Metro Cities News 3/15/24

Mar

In This Issue:

Metro Cities Annual Meeting – Mark Your Calendar!

Metro Cities will hold its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, April 24th at 5:00 pm, at the Roseville Oval Skating Center Banquet Room. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend!

The meeting will feature guest speaker Tom Hauser of KSTP Channel 5, a social hour with appetizers, beverages, and cash bar. The event will conclude with a brief membership meeting to elect Metro Cities’ Board officers and members. More information to follow! RSVP to Jennifer Dorn at [email protected].

Local Preemption Housing Bills Update

On Tuesday, the Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention Committee heard SF 1370 – Port, an omnibus zoning preemption bill. The bill includes language from the ‘missing middle’ housing bill, SF 3964, multifamily housing bill, SF 3980, and other preemption language. Metro Cities provided testimony opposing the bill, and city association groups submitted a joint letter opposing it. Thank you to Jill Hutmacher, Director of Community Development-Eagan, who also provided opposing testimony. Provisions of the bill include:

Requires cities to approve or deny a building permit request within 60 days, and the failure to do so within 60 days is approval of the request.
Allows emergency shelter facilities to be authorized by right without discretionary approval, in all areas except those zoned for residential, agricultural, or heavy industrial.
Allows for a multifamily building in any mixed-use, multifamily, or commercial zoning district without adequate ability to ensure reasonable setbacks for fire and safety, as well as limiting height restrictions imposed by the city.
Creates minimum levels for density on all residential lots, with two units required statewide regardless of lot size.
Cities of the first class would be required to allow between four and ten units per lot.
Cities of the second, third and fourth class within a half mile of a major transit stop would be required to permit between four and eight units.
Imposes unreasonable minimum lot size requirements to support the level of density mandated in the bill.
Limits minimum parking requirements to no off-street parking requirements for a residential dwelling unit that is one-half mile or less from a major transit stop, and only one off-street parking space allowed to be required for a residential dwelling unit that is over one-half mile from a major transit stop.
Sets limits on aesthetic mandates.
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are authorized by right.

Policy bill deadlines are next Friday, March 22nd. We expect HF 4009, the ‘missing middle’ housing bill, could be heard in its next stop, the State and Local Government Committee, next week and expect the omnibus Senate preemption bill could be heard in the Senate State and Local Government Committee next week as well.

Thank you to the many city officials who have reached out to your local legislators. This outreach is critical, and Metro Cities encourages city officials to continue to reach out to your legislators in opposition to these bills. To find legislators, click HERE. We also encourage you to reach out to members of the House State and Local Government Committee, and members of the Senate State and Local Government Committee.

Several mayors wrote commentaries for local newspapers outlining the potential high consequences for local policy setting and public processes under the preemption bills. Click HERE and HERE to see these pieces that appeared in the Sun Sailor and Star Tribune.
If you have any questions, contact Ania McDonnell at [email protected].

Local Housing Aid Maintenance of Effort Bill Heard

On Wednesday, the House Housing Finance and Policy Committee heard HF 4555 – Howard which would require that metropolitan cities receiving local affordable housing aid maintain locally funded housing expenditures at a level not less than the average level of expenditures for the three preceding fiscal years. Metro Cities opposes this requirement as it would undermine local decisions on fiscal issues and planned growth and could impact cities’ ability to decide appropriate levels of taxation and services. The bill was passed and referred to the House Taxes Committee. The bill has been introduced in the Senate but has not yet been scheduled for a hearing.

If you have any questions, please contact Ania McDonnell at [email protected].

School Resource Officer Legislation Signed into Law

HF 3489 (Frazier/Westlin) was amended on the Senate floor before its passage, requiring a conference committee to reconcile differences between the bills passed by the House and Senate. The conference committee met briefly to adopt the House language before adjourning. Click HERE for a summary of the bill and HERE for a previous newsletter piece on HF 3489. The bill was repassed as amended by conference, with a vote of 119-9 in the House and 61-3 in the Senate. Governor Walz signed Chapter 78 into law on Thursday, March 14.

Contact Mike Lund at [email protected] or 651-215-4003 with any questions.

Bill Allows Local Governments to Franchise Broadband

On Monday, HF 4182 – Freiberg was heard in the House Commerce Committee. The bill allows local governments to require franchise fees from a provider furnishing broadband, among other provisions. Metro Cities submitted a letter, supporting the ability for cities to collaborate with the private sector to deploy broadband infrastructure that will increase the speed and capacity of broadband services statewide. The bill was passed and referred to the House State and Local Government Committee.

Technical Bill Includes Change to Local Affordable Housing Aid Distribution Date

On Tuesday, the Senate Taxes Committee heard a technical policy bill for the Department of Revenue, SF 4091 - Rest which would change the date that local affordable housing aid is distributed to cities over 10,000 in population to align the timing of aid with other aid programs. The language would require that the aid be certified by September 1 of each year and be distributed on October 1. This bill would be effective for aids payable in 2024 and after. Current law provides for the aid to be paid to cities in two installments on July 20 and December 26. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in a Senate tax bill.

If you have any questions, contact Ania McDonnell at [email protected].

Public Safety Aid Survey

The 2023 Legislature passed a new local public safety aid, with the purpose of the aid to assist local governments with personnel, equipment and other public safety needs and expenses. The legislation did not include a reporting requirement in its passage of the aid.

Legislators are interested to know how the aid is being used and has reached out to the League of MN Cities to facilitate a survey to better understand how cities are spending the aid. The results of the survey will be made available to legislators. Depending on the level of information gathered, it is possible legislators could consider a statutory reporting requirement, and a bill to require a retroactive report on use of the aid has been introduced in the House.

To fill out the survey, click HERE. Please contact Patricia Nauman at [email protected] with any questions.

