Bill Text: MN SF1021 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Engrossed
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Greater Minnesota regional parks and trails commission creation and appropriation
Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-21 - Comm report: To pass as amended and re-refer to Finance [SF1021 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2013-SF1021-Engrossed.html
Bill Title: Greater Minnesota regional parks and trails commission creation and appropriation
Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-21 - Comm report: To pass as amended and re-refer to Finance [SF1021 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2013-SF1021-Engrossed.html
1.2relating to natural resources; creating the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks
1.3and Trails Commission; appropriating money;proposing coding for new law in
1.4Minnesota Statutes, chapter 85.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. [85.536] GREATER MINNESOTA REGIONAL PARKS AND TRAILS
1.7COMMISSION.
1.8 Subdivision 1. Establishment; purpose. The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and
1.9Trails Commission is created to undertake system planning and provide recommendations
1.10to the legislature for grants funded by the parks and trails fund to counties and cities
1.11outside of the seven-county metropolitan area for parks and trails of regional significance.
1.12 Subd. 2. Commission. The commission shall include 13 members appointed by the
1.13governor with two members from each of the regional parks and trails districts determined
1.14under subdivision 5, and one member at large. Membership terms, compensation, and
1.15removal of members and filling of vacancies are as provided in section 15.0575.
1.16 Subd. 3. First appointments. The governor shall make the first appointment by
1.17June 15, 2013. The governor shall designate six of the first appointees to terms ending on
1.18the first Monday in January 2015, and the remainder of the first appointees shall serve
1.19terms ending the first Monday in January 2016.
1.20 Subd. 4. First meeting. The governor or his designee shall convene the first
1.21meeting of the commission by July 15, 2013, and shall act as chair until the commission
1.22elects a chair. The commission shall elect a chair at its first meeting.
1.23 Subd. 5. Districts; plans and hearings. (a) The commissioner of natural resources,
1.24in consultation with the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Coalition, shall
2.1establish six regional parks and trails districts in the state encompassing the area outside
2.2the seven-county metropolitan area. The commissioner shall establish districts by
2.3combining counties and may not assign a county to more than one district.
2.4(b) Counties within each district may jointly prepare, after consultation with all
2.5affected municipalities, and submit to the commission, and from time to time revise and
2.6resubmit to the commission, a master plan for the acquisition and development of parks
2.7and trails of regional significance located within the district. District-wide plans and
2.8master plans for individual parks and trails must meet the protocols and criteria as set
2.9forth in the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails strategic plan. The counties,
2.10after consultation with the commission, shall jointly hold a public hearing on the proposed
2.11plan and budget at a time and place determined by the counties. Not less than 15 days
2.12before the hearing, the counties shall provide notice of the hearing stating the date, time,
2.13and place of the hearing, and the place where the proposed plan and budget may be
2.14examined by any interested person. At any hearing interested persons shall be permitted to
2.15present their views on the plan and budget.
2.16(c) The commission shall review each master plan to determine whether it meets
2.17the conditions of subdivision 6. If it does not, the commission shall return the plan with
2.18its comments to the district for revision and resubmittal.
2.19 Subd. 6. Regional or statewide significance. For a park or trail to be considered
2.20of regional or statewide significance under this section:
2.21(1) the park or trail must be natural resource based;
2.22(2) at least ... percent of the park or trail user visits in a calendar year must be from
2.23users who do not reside within the area of jurisdiction of the governmental unit that has
2.24the financial and legal responsibility to own, operate, and maintain the park or trail; and
2.25(3) the total usage of the park or trail must exceed ....... visitors in a one-year period.
2.26Park or trail attendance may be demonstrated by validated survey methods, actual user data
2.27statistics, or another objective and quantifiable measure that is accurate and reliable; and
2.28(4) for parks, the park must be: at least 100 acres in size; contain unique or unusual
2.29landscape features; or contain an historically or culturally significant site.
2.30 Subd. 7. Recommendations. (a) In recommending grants under this section, the
2.31commission shall make recommendations consistent with master plans.
2.32(b) The commission shall determine recommended grant amounts through an
2.33adopted merit-based evaluation process that includes the level of local financial support.
2.34The evaluation process is not subject to the rulemaking provisions of chapter 14 and
2.35section 14.386 does not apply.
3.1(c) When recommending grants, the commission shall consider balance of the grant
3.2benefits across greater Minnesota.
3.3(d) Grants may be recommended only for parks and trails included in a plan
3.4approved by the commission under subdivision 5.
3.5 Subd. 8. Chair. The commission shall annually elect from among its members a
3.6chair and other officers necessary for the performance of its duties.
3.7 Subd. 9. Meetings. The commission shall meet at least twice each year.
3.8Commission meetings are subject to chapter 13D.
3.9 Subd. 10. Report. The commission shall submit a report by January 15 each
3.10year listing its recommendations under subdivision 7 to the chairs and ranking minority
3.11members of the committees of the senate and house of representatives with primary
3.12jurisdiction over legacy appropriations.
3.13 Subd. 11. Conflict of interest. A member of the commission may not participate in
3.14or vote on a decision of the commission relating to an organization in which the member
3.15has either a direct or indirect financial interest.
3.16 Subd. 12. Definitions. For purposes of this section, "commission" means the
3.17Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission established under this section.
3.18 Subd. 13. Sunset. The commission shall sunset January 1, 2020.
3.19 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
3.20$....... in fiscal year 2014 and $....... in fiscal year 2015 from the parks and trails fund
3.21are appropriated to the commissioner of natural resources to contract with the Greater
3.22Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission for the purposes of Minnesota Statutes,
3.23section 85.536, subdivision 3. Of this amount, not more than 2.5 percent each year may
3.24be used to develop the park and trails plan under Minnesota Statutes, section 85.536,
3.25subdivision 3, clause (1). The appropriation must be made directly to the commission
3.26after fiscal year 2015.
