Agenda - Planning Commission - 04/20/2015 - Joint with EPB

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RELEVANT LINKS: Minn. Stat. § 462.357, subd. lh. Minn. Stat. § 462.355, subd. 1. Minn. Stat. § 103G.005, subd. 10b. Minn. Stat. § 462.355. Minn. Stat. § 462.357. Minn. Stat. § 462.355, subd 2. Minn. Stat. § 462.354. c. President Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Bill to Preserve Agricultural, Forest, Wildlife, and Open Space Land Non -metropolitan cities located in certain counties are subject to the President Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Bill to Preserve Agricultural, Forest, Wildlife, and Open Space Land (hereinafter the "T. Roosevelt Memorial Preservation Act") when adopting or amending a comprehensive plan. Cities in Aitkin, Beltrami, Carlton, Cass, Clearwater, Cook, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Kanabec, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Milles Lacs, Pine, St Louis and Wadena counties are not subject to the T. Roosevelt Memorial Preservation Act, because they are currently classified as "greater than 80 percent area" counties. These counties still contain a significant portion of their presettlement wetland acreage. Cities outside the metro area, and not located in the counties listed above, must comply with the Act. Cities subject to the T. Roosevelt Memorial Preservation Act are not required to engage in comprehensive planning, but when they do must consider the natural resource and open space preservation goals of the Act when adopting a comprehensive plan. Specifically, when preparing or recommending amendments to the comprehensive plan, the planning commission in these cities must consider adopting goals and objectives that will protect open space and the environment. Such consideration could potentially be documented in findings of fact. In addition, within three years of adopting a comprehensive plan, the city must consider adopting ordinances as part of the city's official controls that encourage the implementation of the goals and objectives of the T. Roosevelt Memorial Preservation Act. However, the city is not required to adopt any ordinances. Consideration of ordinance adoption could potentially be documented in findings of fact. 3. Recommending the comprehensive plan to council Once a comprehensive plan is drafted, the planning commission may submit the plan (or a portion of the plan) with its recommendation for adoption to the city council. Upon receipt of the recommended plan, the council may accept the plan, reject the plan, or recommend revisions to the planning commission. In submitting the comprehensive plan to council, the planning commission serves in a strictly advisory role. The city council ultimately decides on the acceptance, rejection, or revision of the plan, and is not bound by planning commission's recommendations. League of Minnesota Cities Information Memo: 1/20/2015 Planning Commission Guide Page 9