Contact Decision-Makers
Contact the mayor and your city council member. Tell them to conduct a voluntary comprehensive environmental study of the Minneapolis 2040 Plan.
• Mayor: Jacob Frey — 612-673-2100
• Ward 1: Elliott Payne — (Council President) 612-673-2201
• Ward 2: Robin Wonsley — 612-673-2202
• Ward 3: Michael Rainville — 612-673-2203
• Ward 4: LaTrisha Vetaw — 612-673-2204
• Ward 5: Jeremiah Ellison — 612-673-2205
• Ward 6: Jamal Osman — 612-673-2206
• Ward 7: Katie Cashman — 612-673-2207
• Ward 8: Andrea Jenkins 612-673-2208
• Ward 9: Jason Chavez — 612-673-2209
• Ward 10: Aisha Chughtai — 612-673-2210
• Ward 11: Emily Koski — 612-673-2211
• Ward 12: Aurin Chowdhury — 612-673-2212
• Ward 13: Linea Palmisano — 612-673-2213
Ask your friends and neighbors to do the same.
Stay informed. Sign up for news from Smart Growth Minneapolis
Sample letter
Here is sample language you may wish to use to send city officials — but feel free to draft your own.
Dear ______________:
I believe that an environmental study is needed of the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan. I support housing diversity in all neighborhoods AND fact-based city planning. I support the goals of the 2040 Plan, but I am concerned that the City has not based its solutions on science.
The City does not have a plan for infrastructure to accommodate increased density, more intense land use and their cumulative effects. The City does not have a plan for protecting and increasing tree canopy. The City does not have a plan for protecting already endangered urban water, air, wildlife and ecosystems. The City does not have a plan for protecting a primary migration corridor for birds, as well as bats, bees and other creatures that depend on healthy habitat to sustain them. The City does not have a plan for studying/mitigating contaminated water run-off from buildings covering up to an acre of land (7 city lots).
The City does not have a plan for studying and mitigating gentrification. The City does not have a plan for protecting vulnerable communities from pollution and heat zones. The City does not have a plan for preventing development in flood zones or rail evacuation zones. The City does not have a plan for preventing shading by taller buildings. The City does not have a plan for protecting existing affordable housing and creating new affordable housing.
The City does not have a plan for mitigating traffic congestion from increased density- it does not have a plan to improve bus service with increased density.
The City does not have a plan for addressing climate change: it leaves planning of density up to developers and has not studied likely cumulative effects of demolition/disposal, carbon-emitting concrete, destruction of carbon-sequestering mature trees and elimination of green space.
This list could go on, as the City of Minneapolis has STUDIED NOTHING relating to its 2040 Plan.
Our city deserves a plan that is based on science: a plan that listens to facts and to the people.
Very truly yours …