HomeMy WebLinkAbout6.c. 2017 Legislative Priorities
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
City Council Regular Meeting: December 20, 2016
AGENDA ITEM: 2017 Legislative Priorities AGENDA SECTION:
Consent
PREPARED BY: Dwight Johnson, City Administrator AGENDA NO. 6.c.
ATTACHMENTS: Proposed 2017 Legislative Priorities APPROVED BY: ddj
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Motion to approve the 2017 Legislative Priorities.
BACKGROUND
For several years, the City has considered and adopted a list of legislative priorities. Generally, we do not
specifically repeat the platforms of the League of Minnesota Cities or Metro Cities but rather issue a
general statement of support for them. Rosemount’s priorities have included specific projects or items of
particular interest to our community and also sometimes County initiatives that affect Rosemount. The
Legislative Priorities are generally adopted in December or January before the Legislative Session begins.
They are then shared with our legislators and other interested parties.
The Council reviewed the draft Legislative Priorities at a work session on November 7, 2016. The
proposed 2017 list is a combination of carryover items from 2016 as well as some new initiatives. A few
items from 2016 were acted upon and no longer appear in the new updated Legislative Priorities.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council approve a motion to adopt the attached 2017 Legislative
Priorities.
2017 Legislative Priorities
The City of Rosemount has identified the following legislative priorities for 2017. The City
generally supports the platforms of Metro Cities and the League of Minnesota Cities and these
policies are not generally re-stated here except where they have unusual relevance for
Rosemount.
• Interchange funding for Highway 52/County Road 42. While federal funding and a State
TED grant have been approved, the local share for Rosemount is still about $2.5 million
which is equal to over two years of our MSA allotment. This is limiting our ability to make
other needed improvements in the community of a more local nature. In addition, this
project is only a portion of the whole interchange that is needed which is estimated at an
additional $30 million. The State should be programming the cost of the entire interchange at
the earliest opportunity.
• Funding for extension of railroad quiet zone. Rosemount has developed a quiet zone
through most of the community at a cost of over $1 million. As the community grows east,
another crossing currently outside our quiet zone on Bonaire Path is increasingly disrupting the
lives of new residents. Because this next crossing is on an unpaved road with no crossing arms
or signals at all, the cost to add this one crossing to our quiet zone may be $750,000-
$1,000,000, or nearly as much as the safety improvements for the entire rest of the community.
Our ability to fund this locally is greatly affected by the obligation for the 42/52 interchange
noted above.
• Funding for expansion of Rosemount’s Family Resource Center. This facility has been a
huge success in Rosemount with 360 Communities staffing it to help families with after
school tutoring, a food shelf and other programs. But it is now too small for the demand
placed upon it. A 3,000 square foot addition has been preliminarily designed with an
estimated cost of $900,000. Funding assistance from the State will be necessary to advance
this project.
• Consider legislation on control of drones. Law enforcement and citizens are uncertain
about whether drones can hover over someone’s private property and also about the safety
of allowing them at certain types of public events. Legislative clarification is needed as
privacy rights and safety are balanced with the potential usefulness of drones.
• State Licensing of Massage Therapists. The City supports legislation requiring the
statewide licensure or registration of massage therapists to assist local law enforcement
efforts to control prostitution and other criminal activity. Minnesota is one of only five
states that has no such requirement.
• Support Dakota County’s request for funding for the Mississippi River Regional Trail.
The portion of the trail in Rosemount must content with three active rails, industrial land, and
high truck traffic in a constrained corridor. An agreed upon solution with the Union Pacific
Railroad calls for two grade separated railroad crossings to keep trail users safe from railroad
and truck traffic. State bonding support in the amount of $2.5 million is sought which will be
matched by Dakota County to complete the project.
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