Land Use and Development
Land use shapes the development of our region. It is interrelated with all aspects of the built environment and natural systems, in how people move within the region, and in where people live and how they experience their communities.
Tracking and classifying land use across the nearly 3,000 square miles that make up the Twin Cities region requires rigorous methods as well as collaboration with local governments and research partners. In addition to creating and maintaining these datasets, community development researchers conduct studies that explore the community and cultural connections residents have with where they live. Collectively, this research helps us better understand our region's past, present, and potential as we manage growth and change.
Related information
Generalized Land Use Inventory
About every five years, we develop a snapshot of existing land use across the Twin Cities region. The most recent inventory was published in 2021 (reflecting 2020 land use). The next land use inventory will be published in 2026.
Community development researchers generate this land use inventory by interpreting and classifying aerial photography. Additional sources, like county parcel data with assessor's attributes indicating various land use type information and local governments’ review, are also used. Tracking land use changes helps regional and local planners visualize development trends and anticipate future growth needs.
LAND USE INVENTORY PAGE COMING IN MAY 2026
Community Leaders' Land Use Policy Recommendations
Qualitative research is invaluable in policy development because it offers a nuanced understanding of underlying motivations, perceptions, and behaviors of individuals and communities.
In 2024, community development researchers and staff engaged community groups to develop innovative policy recommendations to inform the regional development guide, Imagine 2050. The Community Leader Collaboration recommendations are summarized in a series of reports, including one focused on land use policy.
Residential Development
Housing units gained or lost in the region's cities, townships, and counties are published annually in our residential building permit datasets. These data have a six-month lag. Residential building permits for a given calendar year are published the following May.
We survey local governments annually about development activity like building permits and demolitions. We validate and supplement this data with other secondary sources. Several datasets are available: some offer long-term trend (back to 1970) and others geographic detail (address-level files).
Nonresidential Development
Permit valuation and square footage for all new commercial, industrial, and public and institutional construction projects and additions over $100,000 are published annually in our nonresidential building permit datasets. These data have a six-month lag. Nonresidential building permits for a given calendar year are published the following May.
We survey local governments annually about development activity like building permits and residential demolitions. We validate and supplement this data with other secondary sources. Several datasets are available: some offer tabulated permit value for geographic areas and others geographic detail (address-level files).
NONRESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PAGE COMING IN MAY 2026
Agricultural Preserves Program
The Metropolitan Agricultural Land Preservation Program was established in 1980 to conserve valuable agricultural lands within the Twin Cities region. It is the region’s main mechanism for protecting over 190,000 acres of farmland from development pressures. Local governments identify long-term agricultural lands in their comprehensive plans, then farmers have the option of enrolling in the program. Enrollment creates a restrictive covenant that limits land use to agriculture or forestry for a minimum of eight years. The number of acres enrolled by county is reported annually.
Plat Monitoring Program
Metropolitan Council’s Plat Monitoring Program monitors residential development patterns on the region’s developing edge, including the number of units and acres platted, the mix of single-family and multi-family housing, land consumption, and average residential density. This information is reported annually.