Agenda - Council - 11/12/2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Section 1: BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Metropolitan Livable Communities Act (MN Statutes Chapter 473.252) created the Tax Base Revitalization Account (TBRA). The Tax Base Revitalization Account provides funds to investigate and clean up polluted land in areas that have lost commercial/industrial activity to make them available for economic redevelopment that enhances the tax base of the recipient municipality while promoting job retention or job growth and/or the production of affordable housing. Contamination cleanup site investigation grants are intended for applicants that have a redevelopment site with suspected or perceived contamination and are seeking public funding to assist with the cost of determine the scope and severity of the contamination and to develop a cleanup plan. The investigation grants are intended to encourage an early start to the environmental remediation process. TBRA contamination cleanup site investigation funds are awarded on a competitive basis to redevelopment projects that demonstrate strong potential for future cleanup and redevelopment starting in the year following a grant award. The TBRA funds are raised by a legislatively authorized levy capped at $5 million annually. The Contamination cleanup site investigation grants are offered at the same time as funding available for contamination cleanup. Up to $125,000 is available for contamination cleanup site investigation applications this funding cycle. Applications will be accepted on May 1. The Account is coordinated with complementary programs at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (PCA), the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), Hennepin County and Ramsey County. Section 2: ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS and QUALIFYING SITES The following entities are eligible to apply: statutory or home rule charter cities or towns that are participating in the Metropolitan Livable Communities Housing Incentives Program. Metropolitan counties and local development authorities (e.g., Housing and Redevelopment Authority, Economic Development Authority or Port Authority) are also eligible to apply for projects that are located in LCA-participating communities. A site may be privately owned. If funding is requested for use on more than one site within a community, a separate application should be submitted for each investigation site. Contamination site investigation applications will be determined ineligible for funding if an analysis of the proposal determines: • a current private property owner or developer caused the property to be contaminated; • no known or suspected environmental contamination is demonstrated; • an analysis of the proposal determines the funding is not needed in order for the project to proceed; • the application does not score at least 50% (30 points) of the total points available (60 points); or • for asbestos or lead -based paint survey requests, if the building area is less than 10,000 gross square feet per structure. • project has an application under review for investigation of contamination through the Livable Communities Transit -Oriented Development program with an overlapping review period Contamination site investigation applications may be determined ineligible for funding if: i