Agenda - Council Work Session - 02/27/2018

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Metropolitan Agencies streamlining and consolidating approval processes and recommending future planning and capital investments. The Master Water Supply Plan serves as a framework for assisting and guiding communities in their water supply planning, without usurping local decision making processes. Many cities also conduct their own analyses for use in water supply planning. The committee's now permanent status allows it to play a key role in the development and direction of water supply planning activities as the Master Plan is updated and implemented with additional information and data as they become available. As the Met Council continues its assessment of the region's water supply and issues for sustainability, the Council must work cooperatively with local policymakers and professional staff throughout the region on an on -going and structured basis to ensure a base of information for water supply decision making that is sound, credible and verifiable, and considers local information, data, cost -benefit analyses and projections before any policy recommendations are issued. Metro Cities encourages the Metropolitan Council to consider the inter -relationships of wastewater treatment, stormwater management and water supply. Any state and regional regulations and processes should be clearly stated in the Master Water Supply Plan. Further, regional monitoring and data collection benefits should be borne as shared expenses between the regional and local units of government. Metro Cities supports Metropolitan Council planning activities to address regional water supply needs and water planning activities as prescribed in statute. Metro Cities opposes the insertion of the Metropolitan Council as another regulator in the water supply arena. Further, while Metro Cities supports regionally coordinated efforts to address water supply issues in the metropolitan area, Metro Cities opposes the elevation of water supply to "Regional System" status, or the assumption of Met Council control and management of municipal water supply infrastructure. Metro Cities supports laws that expanded municipal representation on the water supply advisory committee and eliminated the requirement that city comprehensive plans be consistent with the regional water supply plan. These laws serve to strengthen input and collaboration for water supply planning, and help to ensure sound scientific analyses and models are developed before legislative solutions to these issues are considered. Metro Cities supports the technical advisory committee to the MAWSAC that maximizes participation by municipal officials. Metro Cities supports efforts to identify capital funding sources to assist with municipal water supply projects. Any fees or taxes for regional water supply planning activities must be consistent with activities prescribed in M.S. 473. 1565, and support activities specifically within the region. 4-G Review of Local Comprehensive Plans In reviewing local comprehensive plans and plan amendments, the Metropolitan Council 2018 Legislative Policies 40