CR 93-166 Hennepin County Funding Policies
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. September 28, 1993 i, 0 P K \ ~ i Council Report 93-166
HENNEPIN COUNTY FUNDING POLICIES
FOR ROADWAY PROJECTS
Pro~osed Action.
Staff recommends adoption of the following motion: Move to adopt
Resolution No. 93-105 reauestina the Hennepin' Countv commissioners to
support amendments . as proposed by County staff. to' the 'proposed
Hennepin county fundina policies for roadway projects.
overview
Hennepin County is currently considering amending their 1978 policy
for cost participation in cooperative highway projects. The proposed
changes as originally written would increase a city's, share of
roadway projects over what currently exists in the present policy.
In addition, one of the more troublesome policy changes related to a
city's use of tax increment financing to pay for the local share.
The proposed TIF policy was intended to strongly discourage cities
,from using tax increment funds to pay for their share of the project.
This discouragement was accomplished by significantly increasing the
local community'S share of the project if tax increment dollars were'
used. The changes as proposed would have had,a significant impact on
Hopkins ability to participate in an improvement project such as
County Road 3.
. At the direction of the County Board, City staff members from
communities in Hennepin County met with Hennepin County staff to
,discuss the proposed policy changes. From this discussion, the City,
and County staffs were able to come toa consensus on amendments to
the proposed policy changes. . county' staff has indicated a
willingness to bring these amended policy changes to the County Board
for consideration.
primary Issues to Consider
o Why is the County considering changes to their existing funding
policy?
o What are the proposed funding changes as agreed to by City and,
County staff members?
SUDDortinq Information
o Detailed background
o Analysis of issues
o Resolution 93-105
o Summa y of proposed cost participation policy as agreed to by
Cou and city, staff members
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Thomas K.
Community Director
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CR93-166
Page 2
. Detailed Backqround
In 1978 Hennepin County established parameters for determining an
appropriate division 'of cost participation to be used by the County
in funding cooperative roadway and street construction projects
within municipalities. since this time municipalities have adhered
to Hennepin County's participation policy and cooperated with the
County in many construction projects. Municipalities have
established long range capital improvement programs including
improvements to county roads based upon receipt of county funds as
outlined in their 1978 policy.
Analvsis of Issues
0 Why is the county considering changes to their existing funding
policy?
The County is claiming that changes are needed to reduce the
County's participation in cooperative construction projects.
The justification for this proposed reduction is based on their
belief that County property tax funds are becoming increasingly
limited. If the proposed changes are adopted, the tax burden is
shifted once again from a higher level down to the communities
in Hennepin County.
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0 What are the proposed funding policy changes as agreed to by
City and county staff members?
A copy of the proposed funding changes as discussed by County
and City staff members is attached. The major changes are
related to street lights, sidewalks, utility relocation arid tax
increment financing use.
With respect to cost participation for street lights, sidewalks,
utility relocation, etc. the City and County staff were able to
come to a consensus on the proposed changes.
with respect to tax increment financing, the County staff
members indicated that it would be very unlikely the County
Board would agree to eliminate any language in its proposed
policy relating to the use of tax increment financing. However,
City staff and County staff were able to come to an agreement on
a proposed change to the tax increment portion of the proposed
policy. In this case, County staff agreed to submit a policy
change which would only penalize cities who use Economic
Development Tax Increment Districts to generate revenues for
paying for the city's share of a roadway project. As it is
unlikely that Hopkins, and communities similar to Hopkins, would
. use economic development tax increment districts to fund roadway
projects, this policy seemed to be an acceptable compromise.
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CR93-166
Page 3
. Please note that the City staff members feel very strongly that
the County should not change its present policy for. roadway
projects, and certainly not include any restrictions relating to
tax increment. However, it has become very evident that the
County is going to be making changes to its policy, particularly
with regard to tax increment financing. As a result, it appears
necessary for the cities to try to reach some compromise with
the County Board. It appears that the County staff is willing
to suggest this compromise. It remains to see whether the
County Board will accept this compromise.
Alternatives
The City Council has the following alternatives regarding this
matter:
o Approve staff's recommendation.
o Approve staff's recommendation with modifications to the
resolution.
o Continue matter for further information. In light of the
fact the County Board will be discussing this matter during
a meeting on October 7, it would be helpful to provide some
type of input to the County Board regarding the staff
. agreed changes to the policy.
