Annie Young and Michael Krause make good points about the new Met Council Regional Framework. There will be public hearings on the framework this Wednesday December 3rd at the Met Transit headquarters (Heywood Center, across from the garbage burner in Downtown Minneapolis) from 11:30-1:00 PM and at the Met Council Chambers (same day, Wednesday) from 3-6 PM in Downtown St. Paul, 5th and Wacouta Streets. Of particular concern in addition to the issues raised by Annie and Mike is the Council's reliance on "market forces" to address the affordable housing issue, and the lack of support for rail transit--particularly support of the North Star commuter line from Minneapolis to St. Cloud. In addition to testifying at the hearings, people interested in weighing in can comment in writing. (Details on the Met Council web site, www.metrocouncil.org.)


Frank Hornstein State Representative District 60B Southwest Minnneapolis


From: Annie Young <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [Mpls] Met Council slam dunks the City
Date: Sun, 30 Nov 2003 21:49:06 -0600

As Planning Commissioners both Michael, I and the other commissioners have been studying the 2030 Framework of the Met Council. Here are some of our comments about the plan.

Along with Michael's comments below I would like to add that the new framework is very shallow in addressing basic concerns regarding Open, green space, water (especially drinking water), and air particulates in the region that will grow with their anticipated growth numbers. The short-sightedness on the transportation planning for this region is going to "kill" us all, one way or the other - it's our air or our water.
The Framework can be downloaded PDF version via the Met Council website. It's a doosie for bedtime reading about our future.
Annie Young
Mpls Planning Commissioner


printed in this week's Minneapolis Observer:
MET COUNCIL PLAN MEANS TROUBLE FOR CITY
You may want to look at the draft Development Framework that is being circulated by the Met Council as a guide to the region's development through the year 2030 ("It's Just My Opinion, But," 11/24). The new, highly ideological Met Council members insisted on rewriting the Regional Blueprint that was approved by the previous council because that version had a strong emphasis on transit and Smart Growth. The current council is not only totally discounting further development of rail transit and assuming a major shift in housing and employment growth to their favored suburban locations, but the Framework assumes that only 800 units of affordable housing will be developed each year. And those will be supported by the Met Council through largely unidentified "market forces." I would encourage readers to not only read the Framework, but look at the tables at the end on projected growth in households and employment. These growth projections are not based on any objective modeling, but are mostly negotiated between council staff and individual cities and townships. You will find a vision of the region's future that would likely mean a deteriorating urban core, more pollution and traffic congestion, further sprawl across 19 counties, and a further shift in political power to Republican-oriented suburbs.
Michael Krause
Executive Director
The Green Institute
















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