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<br /> <br /> Staff Report <br /> <br /> <br />To: Mayor Fischer and Members of the Little Canada City Council <br /> Chair Johnson and Members of the Little Canada Planning Commission <br /> <br />From: Ben Harrington, AICP, Community Development Director <br /> <br />Date: July 22, 2026 <br /> <br />Re: 2050 Comprehensive Plan Update – Joint Workshop – Goals and Vision <br /> <br />Actions To Be Considered: <br />• None. This workshop is discussion only. <br /> Background: <br />Every ten years, cities within the Twin Cities metropolitan area are required by state statute to <br />update their comprehensive plans. This decennial review process ensures that local planning <br />remains in continued conformity with metropolitan system plans and accurately reflects the long- <br />range vision for the region. The Metropolitan Council’s recent adoption of Imagine 2050 has <br />officially triggered the city's obligation to review and amend its current plan, with a statutory <br />completion deadline of December 31, 2028. <br /> <br />To ensure regional services and infrastructure can be provided efficiently, Little Canada’s <br />updated plan must comply with specific Metropolitan Council requirements. The core chapters of <br />Little Canada’s current Comprehensive Plan align directly with these mandated regional reporting <br />areas, including Land Use, Housing, Natural Resources and Sustainability, Transportation, Parks <br />and Recreation, Wastewater System, Water Supply System, and Surface Water. Notably, the <br />upcoming 2050 update introduces a new requirement: a dedicated climate chapter that must <br />include general greenhouse gas emission estimates alongside actionable reduction strategies. <br /> <br />Beyond meeting these basic statutory baselines, the city is looking to bring more specificity and <br />a higher level of direction to the Land Use, Housing, and Transportation chapters. Because these <br />core elements directly shape the physical and economic growth of the community, ensuring early <br />alignment between the City Council and Planning Commission on our overall goals and desired <br />outcomes will help pave a clear path forward before the formal drafting process begins. <br /> <br />City Council & EDA Preliminary Work <br />Strategic Plan <br />The City Council completed a 5-year strategic plan in 2025. This process highlighted a desire to <br />be proactive with city-owned property, engage our business community, and prioritized <br />improvements to connectivity, such as the I-35E Pedestrian Bridge. <br /> <br /> <br />