HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-02-09 PACKET 04.03.C.
COTTAGE GROVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE
WASHINGTON COUNTY
STATE OF MINNESOTA
EDA RESOLUTION NO. EDA 2016-003
RESOLUTION OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY IN AND
FOR THE CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE, MINNESOTA SUPPORTING
PROPOSED LEGISLATION TO AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY OF
WASHINGTON TO CONFER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POWERS UPON
THE WASHINGTON COUNTY HOUSING AND REVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
BACKGROUND RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Washington County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (the
“WCHRA”) is a county housing and redevelopment authority created and existing under
Laws 1974, Chapter 475, as amended, which provides and maintains affordable, decent,
and safe housing opportunities in Washington County ; and
WHEREAS, in 2013 the County Board of Commissioners (the “County Board”) of the
County of Washington (the “County”) established a broadly-representative economic
development work group comprised of municipal economic development practitioners and
community partners to assist the County in developing a county-wide long-range economic
development strategy; and
WHEREAS, based on the process carried out by the economic development work group,
in May of 2014 the County adopted an Economic Development Strategic Plan (the
“Economic Development Strategic Plan”); and
WHEREAS, in furtherance of the Economic Development Strategic Plan, the County has
determined that the WCHRA should have primary responsibility for economic
development activities on behalf of the County; and
WHEREAS; proposed legislation has been prepared which would authorize the County
Board by resolution to confer on the WCHRA the powers of an economic development
authority (the “Proposed Law”), thus enabling the County to address economic needs as
identified in the Economic Development Strategic Plan; and
WHEREAS, adoption of the Proposed Law would empower the WCHRA to undertake
economic development activities not authorized by the current WCHRA enabling law, such
as, by way of illustration, implementing County marketing and public relations programs
relating to economic development, conducting economic development studies to document
the need for financial assistance programs, and carrying out financial assistance programs
for economic development purposes; and
WHEREAS, the Proposed Law would retain the existing County Board consent process
for establishing the WHCRA’s housing and redevelopment authority levy under
Minnesota. Statutes, Section 469.033, subdivision 6, and would preclude the WCHRA
from imposing any concurrent or separate economic development authority levy otherwise
authorized under Minnesota Statutes, Section 469.107 (while permitting the County Board
to consent to a WCHRA levy at a rate equal to the higher of the permissible housing and
redevelopment authority levy rate or the permissible economic development authority levy
rate as they may be established by the Legislature); and
WHEREAS, consistent with existing requirements of the WCHRA’s enabling law for local
approval of housing projects and redevelopment projects, the Proposed Law would require
municipal location and project approval as well for development districts and economic
development projects; and
WHEREAS, in order to appropriately reflect the combined housing, redevelopment and
economic development powers to be conferred, the Proposed Law would change the name
of the WCHRA to the Washington County Community Development Agency; and
WHEREAS, the Proposed Law would effect no change in the current structure or
composition of the WCHRA Board of Commissioners; and
WHEREAS, the Proposed Law would authorize the County to offer tax-forfeited real
property to the WCHRA on the same basis as such parcels are offered to a County
department; and
WHEREAS, the County Board has determined to include the Proposed Law as part of the
County’s legislative initiative for the 2016 Legislature; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of the Economic Development Authority of the
City of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, finds that enactment by the Legislature of the Proposed
Law, and the carrying out of economic development activities by the WCHRA in the
County, including in the City of Cottage Grove pursuant to the Proposed Law, would be in
the public interest and would afford substantial benefit to the residents, businesses, citizens
and taxpayers of the City of Cottage Grove; and
WHEREAS, the County, the WCHRA and the Economic Development Authority of the
City of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, contemplate that the WCHRA and Economic
Development Authority of the City of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, will work together as
partners in carrying out economic development activities within the City of Cottage Grove
which will be complementary and non-duplicative.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Board of Commissioners of the Economic Development
Authority of the City of Cottage Grove, Minnesota adopts this Resolution supporting the
proposed legislation described above in furtherance of economic development activities by
the WCHRA on behalf of Washington County.
This Resolution was declared duly passed and adopted and was signed by the EDA
President Myron Bailey of the City of Cottage Grove and was attested to by the EDA
Executive Director Charlene R. Stevens, on this ___ day of February, 2016.
______________________________
Myron Bailey, President
Attest:
______________________________
Charlene R. Stevens, Executive Director