# Imagine 2050 *Regional development guide adopted by the Metropolitan Council on February 12, 2025.* Imagine 2050 is the regional development guide of the [[Metropolitan Council (Minnesota)]]. The Council adopted it on February 12, 2025, by Business Item 2025-3, under [[Minn. Stat. § 473.145]].[^1] It replaced [[Thrive MSP 2040]], the Council's plan of 2014.[^1][^2] The Council announced the adoption under the title *Met Council adopts landmark Imagine 2050 Regional Development Guide*. The announcement states that all 181 cities and townships plus the seven counties must develop "aligned 10-year comprehensive plans."[^3] The Council's *Local Planning Handbook* sets December 31, 2028 as the submission deadline for those plans.[^4] Before adoption, the Council's Community Development Committee received a public comment response chart dated December 2, 2024. The chart records Carver County comments 1798–1802. One of them states that the Council's density table "conflicts with approved County land use policy."[^5] The Council adopted the guide on February 12, 2025.[^1] The record in this pack does not establish what change, if any, the adopted guide made in response to the county's comments. ## Who The Metropolitan Council adopted Imagine 2050 by Business Item 2025-3.[^1] Its Community Development Committee received the public comment response chart on December 2, 2024.[^5] Carver County submitted comments 1798 through 1802 on the draft guide.[^5] ## What The Council calls Imagine 2050 its Regional Development Guide.[^3] The Council's Imagine 2050 portal presents the guide together with four component documents:[^6] - a 2050 Water Resources Policy Plan; - a 2050 Regional Transportation Investment Plan; - a 2050 Housing Policy Plan; - an Environmental Justice Framework. The guide was adopted under Minn. Stat. § 473.145 and succeeded Thrive MSP 2040.[^1] ## When - **2014:** Thrive MSP 2040 is adopted. It is the predecessor plan.[^2] - **December 2, 2024:** The Council's public comment response chart is presented to the Community Development Committee. It includes Carver County's comments.[^5] - **February 12, 2025:** The Council adopts Imagine 2050.[^1] - **December 31, 2028:** This is the deadline for submitting updated local comprehensive plans.[^4] ## Where The guide applies to the seven counties of the metropolitan region and to the 181 cities and townships within them.[^3] ## How Local governments submit updated comprehensive plans. The Council reviews each plan for conformance, consistency and compatibility. Local governments then have nine months to adopt their plans.[^4] The project's sourcing for this update process also cites [[Minn. Stat. § 473.864]].[^7] The adoption item cites § 473.145 as the authority for the guide itself.[^1] ## How many - **181:** cities and townships required to develop aligned comprehensive plans.[^3] - **Seven:** counties required to develop aligned comprehensive plans.[^3] - **Five:** Carver County comments recorded in the response chart, numbered 1798 through 1802.[^5] ## In the at-issue record Three at-issue pairs in the project's record concern Imagine 2050. Two come from the Carver County package. **Comment 1800.** According to the first pair, Carver County objected that the Council classified [[Laketown Township]] as "Diversified Rural" while leaving other townships "Agricultural." The county wrote that "There is no distinction in the County Comprehensive Plan between any of the Townships." It dated that uniform treatment to the 1970s.[^5] **Comment 1801.** The second pair concerns comment 1801. In that comment, the county stated that the density table "conflicts with approved County land use policy."[^5] The pair states two further points: - The county's approved policy allows flexibility between one dwelling per forty acres and four per forty, as an incentive tier. - The Council set a maximum. The record shows the comment in the Council's own response chart, followed by adoption on February 12, 2025.[^5][^1] **Dakota County.** The third pair comes from the Dakota County package. It records the adoption under § 473.145 and the replacement of Thrive MSP 2040.[^1] It notes that every Dakota County city is among the 181 cities and townships required to align their plans with the guide.[^3] The pair also describes the Council as seventeen appointed members without direct election. The Council documents cited here, as carried in the pack, do not state the Council's composition. ## Notes [^1]: Metropolitan Council, *Business Item 2025-3, Adopt Imagine 2050* (Feb. 12, 2025) — adoption of Imagine 2050 under Minn. Stat. § 473.145, replacing Thrive MSP 2040. https://metrocouncil.org/Council-Meetings/Committees/Metropolitan-Council/2025/2-12-25/2025-3-JT-Adopt-Imagine-2050.aspx [^2]: Metropolitan Council, *Thrive MSP 2040* project page (2014) — the plan that Imagine 2050 succeeded. https://metrocouncil.org/Planning/Projects/Thrive-2040.aspx [^3]: Metropolitan Council, *Met Council adopts landmark Imagine 2050 Regional Development Guide* (Feb. 2025) — all 181 cities and townships plus the seven counties must develop "aligned 10-year comprehensive plans." https://metrocouncil.org/News-Events/Planning/Newsletters/Met-Council-adopts-landmark-Imagine-2050-Regional.aspx [^4]: Metropolitan Council, *Local Planning Handbook: Comprehensive Plan Update review process* — submission deadline December 31, 2028; review for conformance, consistency and compatibility; nine months to adopt. https://handbook.metrocouncil.org/review-process/comprehensive-plan-update/ [^5]: Metropolitan Council, Community Development Committee, *Imagine 2050 public comment response chart* (Dec. 2, 2024) — Carver County comments 1798–1802, including comment 1800 on township classification and comment 1801 stating that the density table "conflicts with approved County land use policy." https://metrocouncil.org/Council-Meetings/Committees/Community-Development-Committee/2024/12-02-2024/info-3-chart-(1 [^6]: Metropolitan Council, *Imagine 2050* portal — the regional development guide and its water resources, transportation investment, housing and environmental justice components. https://imagine2050.metrocouncil.org/ [^7]: Minnesota Revisor of Statutes, *Minn. Stat. § 473.864* — statute cited in the project's sourcing for the comprehensive plan update process. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/473.864