A key item at the Monday, April 6 Hastings City Council meeting centered on the city’s long-term growth plans, as council members approved a resolution asking the Metropolitan Council to change Hastings’ designation under the regional Imagine 2050 development framework.
The request seeks to reclassify Hastings from “Suburban” to “Suburban Edge,” a move city officials say would better reflect Hastings’ development pattern and provide more realistic housing density expectations as the city updates its comprehensive plan.
Community Development Director John Hinzman told the council the designation matters because it determines minimum residential density standards for future housing development.
Under the current “Suburban” designation, Hastings would be expected to maintain an average net residential density of seven housing units per acre. City staff argued that standard is significantly higher than Hastings’ historic growth pattern and would generally require a larger share of townhomes, villas or apartment-style housing to offset lower-density single-family neighborhoods.
By comparison, a “Suburban Edge” designation would reduce the expected density to 3.5 units per acre.
City officials said Hastings has historically grown through annexation and edge-of-city development rather than through dense redevelopment patterns more common in fully built-out inner-ring suburbs.
According to materials presented to the council, nearly 840 acres have been annexed into Hastings since 1984 to accommodate growth. Since 2010, about 68 percent of the roughly 1,000 housing units added in Hastings have been built in annexed areas.
Staff also noted Hastings had previously been categorized under the Metropolitan Council’s Thrive MSP 2040 plan as “Emerging Suburban Edge.” That classification was removed in the newer Imagine 2050 framework. Of the 29 communities that previously carried that label, all but Hastings and St. Paul Park were redesignated as “Suburban Edge,” according to city documents.
The council’s resolution states that Hastings’ current designation does not match the city’s established development pattern and future land supply.
The city had previously submitted a formal request to Metropolitan Council staff in December 2025 seeking the change. Council action Monday formally reaffirmed that request.

Other council business
In other action Monday night, the council approved several construction-related items as the city prepares for another busy infrastructure season.
The council awarded the 2026 Mill and Overlay Project to Northwest Asphalt for $985,406.70, and approved a contract for the 15th Street and Bailly Street Stormwater Basin Project for $180,970.50, according to meeting discussion.
Council members also adopted assessments for the 2026 Neighborhood Infrastructure Improvements project following a public hearing.
The city further approved steps toward the issuance of $7.01 million in General Obligation Bonds, Series 2026A, to help finance street and utility improvements, Well No. 9, and preliminary utility expenses connected to the Highway 61 project. Bond bids are scheduled to be opened May 4.
The meeting also included an Arbor Day proclamation, swearing-in of new police officers, and employee introductions.