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ACTION ALERT:
Call the MN Capitol Today to Protect Local Control
3/7/08
House File 1254 (Rep. Larry Hosch) weakens the ability of citizens and local governments to protect themselves from unwanted development like factory farms, housing developments and Wal-Marts. The bill is scheduled to be heard on Monday, March 10, at 4 p.m. in the House Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs Committee. Call the members of the Committee listed below and let them know you oppose this bill because it weakens local control. This bill is being proposed by development interests and was introduced in 2007. Last year it was pulled from its hearing because of strong opposition from the Land Stewardship Project and groups representing local governments and the environment. The proposers indicated they would work with those opposed to find a compromise during the summer. That never happened, and now the bill is being pushed again. The Vice-Chair of the Committee, Rep. Ken Tschumper, helped stop this bill last year and he is working to do so again this year.
CALL TODAY!
Here is the message: “I oppose House File 1254, authored by Rep. Larry Hosch, and would ask you to oppose it too. It is scheduled to be heard on Monday in the Local Government Committee. This bill undermines local control by weakening the power of local governments to enact temporary moratoriums when unanticipated developments like factory farms, housing subdivisions, racetracks, junkyards or Wal-Marts are proposed. Strong communities need strong local control.”
Members of the House State and Local Government Committee
Call these members first:
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Rep. Loren Solberg (DFL), 651-296-2365
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Rep. Paul Marquart (DFL), 651-296-6829
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Rep. Ann Lenczewski (DFL), 651-296-4218
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Lead-GOP: Rep. Morrie Lanning (R), 651-296-5515
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Rep. Augustine "Willie" Dominguez (DFL), 651-296-8659
Call these members if you have more time:
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Rep. Bev Scalze (DFL), 651-296-7153
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Rep. Lyle Koenen (DFL), 651-296-4346
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Rep. Alice Hausman (DFL), 651-296-3824
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Rep. Mary Liz Holberg (R), 651-296-6926
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Rep. Mark Olson (R), 651-296-4237
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Rep. Mark Buesgens (R), 651-296-5185
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Rep. Michael Beard (R), 651-296-8872
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Rep. Larry Howes (R), 651-296-2451
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Rep. Debra Hilstrom, Chair (DFL), 651-296-3709
Details on how this bill weakens local control
House File 1254 undermines township and community rights by weakening the power of local governments to enact interim ordinances. Interim ordinances allow local governments to put a temporary moratorium on major development. This right is critical when a large development that current local ordinances do not address -- a factory farm, racetrack or subdivision for example -- is suddenly proposed. In effect, an interim ordinance calls a "time out” so the community can take stock and assess what, if any, local controls are needed to protect the quality of life of the community.
House File 1254 changes the law so that if a developer merely submits a complete application for a permit, that would exempt the proposed development from an interim ordinance enacted after the application was submitted. The problem is that too often neighbors and local officials do not get any information about a project until the permit has been applied for. When that happens, an interim ordinance may be needed to create time to assess the situation. If this bill passes, community members will have very limited rights when they are caught off-guard by unanticipated and potentially harmful large development. In addition, for counties the bill reduces the time an interim ordinance can be in place from two years to only one.
House File 1254 is online at: https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=House&f=HF1254&ssn=0&y=2007.
For more information, e-mail LSP's Bobby King at bking@landstewardshipproject.org or call 612-722-6377.
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