The plaintiffs in the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan lawsuit did the near-impossible: We “fought City Hall” and won. Repeatedly.
That victory gave teeth to our state’s bedrock environmental law, the Minnesota Environmental Rights Act of 1971 (MERA), which says every Minnesotan has the right to clean air, land and water.
Under MERA, the courts have ordered the city of Minneapolis to conduct an environmental review to identify the “likely material adverse environmental impacts” of its 2040 plan.
It is important to note, contrary to the claims of our critics, that we have never expressed opposition to the Minneapolis 2040 plan or its goals. Neither have we opposed the elimination of single-family zoning or the permitting of duplexes/triplexes through the city. We do believe that an environmental review of the 2040 Plan by an objective third party will provide the essential data needed to vet the plan, mitigate likely harm and leverage benefits.
— Rebecca Arons, Smart Growth Minneapolis