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Home My WebLink About2.d. 2018 Legislative Priorities EXECUTIVE SUMMARY City Council Work Session: November 13, 2017 AGENDA SECTION: AGENDA ITEM: Discuss 2018 Legislative Agenda Discussion PREPARED BY: Logan Martin, City Administrator AGENDA NO. 2.d. ATTACHMENTS: 2017 Legislative Agenda APPROVED BY: LJM RECOMMENDED ACTION: Review the City’s 2017 Legislative Agenda and consider changes or new initiatives in 2018. BACKGROUND In order to provide direction to the City’s representatives at the State Legislature, the City annually drafts a set of priority projects, funding requests, or legislative initiatives. This list outlines the City’s desires from a legislative standpoint, and they can be shared with other partners and interested parties. The City typically adopts its legislative priorities in January prior to the beginning of the Legislative Session. After an initial discussion at the work session, staff will plan to update the attachment and present it to Council for final approval. RECOMMENDATION The City Council should review the current list of Legislative Priorities and begin to consider any additions or changes. 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.