Located less then 15 miles west of Downtown Minneapolis, Lake Minnetonka is already popular, but the 14 cities near the lake have created a regional coalition to improve the lake experience.
Fourteen cities near Lake Minnetonka in the Metropolitan Twin Cities area "want to entice more people to do, boosting tourism by rebranding the area as a year-round regional destination and revamping lakefront attractions," writes Kelly Smith. The plans would remake the towns on the lakefront in the model of "places like Key West, Naples, San Diego or Duluth."
Included in the plans:
- A scenic byway around the lake, so tourists can tour the entire lake.
- The Wayzata Lake Effect—a 10-year concept plan to improve access and amenities on Wayzata’s (considred the gateway to Lake Minnetonka) lakefront
- "An ambitious concept to boost access to its lakefront for everyone from pedestrians to boaters by adding docks, a pier and lake walk."
- And "new bike lanes, added temporary boat slips and a food vendor at a beach house that houses storage and public restrooms."
Not everyone is supportive of the plans to increase access to the lake. Mary Bader, a longtime resident and former City Council member is quoted an earlier article describing her resistance to the potential changes: “Do we need a massive redevelopment plan for what is basically a nice little town? No, I don’t think so, and I don’t think most people in Wayzata think so."
FULL STORY: Lake Minnetonka cities band together to rebrand, revamp lakefronts

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie