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Regional Parks System Capital Improvement Program Process <br /> The Regional Parks CIP is one component of the Council's unified Capital Improvement <br /> Program (CIP). The unified CIP process includes several elements. It ranks projects across the <br /> system based on three factors: first, consistency with Council finance policy and strategies <br /> outlined in this policy plan; second, relationship to applicable state law regarding the allocation <br /> of funds among the regional park agencies; and third, ranking of those projects within each <br /> regional park agency's allocation. <br /> The ranked project list in the CIP then serves as the basis for requesting legislative funding for <br /> the biennium. A draft funding request for state bonds is due in June and a final request is due in <br /> September preceding the second year of the legislative biennium. <br /> The Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission, working with the regional park <br /> implementing agencies, initiates the annual process of revising the CIP. The Commission <br /> reviews requests from the regional park implementing agencies based on consistency with <br /> policies in this policy plan, applicable state law regarding the allocation of funds among the <br /> regional park agencies, and the relative share of each regional park implementing agencies <br /> share the funding request. The Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission will <br /> recommend a ranked list of projects to approve as a funding request for the Regional Parks <br /> portion of the Unified CIP, which is the capital improvement program for the entire Council. <br /> After state bond appropriations have been authorized, the Council adopts amendments to the <br /> current year of the Council's Unified Capital Budget (CB), which award grants proposed for <br /> funding in the Unified CIP. Projects financed with state bonds and matched with Metropolitan <br /> Council bonds will follow applicable rider language of that appropriation and applicable Council <br /> policy requirements in the finance section of this plan. <br /> The amendment to the Unified CB identifies which projects from the CIP are funded and the <br /> level of funding by revenue source. Adopting amendments to the Unified CB to award grants <br /> that had been proposed in the Unified CIP is not a substantial revision to the policy plan <br /> provided that all projects are consistent with the Unified CIP. Projects that are not consistent <br /> with the Unified CIP (for example, a project that was not in the CIP and is proposed to replace <br /> one that is, or to change the funding level from one project to another) will be reviewed by the <br /> Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission based on the project's consistency with the <br /> finance policy and strategies outlined in this policy plan and applicable state law and <br /> subsequently make a recommendation to the Council. <br /> Regional Parks System Parks and Trails Legacy Fund Process <br /> The process for distributing appropriations from the Parks and Trails Legacy Fund follows a <br /> process similar to that described above. There are important distinctions to make, however. <br /> First, a funding request for Park and Trails Legacy Fund appropriations is due to the state in <br /> October preceding the first year of the legislative biennium. Projects financed with <br /> appropriations from the Parks and Trails Legacy Fund will follow applicable rider language of <br /> that appropriation and Council policy requirements in the finance section of this plan. Similar to <br />