none available
- Full Metadata - - View Attributes -- Get Data -



Metropolitan Urban Service Areas (MUSA) Composite

This page last update: 07/09/2010
Metadata created using Minnesota Geographic Metadata Guidelines.

Metadata Summary

Originator Metropolitan Council
Abstract The MUSA Composite dataset depicts current and future boundaries of the Urban Service Areas (sewer service areas) based on communities' comprehensive plans for the seven-county metropolitan area of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The dataset does not depict the precise location of current urban services (Sewer service). In other words, the Urban Service Areas designate areas that might be serviced, it does not represent the urban areas that are serviced. The depiction of Urban Service Areas provides a framework in which known urban development and anticipated future development can exist with adequate sewer capacity at efficient service levels. Seven other datasets are derived from these data: MUSA_2010, MUSA_2010_Outline, MUSA_2020, MUSA_2020_Outline, MUSA_2030, MUSA_2030_Outline, and Undesignated MUSA (Previously known as Flexible or Floating MUSA).

Each community (city or township) in the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area is required to complete a comprehensive plan for approval by the Metropolitan Council per the Metropolitan Land Planning Act of 1995 (Minn. Stat 473.864, Subd 2 and 473.175, Subd 1). The comprehensive plan must include a depiction of current and future boundaries of the Urban Service Areas (i.e., 2020, 2030, Post-2030).

The Metropolitan Urban Service Areas (MUSA) shown are compiled from each community's comprehensive plan. It may or may not include amendments to the comprehensive plan. Also, this map shows areas of 'Undesignated MUSA' found in some communities. Undesignated MUSA represents an areas where an agreed upon acreage of urban sewer service can be added to the current MUSA by 2030. Area added to the current MUSA is to be reported to the Metropolitan Council on an annual basis.

Although the Metropolitan Council provides the majority of the urban sewer service in the seven-county metropolitan area, several smaller, free-standing rural communities in the region (primarily in Carver and Scott Counties) provide their own urban services. Where information on their urban service areas are available, it is included in this dataset.

Although the information included in this dataset is derived from the communities' 1998 and 2008 comprehensive plans, subsequent plan amendments, annual reporting of MUSA additions from Undesignated MUSA, and is intended to be current within 4 months, for exact MUSA information, please contact the community.

When referring to CURRENT MUSA extent, this includes areas up to 2020 MUSA.

These data were previously incorporated in the Comprehensive Plan Composite dataset.
Browse Graphic none available
Time Period of Content Date 07/09/2010
Currentness Reference Initial Metropolitan Urban Service Areas data was derived from communities 1998 Comprehensive Plans. Council planning staff, working with communities, defined urban service area boundaries between June, 2000 and April, 2002. The actual date of a community's locally adopted plan is not known but the regional data are current as of the date that the Comprehensive Plan was reviewed and subsequent amendments by the Metropolitan Council per the Metropolitan Land Planning Act of 1995 (Minn. Stat 473.864, Subd 2 and 473.175, Subd 1). The Metropolitan Land Planning Act of 1995 requires communities in the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area to submit a Comprehensive Plan and subsequent plan amendments to the Metropolitan Council for review and consideration of the impact, if any the plan or plan amendment may have on the regional systems (i.e., roads, parks, wastewater collection and treatment. The data does not depict actual sewer service.

Communities in the metropolitan area were required to update their Comprehensive Plan in 2008. Not all communities have finalized the 2008 plan. These communities can be determined through the 'BENCHMARK' field in the database (i.e., '2030'). The following communities have been added since the previous MUSA release (4/22/2010):

Burnsville
Golden Valley
Hilltop
Independence
Little Canada
Minnetonka Beach
Robbinsdale
Spring Lake Park
St. Bonifacius
Stillwater
White Bear Twp.
Woodbury

In addition, a correction was made to the previously defined MUSA for Medina.

The following communities are still recored with their 1998 Comprehensive Plan and plan amendments:

Afton
Brooklyn Park
Chaska
Cottage Grove
Crystal
Dellwood
Eureka twp.
Gem Lake
Greenfield
Hastings
Lakeland
Landfall
Lexington
Linwood Twp.
Medicine Lake
Mendota Heights
New Trier
Orono
Sciota Twp.
South St. Paul
Vadnais Heights
Vermillion Twp.
West Lakeland Twp.
Willernie
Access Constraints None
Use Constraints None
Distributor Organization Metropolitan Council
Ordering Instructions This data set is distributed on the internet by clicking below after 'Online Linkage'. Doing so will tell your browser to download a 'ZIP' file which will contain the following:

- ArcView shape files
- metadata for the data set (.htm)
- NOTICE.RTF, an important notice about this data set that can be read by any word processing software.
Online Linkage Click here to download data. (See Ordering Instructions above for details.) By clicking here, you agree to the notice in "Distribution Liability" in Section 6 of this metadata.