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CITY OF HOPKINS
Hennepin County, Minnesota
. RESOLUTION NO: 93-105
RESOLUTION SUPPORTING AMENDMENTS TO THE PROPOSED POLICY
REGARDING HENNEPIN COUNTY FUNDING OF
COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY PROJECTS
WHEREAS, in a policy dated June, 1978 Hennepin County established
parameters for determining an appropriate division of cost
participation to be used by the County in funding cooperative roadway
and street construction projects with municipalities; and
WHEREAS, municipalities within Hennepin County have expressed
strong reservations regarding the proposed policy as reviewed by the
Hennepin County Board during a public hearing on September 9, 1993;
and
WHEREAS, as a result of this public hearing the Hennepin County
Board. requested that the County staff work with various city staff to
attempt to come..to a resolution regarding the proposed policychangesi
and
WHEREAS, although the City of Hopkins strongly desires Hennepin
County to continue to use the roadway policy as adopted in 1978, the
City of Hopkins is willing to come to some compromise with Hennepin
. County regarding a new roadway policy.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the city Council of the city of
Hopkins that the City Council respectfully requests that the Hennepin
County Board consider the amendments to the proposed policy changes as
agreed to by County and City staff as illustrated on the attached
Exhibit Ai and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the city of Hopkins will assist
Hennepin County officials to obtain increased funding through the
county State Aid Formula which is currently an unfair allocation
according to population.
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Hopkins this 5th day of
October, 1993.
Charles D. Redepenning, Mayor
ATTEST:
. James A. Genellie, City Clerk
SEP-24-1993 10:59 FROM HENN CTY PUBLIC WORKS TO 99351834 P.03
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HENNEPIN COUNTY
BUREAU OF PUBLIC SERVICE
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
. POLICIES FOR COST PARTICIPATION
BETWEEN HENNEPIN COUNTY AND OTHER AGENCIES
FOR COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY PROJECTS
The following sections of the draft "Policies for Cost Participation Between
Hennepin County and Other Agencies for Cooperative Highway Projects". dated
August, 1993, are proposed to be revised as follows:
1) Page 1 - SECTION III - PREMISES is amended to read:
III. GENERAL POLICIES
A. The basic premise is that the County pays for costs peculiar to
County needs and municipalities pay for costs peculiar to
municipal or local needs.
B. OR the COURt)' State Aid Hi~hHay (CSAH) System, tfie CSl-lAty's
parth:ipJtion may be limited to the Cel:mty's State .t'.id
el igibi1 ity. IA order for the County to ut i 1 i ze CSAH-- funds to
the fulle~t extent, tA€ municipality may be precluded from using
HtiRicipal State Aid funds fer ecrtain clemeAts af its project
costs.
. In the absence of other available County funds. the County may
limit its participation to items eliQible for reimbursement with
County State Aid Highway (CSAH) funds, notwithstanding the
soecific policies contained in this document. However. the
County will not request CSAH funds for project costs assiQned to
the municipality as a result of the aOQroved cooperative
construction aqreement. in order not to preclude the
municioality from usinQ its Municipal State Aid funds for those
project costs.
C. A greater degree of County participation is afforded
municipalities having a population of less than 5,000 because of
the function of the County roadways in these areas. It is
generally true that these roadways are of greater benefit to
County-wide users, and of less benefit to local users than is the
case for roadways in more urbanized areas. In addition. this
would be a form of compensation for the absence of direct
State Aid allocations to these municipalities; notwithstanding
the present County program of Aid to Municipalities under 5.000
population.
D. It is recognized that there may be occasional differences
between these policies and written participation policies of the
Minnesota Department of Transportation. 1n those cases.
participation will be negotiated by the County Engineer.
. E. When federal aid hiqhwav funds are utilized on a County hiQhwav
project. these cost carticioation policies will be applied to
the non-federal share of any sQecific item of work. In the
event federal or state grant funds are made available to a
p.J:oject on a 1 ump sum basi s. the County wi 11 determi ne the items
for which those funds will be utilized.
SEP-24-1993 11:00 FRQM HENN CTY PUBLIC WORKS TO 99351834 P.04
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2) Page 4 - SECTION V - ROADWAYS - ITEM A - RIGHT OF WAY is amended to read:
v. ROADWAYS
. The County's participation in roadway projects will be as follows:
A. RIGHT OF WAY
Under 5,000 100%
Over 5)000 50%
The County will not participate in right of way for parking
lanes requested by a municipality.
The County's oercentage of participation in retaining walls
constructed in lieu of right of way will be the same as for right
of way.
Right of way required for wetland mitigation and for surface water
retention basins will be at the same participation ratio as the
remainder of the project even if the locations of these facilities
are not contiguous to the project.
