Agenda - Planning Commission - 09/04/2014

Home

Last revised July 24, 2014 Council role • Advance the Council mission of ensuring orderly and economical development. • Develop and update regional plans to manage forecasted growth by using regional systems and land efficiently and effectively. • Coordinate major regional investment projects with local infrastructure and planning for residential development and redevelopment. • Promote residential development patterns that protect natural resources, the quality and quantity of our water resources, and our water supply. • Promote interconnected, compact residential development patterns. • Continue to exempt communities without sewer service from the calculation of the Allocation of Affordable Housing Need (see more in Part III). Local role • Plan for residential development to support forecasted growth at appropriate housing densities and in areas that make the most efficient use of existing (local and regional) infrastructure. • Work with developers to design high -quality housing projects and neighborhoods that effectively incorporate density. • Engage local residents to identify areas appropriate for higher density that support community resiliency and provide connections to jobs, schools, and amenities. Focus housing around emerging transit investments The region has been building its highway system for more than 50 years, but only in the last decade have we started to build new fixed -route transitways, such as light rail and bus rapid transit, to supplement our extensive bus network. Our transitway network is still in development with opportunities to invest in transit across the urbanized parts of our region. We have learned that effective stewardship of public transit dollars requires a more strategic coordination of regional transit investments with surrounding land uses, connected development patterns and urban form. Since much of our region developed around roads and private automobiles, the changes in land use and urban form required to make transit successful are significant. To leverage our regional transit investments, the Council will need strong local partners who are willing to plan and invest in their communities and coordinate with neighboring communities to develop around transit. As our region makes significant investments in transit, particularly transitways, we must also ensure that the inevitable changes in neighborhoods along transit do not displace existing low-income residents. The increased accessibility that transit investments provide can lead to rising housing costs, making it more important to take proactive steps to preserve a mix of housing affordability and protect housing options for existing low-income residents alongside newer higher -income residents. In addition, the 2040 Transportation Policy Plan explicitly outlines expectations for residential density for new housing and mixed -use development and redevelopment around transit stations and high - frequency transit service. Integrating housing development and transit planning creates development patterns that support high transit demand and expand travel choices for households, allowing more people the options of driving fewer miles, not owning a car or having with fewer cars per household. 2040 HOUSING POLICY PLAN I METROPOLITAN COUNCIL DRAFT RELEASED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT Part II: Outcomes (Stewardship) I Page 23