Full metadata for
Metropolitan Urban Service Areas (MUSA) Composite

Go to Section:
1. Identification Information
2. Data Quality Information
3. Spatial Data Organization Information
4. Spatial Reference Information
5. Entity and Attribute Information
6. Distribution Information
7. Metadata Reference Information

 
  Top of page
Section 1 Identification Information
Originator Metropolitan Council
Title Metropolitan Urban Service Areas (MUSA) Composite
Abstract The MUSA Composite dataset depicts current and future boundaries of the Urban Service Areas (sewer service areas) based on communities' comprehensive plans for the seven-county metropolitan area of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The dataset does not depict the precise location of current urban services (Sewer service). In other words, the Urban Service Areas designate areas that might be serviced, it does not represent the urban areas that are serviced. The depiction of Urban Service Areas provides a framework in which known urban development and anticipated future development can exist with adequate sewer capacity at efficient service levels. Seven other datasets are derived from these data: MUSA_2010, MUSA_2010_Outline, MUSA_2020, MUSA_2020_Outline, MUSA_2030, MUSA_2030_Outline, and Undesignated MUSA (Previously known as Flexible or Floating MUSA).

Each community (city or township) in the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area is required to complete a comprehensive plan for approval by the Metropolitan Council per the Metropolitan Land Planning Act of 1995 (Minn. Stat 473.864, Subd 2 and 473.175, Subd 1). The comprehensive plan must include a depiction of current and future boundaries of the Urban Service Areas (i.e., 2020, 2030, Post-2030).

The Metropolitan Urban Service Areas (MUSA) shown are compiled from each community's comprehensive plan. It may or may not include amendments to the comprehensive plan. Also, this map shows areas of 'Undesignated MUSA' found in some communities. Undesignated MUSA represents an areas where an agreed upon acreage of urban sewer service can be added to the current MUSA by 2030. Area added to the current MUSA is to be reported to the Metropolitan Council on an annual basis.

Although the Metropolitan Council provides the majority of the urban sewer service in the seven-county metropolitan area, several smaller, free-standing rural communities in the region (primarily in Carver and Scott Counties) provide their own urban services. Where information on their urban service areas are available, it is included in this dataset.

Although the information included in this dataset is derived from the communities' 1998 and 2008 comprehensive plans, subsequent plan amendments, annual reporting of MUSA additions from Undesignated MUSA, and is intended to be current within 4 months, for exact MUSA information, please contact the community.

When referring to CURRENT MUSA extent, this includes areas up to 2020 MUSA.

These data were previously incorporated in the Comprehensive Plan Composite dataset.
Purpose To show the urban services areas in the seven-county metropolitan area for display and analysis.
Time Period of Content Date 07/09/2010
Currentness Reference Initial Metropolitan Urban Service Areas data was derived from communities 1998 Comprehensive Plans. Council planning staff, working with communities, defined urban service area boundaries between June, 2000 and April, 2002. The actual date of a community's locally adopted plan is not known but the regional data are current as of the date that the Comprehensive Plan was reviewed and subsequent amendments by the Metropolitan Council per the Metropolitan Land Planning Act of 1995 (Minn. Stat 473.864, Subd 2 and 473.175, Subd 1). The Metropolitan Land Planning Act of 1995 requires communities in the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area to submit a Comprehensive Plan and subsequent plan amendments to the Metropolitan Council for review and consideration of the impact, if any the plan or plan amendment may have on the regional systems (i.e., roads, parks, wastewater collection and treatment. The data does not depict actual sewer service.

Communities in the metropolitan area were required to update their Comprehensive Plan in 2008. Not all communities have finalized the 2008 plan. These communities can be determined through the 'BENCHMARK' field in the database (i.e., '2030'). The following communities have been added since the previous MUSA release (4/22/2010):

Burnsville
Golden Valley
Hilltop
Independence
Little Canada
Minnetonka Beach
Robbinsdale
Spring Lake Park
St. Bonifacius
Stillwater
White Bear Twp.
Woodbury

In addition, a correction was made to the previously defined MUSA for Medina.

