1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to economic development; creating a pilot program for community 
1.3 	design in greater Minnesota; appropriating money.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. DESIGN FOR GREATER MINNESOTA PILOT PROJECT.
 1.6 		Subdivision 1.Creation. The Center for Changing Landscapes at the University of 
1.7 	Minnesota shall partner with relevant organizations and greater Minnesota communities 
1.8 	in an initiative to design livable communities in greater Minnesota. The initiative 
1.9 	shall include projects to create, secure funding for, and implement economically, 
1.10 	environmentally, and culturally sensitive projects that respond to current community 
1.11 	conditions, needs, and capabilities, and provide current and future opportunities in support 
1.12 	of the communities as good places to live, work, and play. For the purpose of this section, 
1.13 	"greater Minnesota" means the area of Minnesota outside of the metropolitan area as 
1.14 	defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 473.121, subdivision 2.
1.15 		Subd. 2.Initiative activities. Among other activities, the initiative shall:
1.16 	(1) assess community capacity to engage in design, development, and 
1.17 	implementation;
1.18 	(2) create community and landscape designs that respond to a community's culture 
1.19 	and needs, reinforce its identity as a special place, and support its future aspirations;
1.20 	(3) work with communities to develop a capacity-building strategy and a schedule 
1.21 	for implementing the designs;
1.22 	(4) build capacity to implement the design work by working with communities to 
1.23 	identify potential fund strategies, locate funding sources, and assist in the grant writing 
1.24 	needed to secure project funding;
2.1 	(5) create how-to-build drawings that are understandable for Minnesota Conservation 
2.2 	Corps or community group use;
2.3 	(6) create graphic designs for sites and Web-based materials for community use; and
2.4 	(7) support the objectives of the Minnesota Conservation Corps youth and young 
2.5 	adult programs by partnering with the corps to implement community projects.

2.6 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.7 	$500,000 in fiscal year 2016 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
2.8 	commissioner of employment and economic development for a grant to the Center for 
2.9 	Changing Landscapes at the University of Minnesota for the purpose of section 1. This is 
2.10 	a onetime appropriation.