“It’s not a simple decision. Many agencies, citizens groups and just about every level of government have a stake in Minnesota’s rivers, particularly the Mississippi River,” said Dean Barkley, Minnesota Planning Director. “Care has to be taken to protect the environment, but cities can make better connections to their rivers. The Science Museum is a good example of this.”
Minnesota cities are beginning to realize that their rivers can be a defining community asset. Connecting with Minnesota’s Urban Rivers describes how cities can capitalize on that asset and how the state can better support them in sustaining the asset over time. Although current law and practice make good efforts to preserve natural resources, there is much less effort to encourage sustainable economic or community development.
The Urban Rivers Act, adopted by the Legislature in 2001, calls for sustainable approaches to riverfront development. Connecting with Minnesota’s Urban Rivers proposes guidelines that would do this by preserving features of a river important to its ecological health while taking advantage of those that might serve as a positive community asset. The guidelines also suggest how private development might make the riverfront community a better place.
The report also suggests ways to streamline river management.