Agenda - Planning Commission - 09/04/2014

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Last revised July 24, 2014 Council role • Include housing criteria in the land use and development measures for transitway prioritization. • Define density expectations for new housing and mixed -use development and redevelopment around transit stations and high -frequency transit service. • Expect local plans and programs to create or preserve a mix of housing affordability near transit stations. Improve alignment between housing policy and education decision -makers There is emerging awareness of the iterative nature of housing policies and education policies. Areas of concentrated poverty have —or are believed to have —poorer performing schools. Children living in neighborhoods with concentrated poverty may be less prepared for school and may receive an education inferior to children in neighborhoods with less poverty, limiting their ability to stop the cycle of poverty. Families with enough income to live where they choose are less likely to live in areas of concentrated poverty, in part due to expectations that schools elsewhere are better. Therefore, opportunities to maintain a mix of incomes in a community become more difficult, and disinvestment in areas of poverty is reinforced. Unfortunately, unaligned jurisdictions, decision making bodies, and a lack of communication has inhibited the ability of the two "worlds" to work together to improve outcomes for both. One example is the impact land use and zoning have on the number of households with school -aged children in a community. If planning for housing that is attractive to families with children is not done in concert with school district investment decisions, valuable resources may be used for a school that will see a decrease in attendance over time. Similarly, school investments can have a big impact on the desirability of a neighborhood for families with children. If land use guidance does not provide adequate land for family housing, that school's attendance may not justify the investment, or we may put unnecessary burdens on transportation systems that connect families to that school. There are other important impacts that land use can have on school districts. Since few school district boundaries align exactly with city boundaries, a city's land use decisions can affect the student pool of a district that is mostly located in a different city. Often these situations involve discussions and decisions that are extremely sensitive; acknowledging the relationship between land use and school districts up front can minimize the potential controversy. Council role • Convene housing policy stakeholders with leaders from school districts and the Minnesota Department of Education to improve the alignment between housing planning and education. • Explore how to empower school districts to more effectively comment on local comprehensive plans. • Encourage school district planners and local planners to communicate and collaborate. 2040 HOUSING POLICY PLAN I METROPOLITAN COUNCIL DRAFT RELEASED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT Part II: Principles (Integration) I Page 44