HomeMy WebLinkAbout4. Airport Relocation DiscussionCITY OF ROSEMOUNT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR ACTION
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: March 10, 1992
AGENDA ITEM:
AGENDA SECTION:
Airport Relocation Discussion
Old Business
PREPARED BY:
AGENDA]y0c MStePhan
Jilk, City Administrator
ATTACEMEWTS :
APP D Y:
Resolution
Pursuant to discussion held on March 2, we have prepared a resolution
outlining issues relating to the dual track airport planning process and
the City's position on the relocation.
The resolution discusses the process, the search area designation, the lack
of public input and the accountability of Metropolitan Council to the
public on this process.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Motion to adopt a RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE RELOCATION OF THE MINNEAPOLIS/
ST. PAUL AIRPORT AND THE CONTINUATION OF THE TWO -TRACK PROCESS FOR
AIRPORT PLANNING IN MINNESOTA.
COUNCIL ACTION:
CITY OF ROSEMOUNT
DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION 1992-
A RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE RELOCATION OF THE
MINNEAPOLIS -ST. PAUL AIRPORT AND THE CONTINUATION
OF THE TWO -TRACK PROCESS FOR AIRPORT PLANNING IN MINNESOTA
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Council was directed to proceed with
airport planning in Minnesota by the Minnesota Legislature in
1987 through a "dual track" process. Track "A" called for
planning to expand the current Minneapolis -St. Paul Airport, and
Track "B" called for the selection of a site for a new airport if
needed; and
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Council, the agency for making
recommendations to the legislature on whether to finally build a
new airport or continue to use the existing facility, did
(1) Draw up its own criteria for selection of a new airport
site;
(2) Developed a unique environmental process for determining
site adequacy;
(3) Developed self -guiding rules for controlling development in
areas affected by the new airport search area selection;
(4) Applied its own defined criteria for site selection; and
(5) The criteria established eliminated the possibility of
choosing options such as use of the Rochester Airport as a
reliever airport and other existing airports in the
Metropolitan area; and
WHEREAS, the entire dual track process continues with public
input limited to public information meetings, no access to those
persons making decisions on this process and no public
accountability for the Metropolitan Council on its development of
the dual track plan; and
WHEREAS, the state legislature has given the Metropolitan
Council, the same agency responsible for development, management
and enforcement of the Metropolitan Development and Investment
Framework, the autonomy to recommend whether or not a new airport
is needed; and this same agency has already violated the
guidelines set out in its own "Guide Plan" for managing
development in the region; and
WHEREAS, the premature selection of a search area encompassing
some 115 square miles of Dakota County and the development
guidelines established by the Metropolitan Council without giving
the affected cities, county and townships an opportunity to
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affect those decision has already adversely affected property
owners, taxpayers and residents in those municipalities; and.
WHEREAS, the relocation, and even the serious discussion of the
relocation of the airport, causes economic harm to farmers,
business owners, employees and families who derive their income
from and develop their lifestyle around the existing airport and
the agriculturally based economy of rural Dakota County; and
WHEREAS, no study has been completed, as requested by hundreds of
Dakota County residents, which can determine the socio-economic
effects of the planning process, developmental controls and
eventual relocation of the airport; and
WHEREAS, the relocation of the Minneapolis -St. Paul Airport and
the planning to accomplish this is and will be the most
significant public works project in Minnesota history; and the
State of Minnesota, its cities and towns and the region are all
experiencing extreme difficulty in meeting financial
responsibilities to provide services to their residents; and
WHEREAS, there exists no overall plan for the region or the state
for transportation planning and development, and this process for
airport planning has become a state-wide issue affecting all
taxpayers in Minnesota and more significantly the economic/social
development corridor between St. Cloud and Rochester; and
WHEREAS, the residents of Rosemount, Minnesota, taxpayers to the
city, county and region and state, are being negatively and
irreversibly affected by the planning process and the potential
relocation of the airport and the expansion of the existing
airport.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City
of Rosemount does hereby call on the Governor of the State of
Minnesota, the legislators of this state and the Metropolitan
Council to:
(1) Take action to stop the "Dual Track" airport planning
process immediately;
(2) Take action to remove all developmental regulations in and
around the designated search area regarding airport related
planning;
(3) Address the people of the state and this region to present
an overall plan for transportation in the region and the
state that requires the relocation of the Minneapolis -St.
Paul Airport;
(4) Show evidence that the Metropolitan Council and its staff is
carrying out the intent of the direction given to them by
the legislature;
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(5) Show evidence that the Metropolitan Council has provided, in
its governance of developmental policies, for the protection
of the legal, economic and social rights of those citizens
affected by the selection of the Dakota Search Area and the
continuation of the Dual Track process;
(6) Address the people of this state and the region with a plan
that establishes an office for citizen awareness, research
and information processing that is separate from the
Metropolitan Council and reports directly to the
legislature, and whose sole purpose is the unbiased review
and policy development for decision making on this issue;
and develops a Minnesota Transportation plan for highway,
mass transit, air and river travel including the socio and
economic ramifications of such decisions including the need
for and relocation of the Metropolitan -St. Paul Airport; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of
Rosemount supports legislation which provides for the
strengthening of the State Advisory Committee on airport planning
and the appointment of persons to that committee which are
neutral to this issue; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of
Rosemount opposes any consideration of and any further relocation
to Dakota County of the Minneapolis -St. Paul Airport; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be sent to Governor
Arne Carlson, Metropolitan Council Chair Mary Anderson, State
Representative Dee Long and Senator Roger Moe.
ADOPTED this 10th day of March, 1992.
E. B. McMenomy, Mayor
ATTEST:
Susan M. Walsh, City Clerk
Motion by: Seconded by:
Voted in favor:
Voted against•