Agenda - Council - 08/06/2018 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mississippi River Critical Corridor Area The Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area (MRCCA) is a joint state, regional and local program that provides coordinated planning and management for the 72-mile stretch of the Mississippi River through the seven -county metropolitan area and for 54,000 acres of surrounding land across 30 local jurisdictions. The MRCCA shares a boundary with the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA), a unit of the National Park Service. Mississippi River from Br. 2441 (Franklin Avenue, CSAH 5) in Minneapolis The MRCCA was designated a state critical area in 1976 to protect its many unique natural and cultural resources and values. These resources and values are protected through development standards and criteria implemented via local land use plans and zoning ordinances. The MRCCA is home to a full range of residential neighborhoods and parks as well as river -related commerce, industry, and transportation. Though the river corridor has been extensively developed, many natural areas remain, including bluffs, islands, floodplains, wetlands, riparian zones, and native aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna. In January 2017, the State of Minnesota adopted new rules for MRCCA. These rules (see Minnesota Rules, chapter 6106) updated standards for protecting natural, scenic, cultural, recreational, and economic resources within MRCCA and laid out standards for updating local MRCCA plans for complying with these standards. The new rules were the result of a four-year rulemaking process that focused on developing standards to be implemented through city and township zoning ordinances. However, there are a number of standards that must be implemented by jurisdictions such as counties that own and operate land and facilities within the corridor. Counties are specifically required by the rules (see 6106.0060, subp. 7) to prepare or amend MRCCA plans consistent with the rules. Hennepin County's role Hennepin County prepares or amends Mississippi River Critical Corridor Area plans, as required under Minnesota Rules, chapter 6106.0060, subp.7. MRCCA management MRCCA is operated through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and is intended to enhance the management and use of land and water within the corridor. The DNR provides guidelines for how development should be managed in order to protect resources and the scenic qualities of the river corridor. Corridor districts Six districts are defined in the MRCCA rules (see Minnesota Statutes, section 116G.15, subdivision 3). The districts are established based on the natural and built character of different areas of the river corridor. All include diverse land uses, including parks and open space and scenic, natural, and historic areas. Rural and open space district The rural and open space district (CA-ROS) is characterized by rural and low -density development patterns and land uses. This includes land that is riparian or visible from the river as well as large, undeveloped tracts of high ecological and scenic value, floodplains, and undeveloped islands. Many primary conservation areas exist in the district. Primary conservation areas are defined in the MCRRA rules 1