Metropolitan Council |
Agency Profile |
Mission:
The mission of the Metropolitan Council is to foster efficient and economic growth for a prosperous metropolitan region.
Statewide Outcome(s):
Metropolitan Council supports the following statewide outcome(s).
A clean, healthy environment with sustainable uses of natural resources.
Sustainable options to safely move people, goods, services and information.
Context:
The Metropolitan Council was created by the Legislature to plan and coordinate the orderly development of the seven county metropolitan area. In addition to land-use planning, the Council plans for the regional transportation, airports, wastewater treatment and water supply and regional parks. The Council operates transit and wastewater services and administers housing and other grant programs.
Regional population and jobs are forecasted to grow by roughly a third between 2010 and 2040. Households will grow even faster at a rate above 40 percent. This will increase congestion, put pressure on the region’s natural resources and infrastructure as well as the availability and cost of land. The region has realized in excess of 13 percent growth between 2000 and 2010.
Funding for Council activities is provided by State, Federal and Local Governments, Property Tax Levies, and Fares and User Fees.
State funding is primarily for transit services, operation, maintenance and acquisition of regional parks and water supply planning.
Strategies:
Work with local communities to accommodate growth in a flexible, connected and efficient manner.
Plan and invest in multi-modal transportation choices, based on the full range of costs and benefits, to slow the growth of congestion and serve the region’s economic needs.
Encourage expanded choices in housing location and types, and improved access to jobs and opportunities.
Work with local and regional partners to reclaim, conserve, protect and enhance the region's vital natural resources.
Measuring Success:
Regional Parks Success – measured by increases in the number of visits per capita.
Transit Operations Success – measured by increases in regional ridership.
Water Supply Success – measured by decreases in gallons of water used per capita and increases to the number of communities utilizing improved modeling techniques.