Cambridge residents, young and old, new citizens and established residents are encouraged to take an active role in the Minnesota Design Team process.
The MDT is made up of professionals in the fields of architecture, city planning, landscape architecture, preservation and more.
It is important that you offer your vision, and your opinion about the community. Host families are also needed during their brief weekend stay.
The MDT assists communities in planning and designing a viable, appropriate future. The MDT works not only with design issues like main street improvements, but also with the fundamental planning process that allows communities to take the initiative in continuing to plan a future that reflects their dreams and interests.
MDT teams are comprised of volunteers taking time from their busy work and personal lives to assist communities. They offer their time and expertise for several reasons including: feeling an obligation to improve rural communities, enjoying an opportunity to work in a team atmosphere with other link-minded professionals, or possibly they, or their family members and are from the community itself or a similar rural community.
They believe a community’s future is comprised of the physical, social, environmental and economic values its citizens embrace. The MDT involves translating these values into sustainable design ideas the community can implement.
MDT community-based planning principals include:
• Recognizing people are a community’s best resource for envisioning and investing in the future.
• Approaching planning and design problems with an interdisciplinary team is necessary to achieve balanced planning and physical design solutions.
• Understanding a community’s unique sense of place is development through respect for the local environmental, physical, social, and economic environments.
• Promoting physical design as an integral component of a community’s quality of life offers the most effective use of the Design Team’s planning and design skills.
• Encouraging redevelopment in areas where urban infrastructure exists, or new development in areas where infrastructure capacity exists, ensures that a community’s land and utility resources will be used efficiently.
• Promoting compact development patterns assures that a community uses its land, transportation, and civic resources wisely.
• Encouraging development of public realm amenities that will attract private sector construction is an effective economic development strategy for improving community quality of life.
• Promoting a range of housing types assures that citizens of differing incomes, lifestyles and preferences have a range of housing choices within the community.
• Promoting a range of commercial building types ensures a range of building ad employment choices within the community.
• Encouraging community stakeholders to collaborate with one another will ensure that community improvements are directed responsibly.
• Using graphics and visual references allows the Design Team to communicate ideas quickly and effectively.
• How would you rank the vitality and health of Cambridge? The MDT is a rare opportunity to explore possible opportunities about the future. Your opinion is needed. Plan to be part of the visit.
Those interested in being a part of the MN Design Team Process should contact Stan Gustafson at Cambridge City Hall at 763-689-3211.