Minneapolis 2040 Implementation Allowed to Proceed … For Now

“Minneapolis officials announced Tuesday that they will resume work on development projects that had been postponed after a judge tossed the 2040 Comprehensive Plan that guides development in the city,” reports Liz Navratil for the Star Tribune.

In June, Hennepin County Judge Joseph Klein halted implementation of the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan, ruling that the city had failed to address environmental concerns raised by the court. The Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan famously was the one of the first citywide plans to entirely prohibit single-family zoning—for largely environmental reasons due to the emissions and land consumption effects of sprawling development resulting from exclusionary zoning. 

“Klein wrote in a six-page order that he sought to weigh environmental concerns brought by local activists against the city's arguments that blocking it from enforcing the plan would cause a cascade of logistical and legal problems,” explains Navratil of the latest twist in the evolving saga.

Interim City Attorney Peter Ginder is quoted in the article saying Klein’s latest ruling would allow the city to move forward with building permits, rezonings, and other matters covered by Minneapolis 2040.

The article also provides detail about when to expect a final decision about the plan, and more on the legal controversy surrounding the landmark comp plan.