The following communities are still recored with their 1998 Comprehensive Plan and plan amendments:

Afton
Brooklyn Park
Chaska
Cottage Grove
Crystal
Dellwood
Eureka twp.
Gem Lake
Greenfield
Hastings
Lakeland
Landfall
Lexington
Linwood Twp.
Medicine Lake
Mendota Heights
New Trier
Orono
Sciota Twp.
South St. Paul
Vadnais Heights
Vermillion Twp.
West Lakeland Twp.
Willernie
Progress Complete
Maintenance and Update Frequency Quarterly
Spatial Extent of Data Twin Cities 7 County Metropolitan Area. This includes the counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott and Washington in Minnesota.
Bounding Coordinates -94.012
-92.732
45.415
44.471
Place Keywords Twin Cities, Anoka County, Carver County, Dakota County, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Scott County, Washington County
Theme Keywords MUSA, metropolitan urban service area, 2010 MUSA, 2020 MUSA, 2030 MUSA, Post-2030 MUSA
Theme Keyword Thesaurus None
Access Constraints None
Use Constraints None
Contact Person Information Paul Hanson, GIS Coordinator - Community Development
Metropolitan Council
390 Robert Street North
St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-1805
Phone: 651.602.1642
FAX: 651.602.1674
E-mail: paul.hanson@metc.state.mn.us
Browse Graphic none available
Browse Graphic File Description Sample map showing the MUSA layer.
Associated Data Sets Growth Management Policy Areas (1996 gmpa layer)
Comprehensive Plan Composite

 
  Top of full metadata - - - - - - Top of page
Section 2 Data Quality Information
Attribute Accuracy These data were derived from maps submitted with each city or township's Comprehensive Plan, plan amendment or annual service area report. Data are current based on the above information.

Valid code checks have been conducted on the MUSA codes. No known code attribute errors exist. Urban service area designations are subject to change through comprehensive plan updates and amendments or as part of an agreed upon allocation of urban services for Undesignated MUSA area. For exact MUSA information, please contact the community.
Logical Consistency The data set is topologically 'clean'.
Completeness Entire seven-county geographic area is covered.

Data is subject to communities comprehensive plans, plan amendments or as part of a community's allocated total within Undesignated MUSA areas.

For exact MUSA information, please contact the communities directly.
Horizontal Positional Accuracy Horizontal positional accuracy is unknown, but is thought to be quite variable throughout the data set.
Lineage The MUSA dataset depicts current and future boundaries of the Urban Service Areas (sewer service areas) based on communities' comprehensive plans for the seven-county metropolitan area of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The dataset does not depict the precise location of current urban services (Sewer service). In other words, the Urban Service Areas designate areas that might be serviced, it does not represent the urban areas that are serviced. The depiction of Urban Service Areas provides a framework in which known urban development and anticipated future development can exist with adequate sewer capacity at efficient service levels. Seven other datasets are derived from these data: MUSA_2010, MUSA_2010_Outline, MUSA_2020, MUSA_2020_Outline, MUSA_2030, MUSA_2030_Outline, and Undesignated MUSA (Previously known as Flexible or Floating MUSA).

These data were initially collected as part of the Comprehensive Plan Composite dataset as derived from each community's 1998 Comprehensive Plan. Council planning staff interpreted the submitted maps and defined the urban service area boundaries in terms of the Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) categories used for regional planning at that time. RGS boundaries were defined based on county parcel boundaries and TLG Street Centerline data (now owned by NCompass Technologies). This information was then updated into the Growth Management Policy Areas (1996 gmpa layer). This process was done initially on a coverage, then brought in to ArcView as a shape file and updates have been made in ArcGIS. These data became known as the Comprehensive Plan Composite dataset. The Comprehensive Plan Composite dataset not only included information regarding metropolitan urban services areas but also included information pertaining to rural and agricultural communities planning area designation and information concerning lands enrolled in the Agricultural Preserve program.

In 2004, the Metropolitan Council adopted the 2030 Regional Framework. The Framework outlines the Metropolitan Council's development policies, goals, and guidelines for the region. It reinforced many previously defined policies and development goals while outlining several new ones. Uncertain how best to handle changes that affect the recording and tracking of metropolitan urban services, the Comprehensive Plan Composite dataset remained unchanged.

October 2006, two new RGS categories were added: 2025 and 2030. As a result, a new derivitive dataset was been added to the collection of derivitive products of the Comprehensive Plan Composite data.

