The St. Paul City Council unanimously approved a plan for the city's long-term growth Wednesday that includes dozens of policies intended to boost density, expand transportation options and preserve natural and historic places.

The 2040 Comprehensive Plan, called "St. Paul for All," reflects public input from residents who asked for a greater focus on housing density, similar to what the Minneapolis City Council approved in December. St. Paul's plan calls for the creation of 72 "neighborhood nodes" where high-density, mixed-use development could occur — up from 56 nodes pinpointed in a draft plan released early last year.

"The Comprehensive Plan offers a community-centered vision for the future inspired by the thousands of people who participated in the process," Planning and Economic Development Director Bruce Corrie said in a statement. "The focus on neighborhood nodes creates avenues for economic vitality and community placemaking in St. Paul's greatest attractions — our unique, vibrant and diverse neighborhoods."

Every 10 years, cities in the seven-county metro submit comprehensive plans to the Metropolitan Council detailing how they will grow and develop over time. St. Paul's plan includes chapters on housing, land use, transportation, parks, water resources, heritage preservation and the Mississippi River.

City planners spent years working on the comprehensive plan, incorporating thousands of resident comments that prioritized "a livable, equitable, sustainable, and innovative city that invests in people," according to a city news release Wednesday.

"The 2040 Comprehensive Plan lays out a vision for a Saint Paul that truly works for all of us," Mayor Melvin Carter said in a statement. "I am grateful to the community members, city staff and members of the Planning Commission who have worked for over four years to help translate this vision into a guide for our city's future."

Emma Nelson • 612-673-4509