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June 23rd, 2026 Saint Anthony Council Work Session - 4 Mayor Webster expressed appreciation for the Metropolitan Council's provision of different levels of support to address varying needs across cities of different sizes. Assistant City Manager Morello noted that one purpose of this session was to inform the Council about resources the Met Council provides, such as the Local Planning Handbook. City Planner Grittman commented that he has been in a city planning role for several Comprehensive Plans. He noted that much of the data provided by the Metropolitan Council was previously collected independently by cities, and the new mapping and data they provide greatly aid cities, at least in the technical aspects. City Planner Grittman stated that, for planners, the Comprehensive Plan is a document that details the kind of community they would like to have; the rest of the document supports this and flows into the implementation and controls. He noted it is easy to lose track of the vision, but that the goal of the next few years should be to confirm the vision you set out with. He encouraged the Council not to lose sight of its original vision amid the technicalities and numbers. City Planner Grittman highlighted that the unique, in-depth goal-setting session that St. Anthony conducts annually provides a good jumping-off point for this aspect of planning. Mayor Webster thanked City Planner Grittman for the encouragement and noted the importance of seeking community feedback as they pursue their goals for the City. Councilmember Jenson noted that he recently attended a presentation from another Met Council employee, outlining the Comprehensive Planning process. He asked if Sector Representative Turnquest provided this presentation. She stated that she did not. Councilmember Doolan acknowledged the value of Councilmember Randle’s critiques of the regulations that the Metropolitan Council brings to cities. She noted that cities can push back against statistics published by the Met Council and that the Met Council's commissions are made up of representatives from surrounding communities, including small cities, who are sensitive to overregulation. She stated that she believed the Met Council provides a good avenue for pushback from communities that disagree with its regulations. She noted that within her own Land Use Commission, another member is a staunch advocate for reducing regulations. Councilmember Randle emphasized the importance of voicing his concerns and said he appreciated having a representative from the Metropolitan Council to whom he could direct questions. He noted that the Comprehensive Planning process is a large undertaking for most cities. He stated that St. Anthony can complete the process. Still, if someone is mandating that a task be completed, the individual enforcing the mandate should assist in completing the project. Mayor Webster concurred with City Planner Grittman’s earlier description of the planning process. She noted that this planning process helps the Met Council understand the future needs of the many cities it serves. Councilmember Doolan expressed hope that the tools that the Metropolitan Council provides will alleviate a significant burden from the City in the planning process. Councilmember Jenson thanked City Planner Grittman for complimenting the St. Anthony strategic plan process. He stated that the Council should aim to balance what they are capable of with attempting to do the most good possible for their community. 6