Frequently Asked Questions

What is a comprehensive plan? 

The Metropolitan Land Planning Act requires municipalities in the Twin Cities area to provide the Metropolitan Council with an updated comprehensive plan every 10 years. It must be consistent with the Metropolitan Council’s regional development guide, Thrive MSP 2040, that sets the direction for the region’s growth and development.

Minneapolis 2040, the City’s draft comprehensive plan, will guide City decision-making for the next 10 years, with an eye toward the year 2040. After 10 years, the City will update the plan again in accordance with state statute.

Minneapolis 2040 is a set of interconnected policy ideas that the community lifted up during the more than two year engagement process. These community ideas helped the City establish priorities and will guide how our city develops over the next 20 years. The document includes 14 goals adopted by the City Council in 2017 that articulate the plan’s intent with an overarching theme: Minneapolis’ growth must be managed so the city works for everyone and existing disparities between white people and people of color are eliminated.

The plan features 100 policies with action steps outlining ways to achieve the goals. It also features topics, which sorts the draft policies into 11 subject areas, and land use and built form maps.

The Future Land Use Map guides land use for every parcel in the city. Any changes to the use of land must be consistent with the guidance of the Future Land Use Map. The Built Form Map guides the scale of development for every parcel in the city through Built Form Districts. The built form of all new and remodeled buildings must be consistent with the guidance of the Built Form Map. Following adoption of Minneapolis 2040, the City of Minneapolis will update its Zoning Code and Zoning map to reflect the guidance of the Future Land Use and Built Form Maps.

What are the key goals outlined in Minneapolis 2040?

The Minneapolis City Council adopted 14 goals at the beginning of the process using feedback from the public. The goals are intended to state the plan’s intent as clearly as possible.

 The goals include: 

1. Eliminate disparities: In 2040, Minneapolis will see all communities fully thrive regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, country of origin, religion, or zip code having eliminated deep-rooted disparities in wealth, opportunity, housing, safety, and health.
2. More residents and jobs:In 2040, Minneapolis will have more residents and jobs, and all people will equitably benefit from that growth.
3. Affordable and accessible housing:In 2040, all Minneapolis residents will be able to afford and access quality housing throughout the city.
4. Living-wage jobs: In 2040, all Minneapolis residents will have the training and skills necessary to participate in the economy and will have access to a living-wage job.
5. Healthy, safe, and connected people:In 2040, the people of Minneapolis will be socially connected, healthy, and safe.
6. High-quality physical environment: In 2040, Minneapolis will enjoy a high-quality and distinctive physical environment in all parts of the city.
7. History and culture:In 2040, the physical attributes of Minneapolis will reflect the city’s history and cultures.
8. Creative, cultural, and natural amenities:In 2040, Minneapolis will have the creative, cultural, and natural amenities that make the city a great place to live.
9. Complete neighborhoods:In 2040, all Minneapolis residents will have access to employment, retail services, healthy food, parks, and other daily needs via walking, biking, and public transit.
10. Climate change resilience:In 2040, Minneapolis will be resilient to the effects of climate change and diminishing natural resources, and will be on track to achieve an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
11. Clean environment:In 2040, Minneapolis will have healthy air, clean water, and a vibrant ecosystem.
12. Healthy, sustainable, and diverse economy: In 2040, Minneapolis will remain the economic center of the region with a healthy, sustainable, and diverse economy.
13. Proactive, accessible, and sustainable government: In 2040, Minneapolis City government will be proactive, accessible, and fiscally sustainable.
14. Equitable civic participation system:In 2040, Minneapolis will have an equitable civic participation system that enfranchises everyone, recognizes the core and vital service neighborhood organizations provide to the City of Minneapolis, and builds people’s long-term capacity to organize to improve their lives and neighborhoods.

What is the timeline for Minneapolis 2040?

The revised draft of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan was released in Fall 2018 for consideration by the Planning Commission and City Council.

The Planning Commission held a public hearing on October 29, and forwarded the plan to the City Council for their consideration. The City Council held a public hearing on November 14, and adopted a resolution directing staff to submit the plan to the Metropolitan Council for their review on December 7, 2018.

Metropolitan Council Review of Minneapolis 2040 for Completeness - January 18, 2019

How much community engagement has there been?

The final draft of the plan is the product of a thoughtful effort spanning more than two years to meet with the people across the city. It integrates more than 18,000 public comments collected during the community engagement process. Engagement activities have included community workshops, community dialogues, street festivals, artist-designed engagement and online engagement. This feedback made this plan stronger and more reflective of our community’s values. You can learn about the engagement process at the planning process section of the website.

How will the City use the comprehensive plan?

Minneapolis 2040 will guide future growth for the city. It is not an instruction book, but rather a tool to frame our growth, set direction, and give high-level guidance. This plan will be used to inform future ordinances, zoning code revisions, and our strategic racial equity plan, among other items.

Does Minneapolis 2040 call for the end of single-family homes?

Minneapolis 2040 does not call for the end of single-family homes. The Built Form Map in the draft plan guides the scale of development in every parcel of the city. It includes 14 districts.

The districts range from areas that allow small-scale residential structures with one to three dwelling units on a traditional city lot up to the downtown business district that allows for the tallest buildings in the city.

Can the City demolish existing homes?

No. According to state law, “eminent domain may only be used for a public use or public purpose,” and further clarifies that the “public benefits of economic development, including an increase in tax base, tax revenues, employment, or general economic health, do not by themselves constitute a public use or public purpose.”

How does Minneapolis 2040 address housing affordability?

Minneapolis is growing faster than it has since 1950. The Metropolitan Council estimates that between 2010 and 2016 the city added over 12,000 housing units and more than 37,000 residents. With this growth comes increased demand for housing and an associated increase in housing costs and rents. As a result, housing units that were once affordable no longer are, and less housing is available for low-income residents of Minneapolis. 

Minneapolis 2040 calls for allowing more housing options, especially in areas that lack housing choices and access to transit, jobs and goods and services. Proposed policies also call for creating and expanding resources to produce and preserve affordable housing and minimizing the displacement of residents.

How does Minneapolis 2040 propose reducing racial disparities?

The disparities that exist today are the result of overt and institutionalized racism that has shaped the opportunities available to multiple generations of Minneapolis residents.

To achieve the goal of reduced disparities, Minneapolis 2040 proposes increasing access to opportunity through a greater diversity of housing types, especially in areas that lack housing options as a result of discriminatory housing policy.

The City will invest in education, skills training, small business support and other support systems to help residents access opportunities to gain and retain well-paying employment that allows them to grow as individuals. Additionally, the City will lead by example, hiring and training a diverse workforce, as well as promoting these practices through its contracts, vendors and other procurement and partnership opportunities. There are 35 proposed policies tied to goal of reducing racial disparities.

When will the policies in Minneapolis 2040 take effect?

Minneapolis 2040 policies and action steps will take effect January 1, 2020. This follows completion of Metropolitan Council review and approval, and the City Council and Mayor's action to finalize the document in October 2019. Until January 1, 2020, the City's current comprehensive plan will be referenced for questions regarding such things as proposed development and future land use.