1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to economic development; regulating the 
  1.3             geographic distribution of redevelopment grants; 
  1.4             amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 116J.565, 
  1.5             subdivision 1. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 116J.565, 
  1.8   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [CHARACTERISTICS.] (a) If applications for 
  1.10  grants exceed the available appropriations, grants shall be made 
  1.11  for sites that, in the commissioner's judgment, provide the 
  1.12  highest return in public benefits for the public costs 
  1.13  incurred.  In making this judgment, the commissioner shall give 
  1.14  priority to redevelopment projects with one or more of the 
  1.15  following characteristics: 
  1.16     (1) the need for redevelopment in conjunction with 
  1.17  contamination remediation needs; 
  1.18     (2) the redevelopment project meets current tax increment 
  1.19  financing requirements for a redevelopment district and tax 
  1.20  increments will contribute to the project; 
  1.21     (3) the redevelopment potential within the municipality; 
  1.22     (4) proximity to public transit if located in the 
  1.23  metropolitan area; and 
  1.24     (5) multijurisdictional projects that take into account the 
  1.25  need for affordable housing, transportation, and environmental 
  2.1   impact. 
  2.2      (b) The factors in paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (5), are 
  2.3   not listed in a rank order of priority; rather the commissioner 
  2.4   may weigh each factor, depending upon the facts and 
  2.5   circumstances, as the commissioner considers appropriate.  The 
  2.6   commissioner may consider other factors that affect the net 
  2.7   return of public benefits for completion of the redevelopment 
  2.8   plan.  The commissioner, notwithstanding the listing of 
  2.9   priorities and the goal of maximizing the return of public 
  2.10  benefits, shall make grants that distribute available money to 
  2.11  sites both within and outside of the metropolitan area.  The 
  2.12  commissioner shall provide a written statement of the supporting 
  2.13  reasons for each grant.  Unless sufficient applications are not 
  2.14  received within the first nine months of a fiscal year for 
  2.15  qualifying sites outside of the metropolitan area, at least 25 
  2.16  50 percent of the money provided as grants in a fiscal year must 
  2.17  be made for sites located outside of the metropolitan area.  The 
  2.18  commissioner shall consult with the metropolitan council about 
  2.19  metropolitan area grants.