PRECM 01-07-1981 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Legislative Recommendations ouncil Drafted to I-394 ontroversy ning for Interstate Hwy. 394, pro- d for the western suburbs into ~ntown Minneapolis to relieve ;estion on Hwy. 12, was turned to the Metropolitan Council at the of 1980 because cities along ~. t 2 have been unable to agree on raw roadway's design. highway commissioner in r referred the controversy .e Council for consideration and d prompt deliberation to avoid irditing up to $270 million in rat funds. State funds required to :h the federal funds would require state legislation -another time rr. Park Acquisition and De~~elopment 7 he Council's orator legislative objec- tive in 1981 is to secure continued funding of the regional park acyuisition and development program initiated by the Legislature in 1974. Rfinrr. Seat., secs. 473.301- 473.341 (1970. State support for this program has averaged about $27 million a biennium for the past six years. This session, the Council and its regional park planning arm, the Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission, are requesting an appropriation for acquisi- tion and development of regional parks, park reserves and trails of $22.5 million to $27.5 million. This amount is consistent with the preliminary target range recommended by the Minnesota Department of Finance. During the first half of this century, the Twin Cities Area relied almost exclusively upon the outstanding municipal park systems of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and upon outlying state parks, to meet recreational needs of its citizens. The effort to develop a regional system that addressed the tremendous demand for outdoor recreational opportunities in the post- World War Il boom years did not begin until 1957, with creation of the Hennepin County Park Reserve District. This effort was greatly accelerated by legislative enactment of the lvletropol- tan Parks and Open Space Act of 1 974. The Council believes continued legis- lative support for a stronger, more comprehensive regional park and trail system is much needed and in the best interests of citizens of the Region and state. In a related matter, the Council and commission will be working intensively in 1981 to reactr agreement with other affected governmental units on a more equitable means of funding the opera- tion and maintenance costs of the regional open space system. These costs, now approaching $ I S million a year, are financed primarily through local property taxes. and user fees. The current system has resulted in great disparities in the per capita contribution for regional parks between citizens in different jurisdictions, and in uneven levels of park facilities, maintenance and amenities. Participating in this .;: , •~ ~; i study will be 10 counties, cities and special park districts that actually own and operate components of the regional system. `fhe Cuuncil and other agencies partic- ipating in this study hope to recom- mend alegislative remedy to this problem in 1982. Transportation The Council is seeking legislative approval for several proposals designed to strengthen the Region's transporta- tion system. The current severe financial squeeze. on the highway construction dollar has resulted in several notable "casualties" in the Seven-County Metropolitan Area. These include repaving Interstate Hwy. 94 between Minneapolis and St. Paul, constructing wring-road system by the Eden Prairie shopping center, and improving the dangerous Bclden- Jamaca-Hwy. 61 interchange in (bttagr Grove. The Councfl urges legislative approval of additional funding for high- way construction and maintenance, including state matching funds to support projects designated for con- struction under the interstate sub- stitution funding program. A second transportation priurity calls for the appropriation of funds for a Juan program under which municipalities in the Twin Cities Area could reserve highway rights-of-way well in advance of construction. This program, designed to prevent private speculators from benefiting from public actions, would be limited to land lying within an officially mapped right-of-way on a highway route designated as part of the metropolitan highway system. The loans would bear no interest and would be repaid when the property is pur- chased for construction. Also in the transportation area, the Council supports a proposal by the Minnesota Department of Transporta- tion for expansion of the existing Metro Mobility program and similar special transportation services for the elderly and handicapped. The Mn/DOT proposal is consistent with and suppor- tive of a regional plan for improved elderly and handicapped transportation services that the Council adopted in 1980. (Continued on page 12A )