Agenda - Planning Commission - 03/06/2014

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resources, such as habitats for endangered species, fens, unique habitats, conserved prairie, wetlands, and water resources. For example, regional park resources such as the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes and Lebanon Hills in Dakota County help preserve important ecological and natural features. Since its founding in 1974, the regional parks and open space system has protected natural resources, including 30,700 acres of land designated as Regionally Significant Ecological Areas. In addition, the Council partners with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and other state and local organizations to manage natural resources, especially water. Although the region is a water -rich area, the quality of its rivers, lakes, and streams suffers from stormwater runoff that carries sediment, phosphorus, nitrates, oils, road salt, and other pollutants. Loss of natural areas contributes to increased runoff and lowered water quality. Best management practices minimize pollutants in the region's surface- and groundwater. Proper management of subsurface sewage treatment systems is needed to minimize impacts on surface water, groundwater and public health. The Council and its partners will work to maintain and improve the quality and availability of the region's water resources (rivers, streams, lakes, aquifers, and wetlands) to support healthy habitats and ecosystem while providing for recreational opportunities. To protect natural resources, the Council will: • Fund ongoing acquisition of priority natural resources and the last best places into the Regional Parks and Open Space System. • Encourage local governments to locate and design new developments in a way that preserves and benefits from the natural environment to reduce development pressures that endanger natural resources by promoting growth in already -urbanized areas. • Assess the quality of the regional groundwater system and its vulnerability to land use changes as well as identifying high potential areas for recharge. • Monitor and assess the condition of the region's lakes, rivers and streams. • Partner to conserve, maintain, and restore natural resources identified in local natural resource inventories. • Provide direction, guidance and technical assistance on best management practices for effective stormwater management and land use strategies that preserve and protect natural resources. • Continue to ask local governments that their local comprehensive plans to include local natural resources inventories, identify the tension points between natural resource protections and development pressures; and adopt local land uses and planning strategies for protecting natural resources and minimizing development impacts. Pivoting from expanding to maintaining our region's wastewater and highway infrastructure As with preserving natural resources, the Council is expected to be a wise steward of public financial resources and to strategically, effectively and efficiently guide those dollars to the greatest benefit to our region. The combination of structural and demographic changes has made public resources for infrastructure expansion and preservation much more limited than in the last half of the 20th century. Consequently, it becomes more critical that we make smart investments and wise financial decisions to maximize the benefit from the resources we have. The deterioration of roadway pavement and the aging condition of the regional sewers demonstrate the urgency of investing significantly more in their preservation and maintenance. It DRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT Last revised: February 21, 2014 10