In October 2009, with the influx of comprehensive plan updates (i.e., communites' 2008 Comprehensive Plans), it became prudent to address the growing need to modify how MUSA information was being recorded and tracked. Several changes were made to the dataset, however, most are transparent the data users.
- The most significant modification was the divorce of MUSA information from rural and agricultural policy information. As a result, either land is in the current MUSA, planned for some future service at some level (i.e., 2030 MUSA), or not planned for any service in the foreseeable future based on information derived from communities' comprehensive plans, plan amendments or annual service reports (see Entities and Attributes for valid MUSA codes).
- Another noticable change in the MUSA data is the removal of the 'Unsewered Urban' MUSA designation. This designation had been used for large developed areas that currently do not have nor are planning to have any long-term urban services and are completely surrounded by areas with metropolitan urban services. The general purpose of this designation was mainly cartographic - so MUSA boundary areas (i.e. 2020) would not display large 'donut' holes that could be interrupted as undeveloped lands. It was felt this designation was misleading and should be removed. The result of this change will affect some of the deriviative products (e.g., 2010 MUSA, 2020 MUSA, 2030 MUSA).
- The final noticable change in the MUSA data layer and deriviative products (i.e., 2020 MUSA, 2030 MUSA, etc.) is the removal of the RG_CENTER (Rural Growth Center) designation - a planning policy designation - and the addition of MC_PLANT designation. MC_PLANT (Metropolitan Council Treatment Plant) indicates whether the MUSA is being services by a Metropolitan Council system ('Y') or by a local municipal sewer system ('N') such as the community of Belle Plaine.

For exact MUSA information, please contact the communities directly.
Source Scale Denominator
 
  Top of full metadata - - - - - - Top of page
Section 3 Spatial Data Organization Information
Native Data Set Environment ArcGIS 9x
Geographic Reference for Tabular Data None
Spatial Object Type Vector
Vendor Specific Object Types Polygon shapes
Tiling Scheme One layer for entire seven-county metropolitan area.
 
  Top of full metadata - - - - - - Top of page
Section 4 Spatial Reference Information
Horizontal Coordinate Scheme UTM
Ellipsoid GRS80
Horizontal Datum NAD83
Horizontal Units Meters
Distance Resolution
UTM Zone Number 15
 
  Top of full metadata - - - - - - Top of page
Section 5 Entity and Attribute Information
Entity and Attribute Overview 
Polygon Attributes for MUSA_composite.shp: 
  
BENCHMARK: Alphanumeric code for year of Comprehensive Plan (i.e., 2030) 
 
MC_PLANT:  Indicates whether the area is serviced by Metropolitan Council Environmental Services' sewer system (i.e., 'Y') or by a local sewer system (i.e., 'N'). 
 
MUSA_CODE:   A code that indicates the urban service area category for the polygon. NOTE:  The preferred names for these categories are  
                 subject to change. 
 
                 00 = 2000 MUSA 
                 05 = 2005 Staging Area 
                 10 = 2010 MUSA 
                 15 = 2015 Staging Area 
                 20 = 2020 MUSA 
                 25 = 2025 Staging Area 
                 30 = 2030 MUSA 
                 UR = Post-2030 MUSA 
                 UM = Undesignated MUSA 
                 US = Unsewered 
                 NM = Non-Metropolitan areas communities that are exempt from submitting Comprehensive Plans (Hanover, New Prague, Northfield and Rockford). 
 
GENERALIZE: Grouping MUSA_CODE into aggregated MUSA 2010, 2020, 2030 and  
 Undesignated MUSA areas 
 
 
Polygon Attributes for MUSA_2010.shp: 
 
BENCHMARK: Alphanumeric code for year of Comprehensive Plan (i.e., 2030) 
 
MC_PLANT:  Indicates whether the area is serviced by Metropolitan Council Environmental Services' sewer system (i.e., 'Y') or by a local sewer system (i.e., 'N'). 
 
MUSA_2010:  'Y' = All records have this value.  2010 MUSA is derived from the following MUSA_CODE categories from the Metropolitan Urban Service Area data set: Urban Area (00), 2005 Staging Area (05), and 2010 MUSA (10). 
 
 
Polygon Attributes for MUSA_2010_Outline.shp: 
 
MUSA_2010:  'Y' = All records have this value.  2010 MUSA is derived from the following MUSA_CODE categories from the Metropolitan Urban Service Area data set: Urban Area (00), 2005 Staging Area (05), and 2010 MUSA (10). 
 
 
Polygon Attributes for MUSA_2020.shp: 
 
BENCHMARK: Alphanumeric code for year of Comprehensive Plan (i.e., 2030) 
 
MC_PLANT:  Indicates whether the area is serviced by Metropolitan Council Environmental Services' sewer system (i.e., 'Y') or by a local sewer system (i.e., 'N'). 
 
MUSA_2020:  'Y' = All records have this value.  2020 MUSA is derived from the following MUSA_CODE categories from the Metropolitan Urban Service Area data set: Urban Area (00), 2005 Staging Area (05), 2010 MUSA (10), 2015 Staging Area (15), and 2020 MUSA (20). 
 