3) Page 4 - SECTION V - ROADWAYS - ITEM I - MUNICIPAL AND PRIVATE UTILITY
RELOCATION OR RECONSTRUCTION is amended to read:
v. ROADWAYS
1. MUNICIPAL UTILITY RELOCATION OR RECONSTRUCTION
. 1. Initial installation performed without a permit or not
in compliance with a County permit
Under/Over 5,000 0%
2. Relocation, reconstruction, improvement, or replacement
of unserviceable existing facilities (County Engineer
shall determine if existing facility is serviceable or
unserviceable}
Under/Over 5,000 0%
3. Relocation necessitated because of addition of parking
lane requested by the municipality
Under/Over 5,000 0%
4. In-kind relocation required solely because of County
construction procedures
UnderlOver 5,000 100%
5. Adjustment of existing utility structures to
accommodate elevation changes at the street surface.
This includes items such as adjustina manhole castinQs
and valve boxes. Lateral extension of utility aDDurtenances
such as hYdrants. water service valves, etc. required
by the road construction are not included in this cate9or~
unless they are reauired solelY due to the addition of a
. oarkino lane reauested b~ a municioality.
Under lOver 5.000 0%
J. PRIVATE UTILITY RELOCATION OR RECONSTRUCTION
l. Initial installation was within County right of way
Under/Over 5,000 0%
SEP-24-1993 11:00 FROM HENN CTY PUBLIC WORKS TO 99351834 P.05
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4) Page 5 - SECTION VI - TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEMS - ITEM C - Temporary Traffic
Signal Installations is amended to read:
. VI. TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYSTEMS
C. Temporary Traffic Signal Installations
The County orefers that permanent traffic signals be installed
initially wherever feasible. In the event that germanent traffic
sianals are not feasible. the followina cost oarticioation Dolicies
applY for temQorary traffic sianal installations:
The municipality will pay the full cost of a temporary traffic
signal and will not receive any credit for those costs when a
permanent traffic signal is installed if, at the time the
temporary traffic sianal is installed. the accident severity
factor is less than 10 or if the priority factor is less than 40.
For those temporary traffic signal projects with an accident
severity factor of 10 - 19 or ~ a priority factor of 40 - 49,
the municipality will receive credit for 50% of the cost of the
temporary traffic signal when the permanent traffic signal is
installed. For those temporary traffic signal Drojects with an
accident severity factor of 20 or more or a priority factor of 50
or more. the municioalitv will receive credit for 75% of the cost
of the temoorary traffic signal when the oermanent traffic sianal
is installed.
The costs for temporary traffic signals installed only for traffic
. control during construction of a County project shall be paid 100%
by the County.
5} Page 6 - SECTION VIII - STREET LIGHTING ;s amended to read:
VIII . STREET LIGHTING
The County will not participate in the installation of new street
lighting. Participation in the relocation or reconstruction of
existing street lighting will be on the same basis as for municipal
utility relocation or reconstruction (see Section V.,I.).
6) Page 7 - SECTION XIII - UTILIZATION OF TAX INCREMENT FINANCING is amended
to read:
XIII. UTILIZATION OF TAX INCREMENT FINANCING
Rationale: This policy has been included to address the use of Tax
Increment Financing on County projects by municipalities. Tax Increment
Financing limits expansion of the tax base for new development and,
thereby, limits the availability of additional County Property Tax
. funding which might be used on the County highway system. The County
sees Rat have a '/oi ce as to ',:ActRcr T.ax Increment Di stri cts wi11 be
crcated nor the length of time that the taxiflcrcffiCFlt ~4ill be in effect,
Since tRe Use of Tax IRcrcmcnt Financing dees Rave a negative impact OR
Ca~Rty Property Tax funds, tAC established policy is intended t&
SEP-24-1993 11:01 FROM HENN CTY PUBLIC WORKS TO 99351834 P.06
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XIII. UTILIZATION OF TAX INCREMENT FINANCING - continued
. dl$ee~rage the use of Tax Increment Financing and. where used far th~
m~nicipal snare of a County project, to require a higher municipal eost
share. This Dolicy does not imQact existinq or future Tax Increment
Financinq Districts established for housing and redevelopment purDoses.
The County's participation in a project where Tax Increment Financing is
utilized by a municipality will be as follows:
At the time a municipality is re~ue5tcd to appr0vc provided with a
preliminary cost estimate of the municioal share of the project cost and
is reauested to aDQrove the preliminary plans for a project.. the
municipality must identify, by resolution, the source of funds for
municipal participation and whether it intends to use Tax Increment
Financing for any Dortion of the oroject cost. If the municipality
elects to use Tax Increment Financing from an Economic DeveloDment
District established after December 31, 1993 for any portion of the
project cost, municipal participation lA the €anstrijcti6R cost will be
50% of the total engineering and construction cost and 100% of the right
of way cost for any portion of the project within that municiDalitv.
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