Appendix A Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area Plan minneapolis | 2040 I Appendix A - Mississippi Corridor Critical Area Plan Table of Contents List of Figures. A-2 Chapters Chapter 1 - Introduction . A-4 Chapter 2 - Districts . A-9 Chapter 3 - Primary Conservation Areas . A-23 Chapter 4 - Public River Corridor Views . A-49 Chapter 5 - Restoration Priorities . A-69 Chapter 6 - Open Space and Recreational Facilities . A-74 Chapter 7 - Transportation and Public Utilities . A-81 Chapter 8 - Surface Water and Water Oriented Uses . A-98 Chapter 9 - Key Issues and Opportunities . A-98 Chapter 10 – Policies . A-100 Chapter 11 – Implementation Actions . A-108 Attachment A ................... i Attachment B ...................ii minneapolis | 2040 A-1 Appendix A - Mississippi Corridor Critical Area Plan List of Figures Figure 3-10: Central River – Natural Drainage Ways. Figure 1-1: MRCCA Boundary in Minneapolis. Figure 3-11: Lower Gorge – Natural Drainage Ways. Figure 2-1: Upper River MRCCA Districts. Figure 3-12: Bluffs and Bluff Impact Zones. Figure 2-2: Central River MRCCA Districts. Figure 3-13: Upper River – Bluff Impact Zone. Figure 2-3: Lower Gorge MRCCA Districts. Figure 3-14: Central River – Bluff Impact Zone. Figure 2-4: General MRCCA District Height and Setback Requirements. Figure 3-15: Lower Gorge – Bluff Impact Zone. Figure 2-5: Upper River - Minneapolis Built Form Guidance over MRCCA Districts. Figure 3-16: Upper River – Native Plant Communities and Significant Existing Vegetative Stands. Figure 2-6: Central River - Minneapolis Built Form Guidance over MRCCA Districts. Figure 3-17: Central River – Native Plant Communities and Significant Existing Vegetative Stands. Figure 2-7: Lower Gorge - Minneapolis Built Form Guidance over MRCCA Districts. Figure 3-18: Lower Gorge – Native Plant Communities and Significant Existing Vegetative Stands. Figure 3-1: Shore Impact Zone. Figure 3-19: Upper River - Historic Districts and Figure 3-2: Upper River – Shore Impact Zone. Landmarks. Figure 3-3: Central River – Shore Impact Zone. Figure 3-20: Central River – Historic Districts and Landmarks. Figure 3-4: Lower Gorge – Shore Impact Zone. Figure 3-21: Lower Gorge – Historic Districts and Landmarks. Figure 3-5: Upper River – Wetlands and Floodplain. Figure 3-22: Historic Landslides Figure 3-6: Central River – Wetlands and Floodplain. Figure 4-1: Upper River – Public River Corridor Views. Figure 3-7: Lower Gorge – Wetlands and Floodplain. Figure 4-2: Central River – Public River Corridor Figure 3-9: Upper River – Natural Drainage Ways. Views. minneapolis | 2040 A-2 Appendix A - Mississippi Corridor Critical Area Plan Figure 4-3: Lower Gorge – Public River Corridor Figure 7-5: Upper River - Exisiting and Planned Bike Views. Facilities. Figure 4-4: MRCCA Public River Corridor Views. Figure 7-6: Central River – Existing and Planned Bike Facilities. Figure 5-1: Upper River – Restoration Priorities. Figure 7-7: Lower Gorge – Existing and Planned Figure 5-2: Central River – Restoration Priorities. Bike Facilities. Figure 5-3: Lower Gorge – Restoration Priorities. Figure 7-8: Upper River- Existing and Planned Transit Facilities. Figure 6-1: Upper River – Existing Open Space and Recreational Facilities. Figure 7-9: Central River- Existing and Planned Transit Facilities. Figure 6-2: Central River – Existing Open Space and Recreational Facilities. Figure 7-10: Lower Gorge- Existing and Planned Transit Facilities. Figure 6-3: Lower Gorge –Existing Open Space and Recreational Facilities. Figure 7-11: Upper River - Existing Utilities. Figure 6-4: Above the Falls Regional Park Master Figure 7-12: Central River - Existing Utilities. Plan Park Boundary. Figure 7-13: Upper River - Minneapolis 2040 Figure 6-5: Central Mississippi Riverfront Regional Production and Distribution Guided Land. Park Park Boundary. Figure 7-14: Central River - Minneapolis 2040 Figure 7-1: Upper River - Existing Interstate, Roads, Production and Distribution Guided Land. and Streets. Figure 9-1: Upper Harbor Terminal viewed from the Figure 7-2: Central River - Existing Interstate, North. Roads, and Streets. Figure 7-3: Lower Gorge- Existing Interstate, Roads, and Streets. Figure 7-4: Upper River- Future Planned Roadways. minneapolis | 2040 A-3 Appendix A - Mississippi Corridor Critical Area Plan Chapter 1 - Introduction The MRCCA contains many significant natural and cultural resources, including: scenic views, water, navigational CORRIDOR LOCATION AND HISTORY capabilities, geology and soils, vegetation, minerals, flora and fauna, cultural and historic resources and land and The Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area (MRCCA) water based recreational resources . The MRCCA is home to extends 72-miles through the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, a full range of