Eagan council backs sending comprehensive‑plan consultant RFP to December agenda as Met Council raises housing allocation

Mayor opened the workshop and staff sought direction on a proposed request for proposals to hire a consultant to update Eagan’s comprehensive plan, extending planning work toward 2050 and scheduling two phases of public engagement.

Russ, a city staff member who presented the item, said the Metropolitan Council’s recent system statement increased Eagan’s affordable‑housing allocation from earlier estimates to 974 units to 2040. "System statements are individual to each city," he said, explaining that the allocation reflects the land guided at a minimum density (10 units per acre) rather than immediate construction of housing.

Why it matters: the Met Council allocation changes how much land the city must guide at higher densities to remain compliant. Staff told the council the RFP would be released in early January 2026, that work with a consultant would begin in 2026, and that the city must submit a completed plan to the Met Council no later than 2028‑12‑31 to avoid delays in agency review.

Council members pressed staff on specifics. A councilor asked whether accessory dwelling units would meaningfully count toward the allocation; staff replied ADUs exist in policy but occur too rarely and at too high a cost to move the needle at scale. Another councilor urged the city to note local reservations about aggressive regional projections and suggested a cover letter or appendix be added to the plan to record that viewpoint.

On budget and schedule, staff said the preliminary 2026 budget includes $85,000 for consultant work and additional funding is tentatively included in the 2027 budget. Staff emphasized two public‑engagement phases: an early educational phase and a later detailed concept phase timed to summer events to maximize participation.

Outcome and next steps: Council members responded affirmatively to staff’s policy questions about project components and the draft RFP and asked staff to place the RFP on the December regular meeting consent agenda for formal consideration. If approved, staff expects to post the RFP in early January and have a consultant in place by the end of Q1 2026. Final plan preparation and agency review are expected through 2027 into mid‑2028.

The council’s decision to advance the RFP sets in motion a two‑year planning and public‑engagement process that staff said will focus on infill, redevelopment and revised density categories to accommodate the regional housing allocation.