Bill Text: MN SF1021 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Engrossed
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 3, 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. Districts; plans and hearings. (a) The commissioner of natural resources,
1.17in consultation with the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Coalition, shall
1.18establish six regional parks and trails districts in the state encompassing the area outside
1.19the seven-county metropolitan area. The commissioner shall establish districts by
1.20combining counties and may not assign a county to more than one district.
1.21(b) Counties within each district may jointly prepare, after consultation with all
1.22affected municipalities, and submit to the commission, and from time to time revise and
1.23resubmit to the commission, a master plan for the acquisition and development of parks
1.24and trails of regional significance located within the district. District-wide plans and
2.1master plans for individual parks and trails must meet the protocols and criteria as set forth
2.2in the commission strategic plan. The counties, after consultation with the commission,
2.3shall jointly hold a public hearing on the proposed plan and budget at a time and place
2.4determined by the counties. Not less than 15 days before the hearing, the counties shall
2.5provide notice of the hearing stating the date, time, and place of the hearing, and the place
2.6where the proposed plan and budget may be examined by any interested person. At any
2.7hearing interested persons shall be permitted to present their views on the plan and budget.
2.8(c) The commission shall review each master plan to determine whether it meets
2.9the conditions of subdivision 4. If it does not, the commission shall return the plan with
2.10its comments to the district for revision and resubmittal.
2.11 Subd. 4. Regional or statewide significance. For a park or trail to be considered
2.12significant under this section, the park or trail must be natural resource-based, meet the
2.13established provisions of the commission's adopted strategic plan, and be consistent
2.14with the provisions of the 25-year parks and trails legacy plan as it relates to regionally
2.15significant parks and trails in greater Minnesota. The commission's strategic plan shall be
2.16updated at least every five years.
2.17 Subd. 5. Recommendations. (a) In recommending grants under this section, the
2.18commission shall make recommendations consistent with master plans.
2.19(b) The commission shall determine recommended grant amounts through an
2.20adopted merit-based evaluation process that includes the level of local financial support.
2.21The evaluation process is not subject to the rulemaking provisions of chapter 14 and
2.22section 14.386 does not apply.
2.23(c) When recommending grants, the commission shall consider balance of the grant
2.24benefits across greater Minnesota.
2.25(d) Grants may be recommended only for parks and trails included in a plan
2.26approved by the commission under subdivision 3.
2.27 Subd. 6. Administration. The commission may hire a director, consultants, and
2.28other staff as necessary to carry out the duties of the commission.
2.29 Subd. 7. Chair. The commission shall annually elect from among its members a
2.30chair and other officers necessary for the performance of its duties.
2.31 Subd. 8. Meetings. The commission shall meet at least twice each year.
2.32Commission meetings are subject to chapter 13D.
2.33 Subd. 9. Conflict of interest. A member of the commission may not participate in
2.34or vote on a decision of the commission relating to an organization in which the member
2.35has either a direct or indirect financial interest.
3.1 Subd. 10. Definition. For purposes of this section, "commission" means the Greater
3.2Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission established under this section.
3.3 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
3.4$....... in fiscal year 2014 and $....... in fiscal year 2015 from the parks and trails fund
3.5are appropriated to the commissioner of natural resources to contract with the Greater
3.6Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission for the purposes of Minnesota Statutes,
3.7section 85.536, subdivision 3. Of this amount, not more than 2.5 percent each year may
3.8be used to develop the park and trails plan under Minnesota Statutes, section 85.536,
3.9subdivision 3, clause (1). The appropriation must be made directly to the commission
3.10after 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 3, 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. Districts; plans and hearings. (a) The commissioner of natural resources,
1.17in consultation with the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Coalition, shall
1.18establish six regional parks and trails districts in the state encompassing the area outside
1.19the seven-county metropolitan area. The commissioner shall establish districts by
1.20combining counties and may not assign a county to more than one district.
1.21(b) Counties within each district may jointly prepare, after consultation with all
1.22affected municipalities, and submit to the commission, and from time to time revise and
1.23resubmit to the commission, a master plan for the acquisition and development of parks
1.24and trails of regional significance located within the district. District-wide plans and
2.1master plans for individual parks and trails must meet the protocols and criteria as set forth
2.2in the commission strategic plan. The counties, after consultation with the commission,
2.3shall jointly hold a public hearing on the proposed plan and budget at a time and place
2.4determined by the counties. Not less than 15 days before the hearing, the counties shall
2.5provide notice of the hearing stating the date, time, and place of the hearing, and the place
2.6where the proposed plan and budget may be examined by any interested person. At any
2.7hearing interested persons shall be permitted to present their views on the plan and budget.
2.8(c) The commission shall review each master plan to determine whether it meets
2.9the conditions of subdivision 4. If it does not, the commission shall return the plan with
2.10its comments to the district for revision and resubmittal.
2.11 Subd. 4. Regional or statewide significance. For a park or trail to be considered
2.12significant under this section, the park or trail must be natural resource-based, meet the
2.13established provisions of the commission's adopted strategic plan, and be consistent
2.14with the provisions of the 25-year parks and trails legacy plan as it relates to regionally
2.15significant parks and trails in greater Minnesota. The commission's strategic plan shall be
2.16updated at least every five years.
2.17 Subd. 5. Recommendations. (a) In recommending grants under this section, the
2.18commission shall make recommendations consistent with master plans.
2.19(b) The commission shall determine recommended grant amounts through an
2.20adopted merit-based evaluation process that includes the level of local financial support.
2.21The evaluation process is not subject to the rulemaking provisions of chapter 14 and
2.22section 14.386 does not apply.
2.23(c) When recommending grants, the commission shall consider balance of the grant
2.24benefits across greater Minnesota.
2.25(d) Grants may be recommended only for parks and trails included in a plan
2.26approved by the commission under subdivision 3.
2.27 Subd. 6. Administration. The commission may hire a director, consultants, and
2.28other staff as necessary to carry out the duties of the commission.
2.29 Subd. 7. Chair. The commission shall annually elect from among its members a
2.30chair and other officers necessary for the performance of its duties.
2.31 Subd. 8. Meetings. The commission shall meet at least twice each year.
2.32Commission meetings are subject to chapter 13D.
2.33 Subd. 9. Conflict of interest. A member of the commission may not participate in
2.34or vote on a decision of the commission relating to an organization in which the member
2.35has either a direct or indirect financial interest.
3.1 Subd. 10. Definition. For purposes of this section, "commission" means the Greater
3.2Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission established under this section.
3.3 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
3.4$....... in fiscal year 2014 and $....... in fiscal year 2015 from the parks and trails fund
3.5are appropriated to the commissioner of natural resources to contract with the Greater
3.6Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission for the purposes of Minnesota Statutes,
3.7section 85.536, subdivision 3. Of this amount, not more than 2.5 percent each year may
3.8be used to develop the park and trails plan under Minnesota Statutes, section 85.536,
3.9subdivision 3, clause (1). The appropriation must be made directly to the commission
3.10after fiscal year 2015.
