HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Resolution 2002-027CITY OF PLYMOUTH
RESOLUTION 2002-027
ADOPTING PRIORITY ISSUES
FOR THE 2002 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
BE IT RESOLVED by the Plymouth City Council that the following issues are legislative
priorities for the City of Plymouth in the 2002 session:
State Budget Cuts. Cities that have already lost a large amount of state aid or that no
longer receive any significant state aid should be exempted from any further budget cuts
by the Legislature in 2002, especially when some cities received a net increase in aid
through tax reform.
Local Development Fees. State law provides that local development fees cannot be
charged in excess of actual costs. Cities are required to monitor and report this
information effective January 1, but have received no forms and no instructions for how
to begin tracking fees and costs. The City opposes any legislative effort to fi rther restrict
the City's ability to determine local development fees.
Emergency Preparedness. Additional measures have been identified as necessary for
improved emergency preparedness at the state and local levels including training for local
fire and law enforcement personnel, additional detection and decontamination capability,
additional vaccinations/antidotes and protective equipment, and improved interagency
communications. The State hazardous material response teams should also be restored.
The 2002 State Legislature should support and fiend these activities at both state and local
levels to improve our readiness to meet emergency conditions that may arise from either
natural disasters or terrorist attacks.
Affordable and Life Cycle Housing. Economic and demographic trends indicate that
Minnesota's population is aging and workers need more affordable housing closer to
where they work. The region's population age 65 and older will likely double from the
year 2000 to 2020. Jobs in Plymouth are projected to increase approximately 27% during
the same period. Housing is both a statewide and local issue. The City urges the
Legislature to provide additional resources to encourage the development of affordable
housing for both of these groups.
Wine Sales in Grocery Stores. Eliminating the sale of alcohol to minors has been a top
priority of the City of Plymouth for several years. The City conducts compliance checks
and has adopted a Best Practices Program. The City of Plymouth opposes the proposal to
allow wine sales in grocery stores or other venues where currently prohibited. The limit
on points of sale for alcohol aids in preventing youth access to alcohol.
CriMNet. Minnesota is taking steps to build and implement an integrated, statewide
system to allow police, sheriffs, judges, prosecutors, probation and corrections officers to
share information with each other. The Legislature provided fiunding in 2000 for the first
step in the process, and it is important for the State to take the lead in this investment and
not to impose unfair and unaffordable burdens on local law enforcement and local
government. The City of Plymouth urges support and fiinding of CriMNet.
Firefighter Staffing. Shortage of paid -on-call and volunteer firefighters is a statewide
issue. The City of Plymouth encourages the State to enact legislation to enhance
recruitment and retention of paid -on-call and volunteer firefighters. Consideration could
be given to providing tax credits for businesses that employ firefighters and/or allow
firefighters to respond to fires during work hours; tax credits for firefighters; and
payment of tuition for a firefighter and their family at state colleges.
Surface Water Quality Plans. As mandated by the State, the City Council has adopted a
surface water quality plan and committed significant local funds for implementation.
Because lakes and watersheds often cross municipal boundaries, the City Council
requests that the State consider increased fiunding or bonding for water quality
improvements to enhance fiunding at the local level.
Transportation Funding. The entire economy benefits from a sound and adequately
funded transportation system, but resources for roads have fallen short. Additional
resources are needed to provide a high quality, efficient metropolitan and local
transportation systems. The City encourages the legislature to establish a mechanism for
increased transportation fiunding.
Phosphorus in Fertilizer. Lake water quality may be maintained and improved if the
amount of lawn fertilizer and other chemicals entering the lakes as a result of storm water
runoff can be regulated. The City of Plymouth has enacted an ordinance prohibiting the
use of fertilizer containing any quantity of phosphorous except in extremely limited
situations. The City supports legislation at the state level to restrict the sale and use of
fertilizer containing phosphorus, except in limited situations when warranted and when it
is generally protected from runoff.
Adopted by the Plymouth City Council on January 8, 2002.