HomeMy WebLinkAbout8.a. Discuss 2018 Legislative Agenda
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
City Council Regular Meeting: January 16, 2018
AGENDA ITEM: Discuss 2018 Legislative Agenda AGENDA SECTION:
Unfinished Business
PREPARED BY: Logan Martin, City Administrator AGENDA NO. 8.a.
ATTACHMENTS: 2018 Legislative Agenda APPROVED BY: LJM
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Motion to approve the City’s 2018 Legislative Agenda
BACKGROUND
In order to provide direction to the City’s representatives at the State Legislature and other levels of
government, 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 partners with the League of Minnesota Cities and Metro Cities on broader
issues affecting the region, and we generally do not repeat the platforms listed in those policies.
The City typically adopts its legislative priorities in January prior to the beginning of the Legislative
Session. The Council engaged in an initial discussion on the attached list of priorities at a worksession on
November 13, 2017, and it is now prudent to review the list for final adoption.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve a motion adopting the attached 2018 Legislative Priorities.
2018 Legislative Priorities
The City of Rosemount has identified the following legislative priorities for 2018. 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 3 & Rosemount High School. The intersection of
State Highway 3 and 142nd St W is overly congested and needs to be addressed. ISD 196
is completing a significant project in 2018 to improve traffic flow in and around
Rosemount High School, however the intersection at Highway 3 and its traffic issues are
not being addressed. Hundreds of students and parents use this single access point to
enter / exit the school, and the increased traffic on Highway 3 requires a traffic control
solution be installed. The City supports a State / ISD 196 partnership to address this
intersection in the near term.
• Increased equity in Dakota County’s Transportation Cost Share Policy. The City
supports Dakota County’s recent work in exploring changes to its Transportation Projects
Cost-Share Policy. The current policy of a 55%/45% cost-share on County roads is
overly burdensome and impacts the City’s ability to utilize MSA funds for other needed
projects. County investment in its roadway infrastructure is crucial for transit and
economic development initiatives, and responds adequately to the growth anticipated in
the region. The City support additional investment and a reduced cost-share allocation on
County roadway projects.
• 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,
staffed by local non-profit 360 Communities, has been a huge success in Rosemount to help
families with after school tutoring, a food shelf and other programs. The building 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 and Dakota County 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 contend 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.