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In this Issue
When the Metropolitan Council was created by the Minnesota Legislature
almost 50 years ago, it was to make sure that the Twin Cities metropolitan area
maintained a high quality of life. And while most of the Met Council’s
work doesn’t grab big headlines, we are essential to the efficient investment
of public resources in the region for the broadest economic benefit. We’re responsible for services like Metro Transit buses and light rail to help
get people where they need to go; wastewater treatment across the entire seven
county region in a cost effective and environmentally sustainable way;
providing affordable housing in communities of opportunity; and guiding funding
for our regional parks and growing livable communities.
Since the recent election and the results at both the Federal
and State level, some of you have asked me whether anything has changed at the
Met Council.
The answer is no. Our mission, priorities, and values are
unchanged. The Met Council will remain a critical resource for strengthening
the Twin Cities metropolitan region. And an economically stronger Twin Cities
region means a stronger Minnesota.
We do our work with the whole region’s best interest in mind
because we are all interconnected. I believe that each part of the region adds
to what makes us great. While each community has its own needs, we attempt to
maximize those interconnections to achieve the greatest benefit to the whole. This also applies to the metro area in relation to greater Minnesota. The metro
area is the economic driver of the state, and in order to increase economic
prosperity for all, we need to continue to pursue win-win approaches and
support our synergies so that we all succeed.
In this district report, please find information about how you
can directly influence regional policy by joining one of the Met Council’s
advisory committees, information about Metro Transit’s Better Bus Stops
program, and how to weigh in on the Met Council’s 2017 budget (spoiler: there’s
a public meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 14!).
As always, if you have any questions or concerns where I might
be of assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Cara
The Metropolitan Council is inviting community members to apply for openings on several advisory committees. The application window is open for terms beginning in January 2017. Our district, District D -- includes the parts of Minneapolis and St. Anthony Village.
We have openings on the following committees/commissions:
We currently have an opening for District D on the Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission (MPOSC), MPOSC helps the Council develop long-range plans for the metro area’s renowned system of regional parks, park reserves and trails. To apply, visit the Secretary of State’s website – there is both an online and paper application available. The Chair position is also open. The priority deadline for applications is Nov. 29.
There is also an opening for District D on the Transportation Accessibility Advisory Committee (TAAC) which advises the Council on management policies for public transportation services in the region from the perspective of riders with disabilities. The committee has 16 members: a chair appointed by the Council, seven members selected by groups that advocate for seniors and people with disabilities, and eight community members who represent geographic districts in the region. The position is a two-year term. The Chair position is also open.
Apply today – while the priority deadline has passed, we are still accepting applications.
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A Line service will be expanded and schedule changes will go into effect on nearly two dozen other routes beginning Saturday, Dec. 3. On the A Line, 15-minute service will be extended through 11:15 p.m. on weekdays and 11:30 p.m. on Saturdays to better serve customers traveling later into the evening. Average weekday ridership on the A Line and Route 84 was 5,557 in October, up about 1,400 rides or 34 percent compared to Route 84 ridership last year. Nearly two-thirds of customers are riding outside of peak hours.
For the past year and a half, Metro Transit has been
coordinating with the Corcoran Neighborhood Organization, transit riders,
Hennepin County, the City of Minneapolis, and the Musicant Group to improve the
southwest corner of Lake Street and Hiawatha. The site was originally home to a
park & ride, an adult education center, and a sea of surface parking and
had a large retaining wall that visually and physically cut off the bus stop
from the LRT. The County is redeveloping a large parcel that will include a
County Service Center, the Midtown Farmer’s Market, residential, and a transit
plaza.
Through this coordination, Metro Transit has been able to
take advantage of opportunities to install a large arterial bus rapid transit
(aBRT) style shelter with enhanced waiting features including heat, light, and
real time information in advance of Lake Street aBRT service. For more
information about arterial bus rapid transit, please follow this link http://www.metrotransit.org/a-line-now-open.
This project will reduce future construction impacts for riders and the
adjacent property owners, and improve the waiting experience in the near term.
The existing bus stop has high ridership and transfer activity between bus and
rail service.
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The Metropolitan Council will discuss the 2017 Unified Budget, and 2016 levies (payable 2017) at a public meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 14.
See the 2017 Unified Budget (112 pages, 13.8 MB pdf), which includes the operating budget, capital program and property tax levies. Printed copies are also available at no charge at the Council’s St. Paul office. To request a document, call 651-602-1500 (leave a message) or email public.info@metc.state.mn.us.
Date: 12/14/2016
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Metropolitan Council Chambers
390 N. Robert Street, St. Paul, MN 55101
To register to speak at the public hearing, call 651-602-1500 and leave a message or send an email to public.info@metc.state.mn.us.
The Council will also receive comments on the proposed 2017 Unified Budget prior to the meeting. Comments must be submitted by 5 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016, to be included in the official record, in one of the following ways:
- Written comments: Metropolitan Council, 390 N. Robert St., St. Paul, 55101
- TTY comments: 651-291-0904
- Email: public.info@metc.state.mn.us
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Record comments on Council’s Public Comment Line at 651-602-1500
 Millworks Lofts. On Nov. 1, I attended the groundbreaking for a new residential project planned along the Hiawatha corridor will preserve the history of three millwork factories. The Millwork Lofts will revitalize three connected and historic buildings between 40th and 41st St. along Hiawatha Avenue.
The buildings, which are former millwork factories, will become 55 one-bedroom units, 22 two-bedroom units, and one three-bedroom unit, with rent ranging between $900 and $1,100. This project was made possible with $188,900 in funding from the Met Council's Tax Base Revitalization Account (TBRA) for asbestos abatement, lead-based paint abatement, soil remediation
and soil vapor mitigation.
Equity and Sustainability in Comprehensive Planning. On Sunday, Nov. 5, I spoke at Nativity Lutheran Church’s series on Sustainability and Equity: We Are All In This Together hosted by Citizens for Sustainability. I discussed what equity and sustainability means to the Met Council and how these outcomes can be integrated into a community's comprehensive plans.
2016 MN Brownfields Awards Event. On Thursday, Nov. 17, I attended this event with Minnesota's redevelopment community. The annual
Rescape Awards acknowledge and celebrate the work
they and their partners do -- often with funding from the Met Council -- to
redevelop polluted sites into new uses. Special recognition to Met Council staff member,
Marcus Martin for his support for helping judge the awards this year.
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