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Legal Aspects of Planning an~ Zoning <br /> Karen A. Schaffer <br />Assistant Counsel, Metropolitan Council <br /> <br />Cities, Towns, Counties as creatures of the State <br />A. ~o inherent authority <br /> Only such authority as delegated to them by the State <br /> 1. Cities and Towns: I,linn. Stat. 462.351-.365; l,linn. Stat. 473.851- <br /> .872 (metropolitan area) <br /> 2. Counties: t,)inn. Stat. 394.21-.37; Minn. Stat. 473.851-.872 <br /> (metropolitan area) <br /> <br />II. Cities, Towns, Counties: legislative vs. administrative actions <br /> · A. Legislative actions - general future application <br /> examples: adopting comprehensive plan or CIP <br /> amending compreh6nsive plan or CtP <br /> adopting zoning or subdivision ordinance <br /> amending zoning or subdivision ordinance (rezoning) <br /> adopting shoreline or other environmental ordinance <br /> amending sfhoreline or other environmental ordinance <br /> <br />Administrative actions - application to specific property <br />examples: issuing or denying special use or conditional use permit <br /> granting or denying varriance request <br /> granting or denying subdivision plat epproval <br /> granting or denying building permit <br /> <br />III.A. <br /> <br />Standard for review of a legislative action <br /> <br />Substantive <br />a. Is it within the scope of enabling statute? <br /> It is within the scope of the municipal charter?- <br />c. Does it'serve a Public purpose?. <br />d. Is there a reasonable relationship between the means <br /> selected and objective sought (rational basis test)? <br />e. Is it burdensome to fundamental rights? <br /> <br />Procedural <br />a. ~,!ere statutory and charter requirements complied~with? <br />b. t!as the action tat:en in compliance with the open meeting <br /> law? <br />c. Did members comply ~./ith conflict of interest laws? <br />d. Is there a record of the action and its background? <br /> (i) contemporaneous <br /> (ii)more than conctusory <br /> <br /> <br />