Council offers free planning workshops
Session help communities update comprehensive plans
Starting in March 2006 and continuing for eight months, the Metropolitan Council will offer a series of free technical workshops to help local officials, planners, engineers and consultants prepare local comprehensive plan updates
Presented by Council staff and other subject-matter experts, the monthly On Course for 2008 sessions offer tips, case-study examples and resources to address specific elements in comprehensive plans. Each workshop session will be held twice, on the third and fourth Thursdays of the month, from 9:30 a.m. to noon. All sessions will be held at the Council’s offices in downtown St. Paul. Participants can earn course certificates by completing five of the eight workshops.
Under state law, counties, cities, and townships throughout the seven-county metropolitan region must update and submit local comprehensive plans to the Council by Dec. 31, 2008. On Course workshops can help communities prepare their updates and ensure the plans conform with the Council’s 2030 Regional Development Framework and regional system policy plans. Participants will also learn about key portions of the Council’s Local Planning Handbook, which includes links to a number of planning resources, reports, guides and examples.
On Course topics include preparation of the plan elements required for highways, transit and alternative modes of transportation, water resources, natural resources, and housing. Sessions will also illustrate forecasting techniques, GIS resources and demographic predictors. Session descriptions and registration are available online at www.metrocouncil.org/OnCourse2008/info.htm.