Laserfiche WebLink
MA-18 COMPREHENSIVE PLANS AND ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW <br />Metro Cities opposes parcel-specific density requirements as such requirements are <br />contrary to the need for local flexibility in a regional policy. <br />Any regional density policy must use local data and local development patterns and <br />must accommodate local physical and land use constraints such as, but not limited to, <br />wetlands, public open space, trees, water bodies and rights-of-way, and any <br />corresponding federal and state regulations imposed on local governments when <br />computing net densities. The Metropolitan Council must coordinate with local <br />governments in establishing or revising regional density requirements and should <br />ensure that regional density and plat monitoring reports comprehensively reflect local <br />densities and land uses. <br />Comprehensive plans are essential guiding documents for cities and lay out a range of <br />future land use scenarios, which are intended to allow for the orderly and economic <br />development of the metropolitan region. To allow for local flexibility and functionality, as <br />well as to best align local goals with regional requirements, it is essential that local <br />comprehensive plans remain as high- level visioning documents that guide future <br />development as well as other city policies. <br />Metro Cities supports any further statutory changes, if necessary, to clarify that cities’ <br />comprehensive plans are exempt from review under the Minnesota Environmental <br />Rights Act (MERA). <br />73