Title
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION BY THE MINNESOTA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE MINNESOTA SENATE AMENDING STATUTES GOVERNING AIRPORTS AND AIRPORT ZONING.
Body
CITY PROPOSAL:
WHEREAS, the city of Duluth is a member of the Duluth International Airport Joint Airport Zoning Board whose members include the city of Duluth, city of Hermantown, city of Rice Lake, township of Canosia, and Saint Louis County; and
WHEREAS, the Joint Airport Zoning Board adopted the zoning ordinance currently in effect over portions of Duluth, Hermantown, Rice Lake, and Canosia Township on April 18,1988; and
WHEREAS, the Joint Airport Zoning Board desires to amend its current zoning ordinance for the more effective regulation of land uses near the airport while providing for the safety of the general public and users of the airport; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota statute governing establishment and amendment of airport zoning ordinances presents problems in providing the airport zoning provisions sought by the Joint Airport Zoning Board; and
WHEREAS, legislation has been introduced into the Minnesota House of Representatives and the Minnesota Senate, the text of which is found in Attachments A and B, that addresses the concerns of the Joint Airport Zoning Board as summarized in Attachment C.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the city of Duluth supports the adoption of House File No. 1556 and Senate File No. 2071 by the Minnesota Legislature as shown in Attachments A and B.
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: The purpose of this resolution is to support legislation introduced into the Minnesota House and Senate that addresses shortcomings in the current statutes and allows some flexibility in the regulation of land uses near airports. The Duluth International Airport Joint Airport Zoning Board is generally in support of the proposed statute changes.
Included in the legislation is integration of airport zoning with local planning and zoning controls, allowing flexibility in the enactment of airport zoning, alignment with municipal and county process requirements, establishment of airport maintenance and operations as an essential public service, allowing airport planning to be eligible for State Airport Fund dollars, changes to the way existing land uses are handled by airport zoning, changes to federal hazard determinations and boundary limitations, and clarification as to when airport zoning must be updated.