1.3and Trails Commission; appropriating money;proposing coding for new law in
1.4Minnesota Statutes, chapter 85.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. [85.536] GREATER MINNESOTA REGIONAL PARKS AND TRAILS
1.7COMMISSION.
1.8 Subdivision 1. Establishment; purpose. The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and
1.9Trails Commission is created to undertake system planning and provide recommendations
1.10to the legislature for grants funded by the parks and trails fund to counties and cities
1.11outside of the seven-county metropolitan area for parks and trails of regional significance.
1.12 Subd. 2. Commission. The commission shall include 13 members appointed by the
1.13governor with two members from each of the regional parks and trails districts determined
1.14under subdivision 5, and one member at large. Membership terms, compensation, and
1.15removal of members and filling of vacancies are as provided in section 15.0575.
1.16 Subd. 3. First appointments. The governor shall make the first appointment by
1.17June 15, 2013. The governor shall designate six of the first appointees to terms ending on
1.18the first Monday in January 2015, and the remainder of the first appointees shall serve
1.19terms ending the first Monday in January 2016.
1.20 Subd. 4. First meeting. The governor or his designee shall convene the first
1.21meeting of the commission by July 15, 2013, and shall act as chair until the commission
1.22elects a chair. The commission shall elect a chair at its first meeting.
1.23 Subd. 5. Districts; plans and hearings. (a) The commissioner of natural resources,
1.24in consultation with the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Coalition, shall
2.1establish six regional parks and trails districts in the state encompassing the area outside
2.2the seven-county metropolitan area. The commissioner shall establish districts by
2.3combining counties and may not assign a county to more than one district.
2.4(b) Counties within each district may jointly prepare, after consultation with all
2.5affected municipalities, and submit to the commission, and from time to time revise and
2.6resubmit to the commission, a master plan for the acquisition and development of parks
2.7and trails of regional significance located within the district. District-wide plans and
2.8master plans for individual parks and trails must meet the protocols and criteria as set
2.9forth in the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails strategic plan. The counties,
2.10after consultation with the commission, shall jointly hold a public hearing on the proposed
2.11plan and budget at a time and place determined by the counties. Not less than 15 days
2.12before the hearing, the counties shall provide notice of the hearing stating the date, time,
2.13and place of the hearing, and the place where the proposed plan and budget may be
2.14examined by any interested person. At any hearing interested persons shall be permitted to
2.15present their views on the plan and budget.
2.16(c) The commission shall review each master plan to determine whether it meets
2.17the conditions of subdivision 6. If it does not, the commission shall return the plan with
2.18its comments to the district for revision and resubmittal.
2.19 Subd. 6. Regional or statewide significance. For a park or trail to be considered
2.20of regional or statewide significance under this section:
2.21(1) the park or trail must be natural resource based;
2.22(2) at least ... percent of the park or trail user visits in a calendar year must be from
2.23users who do not reside within the area of jurisdiction of the governmental unit that has
2.24the financial and legal responsibility to own, operate, and maintain the park or trail; and
2.25(3) the total usage of the park or trail must exceed ....... visitors in a one-year period.
2.26Park or trail attendance may be demonstrated by validated survey methods, actual user data
2.27statistics, or another objective and quantifiable measure that is accurate and reliable; and
2.28(4) for parks, the park must be: at least 100 acres in size; contain unique or unusual
2.29landscape features; or contain an historically or culturally significant site.
2.30 Subd. 7. Recommendations. (a) In recommending grants under this section, the
2.31commission shall make recommendations consistent with master plans.
2.32(b) The commission shall determine recommended grant amounts through an
2.33adopted merit-based evaluation process that includes the level of local financial support.
2.34The evaluation process is not subject to the rulemaking provisions of chapter 14 and
2.35section 14.386 does not apply.
3.1(c) When recommending grants, the commission shall consider balance of the grant
3.2benefits across greater Minnesota.
3.3(d) Grants may be recommended only for parks and trails included in a plan
3.4approved by the commission under subdivision 5.
3.5 Subd. 8. Chair. The commission shall annually elect from among its members a
3.6chair and other officers necessary for the performance of its duties.
3.7 Subd. 9. Meetings. The commission shall meet at least twice each year.
3.8Commission meetings are subject to chapter 13D.
3.9 Subd. 10. Report. The commission shall submit a report by January 15 each
3.10year listing its recommendations under subdivision 7 to the chairs and ranking minority
3.11members of the committees of the senate and house of representatives with primary
3.12jurisdiction over legacy appropriations.
3.13 Subd. 11. Conflict of interest. A member of the commission may not participate in
3.14or vote on a decision of the commission relating to an organization in which the member
3.15has either a direct or indirect financial interest.
3.16 Subd. 12. Definitions. For purposes of this section, "commission" means the
3.17Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission established under this section.
3.18 Subd. 13. Sunset. The commission shall sunset January 1, 2020.
3.19 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
3.20$....... in fiscal year 2014 and $....... in fiscal year 2015 from the parks and trails fund
3.21are appropriated to the commissioner of natural resources to contract with the Greater
3.22Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission for the purposes of Minnesota Statutes,
3.23section 85.536, subdivision 3. Of this amount, not more than 2.5 percent each year may
3.24be used to develop the park and trails plan under Minnesota Statutes, section 85.536,
3.25subdivision 3, clause (1). The appropriation must be made directly to the commission
3.26after fiscal year 2015.
