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Region Needs More Affordable Housing

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Region Needs More Affordable Housing By defi nition, an annual report takes stock of an organization’s activities over the previous year. This year’s annual report is a little different. It not only summarizes the Metropolitan Council’s accomplishments in 2006, but also refl ects on the progress that has been made since the Council was created four decades ago. Over the last year, the Council: From the Chair • Worked closely with metro area communities as they prepared to update their local comprehensive plans, providing new tools and training to assist in that important work. Peter Bell • Made signifi cant strides in growing our transit system and easing traffic congestion, achieving the highest Metro Transit ridership in 22 years. • Prepared to begin construction of the region’s second rail transit line in the Northstar Corridor, and received approval from the Federal Transit Administration to begin preliminary engineering for light rail transit in the Central Corridor. • Launched a “Go Greener” initiative at Metro Transit that includes the purchase of 150 new hybrid electric buses, as well as the use of clean, renewable fuels for our diesel buses. • Completed the first phase of work on a master plan for the development, protection and efficient use of our region’s drinking water supply. • Held our property tax levy fl at for the fourth consecutive year and moved into a newly renovated offi ce building that will save the taxpayers $14 million over the life of the building. Many of these accomplishments are discussed in greater detail in the pages that follow. As we prepare to observe our 40th anniversary, this report also touches on some of the problems that led to the Council’s creation and the progress that has been made in the last four decades. The lessons we have learned as a region may be instructive as we seek solutions to the problems that lie ahead. Peter Bell Chair, Metropolitan Council 1 0 4 -Years- .[[VcR_`N_f AVZRYV[R &#$$ Preserving Farmland 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1974 1976 1979 1980 Metropolitan Centralizing Buses Tax-Base Parks Land Planning: Metro Council Sewers Go Public Sharing The Crown Working with Mobility is Born Jewel Communities In 1967, the Metropolitan Council was separate local units of government – including Council History – established by the Legislature to: seven counties, 188 cities and townships, and 22 special purpose districts. For much of their history, Minneapolis and • Plan for the orderly and economical St. Paul were rivals – each with its own downtown, development of the seven-county metro area. The original legislation avoided giving the Council operating authority. Instead, the Council minor league sports teams, distinct ethnic • Coordinate the delivery of certain services was directed to develop broad regional policies makeup and political culture. The often-intense that could no longer be effectively provided by and coordinate the implementing activities rivalry dated back to the 19th century, when each local units of government. city got caught padding the 1890 census report of regional operating agencies – notably the In 2007, as the Council enters its 40th year, in an attempt to appear bigger than the other. Metropolitan Airports Commission, Metropolitan it remains a rare model of regional planning, Transit Commission (also created in 1967) and However, by the early 1960s, the two cities governance and cooperation that many other later the Metropolitan Sewer Board. The original had joined together to secure major league urban areas around the globe would love to architects of the Council wanted it to focus on baseball, football and hockey teams. They grew emulate. Delegations of scholars, business and providing a broad regional vision. together more closely with the construction of civic leaders regularly visit to learn more about It was not until 1994 that the Legislature the interstate freeway system. And they came what Time magazine once heralded as the gave the Council operating authority for transit to recognize that rapid growth presented both “Minnesota model.” region-wide opportunities and region-wide and wastewater treatment, eliminating the The drive for the creation of the Council challenges requiring greater regional cooperation. commissions that previously oversaw those was led by the Citizens League, the Metropolitan functions. The Metropolitan Airports Commission Section of the League of Minnesota remains as a separate operating agency, Municipalities, the League of Women Voters though its long-range plans and major capital and others. They saw the need for some kind expenditures are subject to Council review. of coordinating body to deal with issues that 2 transcended the boundaries of nearly 300 MSP International: Livable “All Aboard” Build new or expand Communities Act The Train Leaves 1987- 96 Building Community Congestion the Station 1985 1987 1994 1995 1998 2000 2004 2006 2005 Sewer Separation New and Improved MetroPass Water Supply Metro Council The forces that led to the creation of the