09-14-2009 Council Work Session Packet

Home Browse Search

� �Metropolitan Council Revised Metropolitan Urban Service Area (MUSA) Implementation Guidelines November 2007 Background Local comprehensive plans for"developing' communities submitted in the 1998 comprehensive plan updates (CPUs) identified the timing and staging of lands available for urban development to 2020; and, in many cases, areas planned for longer-term urbanization, often described as urban reserve areas. These areas planned for new development were expected to ultimately achieve a minimum net residential density of 3 dwelling units per acre when wastewater services became available. To ensure an adequate supply of urban land to accommodate future regional growth the Council continues to monitor the region's land supply. Monitoring includes designation of 2020-2030 land uses; enforcement of minimum urban density standards of 3-5 dwelling units per net residential acre in sewered areas; and planning for additional MUSA in the 2008 round of comprehensive plans that extend the planning horizon to 2030. In addition, the Council has a plat monitoring program that reports annually on development density trends in several developing communities and will be required in all developing communities following Council review of the 2008 round of comprehensive plan updates. Revised Guidelines In October of 2004 the Council adopted "Guidelines for Evaluating Plan Amendments Proposing Changes to Metropolitan Urban Service Area (MUSA) Timing Staging." Since early 2007, the Metropolitan Council and Metro Cities staffs have discussed the guidelines relative to the density calculation and the 2008 comprehensive plan reviews. Metro Cities requested that the Council consider revising its implementation �uidelines to be more flexible,more responsive to market forces, and to acknowledge the performance of individual communities in achieving the Council's policy of a minimum of 3 units per net acre. The Council agreed with Metro Cities' principles. In an attempt to respond to Metro Cities' concerns while maintaining the Council's objective of efficient, economical growth, the guidelines were revised as follows on September 12, 2007: 1. The city's overall residential density for development since 2000 must be a minimum of three units per developable acre. Determination of this density will be based on constructed residential units and approved preliminary plats. 2. Cities that have participated in the Council's Plat Monitoring Progra�n beginning in 2000 or submitted the necessary plat data from 2000 will be credited on a 1:1 basis for housing units platted or developed that yield an overall average density in excess of 3 units per net developable acre. The housing unit credits will be applied to areas guided for 2020-2030 urban services and to any other proposed reguided areas. The combined overall average density needs to be a minimum of 3 units per net developable acre based on an acreage average of the city's actual development and platting since 2000, the lowest allowable density in 2020-2030 guiding, and any reguided land.