Forest Lake planning commission begins scoping 2050 comprehensive plan update, debates Met Council density targets

Forest Lake City Planning Commission members spent the bulk of their meeting discussing how to scope a two-year update of the city's comprehensive plan, which staff said must be completed and approved by the Metropolitan Council by Dec. 31, 2028.

Staff member Michael told the commission the update will be a roughly two-year project and that the city has already appealed parts of the Met Council's 2025 system statement. "The city council has appealed the system statement on three factors," Michael said, citing changes to community classification, minimum density expectations and housing-growth forecasts.

Commissioners focused on two related challenges: how to reach residents for meaningful engagement on a long-range (2050) plan, and whether Forest Lake can meet the Met Council's density and affordable-housing allocations. "Community engagement is a beast in this community," Commissioner Susan Young said. "It's really difficult to get citizens thinking about the community of the future when they're dealing with things that affect them today." She and other commissioners suggested targeted outreach to homeowner associations, service clubs, schools and short on-demand videos that residents can watch outside meeting hours.

On density and housing, staff described the distinction between a mandate to 'guide' sufficient land for future units and an actual requirement to build a set number of housing units. "The Met Council's projections indicate a future need for affordable units and ask us to guide land so that those units could be developed," Michael said. Commissioners pressed how the council's minimum-density baseline (discussed at roughly 3 to 3.5 units per acre in the packet) and exemptions for stormwater ponds and wetlands affect developable acreage.

"If the Met Council is asking us to create the climate for 600 units, that's different than saying we must build 600 units," Commissioner Young said. Commissioner Andy (first name used in the record) voiced stronger opposition to the Met Council's approach: "I think the Met Council is out of control. I think they're social engineers," he said, calling for continued council engagement and appeals.

Commissioners urged staff to translate plan objectives into measurable actions and code changes where possible. Staff suggested the commission identify "guardrails" in advance and work with consultants to produce a plan with specific, trackable outcomes rather than only aspirational language.

Next steps, Michael said, include early community visioning, scoping consultant work and developing a public-engagement plan that combines in-person outreach with on-demand material and targeted presentations to civic and business groups. The commission asked staff to return with more-detailed scoping and opportunities for commissioner-led outreach.

The commission did not take formal action on the comprehensive plan at the meeting; staff requested commissioners provide additional feedback by contacting Michael, Stephen or Abby ahead of the next session.