Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout07I 2019 Legislative Agenda C i ty of Cotta ge G rove G�ovege I 2019 Legislative Agenda � rosperityMeet hefe Pride anaP Local Control 1. The City of Cottage Grove opposes statutory changes that erode local authority or create additional mandates that increase local costs without a corresponding state appropriation or funding mechanism. New unfunded mandates potentially increase property taxes and impede cities' ability to fund traditional service needs. Telecommunications 1. The City of Cottage Grove supports a balanced approach to telecommunications policy that allows new technologies to flourish while preserving local regulatory authority. The transmission of video signals, regardless of their means of transportation, remain subject to local franchising authority. Maintaining local franchising creates and preserves agreements that guarantee broad access to the services throughout the community preventing a digital divide. State policy should maintain and uphold local franchising authority. Telecommunications and information technology are essential public infrastructure, which in many cases are reliant on Public Right of Way for siting.These Public Right of Ways are a limited resource and use of this space is highly competitive. Cities must also consider public health, safety, and welfare concerns when responding to siting request. Due to this regulatory authority of Public Right of Ways should remain in the control of City governments and should not be further limited by the State or by the adoption of potential FCC rule changes. Community Development Water Treatment Facility 1. Municipal water suppliers are charged with meeting the water supply needs of their communities and work to do so with safe, reliable and cost-effective systems that are sustainable both for established cities and for all future growth. Minnesota cities spend significant resources meeting their responsibility to residents and businesses by providing safe, reliable, affordable water in a sustainable manner. On May 22, 2017, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) notified the City that eight out of 11 wells exceeded the newly adopted Health-Based Values (HBVs) for perfluorochemicals (PFCs), now referred to as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Although HBVs are advisory standards only, they are set by MDH when their research has shown the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) are not reflective of significant science-based health concerns. On February 20, 2018, the State and 3M reached a settlement in the amount$850 million, with $720 million available for drinking water and natural resource projects. In the summer of 2018, working groups related to the 3M settlement began meeting, which will provide recommendations to the MPCA and MnDNR on a water supply plan for impacted areas of the 1 East Metro. Given the level of impact to drinking water in the East Metro, the working groups have set a goal of having a water supply plan in place by the end of 2019, which would then allow communities to move forward with drinking water supply improvements. The City of Cottage Grove continues to support the efforts of the 3M Settlement Working Groups, along with the timeline to have a drinking water supply plan in place by the end of 2019. Another component of the 3M settlement funds is the discussion of expedited drinking water supply projects to address specific issues in East Metro communities. One example of an expedited project is the use of settlement funds to connect rural residential neighborhoods that are impacted by PFAS and currently on whole house granular activated carbon (GAC) filters to municipal drinking water. In some cases, impacted homes do not accommodate the space needed for a GAC filter and are forced to rely bottled water. Many of these neighborhoods are in close proximity to municipal water supply systems. By providing funding to extend municipal water, this would allow for a permanent, sustainable solution to rural properties with contaminated wells. The City of Cottage Grove requests that funding for expedited projects be approved to address immediate drinking water supply issues where feasible. Another expedited project that is currently allowed is the connection of a home with an impacted well to municipal water when it is already available adjacent to the property. The MPCA provides a reimbursing grant in the amount of$25,000 to connect to municipal water. While this funding allows for the connection, it forces an unnecessary financial burden on homeowners to front money for the project. Additionally, homeowners are required to find contractors and work through the process of connecting to municipal water, which can be challenging. The City of Cottage Grove requests the funding mechanism for connecting homes to municipal water be changed,to allow cities to complete the projects and be reimbursed through the MPCA, removing the financial and coordination burden from residents. Stormwater and Wastewater 1. Water regulation is complex and compartmentalized. Various agencies permit its use, plan for its availability, regulate stormwater, treat wastewater, and protect the safety of water. Any attempts to address water supply sustainability must also take into account all water users, including municipal water suppliers, industry, private wells, agriculture, and contamination containment. Many of these strategies cross agency jurisdictions and will require improved coordination and cooperation. The City of Cottage Grove supports the removal of barriers to wastewater and storm water re- use and advocates for improved inter-agency coordination between local governments,the Metropolitan Council, and state agencies. Cottage Grove also encourages the Metropolitan Council, in consultation with municipalities and state agencies,to facilitate projects that re- use wastewater and to develop other strategies to improve conservation and promote economic development opportunities. 