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Metropolitan Agencies <br />authorities and nonprofit organizations, and its policies must be balanced and flexible <br />in their approach; <br />Metropolitan counties, adjacent counties and school districts must be brought more <br />thoroughly into the discussion due to the critical importance of facilities and services <br />such as county roads and public schools in accommodating forecasted growth; and <br />Greater recognition must be given to the fact that the "true" metropolitan region <br />extends beyond the traditional seven -county area and the need to work collaboratively <br />with adjacent counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and the cities within those <br />counties. The region faces environmental, transportation, and land use issues that <br />cannot be solved by the seven -county metro area alone. Metro Cities supports an <br />analysis to determine the impacts of Metropolitan Council's growth management <br />policies and infrastructure investments on the growth and development of the collar <br />counties, and the impacts of growth in the collar counties on the metropolitan area. <br />4-M Natural Resource Protection <br />Metro Cities supports the Metropolitan Council's efforts to compile and maintain <br />an inventory and assessment of regionally significant natural resources for the <br />purpose of providing local communities with additional information and technical <br />assistance. The state and region play significant roles in the protection of natural <br />resources. Any steps taken by the state or Metropolitan Council regarding the protection <br />of natural resources must recognize that: <br />The protection of natural resources is significant to a multi -county area that is home <br />to more than 50 percent of the state's population and a travel destination for many <br />more. Given the limited availability of resources and the artificial nature of the <br />metropolitan area's borders, neither the region nor individual metropolitan <br />communities would be well served by assuming primary responsibility for financing <br />and protecting these resources; <br />• The completion of local Natural Resource Inventories and Assessments (NRUA) is <br />not a regional system nor is it a required component of local comprehensive plans <br />under the Metropolitan Land Use Planning Act; <br />The protection of natural resources should be balanced with the need to accommodate <br />growth and development, reinvest in established communities, encourage more <br />affordable housing and provide transportation and transit connections; and <br />Decisions about the zoning or land use designations, either within or outside a public <br />park, nature preserve or other protected area are, and should remain, the responsibility <br />of local units of government. <br />Metro Cities supports the Metropolitan Council's efforts to compile and maintain <br />an inventory and assessment of regionally significant natural resources for the <br />44 2016 Legislative Policies <br />