Polygon Attributes for MUSA_2020_Outline.shp: 
 
MUSA_2020:  'Y' = All records have this value.  2020 MUSA is derived from the following MUSA_CODE categories from the Metropolitan Urban Service Area data set: Urban Area (00), 2005 Staging Area (05), 2010 MUSA (10), 2015 Staging Area (15), and 2020 MUSA (20). 
 
 
Polygon Attributes for MUSA_2030.shp: 
 
BENCHMARK: Alphanumeric code for year of Comprehensive Plan (i.e., 2030) 
 
MC_PLANT:  Indicates whether the area is serviced by Metropolitan Council Environmental Services' sewer system (i.e., 'Y') or by a local sewer system (i.e., 'N'). 
 
MUSA_2030:  'Y' = All records have this value.  2030 MUSA is derived from the following MUSA_CODE categories from the Metropolitan Urban Service Area data set: Urban Area (00), 2005 Staging Area (05), 2010 MUSA (10), 2015 Staging Area (15), 2020 MUSA (20), 2025 Staging Area (25), and 2030 MUSA (30). 
 
 
Polygon Attributes for MUSA_2030_Outline.shp: 
 
MUSA_2030:  'Y' = All records have this value.  2030 MUSA is derived from the following MUSA_CODE categories from the Metropolitan Urban Service Area data set: Urban Area (00), 2005 Staging Area (05), 2010 MUSA (10), 2015 Staging Area (15), 2020 MUSA (20), 2025 Staging Area (25), and 2030 MUSA (30). 
 
 
Polygon Attributes for musa_Undesignated.shp: 
 
BENCHMARK: Alphanumeric code for year of Comprehensive Plan (i.e., 2030) 
 
MC_PLANT:  Indicates whether the area is serviced by Metropolitan Council Environmental Services' sewer system (i.e., 'Y') or by a local sewer system (i.e., 'N'). 
 
MUSA_UNDES: 'Y' = All records have this value.  An agreed upon acreage within these areas is to be added to the current MUSA and will be updated by the community on an annual basis.
Entity and Attribute Detailed Citation None
 
  Top of full metadata - - - - - - Top of page
Section 6 Distribution Information
Publisher Metropolitan Council
Publication Date Periodically revised
Contact Person Information Jessica Deegan
GIS Specialist
Metropolitan Council
390 Robert Street North
St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-1805
Phone: 651.602.1644
FAX: 651.602.1718
E-mail: jessica.deegan@metc.state.mn.us
Distributor's Data Set Identifier metropolitan_urban_service_areas
Distribution Liability NOTICE: The Geographic Information System (GIS) Data to which this notice is attached are made available pursuant to the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13). THE GIS DATA ARE PROVIDED TO YOU AS IS AND WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY AS TO THEIR PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. The GIS Data were developed by the Metropolitan Council for its own internal business purposes. The Metropolitan Council does not represent or warrant that the GIS Data or the data documentation are error-free, complete, current, or accurate. You are responsible for any consequences resulting from your use of the GIS Data or your reliance on the GIS Data. You should consult the data documentation for this particular GIS Data to determine the limitations of the GIS Data and the precision with which the GIS Data may depict distance, direction, location, or other geographic features. If you transmit or provide the GIS Data (or any portion of it) to another user, it is recommended that the GIS Data include a copy of this disclaimer and this metadata.
Transfer Format Name Shapefile
Transfer Format Version Number ArcGIS 9x
Transfer Size 3 MB for ZIP file
Ordering Instructions This data set is distributed on the internet by clicking below after 'Online Linkage'. Doing so will tell your browser to download a 'ZIP' file which will contain the following:

- ArcView shape files
- metadata for the data set (.htm)
- NOTICE.RTF, an important notice about this data set that can be read by any word processing software.
Online Linkage Click here to download data. (See Ordering Instructions above for details.) By clicking here, you agree to the notice in "Distribution Liability" above.
 
  Top of full metadata - - - - - - Top of page
Section 7 Metadata Reference Information
Metadata Date 07/09/2010
Contact Person Information Paul Hanson, GIS Coordinator - Community Development
Metropolitan Council
390 Robert Street North
St. Paul, Minnesota 55101-1805
Phone: 651.602.1642
FAX: 651.602.1674
E-mail: paul.hanson@metc.state.mn.us
Metadata Standard Name Minnesota Geographic Metadata Guidelines
Metadata Standard Version 1.2
Metadata Standard Online Linkage http://www.gis.state.mn.us/stds/metadata.htm



This page last updated: 07/09/2010