5c. Scandia Resolution EDA BillEDA RESOLUTION NO. 16-02-08-01
RESOLUTION OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY IN AND
FOR THE CITY OF SCANDIA, MINNESOTA
SUPPORTING PROPOSED LEGISLATION TO AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY
OF WASHINGTON TO CONFER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POWERS
UPON THE WASHINGTON COUNTY HOUSING AND REVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY
BACKGROUND RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Washington County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (the
"WCHRA") is a county housing and redevelopment authority created and existing under
Laws 1974, Chapter 475, as amended, which provides and maintains affordable, decent,
and safe housing opportunities in Washington County; and
WHEREAS, in 2013 the County Board of Commissioners (the "County Board") of the
County of Washington (the "County") established a broadly -representative economic
development work group comprised of municipal economic development practitioners
and community partners to assist the County in developing a county -wide long-range
economic development strategy; and
WHEREAS, based on the process carried out by the economic development work group,
in May of 2014 the County adopted an Economic Development Strategic Plan (the
"Economic Development Strategic Plan"); and
WHEREAS, in furtherance of the Economic Development Strategic Plan, the County has
determined that the WCHRA should have primary responsibility for economic
development activities on behalf of the County; and
WHEREAS; proposed legislation has been prepared which would authorize the County
Board by resolution to confer on the WCHRA the powers of an economic development
authority (the "Proposed Law"), thus enabling the County to address economic needs as
identified in the Economic Development Strategic Plan; and
WHEREAS, adoption of the Proposed Law would empower the WCHRA to undertake
economic development activities not authorized by the current WCHRA enabling law,
such as, by way of illustration, implementing County marketing and public relations
programs relating to economic development, conducting economic development studies
to document the need for financial assistance programs, and carrying out financial
assistance programs for economic development purposes; and
WHEREAS, the Proposed Law would retain the existing County Board consent process
for establishing the WHCRA's housing and redevelopment authority levy under
Minnesota. Statutes, Section 469.033, subdivision 6, and would preclude the WCHRA
from imposing any concurrent or separate economic development authority levy
otherwise authorized under Minnesota Statutes, Section 469.107 (while permitting the
County Board to consent to a WCHRA levy at a rate equal to the higher of the
permissible housing and redevelopment authority levy rate or the permissible economic
development authority levy rate as they may be established by the Legislature); and
WHEREAS, consistent with existing requirements of the WCHRA's enabling law for
local approval of housing projects and redevelopment projects, the Proposed Law would
require municipal location and project approval as well for development districts and
economic development projects; and
WHEREAS, in order to appropriately reflect the combined housing, redevelopment and
economic development powers to be conferred, the Proposed Law would change the
name of the WCHRA to the Washington County Community Development Agency; and
WHEREAS, the Proposed Law would effect no change in the current structure or
composition of the WCHRA Board of Commissioners; and
WHEREAS, the Proposed Law would authorize the County to offer tax -forfeited real
property to the WCHRA on the same basis as such parcels are offered to a County
department; and
WHEREAS, the County Board has determined to include the Proposed Law as part of the
County's legislative initiative for the 2016 Legislature; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of the Economic Development Authority of the
City of Scandia, Minnesota, (EDA) finds that enactment by the Legislature of the
Proposed Law, and the carrying out of economic development activities by the WCHRA
in the County, including in the city of Scandia, pursuant to the Proposed Law, would be
in the public interest and would afford substantial benefit to the residents, businesses,
citizens and taxpayers of the city of Scandia; and
WHEREAS, the County, the WCHRA and the Scandia EDA contemplate that the
WCHRA and Scandia EDA will work together as partners in carrying out economic
development activities within the city of Scandia which will be complementary and non -
duplicative.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Board of Commissioners of the Economic Development
Authority in and for the City of Scandia, Minnesota adopts this Resolution supporting the
proposed legislation described above in furtherance of economic development activities
by the WCHRA on behalf of Washington County.
This Resolution was declared duly passed and adopted and was signed by the
of the Scandia EDA and attested to by the this 8th day of
February, 2016.
(Signature of )
ATTESTED:
(Signature of )