Community Development Director City of Wayzata Wayzata, Minnesota
Thousands of lakes and rivers create a unique landscape in Minnesota. This presentation highlights outstanding waterfront plans that honor Dakota and Ojibwe homelands, support local economies, and keep water clean for future generations.
The climate is changing in Minnesota. Waterfront planning is evolving, particularly on Lake Superior. Multijurisdictional cooperation is crucial to protect fresh water. Planners must prepare for intensifying weather events. Indigenous planners and environmental leaders call on us to reorient cities back to the sacredness of the land and water. The planning profession in Minnesota is rooted in dominant white culture, but multicultural perspectives are essential to overcoming our most wicked problems. In highlighting the best waterfront plans in Minnesota, the presenter focuses on those that were created and led by indigenous planners and planners of color throughout the state.
NPC Peer Reviewers assigned this presentation a learning level of Intermediate. For more on learning-level descriptions, visit our General Information Page.
Learning Objectives:
Compare unique designs for public space that improve water quality and connect people to water.
Honor sacred land with Native American burial mounds of Dakota and Ojibwa ancestors. Provide examples of projects led by indigenous planners.
See the local economic gains of great waterfront plans and unique waterfront downtowns. Preview ways to navigate complex community engagement processes and promote multijurisdictional cooperation.