2. The Metropolitan Council's water reduction grant program provides grants to assist municipalities in the metro area with implementation of water demand reduction measures to ensure the reliability and protection of drinking water supplies. Funding for the program comes from the Clean Water Legacy Fund. In FY16, the Metropolitan Council awarded grants to 19 communities in the metro area to implement water demand reduction measures that increase 2 indoor and outdoor water efficiency. Estimated water savings from the program is 86 million gallons annually, enough water to supply 2,500 persons for a year. The City of Cottage Grove is one of the municipalities that has received funding from the Metropolitan Council's water reduction grant program.The City has future projects that are eligible for the program. In the last budget cycle, funding for the water reduction grant program was completely cut. The City recognizes the importance of grant programs such as this to help protect drinking water supplies and supports returning funding for the grant program to $1,000,000 from the Clean Water Legacy Fund. Water Conservation 1. The City of Cottage Grove supports legislative action promoting aquifer recharge, change in water use practices, development of minimum irrigation design standards, applying technology for smart water use, additional scientific data collection, and exploring water reuse options at contaminated sites that rely on water extraction for pollution containment, and funding for implementation of water conservation initiatives. No one option should be applied to a region or sub-region. 2. The City of Cottage Grove opposes funding of any implementation cost involved with the DNR North & East Metro Groundwater Management Area (e.g. connection of northeastern metro cities to surface water, helping to augment water to increase the water elevation in White Bear Lake) if it does not directly result in supplying water to Cottage Grove residents. Groundwater and Well Monitoring 1. The City of Cottage Grove supports monitoring water quality and wells in accordance to the EPA Safe Drinking Water Act.The City of Cottage Grove also supports working with the MDH on the continuous monitoring of city groundwater and wells for PFCs. The City of Cottage Grove completed part one of Wellhead Protection Plan in August 2015 and completed part two of the plan in March 2017. The City of Cottage Grove supports continued funding of grant money through the MDH to assist communities in implementing their wellhead protection plans, specifically with drilling additional sentinel wells to monitor aquifer levels and contamination plumes. 2. The City supports additional funding for PFC Biomonitoring in the area to continue the study. Conservation Easements 1. The City of Cottage Grove supports the addition of a public hearing process before the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources places a conservation easement on any property. It is critical that all parties that may be affected by such an easement be allowed to present their case and concerns before an encumbrance takes place on the land. A public hearing will provide the necessary notification to other State Agencies, local units of government, Metropolitan Council, and adjacent landowners. A conservation easement placement must occur in a public forum, rather than between the DNR and the private landowner. A public hearing process will ensure that easements are not in conflict with Comprehensive Plans of local units of government, counties, watershed districts, or associated planning documents from the Metropolitan Council. 3 Housing 1. All cities facilitate the development of housing via land use planning, zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations and rental licensing, and often times through the packaging of financial incentives. Cities are also responsible for ensuring the health and safety of local residents and the structural soundness and livability of the local housing stock via building permits and inspections. It is the responsibility of cities to periodically review local requirements such as land use regulations and ordinances to ensure that they are consistent with these purposes. Cities should have sufficient authority and flexibility to promote housing types that are best suited to meet local needs, public purposes, and goals. The City of Cottage Grove opposes any effort to reduce, alter, or interfere with cities' authority to carry out these functions in a locally determined manner. 