Minneapolis files appeal in recent court ruling on 2040 Plan
The City of Minneapolis has appealed a recent ruling on the city’s 2040 Plan.
Friday, the city submitted a notice of appeal to a recent ruling from a Hennepin County judge, who had ordered Minneapolis to stop implementing the 2040 Plan and revert back to its previous comprehensive plan.
The appeal is the latest in a legal battle that dates back to 2018 after a lawsuit was filed challenging the plan.
The lawsuit claims the plan violates state environmental law.
RELATED: Minneapolis 2040 Plan rezoning questioned by some residents
The plan eliminated the city’s single-family residential zoning district, which covered roughly 50% of Minneapolis’ 57.49 square miles, and authorized a full build-out of almost 150,000 new residential units during the plan’s duration.
Environmental groups challenged the plan, claiming the city didn’t adequately analyze the plan’s likely effects on the environment.
“A big part of keeping housing affordable is increasing the supply of housing,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey in a statement. “We’ve invested in record amounts of affordable rental housing production in Minneapolis, limited rent increases to just 1% for the past five years and have been credited with keeping inflation way below the national average. We’ve done all of this — and have allowed for a diversity of housing options in all neighborhoods — because of the 2040 Plan.”