An official website of the 2025 – 2028 Work Plan
The following work plan summarizes specific topic areas that the Met Council intends to cover over the next several years. These topics emerged from engagement with agency-Met Council workgroups and other community conversations. These items will evolve and change as the Met Council works with partners and stakeholders during implementation.
| Projects by Theme | Time Frame | Location in Policy Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Accountability and Research | ||
| Develop a process to create a small set of performance measures at the policy level to measure progress toward our key Regional Parks and Trails System priorities. | 2025-2026 | Vision, Mission, Values, Objectives |
| Implement the 2025 Regional Parks and Trails System Visitor Study. | 2024-2026 | Not included |
| Explore expanding cost-effective research approaches, including forecasting tools, that provide implementing agencies with the management information at the park and trail unit level. | 2025-2028 | System Plan Policy, Action 2 |
| Protection and Restoration | ||
| Explore establishment of a Special Feature – Historical Landscape subclassification. | 2026-2027 | System Plan Policy, Action 1 |
| Explore the establishment of a Special Features – Open Space/Natural Systems subclassification in consultation with the Met Council’s Natural Systems workgroup. This effort includes renewal of the Regionally Significant Ecological Area dataset. | 2025-2026 | System Plan Policy, Action 1 |
| Reconvene Climate and Natural Systems Workgroup to discuss implementation steps for climate resilience policy and actions. | 2025-2028 | Climate Resilience Policy |
| Culture | ||
| Develop a cultural resources inventory requirement for long-range planning in partnership with key stakeholders. | 2025-2026 | Planning Policy, Action 1; Planning Handbook |
| Continue to develop and refine the Cultural Landscape subclassification, in coordination with American Indian Tribes, other cultural communities, and regional park implementing agencies. | 2025-2026 | System Plan Policy, Action 1 |
| Develop an inventory of and guidelines for harvestable fruits, mushrooms, and other plants in partnership with regional park implementing agencies, American Indian groups, and other partners and interested stakeholders. | 2026-2028 | Recreation, Facilities, Programming Policy, Action 1 |
| As part of a broader Met Council effort, develop a training program and learning opportunities for Met Council and regional park implementing agency staff to explore indigenous land management practices and other related topics. | 2026-2028 | Recreation, Facilities, Programming Policy, Action 1 |
| Trails | ||
| Continue to convene a trail coordination workgroup, supporting the development of a more coordinated, integrated, and connected regional trails system and Regional Bicycle Transportation Network. | 2025-2028 | Recreation, Facilities, Programming Policy, Action 5 |
| Create regional guidelines for e-bike use on regional trails. | 2025-2028 | Recreation, Facilities, Programming Policy, Action 5 |
| Explore systemwide wayfinding and signage minimum requirements. | 2025-2028 | Recreation, Facilities, Programming Policy, Action 5 |
| Finance | ||
| Explore scoping and development of a systemwide Asset Preservation Plan, or similar. | 2025-2028 | Finance Policy |
| Continue to pursue Pay-Go for greater flexibility to fund a wider range of activities, facilities, and programs. Pay-Go would provide an additional tool for funding the regional system. | 2025-2028 | Finance Policy |
| Explore changing/reducing the local match requirement for the Park Acquisition Opportunity Fund Program, as state rules allow. | 2025-2028 | Finance Policy |
| Continue discussion of strategic funding for the Regional Parks and Trails System, with a goal to better meet the needs of this growing system. | 2025-2028 | Finance Policy, Actions 5-6 |