2. The City of Cottage Grove supports both affordable housing and housing that is appropriate for people at all stages of life. A variety of housing opportunities are important to the economic and social well-being of individual communities and the region. The region faces challenges in meeting the existing and future housing needs of low-and moderate-income residents. Existing housing stock is aging, with roughly half older than 40 years old, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Older housing stock can be more affordable, however, it requires more investments to remain viable. 3. While local government financial resources constitute a relatively small portion of the total costs of providing housing, many cities take on a significant administrative burden by providing financial incentives and regulatory relief, participating in state and regional housing programs, and supporting either local or countywide housing and redevelopment authorities and community development agencies. The City of Cottage Grove supports cities working with the private and nonprofit sectors, counties, state agencies and the Met Council to ensure the best use of existing tools and resources to produce new housing and preserve existing affordable housing. Street Improvement Districts 1. Funding sources for local transportation projects are limited to the use of Municipal State Aid (MSA), property taxes and special assessments. With increasing pressures on city budgets and limited tools and resources, cities are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain aging streets. The City of Cottage Grove supports the authority of local units of government to establish street improvement districts, allowing cities in developed and developing areas to fund new construction as well as reconstruction and maintenance efforts. The street improvement district is designed to allow cities, through the use of a fair and objective fee structure, to create a district or districts within the city where fees will be raised on all properties in the district and that must be spent within the boundaries of the district. Street improvement districts would also aid cities under 5,000, giving them an alternative to the property tax system and special assessments. 2. The City of Cottage Grove also supports changes to special assessment laws to make assessing state-owned property a more predictable process with uniformity in the payment of assessments across the state. 4 Transportation 1. Full lighting along the Trunk Highway 61/10 corridor(TH61/10) ends at County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 22 (70th Street). South of CSAH 22, there is only interchange lighting at SOth Street S, Jamaica Avenue S, and CSAH 19 (Innovation Road S). From CSAH 19 to TH 95, there is no lighting with several unrestricted local access intersections present. Given the continued development in the southeast metro, increasing traffic volumes, and associated safety benefits,the City of Cottage Grove is requesting highway lighting along the TH 61/10 corridor from CSAH 22 to TH 95. 2. The Metropolitan Council projects that the southeast portion of the Metro area will grow by at least 100,000 people over the next 20 years, but 94 percent of the jobs will still be within Minneapolis and Saint Paul with many residents commuting to these two downtowns.The Red Rock Corridor is a 20-mile corridor connecting downtown Saint Paul with its East Side neighborhoods and the suburbs of Newport, St. Paul Park, Cottage Grove, and Hastings. It is a primary artery serving the southeast metro, as well as being a part of the National Highway and National Scenic Byway systems and is the primary commute pattern to Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The Minnesota Department of Transportation projects that by 2030, the entire length of Highway 61 in the Red Rock Corridor will be congested and operating at a Level of Service (LOS) Grade F during the morning and evening commute periods. This congestion will get worse and the demand for transportation will increase as the population and employment increases. Through the Red Rock Corridor Implementation Plan completed in 2016, county and city partners have conducted a thorough investigation of transit needs in the corridor. The plan is a phased approach with a near-term need for new local bus service and a long-term need for bus rapid transit that includes high-frequency service, robust stations, and enhanced parking facilities. Cottage Grove supports the implementation of the Red Rock Corridor Bus Rapid Transit projed. 3. In recent years, the Minnesota High Speed Rail Commission has put more focus on a second Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago (TCMC) daily round trip passenger train. With the Commission's focus transitioning from a high speed rail to the second conventional train, they have also undertaken a rebranding effort. At their meeting on January 3, 2019, the Commission voted to approve a new name, Great River Rail Commission. As part of the TCMC second train, the Minnesota and Wisconsin Department of Transportations are completing a Second PassengerTrain Rail Service Study. Phase 1 of this study is nearing completion, which will identify the track infrastructure and safety improvements that are necessary for a second passenger train. Phase 1 will also include an operational analysis to determine the most efficient option as it interacts with freight trains. Cottage Grove considers the operational analysis with freight rail