The creation of the Council in 1967 was Council included: followed in succeeding years by the enactment • Serious sewage disposal problems. The of other legislation to strengthen the Council old municipal sewage treatment system and address some of these issues. These operated jointly by Minneapolis and St. initiatives included the 1969 legislation that Paul was inadequate to meet the needs of created the regional wastewater system, the developing suburbs. regional tax-base sharing legislation passed in 1971 and the 1974 law creating the regional • The need to expand and improve the park system. region’s transit system. The Twin Cities’ privately owned bus company was rapidly In appointing the fi rst Council in August disintegrating, a victim of rising fares, 1967, Governor Harold LeVander said: declining ridership and an aging bus fl eet. “This Council was conceived with the • Increased concern about urban sprawl idea that we will be faced with more and and a desire to preserve vital open space, a more problems that will pay no heed to central feature of this region’s prized quality the boundary lines that mark the end of of life. one community in this metropolitan area and the beginning of another. • Growing fi scal disparities among “This Council was created to do a job which has proved too big for any single community.” communities in the region – between “have” communities with large shopping malls and other commercial developments, and their “have-not” neighbors. 3 Historical Milestones GROWTH The 1976 Legislature passed the Metropolitan Land Plan- ning Act, strengthening our system of regional planning. The act required local govern- ments to adopt comprehen- sive plans that are consistent with the Council’s Regional Development Framework and regional system plans. In 1995, lawmakers approved the Livable Communities Act, another important tool for shaping growth. It created three new grant programs to help clean up contaminated lands for redevelopment; promote effi cient, connected develop- ment; and expand the supply of affordable housing. 4 SNAPSHOT OF REGIONAL GROWTH Region’s growth is strong and steady 1980 1990 2000 2005 Developed Acres 353,000 423,000 515,000 553,000 costly infrastructure like roads and sewers are Unavailable + Preserved NA 434,000 470,000 481,000 already in place. Developing communities had 61 Undeveloped + Agricult. NA 1,048,000 919,000 870,000 percent of the growth, just one percent above the Population 1,985,000 2,289,000 2,642,000 2,810,000 benchmark. Housholds 721,000 876,000 1,021,000 1,100,000 Council adds to planning toolbox Investments help keep Communities in the seven-county area are prepar- communities vital ing updates to their local comprehensive plans in response to the 2030 Framework and metro- The Council approved nearly $2.9 million in Livable politan system plans. Plan updates are due to the Communities grants to clean up polluted land for Council by the end of 2008. redevelopment in 10 metro area communities. The The Twin Cities metropolitan area continues to grants will help to clean up 153 acres, with result- grow at a steady pace. In the fi rst fi ve years of the In 2006, the Council offered a variety of new tools ing redevelopment creating and retaining an expect- decade, the population grew by 6.4 percent, or to assist communities with the updates: ed 4,645 full- and part-time jobs and increasing the 168,000 people. The number of households grew • A series of eight monthly planning workshops net tax capacity by $9.5 million. An additional $2.9 7.7 percent. The region is on track to grow by one focusing on highways, transit, water resources, million in 2006 Tax Base Revitalization Account million people between 2000 and 2030. forecasting, housing and other planning issues. funds are expected to be awarded in January 2007. • The Natural Resources Digital Atlas, a two As population grows, the demand for land and CD-set of geographic information to help com- The Council awarded $8.8 million to 10 projects in housing drives development outward into areas munities protect signifi cant natural resources. 7 cities that demonstrate land uses that link hous- that previously were undeveloped “greenfi elds.” •The Guide for Transit-Oriented Development, ing, jobs and services, including transit. Grants Both policy decisions and market forces infl uence an online resource to aid communities in capi- went to projects that demonstrate: model rede- the rate and pattern of development. Land-use talizing on the economic development potential velopment of an aging corridor; a variety of hous- data tracked by the Metropolitan Council show of transit corridors. ing integrated by design; connecting streets and development occurred at a rate of 7,500 acres sidewalks that provide a per year from 2000 to 2005, compared with a The Council’s online Local Planning Handbook, catalyst for development; much higher land-consumption rate of 9,200 published in 2005, won the Outstanding Project and innovative storm- acres per year in the 1990s, a decade with Award from the Minnesota chapter of the Ameri- water management similar population growth to this one.
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