03/13/2000 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• DNR's Smart Growth Initiative • i Framework for Action On October 5, 1999, the Ventura Administration rolled out its Big Plan for the next several years. The main focus was on the first of four major strategies that make up the Big Plan: Creating Healthy, Vital Communities. A key initiative under this strategy is the Governor's Smart Growth Initiative, entitled Growing Smart in Minnesota. The DNR's Smart Growth Initiative has been developed within the context of the Governor's Smart Growth Initiative. Goals of the Ventura Smart Growth Initiative and DNR's Smart Growth Initiative The Governor's Smart Growth Initiative has three goals: 1) Maximize economic opportunity for all while protecting and enhancing the assets that make Minnesota a great place to live -- healthy communities, clean air and water, and Minnesota's unique natural, cultural, and historical areas. 2) Mang ge natural resources and agricultural land to ensure they are sustained for future generations. 3) Be fiscally prudent by building on existing public investments and avoiding future costs down the road. The DNR's strategic plan Directions for Natural Resources lays the foundation for DNR's role in land use decisions and in the Governor's Smart Growth Initiative. That foundation lies in DNR's vision of sustainability— "protecting and restoring the natural environment while enhancing economic opportunity and community well- being," and is reflected in our goal to "maintain, enhance, or restore the health of Minnesota's ecosystems so that they can continue to serve environmental, social, and economic purposes." DNB's strategic plan recognizes the importance of working in partnership with communities, local governments, agencies, and organizations to "manage the state's diverse natural resources for a sustainable quality of life." Smart growth is fundamentally about bringing people together to bring about the greatest societal benefit from land use decisions. Appendix 1 provides further detail about DNR's role in smart growth, including why DNR cares about smart growth issues and DNR's community -based approach. Principles for Success The Governor's Smart Growth Initiative outlines four common -sense principles that will guide 1