to be a critical part of the study. Cottage Grove has a thriving and expanding business park, with several businesses that utilize the Canadian Pacific rail line for freight service. Also located in the business park is undeveloped land that will require additional rail service in the future. Given the benefits that freight rail has on the local economy and business growth,Cottage Grove advocates for more emphasis to be put on furthering the speed and availability of freight rail, along with infrastructure and safety improvements necessary to achieve this. 5 Phase II of this study will involve an environmental analysis and generate a service development plan. Cottage Grove supports the funding and completion of Phase II of the study. Economic Development DEED Business Financing Programs 1. The Department of Employment& Economic Development (DEED)is vital in the support of communities and local economic development initiatives. DEED manages several funding programs utilized by the City which have positively impacted Cottage Grove. The City of Cottage Grove supports fully funding the Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF)which provides loans to business for new manufacturing and high-tech jobs and allows Minnesota to compete with other states and nations. The MIF loans in Cottage Grove have helped impact 266 jobs and leveraged $11.3 million from 2015 -2018. The City of Cottage Grove supports fully funding the Job Creation Fund (JCF)which encourages job creation and capital investment in new or expanding businesses.JCF has spurred economic development in Cottage Grove by enhancing our community's tax base. Between 2015—2018, the JCF program has created 267 jobs and the businesses have invested approximately$4.8 million. Both MIF and JCF are crucial economic development tools for cities and both continue to allow Cottage Grove to position for growth. Metropolitan Agricultural Preserve Program 1. The Minnesota Legislature established the Metropolitan Agricultural Preserve Program in 1980 as a tool to protect farmland in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. The program is voluntary and requires a minimum 40 acres to enroll in the program. Owners of land in agricultural preserves receive special tax classification that results in reduced property taxes and protection against special assessments for public improvement projects. The duration of the agricultural preserve remains effective even if ownership changes. Terminating any of the agricultural preserve takes eight years. The property must remain exclusively as an agricultural use, and may not be developed, until the eight-year period has elapsed.The termination process may be initiated by either a landowner or the local unit of government. If the landowner initiates termination, it will take eight years from the date of the notice to terminate and the owner can rescind at any time during the first two years of the termination process. The local governmental authority can terminate by notifying the landowner the that the comprehensive plan and zoning of the land is no longer zoned for long- term agriculture use, but it still takes eight years to terminate the preserve. The only way to terminate the preserve earlier than eight years is in the event of a public emergency which can only be determined by the governor through executive order. One of DEED's objective is to attract, retain and expand businesses and create jobs but communities cannot do that if there are not reasonable ways to terminate a program such as the Metropolitan Agricultural Preserve, especially if the landowner is open to terminating the 6 preserve and comprehensive plan guides the land for higher economic intense use other than long-term agriculture. The City of Cottage Grove supports the reduction of the eight-year minimum for economic development projects that have regional significance. Parks and Trails R-22 Refrigerant Replacement 1. Minnesota has over 240 publically owned indoor hockey rinks and at least half of them will need to replace the R-22 (Freon-based refrigerant) with a more environmentally friendly chemical in the next several years due at an anticipated cost of three million dollars.The James Metzen Mighty Ducks Grant Program offers assistance to help with the cost. The City of Cottage Grove supports the continuation of the James Metzen Mighty Ducks Grant Program to help eliminate the use of R-22 refrigerant and to improve air quality in ice arenas. Additionally,the City encourages the Minnesota Legislature to explore new ways, such as a revolving loan,for cities to fund R-22 refrigerant replacement. Funding for County and Regional Parks 1. In the seven-county metropolitan area, regional parks essentially serve as state parks, and the state should continue to provide capital funding for the acquisition, development and improvement of these parks in a manner that is equitable with funding for state parks. State funding apart from Legacy funds should equal 40 percent of the operating budget for regional parks. Legacy funds for parks and trails should be balanced between metro and greater Minnesota. The City of Cottage Grove supports state funding for county and regional parks and trails through a comprehensive tax and bonding bill for projects such as the second phase of the Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park. 7