Save the Date! Regional Solicitation Engagement Opportunity

The Metropolitan Council is evaluating and redesigning the Regional Solicitation application and process for selecting projects for federal funding. The Council, along with consulting teams, are hosting virtual listening sessions in April. This is an opportunity to share your feedback on the Regional Solicitation application and process. Please see below for more information.

When:

Technical staff session: April 11, 10-11:30am.
Policymaker session: April 15, 1:30-3pm.
Mixed session: April 16, 1:30-3pm.

Meetings will be held via Microsoft Teams (a link will be provided). Metropolitan Council staff will discuss the Regional Solicitation’s relationship to the 2050 Transportation Policy Plan (TPP), perceptions of the current solicitation process, and other ideas about the application structure. Please reach out to [email protected] if you’re interested in attending one of the times listed. Questions can be directed to [email protected].

MN Shared Mobility Collaborative Convening in April

This convening will focus on carbon reduction funding, projects, and strategies. The event will take place on Wednesday, April 10, 2024 from 2:30PM to 4:00PM. Elliott McFadden, Greater Minnesota Shared Mobility Program Coordinator, will kick off the convening with an overview of how to use public dollars to pay for shared mobility. A panel of speakers will then dive into specific carbon reduction strategies and programs.

Panelists include:

Lexie Lyng, Electric Vehicle Program Administrator, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Anna Pierce, Carbon Reduction Program Planner, Minnesota Department of Transportation
Peter Wilfahrt, Principal Researcher, Community Development Research, Metropolitan Council
Aaron Westling, Shared Mobility Program Manager, Great Plains Institute

There is no cost to attend, but registration is required. Please register by Tuesday, April 9. Click HERE to register. For more information, please contact Chelsea Arbury Prorok at [email protected].

Contact Mike Lund at [email protected] or 651-215-4003 with any questions.

Bills of Note

HF 4768, Robbins/SF 4956, Limmer: Bill provides $500,000 for a grant to develop a roadside test to determine impairment from THC.

HF 4783, Agbaje/SF 4015, Mohamed: Bill establishes the Minnesota Fair Chance Access to Housing Act, creates tenant protections in law.

HF 4805, Olson, B./SF 4766, Lucero: Bill appropriates money to the secretary of state for reimbursing local governments for costs associated with implementation of the new state flag and seal.

HF 4837, Witte/SF 4628, Duckworth: Bill modifies the eligible uses for public safety aid passed during the 2023 legislative session.

HF 4858, Koznick/SF 4903, Drazkowski: Bill amends and repeals certain transportation-related taxes.

HF 4871, Robbins/SF 4957, Limmer: Bill requires the Office of Cannabis Management to establish limits on the total THC in cannabis flower and cannabis products; prohibits the addition of ingredients to impart a taste or smell to cannabis products intended to be consumed through the inhalation of smoke, vapor, or aerosol; requires warnings about cannabis consumption to include a warning regarding cancer; and prohibits advertisements that promote the co-consumption of alcohol and cannabis.

HF 4872, Brand/SF 4899, Jasinski: Bill appropriates $25 million to the small cities assistance account.

HF 4889, Elkins: Bill imposes a road usage charge for all-electric vehicles.

HF 4904, Greenman: Bill authorizes statutory cities to create wards for the election of city council members.

HF 4926, Wiens: Bill requires annual reports on organizations that received grants from the department of employment and economic development.

HF 4931, Kozlowski/SF 4601, Boldon: Bill prohibits municipalities from enforcing or enacting an ordinance prohibiting emergency housing facilities in areas other than residential and agricultural.

HF 4965, Torkelson/SF 4496, Dahms: Bill modifies child care center definition and sets staff qualifications and ratios.

SF 4793, Mohamed/HF 4303, Reyer: Bill creates a new green infrastructure grant program.

SF 4804, Port/HF 4735, Howard: Bill makes technical changes to housing policy passed in 2023.

SF 4815, Dibble: Bill modifies requirements for permitting small wireless facilities.

SF 4835, Seeberger/HF 4738, Huot: Bill replaces the EMSRB with a new Office of Emergency Medical Services.

SF 4849, Port/HF 4759, Acomb: Bill establishes a program to award grants to political subdivisions to assess the feasibility of installing geothermal energy systems.

SF 4870, Boldon/HF 4464, Hassan: Bill creates a statewide landlord database.

SF 4874, Wiklund/HF 4749, Bahner: Bill requires reporting for cybersecurity incidents impacting public-sector organizations.

SF 4875, Mitchell/HF 4555, Howard: Bill imposes a maintenance of effort condition for the receipt of local affordable housing aid, requires that a city must commit to maintaining its locally funded housing expenditures at a level that is not less than the average level of expenditures in the three preceding fiscal years.

SF 4904, Limmer/HF 4835, Scott: Bill extends penalties for a violation of the Government Data Practices Act to a violation of the Official Records Act.

SF 4938, McEwen/HF 3588, Lee, F.: Bill requires any bus purchased for transit after 2030 be a zero-emission transit bus.

SF 4940, Xiong/HF 4819, Howard: Bill expands the uses for housing infrastructure bonds to include recapitalization. Bill establishes an affordable housing insurance costs task force, and a task force on long-term sustainability of affordable housing.

SF 4941, Xiong/HF 3412, Fischer: Bill modifies water appropriation priorities to include hospitals, nursing homes, schools, child care facilities, and higher education.

SF 4953, Dibble/HF 4614, Norris: Bill appropriates funding for the Land Bank Twin Cities organization.

SF 4987, Jasinski: Bill provides aid to local governments and private ambulance services and establishes a onetime aid program for certain licensed ambulance services.

SF 4988, Weber: Bill establishes the Minnesota Strategic Industrial Development Enhancement tax credits.