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0 <br />.U <br /> <br />Inside This Newsletter <br /> <br />. ' .Eegionol~Po~ $¥stern over the'next28~ye~m. '" ·: '" '~;. ~iI <br />i. 2..' ~Wargo:ho~f~'F~ll Metro V~olunteer & $1off-Troining....' .~-' ;iI <br />!':a;,.Sunker.,eoCh,devel~prnenl, ul:/dole. :..'":-:; ?' '.!i-. :'.;':-'' ~1 <br />:' 4;. Noiuml'resoume, enhonCemen~ implemente'd Ot-new¥ ' ;J <br /> .;developed'COon L~ke-counly Park... ':' ':.-:..i; ii <br /> I <br /> <br />From The Director: <br /> <br />In case you haven't heard the Metropolitan Council <br />is in the process of launching a new comprehensive <br />development guide for the seven county metropolitan <br />area. The new plan - which is currently in a draft <br />stage - is called "Blueprint 2030." <br /> <br />Blueprint 2030 Growth Sl~ategy <br /> <br />As the regional planning agency for the Twin Cities, <br />the Council has been given the legislative authority <br />to plan and finance the major capital improvements <br />of the metropolitan regional park system. This <br />authority was granted by the legislative, in 1974. <br />Since that time, the metropolitan regional parks <br />system has grown to over 55, 000 acres, with annual <br />visitation now reaching 30 million people. To <br />accommodate this growth, the state and <br />Metropolitan Council have invested nearly $350 <br />million in the regional system in the past 28 years. <br /> <br />As one _of the ten regional park implementing <br />agencies, Anoka County has created a 9,000 acre <br />regional and county park system, which hosts almost <br />3.0 million visitors per year. To ensure the <br />continued success of a developing and maturing park <br />system, the county continues to play an active role <br />the legislative process, and in the regional parks <br />planning effort led by the Metropolitan .Council.. <br /> <br /> The Metropolitan Counc_il's new 2030 Blueprint will <br />provide a framework to guide the regional park <br />system over the ne:ct 28 years. As a regional park <br />· agency, Anoka County will be directly affected by <br />these policy directives. The following are some of <br />the excerpts from the 2030plan relating to the future <br />of the regional parks system: <br /> <br />"Connecting regional and local features by <br />natural-resource corridors will help sustain <br />wildlife and plant habitat, and serve to <br />shape how development looks on the <br />ground." ~egional wails and greenways <br />will be an important component in making <br />these connection,~ between regional parks <br />and local open spaces. <br /> <br />"Existing preservation programs.., can also <br />be strengthened, but additional tools <br />involving the purchase of development <br />rights - such as conservation easements... <br />are necessary to preserve much of the <br />remaining open, rural areas for current and <br />future generations." In other words, the <br />regional park system may be using <br />other than outright purchase to protect <br />open spaces in the regional parks or to set <br />aside new areas that offer sustainable <br />recreational uses. <br /> <br />"To protect the natural environment, the <br />region will need collective and <br />collaborative approaches together with <br />focused tools and strategies. " This is to say <br />that regional park agencies will need to <br />work more closely with local and state <br />conservation agencies to ensure the <br />efficient and prioritized protection of the <br />remaining natural areas. <br /> <br />"Incorporating open space into housing <br />developments and creating a more compact <br />urban area in line with Blueprint policies <br />will provide greater access to parks and <br />open space." ,ds such, the "edges" o. four <br />parks may become more "blurred" as parks <br />and housing become more closely <br />intertwined, such as that afforded through <br />cluster development. <br /> ~5 <br /> Page I <br /> <br /> <br />