04-22-1996 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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. ^J—^/-!nv*r*iv '••• • *•' •------ » » > } > }1 i I > I I I I » 1 I I > > ! » [ > > > ! I I I ) I ) I > I 8. Past failures to maintain an adequate urban land supply, protect urban reserv es and properly control rural development, has contributed to explosive growth in not only the areas outside the MUSA line within the seven county area and around free-standing growth centers, but also in the counties that surround the seven counties and beyond. 9. The region must take immediate action to economically serve areas that can be physically connected to the regional wastewater treatment system. Recommendations 1. Expand MUSA Now. Based on assumptions in the Regional Growth Options Report, approximately 264,000 households have to be accommodated in the cities on the edges of the developed portion of the Metro Area in the next 25 years. The information contained in this report demonstrates that if 50% of the area within the Ultimate MUSA boundary is developed at urban densities, only approximately 176,450 households can be accommodated. This urban land shortage is growing daily. Prompt rc-nedial action is needed. The effect of the development patterns that have been allowed in some portions of the UltiMUSA area make it unlikely that it will be cost effective to extend sewers to serve them. Where it is still possible to extend sewers and facilitate development at urban densities, the Metropolitan Council should extend the MUSA line to the UltiMUSA as soon as possible. Rather th.^n attempting to parcel out incremental MUSA expansions, the Metropolitan Council should take bold action to achieve sewered densities in as much of the remaining UltiMUSA area as possible. 2. Facilitate and Support .Market Based Infill and Redevelopment in the Core. The Growth Options Report assumes that 66,000 households can be accommodated through either infill or redevelopment, within the developed portion of the region. It is impossible to know whether this number is realistic. What is clear is that the Area should work very hard to clean up polluted land, facilitate redevelopment, and work with core communities to prepare and implement market focused infill and redevelopment programs. Absent these activities, it is very unlilrely that the projected infi ll will occur. Government ’s role in this process should be to create an environment for private industry and market forces to operate effectively. Executive Summary