[The following alert was circulated by Gwen Myers, LWVMN Action Chair, prefaced with this note:
"Please forward this message to your members. In some cases not all your members are in the target districts, but some of them are. This is an important issue for any area facing development. Tiny Spring Park, MN, on Lake Minnetonka used a moratorium to stop high-priced condos from devouring the little town a few years ago."]
Targeted Alert to Constituents of House Local Gov’t Committee Members
LOCAL CONTROL AT RISK ONCE AGAIN
HF 1254 Weakens Local Power to Enact Temporary Moratoriums on Major Developments
LWVMN Position: (Agriculture) Support of a system of sustainable agricultural production which provides safe, healthful food and which preserves and protects the state’s human and natural agricultural resources and enhances the environment; research and technical assistance in farming practices and rural economies that improve the economic viability of family farms and their community.
(Land Use) Support an overall land use plan with maximum cooperation and implementation at the regional and local levels, with state help in developing and exercising land use management, with opportunity for maximum local decision making, and with regional planning and regulation for matters of more than local control.
Action – Hearing Monday, March 10, in House Local Gov’t and Metro Affairs Committee
Please contact your state representative listed below and tell him or her you oppose HF1254 because it weakens local control by weakening the power of local governments to enact temporary moratoriums when unanticipated developments like factory farms, race tracks, junk yards or Wall-Marts are proposed – details below.
Please forward this to friends in your area who may be constituents of your representative and who share your concern for local control of major development.
Background:
The bill undermines township and community rights by weakening the power of local governments to enact interim ordinances. Interim ordinances allow local governments to put a temporary moratorium on major development. This right is critical when an unanticipated large development - like a factory farm, racetrack or subdivision - is suddenly proposed that local ordinances do not address. In effect, an interim ordinance calls a “time out” so the community can take stock and assess whether local controls are needed to protect the quality of life of the community.
This bill changes the law so that merely submitting a complete application for a permit would exempt the proposed development from an interim ordinance enacted after the application was submitted. The problem is that too often neighbors and local officials do not get any information about a project until the permit application process has been completed. When that happens an interim ordinance may be needed to give the community time to assess the situation.
If this bill passes, a community will have very limited rights when they are caught off guard by unanticipated and potentially harmful large development. In addition, the bill reduces the time an interim ordinance can be in place in counties from two years to only one.
HF 1254, authored by Rep. Larry Hosch (DFL-St. Joseph), was proposed last year, but was denied a hearing because of strong opposition from groups representing local governments, farmers, rural communities and the environment. Proposed indicated that they would work with the opposition to find a compromise over the summer; this did not happen.
Contact directions: Please contact your representative if he or she is listed below. (This alert is targeted to local LWVs in the districts of these representatives; it’s possible that some members may live outside the targeted representative’s district.)
Note: Calls are probably more effective; identify yourself as a constituent. E-mails are also useful. Most House members’ e-mail addresses follow this pattern: rep.debra.hilstrom@house.mn . Put “constituent opposes HF1254” on the Subject line.
If you live in the district of the Chair or Vice-Chair of the Local Government Committee, first thank them for working to make sure this bill did not pass last session, and then urge its defeat on Monday.
• Chair: Rep. Debra Hilstrom (Brooklyn Center – 46B - DFL) 651-296-3709
• Vice Chair: Rep. Ken Tschumper (La Crescent – 31B - DFL) 651-296-9278
Then call as many of the other committee members as you can in this priority order.
• Rep. Loren Solberg (Grand Rapids – 3B - DFL) 651-296-2365
• Rep. Alice Hausman (St. Paul – 66B - DFL) 651-296-3824
• Rep. Bev Scalze (Little Canada – 54B - DFL) 651-296-7153
• Rep. Ann Lenczewski (Bloomington – 40B - DFL) 651-296-4218
• Lead-GOP: Rep. Morrie Lanning (Morehead – 9A -R) 651-296-5515
• Rep. Lyle Koenen (Clara City – 20B - DFL) 651-296-4346
• Rep. Mary Liz Holberg (Lakeville – 36A - R) 651-296-6926
• Rep. Augustine “Willie” Dominguez (Minneapolis – 58B - DFL) 651-296-8659
• Rep. Paul Marquart (Dilworth – 9B - DFL) 651-296-6829
• Rep. Mark Olson (Big Lake – 16B -R) 651-296-4237
• Rep. Mark Buesgens (Jordan – 35B - R) 651-296-5185
• Rep. Michael Beard (Shakopee – 35A - R) 651-296-8872
• Rep. Larry Howes (Walker – 4B - R) 651-296-2451
Thanks to Land Stewardship Project for much of this information.
