01-24-2000 Council Work Session - Laserfiche WebLink

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Orono is partly in the Metropolitan Urban Service Area and partly in the Rural Ser\'ice Area. The Metropolitan Council as part oF its Reeional Growth Siratetiv has established a MUSA lirrc boundar\- that rings the Twin Cities separating urban and rural areas defininti the urban area, the permanent rural area, and an urban reserve which is expected to be converted from rural to urban over the next 40 years . Within the MUSA area, metropolitan facilities, including more extensive transportation systems, will be provided for urban development. Outside the MUSA area, in the Permanent Rural Area, developed density is expected to be low and metropolitan facilities and capacities will not be provided. Map No. 6 indicates th e actual location t)f th e boundaiy between th e Urban Semce Area ar.d th e Rural- Service Area as it-passes th rough Orono. In the past the Metropolitan Council's broad-brush maps have shown the MUS.A boundar\- to be running throiuih Orono dividimi our Citv into Urban and Rural sections. While the current MUSA boundary does divide Orono. the illustrative 2020 MUSA shown in the Regional Growth Strategy places all but the northwest tip of Orono within the MUSA, and virtually all of Orono is shown within the MUSA bv 2040. Urban and rural neighborhoods require differing levels of public ser> ices and facilities. The urban areas of Orono have sufficient density to require and to financially support, municipal services such as a typical urban roadway network. The rural areas, on the other hand, have limited density and have environmental restraints prohibiting urban density encroachments. The planned rural densities do not require extensive public roadway systems nor can these rural densities support any type of mass transit system. I RH-DO THE FOLLOWING SIMILAR TO LAND USE SECTION LANGUAGE- Recent changes in national priorities, population trends, metropolitan plans, and metropolitan facilities reinforce the planning and development objectives of Orono. The 1950's and 1960's were years of great expansion and reliance upon the powers of science and industry' to solve all problems. Population graphs showed growth projections running off the paper. Suburbs boomed while core cities were lighting for their vcr>' survival. The 1970's brought a new en\ ironmental awareness and an understanding that nature, not science, was the key to our planet's survival. New social concerns revived the cities and showed how characterless the suburbs had become. Inflation and population stabilization brought unlimited expansion to a halt as roads, schools, and all public services began scrambling for maintenance dollars while overbuilt facilities quickly became tenible taxpayer burdens. The cost of energy is dramatically refocusing every one's attention on conservation and carelul planning of anv new facility. CMP 4A - 4