(10/03/02)

The Minneapolis City Council approved Focus Minneapolis - a major initiative aimed at making Minneapolis planning and community development functions more effective, responsive and accountable. The initiative builds on recommendations developed on a pro bono basis by McKinsey & Company. The Council approved the resolution on an 11-2 vote on September 13.

The complete Resolution 2002R-303 may be found here in PDF format.

	City of Minneapolis

The plan creates an Office of Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) to oversee, coordinate and streamline all City planning and development activity. The functions of the Minneapolis Community Development Agency will be integrated into the new department.

The City will begin the process by appointing an Interim Community Planning and Economic Development Director, who will serve jointly as Executive Director of the existing Minneapolis Community Development Agency. A new Development Services Department will be created to make it easier for residents, businesses and developers to do business with the city.

The city will evaluate which functions of the current Regulatory Services department to include in this new department by Jan. 1, 2003. The City will also establish housing and economic development as the City's top development priorities; and commit to setting specific, measurable goals during its strategic planning process this fall.

The plan also calls for the City to strengthen its management and decision-making processes to improve strategic planning and focus development activity on these development priorities.

Background Information
The Focus Minneapolis Initiative is the result of an eight-month effort by Mayor R.T. Rybak and the Minneapolis City Council to create a more strategic and streamlined approach to the City's planning and development activities.

The initiative builds on recommendations developed on a pro bono basis by McKinsey & Company, for the City of Minneapolis, summarized in their report Strengthening Community and Economic Development in Minneapolis, presented to the Council on June 14, 2002. The effort included direct input from over 2,000 Minneapolis residents, businesses, City staff, and other stakeholders, including face-to-face interviews, written and electronic surveys, letters, emails, and comments received at over 20 stakeholder meetings. As public input was being sought, staff from the City of Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Community Development Agency (MCDA) and the Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) conducted a technical review of the implications of implementing the McKinsey recommendations.

Edited from City of Minneapolis material.

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