Agenda - Council Work Session - 02/27/2018

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Metropolitan Agencies 4-A Goals and Principles for Regional Governance The Twin Cities metropolitan region is home to a majority of the state's population and businesses and is poised for significant growth in the next two decades. At the same time, the region faces significant challenges and opportunities. The responses to these opportunities and challenges will determine the future success of the region and its competitiveness in the state, national and world economies. The Metropolitan Council was created to manage the growth of the metropolitan region, and cities are responsible for adhering to regional plans as they plan for local growth and service delivery. The region's cities are the Metropolitan Council's primary constituency, with regional and local growth being primarily managed through city comprehensive planning and implementation, and the delivery of a wide range of public services. To function successfully, the Metropolitan Council must be accountable to and work in collaboration with city governments. The role of the Metropolitan Council is to set broad regional goals and to provide cities with technical assistance and incentives to achieve those goals. City governments are responsible and best suited to provide local zoning, land use planning, development and service delivery. Any additional roles or responsibilities for the Metropolitan Council should be limited to specific statutory assignments or grants or authorization, and should not usurp or conflict with local roles or processes, unless such changes have the consent of the region's cities. • Metro Cities supports an economically strong and vibrant region, and the effective, efficient and equitable provision of regional infrastructure, services and planning throughout the metropolitan area. • Metro Cities supports the provision of approved regional systems and planning that can be provided more effectively, efficiently or equitably on a regional level than at the local level by individual local units of government. • The Metropolitan Council must involve cities in the delivery of regional services and planning and be responsive to local perspectives on regional issues, and be required to provide opportunities for city participation on Council advisory committees and task forces. • The Metropolitan Council must involve cities at all steps of planning, review and implementation around the regional development guide, policy plans, systems statements, and local comprehensive plan requirements to ensure transparency, balance and Council adherence to its core mission and functions. These processes should allow for stakeholder input before policies and plans are released for comment and finalized. 2018 Legislative Policies 37