Small Communities Planning Program

The Small Communities Planning Program offers a high level of comprehensive planning assistance to support some of the smallest communities in the region with their 2050 Comprehensive Plan updates. Participating cities and townships will work collaboratively with program staff from the Met Council’s Local Planning Assistance team to update their local comprehensive plan. Program staff will focus on the technical work of collecting information, data, and maps, and producing and writing the plan. Local governments with input from community members will lead the community vision, priority setting, and strategic direction to guide the community through the year 2050.  

Eligible communities were identified based on selection criteria adopted by the Met Council. The criteria aimed at selecting those communities in the region which might have the most limited staff and financial capacity to fund and manage a comprehensive plan update process. Met Council has resources available to serve 29 eligible communities. Participation in the program is voluntary.

Communities eligible for the new 2050 Small Communities Planning Program meet one of the following three criteria:

1. Current population (2024) is under 500 AND adjusted net tax capacity per capita (2024) is less than or equal to 175% of metro median net tax capacity per capita; or
2. Current population (2024) is between 500 to 999 AND adjusted net tax capacity per capita (2024) is less than or equal to 150% of metro median net tax capacity per capita; or
3. Current population (2024) is between 1,000 and 2,500 AND adjusted net tax capacity per capita (2024) is less than or equal to 125% of metro median net tax capacity per capita.

Map and list of eligible communities.

Communities eligible for the Small Communities Planning Program can sign up to participate anytime through June 30, 2026. The program work will proceed under a contract participation agreement between each participating community and the Met Council. It will include a general workplan with the project schedule, roles and responsibilities, and deliverables.
 

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Review the Small Communities Planning Program Guide.
The guide describes the Small Communities Planning Program, the roles and responsibilities of the Met Council and the participating community in preparation of the 2050 Comprehensive Plan, and a general schedule of activities. If there are any questions about elements of the Program Guide or adjustments the community may wish to request to the project schedule or local roles and responsibilities, reach out to the program contact (below).

Step 2: Sign and return the letter of Intent.
The letter of intent indicates that your community wishes to participate in the Small Communities Planning Program. It will identify the local representative who is authorized to complete the Small Communities Planning Program participation contract. This can be a local Clerk, City Administrator, elected official, or other staff or consultant that is authorized to act on behalf of the City.

Step 3: Review the Small Communities Planning Program participation contract
After receiving the signed letter of Intent from the community, Met Council will send the Small Communities Planning Program participation contract to the community for review and signature. Reach out to the program contact, if there are any questions or items that the community wishes to discuss about the contract.

Step 4: Adopt a local resolution authorizing the community to enter a contract with the Metropolitan Council to participate in the Small Communities Planning Program.

• Sample Resolution      

Step 5: Return complete documentation to Met Council before June 15, 2026

• Completed and signed Small Communities Planning Program participation contract.
• Attach the local resolution.
• Signed contract and resolution. 

Step 6: Met Council will return a signed and completed copy of the Small Communities Planning Program participation contract to the community for its records.

Step 7: After contract execution, project work can begin.
The deadline for eligible communities to complete a contract agreement to participate in the Small Communities Planning Program is June 30, 2026.