The remaining third is developed or in use, including park and recreational lands. Of the land that is developed, more than half is in residential use, one-quarter is parks and recreation, eight percent is industrial, five percent is public and five percent commercial. It's the basis of future land use planning in the Twin Cities as we work toward more compact, transit-oriented and cost effective development in our growing region. This is an important planning tool as we set the stage for Smart Growth and continued economic prosperity in the Twin Cities region. The maps and data show most residential development occurring at the urban edge, where development historically occurs at lower densities.
Recent trends indicate new residential development is more compact.
In addition, Council officials say the supply of vacant land in the current MUSA appears to be sufficient to accommodate half the region's projected growth between 1997 and 2020, which is consistent with the Council's regional growth strategy assumptions. The Council is looking more closely at the vacant land supply to determine whether it's available and suitable for development, and how local plans and other factors might affect the number of households the current MUSA will accommodate. There will be continued outward growth, no question. But we think we can do a better job of saving taxpayer dollars, promoting vital communities and preserving rural and agricultural areas by accommodating more growth where infrastructure already exists and encouraging more compact development. The Council used aerial photography to create the maps and data, using county parcel information and local government review as additional sources.