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3/18/2021 Local Zoning Preemption Bill Advances in Senate - League of Minnesota Cities <br />LMC <br />LEAGUE <br />MINNESOTA <br />CITIES <br />Your LMC Resource <br />Irene Kao <br />IGR Counsel <br />(651) 281-1260 or (800) 925-1122 <br />ikao@lmc.org <br />Daniel Lightfoot <br />IGR Representative <br />(651) 281-1295 or (800) 925-1122 <br />dlightfoot@lmc.org <br />Local Zoning Preemption Bill Advances in Senate <br />March 15, 2021 <br />City officials are encouraged to contact their legislators to voice opposition to this bill, which is scheduled for another <br />Senate committee hearing on March 16. <br />The Senate Housing Finance and Policy Committee (https://www.senate.mn/committees/committee_bio.html?1s=92&cmte_id=3108) on <br />March 9 heard a League -opposed bill, SF 915 (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=senate&f=SF0915&ssn=0&y=2021) (Sen. Rich <br />Draheim(http://mail01.tinyletterapp.com/LMC_Action_Alerts/lmc-action-alert-bills-that-would-preempt-city-zoning-building_permit-fees-and- <br />park-dedication-fees-authority/16487158-mai101.tinyletterapp.com/lmc_action_alerts/lmc-action-alert-bills-that-preempt-city-authority-on-zoning_ <br />and-the-use-of-city-building-inspectors/16414926-www.senate.mn/members/member_bio.php?c=0330544d-3849-435a-8768-d060f52d9f4b), R- <br />Madison Lake), which would preempt local zoning authority. <br />The bill was amended and passed on a party -line vote of 4-3. It now goes to the Senate Local Government Policy Committee <br />(https://www.senate.mn/committees/committee_bio.html?cmte_id=3100&1s=92), where it will be heard on March 16. <br />The adopted amendment removed some problematic provisions, but other problems remain. The bill would still preempt <br />local zoning authority by, for example, limiting planned unit development (PUD) conditions and prohibiting aesthetic <br />conditions. <br />Moving ahead despite missing deadline <br />Typically, bills need to be heard in all relevant committees in one body before the first legislative deadline, which was March <br />12. (The House companion bill — HF 1840 (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?f=HF1840&y=2021&ssn=0&b=house), authored by <br />Rep. Steve Elkins (https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/profile/15517), DFL-Bloomington — has not had any hearings.) <br />Because the Senate Local Government Policy Committee did not hear this bill by the deadline, it should no longer be <br />considered in the 2021 legislative session. Nonetheless, the Local Government Committee is scheduled to hear the bill. <br />City opposition <br />At the March 9 hearing, Prior Lake City Manager Jason Wedel and Elko New Market City Administrator Tom Terry testified in <br />opposition to the bill, along with the League and Metro Cities. City testifiers discussed the importance of local control for <br />zoning. <br />Cities — not the Legislature — know their communities and are in the best position to address local zoning and respond to <br />local needs, they argued. And while proponents claim otherwise, PUDs are requested by developers, not required by cities. <br />https://www.lmc.org/news-publications/news/all/zoning-preemption-bill-update/ 1/2 <br />