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Mr. Peter Bell, Chair <br />Metropolitan Council <br />Attention: Regional Data Center <br />390 Robert St. N. <br />St. Paul, MN 55101 <br />Re: Comments regarding the Draft 2030 Transportation Policy Plan <br />Dear Chairman Bell: <br />Thank you for giving the City of Ramsey the opportunity to comment on the Draft <br />Transportation Policy Plan (TPP). Whereas, we understand the state of the economy regarding <br />transportation funding throughout the State of Minnesota, we have some significant concerns <br />regarding the ability to continue the long- standing collaborative efforts if the language that is <br />included in the Draft plan continues as written. <br />The City of Ramsey has proactively worked towards solving the region's transportation issues <br />along with Anoka County by adopting the vision that was provided to us by the Corridor <br />Management Plan that was initiated by the Minnesota Department of Transportation in 2002. <br />Whereas, I know that we are not the only corridor that is experiencing this issue, I think it <br />extremely important that you realize just how dramatically these decisions will affect us. <br />Working with Anoka County, Metropolitan Council, and MNDOT, a decision was reached to <br />officially map the Highway 10 Corridor throughout the City of Ramsey from the eastern city <br />limits to Armstrong Boulevard. As part of this process, we have hired consultants, spent <br />considerable political capital, decreased tax base, relocated owners, exercised legal efforts and <br />worked together to acquire 17 properties and collaboratively spent approximately $15 million to <br />preserve right -of -way for the expansion of Highway 10. Also, since this area was officially <br />mapped, a moratorium was placed on new development and a cap was placed on improvements <br />to properties all in an effort to contain future land costs. This is a project that the City has been <br />working on with the County and the State for almost 10 years to bring forward in compliance <br />with the City's Comprehensive Plan, Anoka County's Comprehensive Plan and the Metropolitan <br />Council's policies and systems statements. The decision to officially map the 54 businesses <br />along Trunk Highway 10 represented a significant portion (almost 20 %) of our commercial tax <br />base. Since that time, even though we continue to support the Metropolitan Smart Growth and <br />smart land use decisions and continue to provide significant resources towards progressing the <br />transportation goals throughout the region, we have looked for ways to ease the burden on the <br />