residential neighborhoods and parks, as well from the townships of Dayton and Ramsey in Hennepin and as river-related commerce, industry, and transportation . Anoka counties downstream to just south of Hastings in Though the river corridor has been extensively developed, Dakota County . Governor Wendell Anderson designated the many intact and remnant natural areas remain, including MRCCA in 1976 by Executive Order 130 . It was renewed by bluffs, islands, floodplains, wetlands, riparian zones, and Governor Al Quie in 1979 by Executive Order 79-19 . See native aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna. Figure 1-1 for the MRCCA boundaries within the City of Minneapolis . In 1988, Congress (Public Law 100-696) established the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA) as a unit of the National Park Service to: (1) protect, preserve, and enhance the significant values of the Mississippi River corridor through the Twin Cities, (2) encourage coordination of federal, state, and local programs, and (3) provide a management framework to assist the State of Minnesota and units of local government in the development and implementation of integrated resource management programs and to ensure orderly public and private development in the area . The MNRRA shares the same boundaries as the MRCCA . In 1995, a Final Comprehensive Management Plan for the MNRRA was approved by the Secretary of the Interior . This plan lays out a policy-level framework for management of the river corridor . It also determined that the National Park Service would not acquire significant land holdings or establish land use regulations for the MNRRA, but would instead rely on state and local administration of Executive Order 79-19 to protect the resources . The MRCCA is governed by special land planning requirements and land development regulations . These regulations, which are implemented through local MRCCA plans and ordinances, protect and preserve the natural, scenic, recreational, and transportation resources of this FIGURE 1-1: MRCCA BOUNDARY IN MINNEAPOLIS. section of the Mississippi River . In response to residents and interest groups raising concerns around the adequacy of the MRCCA regulations, the Legislature directed the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) minneapolis | 2040 A-4 Appendix A - Mississippi Corridor Critical Area Plan to establish rules for the MRCCA in 2009 and 2013 . • In 2009, the Xcel Riverside Plant was converted from Minnesota Rules, Chapter 6106, became effective on coal to natural gas reducing emissions in the area and January 4, 2017, and replace Executive Order 79-19, which removing the storage of coal at the site . previously governed land use in the MRCCA . They provide • In 2012, the Lowry Avenue Bridge, which includes new the land planning and regulatory framework that protects overlooks and adjacent improvements, was completed . the MRCCA’s resources . • In 2012, the Mississippi River Watershed Management Organization offices, which includes a stormwater park PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS and learning center, opened on the banks of the river . Public input was gathered through the community • In 2012, the St . Anthony Falls Historic District Guidelines engagement for the city’s comprehensive plan update were updated to protect the integrity and character of the (Minneapolis 2040) during 2016 and 2017 . This district . engagement covered many topics relevant to the MRCCA • In 2014, the Water Resources Reform and Development plan including land use, open space, and environmental Act was passed closing the Upper St . Anthony Falls issues . In addition, many policy recommendations are Lock to navigation in June of 2015 . Because of this from adopted small area plans, which all had significant closure there is no more commercial barge traffic on community engagement . Finally, the document was the Mississippi in Minneapolis . This allows for the Upper included with the comprehensive plan update document Harbor Terminal to convert from heavy industry to mixed- during the public review and comment period in March of use and park land (planning process underway) . 2018 . • In 2016, the C .A . Smith Lumber District was established on the west bank in the Camden Neighborhood to protect IMPLEMENTING THE 2006 MRCCA PLAN historic properties related to the lumber industry . Several major projects and activities have occurred in the MRCCA that implemented the goals and policies of the PLAN PURPOSE AND ORGANIZATION 2006 MRCCA plan including, but not limited to: The purpose of this document is implement Minnesota • Between 2006 and the present, several developments Rules Chapter 6106 (See Appendix A) and to ensure that were constructed in the MRCCA, all of which were the City’s land use and regulatory framework protects