City of Lino Lakes Resource
Management Planning (RMP)
fully integrating watershed-based + municipal planning
The City of Lino Lakes’ RMP was the first resource management plan that was fully integrated within a local Comprehensive Land Use Plan update and represents an unprecedented example of watershed, municipal, and federal collaboration. Although Watershed Districts regulate stormwater management on proposed developments and improvement projects, they typically do not regulate land use. Water resource based decisions made during landuse planning processes can be a very powerful tool in minimizing the impacts to existing natural and water resources during the planning for future development.
During the City of Lino Lakes RMP process, the governing Watershed District was able to offer guidance to the City regarding the various land use scenarios and the subsequent impacts they would have to various natural resources. This collaboration allows the City to better plan its infrastructure, as well as use its parks and open spaces to minimize stormwater runoff in identified sensitive areas.
Key components of the EOR developed Resource Management Plan:
- provided resource-based guidance for City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan
- completed a Comprehensive Wetland Protection and Management Plan under the Wetland Conservation Act
- allows for the easy coordination with multiple Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Studies
- provided stormwater modeling for regional and local surface water management planning
- compatible with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, thereby expediting the permitting process from the US Army Corps of Engineers
Collaboration among the governing Watershed District and the City enabled the Lino Lakes RMP to provide a higher level of predictability not only for the District and the City, but for landowners and developers as well. Citizens can have confidence that infrastructure is being built properly to protect their property, as well as, their natural resource amenities. Developers benefit from the predictable coordinated permitting process at the local, state, and federal level.