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William K. Goodrich <br />Page 10 <br /> <br />RE'CEIVFr" <br />DEC 2 7 <br /> ............ <br /> <br />The Commissioner has broad statutory police power authority over <br />aeronautics matters in the State of Minnesota, and specific <br />statutory authority regarding airport zoning regulations. Minn. <br />Stat. ~ 360.015, subd. 1 (1988) grants the Commissioner of <br />Transportation "general supervision" over aeronautics within the <br />state. Minn. Stat. § 360.015, subd. 10 (1988) confers "general <br />police powers" upon the Commissioner and the Commissioner's <br />designees for the purpose of the enforcement of all state laws <br />relating to aeronautics. In Minn. Stat. § 360.063, subd. 6 <br />(1988), the Commissioner has the authority to enact airport <br />zoning regulations when a city zoning board has not acted or when <br />the city's regulations do not conform to the appropriate <br />standards. <br /> <br /> The Commissioner's specific police powers over airport <br />zoning regulations may not be limited by the unilateral action of <br />a city or the city's citizens. It is well settled that <br /> <br /> the general police power of a municipal <br /> corporation may not interfere with the <br /> sovereign power of the state in the exercise <br /> of its governmental functions, unless such <br /> immunity is waived. <br /> <br />Watson Construction Co. v. City of St. Paul, 260 Minn. 166, 168, <br />109 N.W.2d 332, 334 (1961). State law grants the Commissioner of <br />Transportation ultimate authority over airport zoning regulations <br />adopted by cities. If a city, for example, adopts airport zoning <br /> <br /> <br />