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Metropolitan Agencies <br />process is streamlined and efficient and avoids excessive cost burdens or duplicative or <br />unnecessary planning requirements by municipalities in the planning process. Metro Cities <br />supports resources to assist cities in meeting regional goals as part of the comprehensive <br />planningprocess,includingplanninggrantsandtechnicalassistance. <br />Metro Cities supports funding and other resources from the Metropolitan Council for the <br />preparation ofcomprehensiveplan updates,including grantfunding.Grantsand other <br />resources should be provided to all eligible communities through a formula that is equitable, and <br />recognizesvaryingcityneeds andcapacities. <br />4-IComprehensivePlanningSchedule <br />Cities are required to submit comprehensive plan updates to the Metropolitan Council every 10 <br />years. A cityÓs comprehensive plan represents a communityÓs vision of how the city should grow <br />and develop or redevelop, ensure adequate housing, provide essential public infrastructure and <br />services,protectnaturalareasandmeetothercommunityobjectives. <br />Metro Cities recognizes the merit of aligning comprehensive plan timelines with the release of <br />census data. However, the comprehensive plan process is expensive, time consuming and labor <br />intensive for cities, and the timing for the submission of comprehensive plans should not be <br />alteredsolely tobetteralign withcensusdata.If sufficient validreasonsexist fortheschedulefor <br />thenextroundofcomprehensiveplanstobechangedorexpedited,cities shouldbeprovided <br />withfinancialresourcestoassisttheminpreparingthe nextroundofplans. <br />Metro Cities opposes cities being forced into a state of perpetual planning because of <br />regional and legislative actions. Should changes be made to the comprehensive planning <br />schedule, Metro CitiesÓ supports financial and other resources to assist cities in preparing <br />andincorporatingpolicychanges inlocalplanningefforts. <br />MetroCitiessupportsa10-yeartimeframeforcomprehensiveplan updatesubmissions. <br />MetroCitiessupportstheMetropolitanCouncilÓsconsideration toreducerequirementsfor <br />10-year ComprehensivePlanupdates forcitiesunder2,500. <br />4-JLocalZoningAuthority <br />Local governmentsare responsibleforzoningandlocalofficialsshould havefull authorityto <br />approve variances to remain flexible in response to the unique land use needs of their own <br />community. Local zoning decisions, and the implementation of citiesÓ comprehensive plans, <br />should not be conditioned upon the approval of the Metropolitan Council or any other <br />governmentalagency. <br />Metro Cities supports local authority over land use and zoning decisions and opposes the <br />creation ofnon-localappealsboardswiththeauthorityto supersedecityzoning decisions, <br />and statutory modifications that would diminish the ability of cities to set and implement <br />localzoningordinances andpolicies. <br />2022 Legislative Policies <br />47 <br /> <br />