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RELEVANT LINKS: <br />Minn. Stat. § 15.17. <br />Minn. Stat. § 138.225. <br />Minn. Stat. §§ 138.161-21. <br />A.G. Op. 851F (Feb. 5, <br />1973). <br />See Handbook, Chapter 27. <br />See LMC Information <br />Memos, Taking the Mystery <br />out of Findings of Fact; Land <br />Use Findings of Fact: Elected <br />Officials as Policy makers <br />and Zoning Decisions. <br />Sample: Findings of Fact: <br />City of Burnsville. <br />Minn. Stat. § 462.354, subd. <br />1. <br />Minn. Stat. § 410.12. <br />See Handbook, Chapter 4. <br />Minn. Stat. § 462.355, subd. <br />3. <br />Minn. Stat. § 462.356, subd. <br />2. <br />Minn. Stat. § 462.357, subd. <br />4. <br />Minnesota case law and statutory law demand that the reasons for a city's <br />decision on a land use case be articulated in the official record. Written <br />findings of fact, or "reasons," and conclusions of law are required whenever <br />an application is denied. In addition, written findings of fact and conclusions <br />of law are strongly recommended whenever a decision or recommendation <br />related to a land use decision is made. <br />Findings of fact and creating accurate records are discussed at length in the <br />LMC Information Memo "Zoning Guide for Cities." <br />3. Records retention requirements <br />State law limits the ability of cities, including city planning commissions, to <br />dispose of or destroy city records. Cities must retain records that they <br />receive or create according to a records retention schedule. It is a crime to <br />destroy such records without statutory authority. <br />Maintaining adequate records is also vital for defending the city's land use <br />decisions in a court of law. <br />V. Changing the structure or abolishing the <br />planning commission <br />A. Abolishing the planning commission <br />State statute provides that planning commissions created by city ordinance <br />may be abolished by two-thirds vote of all the members of the governing <br />body. Planning commissions created by city charter can be abolished by <br />following the statutory provisions for amending a city charter. <br />Cities considering abolishing their planning commission should seek the <br />advice of their city attorney. While state statute allows cities to abolish their <br />planning commission, state statute also vests planning commissions with <br />mandatory duties related to: <br />• Reviewing amendments to the comprehensive plan. <br />• Reviewing purchase and sale of public property and capital improvement <br />projects. <br />• Reviewing zoning ordinance amendments. <br />League of Minnesota Cities Information Memo: 1/20/2015 <br />Planning Commission Guide Page 24 <br />