Agenda - Planning Commission - 04/24/2025

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RELEVANT LINKS: Minn. Stat. § 103G.005 subd. 10b. Minn. Stat. § 462.355. Minn. Stat. § 462.357. Minn. Stat. § 462.355, subd 2. The purpose of the law is to require municipalities to consider preserving open space when adopting a comprehensive plan. (1) Cities not subject to the T. Roosevelt Memorial Preservation Act The T. Roosevel Memorial Preservation Act applies to a county located within a county where 80 percent or more of the presettlement wetland acreage is intact and one of the following is true: • Ten percent or more of the current total land area is wetland. • Fifty percent or more of the current total land area is state or federal land. This means cities in Aitkin, Beltrami, Carlton, Cass, Clearwater, Cook, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Kanabec, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Milles Lacs, Pine, St Louis and Wadena counties are not subject to the T. Roosevelt Memorial Preservation Act, because they are currently classified as "greater than 80 percent area" counties. In sum, these "80 percent area" counties still contain a significant portion of their presettlement wetland acreage. "Presettlement wetland" means a wetland or public waters wetland that existed in this state at the time of statehood in 1858. (2) Cities subject to the T. Roosevelt Memorial Preservation Act Cities outside the metro area, and not located in the counties listed above, must comply with the act. Even though these cities are not required to engage in comprehensive planning, if the city decides to do so, they should adopt findings of fact under the T. Roosevelt Memorial Preservation Act. Specifically, when preparing or recommending amendments to a comprehensive plan, a planning commission in these cities must consider adopting goals and objectives that will protect open space and the environment. In addition, within three years of adopting a comprehensive plan, a city must consider adopting ordinances as part of the city's official controls that encourage the implementation of the goals and objectives of the T. Roosevelt Memorial Preservation Act. However, the city is not required to adopt any ordinances. Consideration of ordinance adoption could potentially be documented in findings of fact. 3. Recommending the comprehensive plan to council Once a comprehensive plan is drafted, the planning commission may submit the plan (or a portion of the plan) with its recommendation for adoption to the city council. League of Minnesota Cities Information Memo: Planning Commission Guide 12/16/2024 Page 9