Background
The Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area (MRCCA) was designated by Governor’s Executive Order in the 1970's to provide coordinated land planning and regulation for the 72-mile stretch of the Mississippi River through the seven-county metropolitan area.
Governor’s Executive Order 79-19 required local units of government to adopt local plans and regulations for the MRCCA based on standards and guidelines it provided to preserve and enhance the natural, aesthetic, economic, recreational, cultural and historical values of the corridor, including providing for continuation and development of a variety of urban uses where appropriate and protection of environmentally sensitive areas.
The Minnesota Legislature updated the MRCCA rules in 2017. Now, cities must adopt and comply with these coordinated regulations.
After the initial public hearing in 2023, City staff revised the amendments that were originally released for public review. Because of the amount of time since the 2023 public hearing and changes made to the draft amendments, staff will request that the Planning Commission hold another public hearing, which is tentatively scheduled for May 2, 2025.
For more background, the Minnesota DNR created a detailed guide to MRCCA Zoning Updates and additional resources.
