Ramsey 2040 Comprehensive Plan No Appendices (2)

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24 Metropolitan Council Submission Communities in the Emerging Suburban Edge have a mix of residential, rural, and agricultural areas, often including lower-density single-family neighborhoods and small downtown service centers. The growth patterns in these communities demonstrate the challenges of changing from rural to suburban. New developments are typically built in a traditional suburban pattern, characterized by large curving streets, limited through-roadways, and auto-oriented street design. Emerging Suburban Edge communities have access to regional wastewater services (either municipally owned or regional services), access to the metropolitan highway system, and include existing or planned Regional Parks System facilities. The Emerging Suburban Edge communities provide a variety of commercial activities along the main transportation corridors, and most encompass historic small downtowns with small town characteristics. These communities benefit from their proximity to more developed areas while retaining their local rural character and protecting natural resources. Commercial areas in the Emerging Suburban Edge tend to be individual large employers and smaller-scale commercial centers serving the local population. Although these communities have some redevelopment potential in older areas such as historic downtown districts, the focus in the Emerging Suburban Edge is on greenfield development. Greenfields present opportunities to integrate natural resource preservation into site planning prior to development. Some of these communities have land available within their jurisdiction staged for future development, while others are expanding through orderly annexation agreements with neighboring townships. This mix of uses, availability of undeveloped land, and rich access to natural resources is a characteristic unique to Emerging Suburban Edge communities. As of May 2014, the Metropolitan Council forecasts that the Emerging Suburban Edge area will add 201,000 residents, 93,000 households, and 58,000 jobs between 2010 and 2040. This represents growth of 66% in population, 87% in households, and 66% in employment over the three decades. Because most Emerging Suburban Edge communities also have areas designated as rural, these numbers are approximations. These numbers may change during the current comprehensive planning process, which will more precisely delineate how much community growth belongs inside the Metropolitan Urban Service Area.