Agenda - Council - 05/27/1980 - Laserfiche WebLink

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agencies and local governments to adopt agricul- tural preservation policies and ordinances. The state should bank and interpret useful data, including relevant soil-type information, on prime agricultural land that will assist local governments in their preservation efforts. The League urges the legislature to establish a com- mittee representing local government as well as other interested parties to propose an agricul- tural preservation strategy to the 1979 Legis- lature. Local and regional governments should be required to include an agricultural protection element in their comprehensive plans and zoning ordinances. h~terirn or £ringe area land. The Minnesota law that provides preferential property assessments for agricultural property (i.e. the Green Acres Act) is principally aimed at transitional or fringe area land. The law should be modified so that it provides a positive tool for municipalities and counties in influencing orderly development. Specifically, land would qualify for Green Acres status only when it qualifies under a local government's com- prehensive plan or zoning ordinance, or is ap- proved by the local governing body. Also, ade- quate controls should be provided to ensure an orderly transition to urban uses, including city determination of when the land no longer quali- fies for tax abatement and/or assessment defer- ral. When the land no longer qualifies for tax abatement, then land should be assessed consistent with its planned use; however, that portion of the Green Acres law providing for payment of special assessments should be modified to allow an ex- tended pay-back period, at local option. When any qualifying land is sold, the sale would automati- cally bring it back to the local government for reconsideration of the tax deferment and abate- ment status. Finally, there should be no automatic "roll-back" or recapture of the difference in tax revenues. Actual roll-back provisions could be ne- gotiated locally or determined in local ordinances. County Planning Act. Even when sufficient legal authority exists and financial resources are avail- able, there has been a reluctance in some counties to undertake a land use planning program. In order to address this situation, the County Plan- ning Act should be amended to provide that coun- ties would be required to undertake a land use planning program if city councils and town boards representing a majority of the population of the county pass resolutions requesting such action. Shade tree disease control The legislature in 1977 made a major commit- ment to control Dutch elm and oak wilt disease. In 1979 the legislature renewed its commitment and set a target level for grants to municipalities of 50 percent for sanitation and reforestation grants. There is no doubt that the shade tree problem is continuing to spread throughout the state and will remain a major problem for cities for the coming several years. The League urges that the legislature continue its commitment to shade tree disease control and that the grant program be funded to achieve the target levels for sanitation and reforestation grants. Furthermore, the local costs of shade tree disease control should be made a permanent special levy. Solid and hazardous waste management The problem of solid and hazardous waste disposal will be one of the major environmental issues of the next decade.' Legislation addressing this problem enacted in 1980 responded to the following concerns of the League, and this legis- lation should not be amended to diminish the emphasis on these concerns: Planning for solid waste disposal. The agency or agencies responsible for develop- ing plans for solid waste disposal should first identify the types of solid waste involved and 'the 'sources of the solid wastes. The plan should give first priority to recycling. In areas where recycling is inappropriate, determination should be made of the types of landfills needed, how many, and the gen- eral geographic location prior to the siting process. Site selection standards and criteria, must be developed prior to the siting process, and should be subject to exhaustive public hearings and Chapter 15 Administrative Procedures Act require- ments. Planning for hazardous waste disposal. A statewide plan for the disposal and regula- tion of hazardous waste must be developed. Hazardous waste must be defined and the sources identified by type, volume, Ioca- .tion, and generator. Those responsible for generation must be involved in solving -22-