated a “suburban” b y the Metropolitan Council’s Community <br />Designation Map. Met Council defines suburban as communities that experienced continued <br />growth and expansion during the 1980s and early 1990s, and typically have automobile-oriented <br />development patterns at significantly lower densities than in previous eras. <br /> <br />As stated in Thrive MSP 2040, 30 percent of the region’s new households and about 50 percent of <br />the region’s new jobs will be located in these types of communities primarily through infill <br />development and redevelopment opportunities. Projected growth for developed communities is <br />anticipated to occur through reinvestment, with higher development densities (~5 units per acre). <br />The City’s land use policies and strategies reflect this regional strategy. <br /> <br />According to the Metropolitan Council’s estimate, Little Canada is approximately 2,869 acres, or <br />just under 4.5 square miles in size. As shown on the following map, existing land use in the City <br />is predominately low density residential, encompassing 36% of the city’s total acres. Road right- <br />of-way, lakes and ponds cover another large portion of the City’s area, totaling 9 73 acres or 34 <br />percent. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />