HF 1174

2nd Engrossment - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to local government; authorizing local
bonding for personal rapid transit; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2004, sections 429.021, subdivision 1;
475.51, by adding a subdivision; 475.52, subdivisions
1, 3, by adding a subdivision.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 429.021,
subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Improvements authorized.

The council of a
municipality shall have power to make the following improvements:

(1) To acquire, open, and widen any street, and to improve
the same by constructing, reconstructing, and maintaining
sidewalks, pavement, gutters, curbs, and vehicle parking strips
of any material, or by grading, graveling, oiling, or otherwise
improving the same, including the beautification thereof and
including storm sewers or other street drainage and connections
from sewer, water, or similar mains to curb lines.

(2) To acquire, develop, construct, reconstruct, extend,
and maintain storm and sanitary sewers and systems, including
outlets, holding areas and ponds, treatment plants, pumps, lift
stations, service connections, and other appurtenances of a
sewer system, within and without the corporate limits.

(3) To construct, reconstruct, extend, and maintain steam
heating mains.

(4) To install, replace, extend, and maintain street lights
and street lighting systems and special lighting systems.

(5) To acquire, improve, construct, reconstruct, extend,
and maintain water works systems, including mains, valves,
hydrants, service connections, wells, pumps, reservoirs, tanks,
treatment plants, and other appurtenances of a water works
system, within and without the corporate limits.

(6) To acquire, improve and equip parks, open space areas,
playgrounds, and recreational facilities within or without the
corporate limits.

(7) To plant trees on streets and provide for their
trimming, care, and removal.

(8) To abate nuisances and to drain swamps, marshes, and
ponds on public or private property and to fill the same.

(9) To construct, reconstruct, extend, and maintain dikes
and other flood control works.

(10) To construct, reconstruct, extend, and maintain
retaining walls and area walls.

(11) To acquire, construct, reconstruct, improve, alter,
extend, operate, maintain, and promote a pedestrian skyway
system. Such improvement may be made upon a petition pursuant
to section 429.031, subdivision 3.

(12) To acquire, construct, reconstruct, extend, operate,
maintain, and promote underground pedestrian concourses.

(13) To acquire, construct, improve, alter, extend,
operate, maintain, and promote public malls, plazas or
courtyards.

(14) To construct, reconstruct, extend, and maintain
district heating systems.

(15) To construct, reconstruct, alter, extend, operate,
maintain, and promote fire protection systems in existing
buildings, but only upon a petition pursuant to section 429.031,
subdivision 3.

(16) To acquire, construct, reconstruct, improve, alter,
extend, and maintain highway sound barriers.

(17) To improve, construct, reconstruct, extend, and
maintain gas and electric distribution facilities owned by a
municipal gas or electric utility.

(18) To purchase, install, and maintain signs, posts, and
other markers for addressing related to the operation of
enhanced 911 telephone service.

(19) To improve, construct, extend, and maintain facilities
for Internet access and other communications purposes, if the
council finds that:

(i) the facilities are necessary to make available Internet
access or other communications services that are not and will
not be available through other providers or the private market
in the reasonably foreseeable future; and

(ii) the service to be provided by the facilities will not
compete with service provided by private entities.

new text begin (20) To acquire, construct, and improve personal rapid
transit systems, as defined in section 475.51, subdivision 15,
if the commissioner of transportation has certified that the
personal rapid transit technology is at least as safe and
reliable as other fixed-guideway transit systems.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 475.51, is
amended by adding a subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 15. new text end

new text begin Personal rapid transit; prt. new text end

new text begin "Personal rapid
transit" or "PRT" is a transit system consisting of elevated
guideways that allow automated electrically driven vehicles to
carry individuals nonstop from any station on the system to any
other station on the system.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 475.52,
subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Statutory cities.

Any statutory city may
issue bonds or other obligations for the acquisition or
betterment of public buildings, means of garbage disposal,
hospitals, nursing homes, homes for the aged, schools,
libraries, museums, art galleries, parks, playgrounds, stadia,
sewers, sewage disposal plants, subways, streets, new text begin personal rapid
transit systems, new text end sidewalks, warning systems; for any utility or
other public convenience from which a revenue is or may be
derived; for a permanent improvement revolving fund; for
changing, controlling or bridging streams and other waterways;
for the acquisition and betterment of bridges and roads within
two miles of the corporate limits for the acquisition of
development rights in the form of conservation easements under
chapter 84C; and for acquisition of equipment for snow removal,
street construction and maintenance, or fire fighting. Without
limitation by the foregoing the city may issue bonds to provide
money for any authorized corporate purpose except current
expenses. new text begin The authority to issue bonds or other obligations for
personal rapid transit systems is contingent on the commissioner
of transportation certifying that the personal rapid transit
technology is at least as safe and reliable as other
fixed-guideway transit systems, and expires July 31, 2030.
new text end

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 475.52,
subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Counties.

Any county may issue bonds for the
acquisition or betterment of courthouses, county administrative
buildings, health or social service facilities, correctional
facilities, law enforcement centers, jails, morgues, libraries,
parks, new text begin personal rapid transit systems, new text end and hospitals, for roads
and bridges within the county or bordering thereon and for road
equipment and machinery and for ambulances and related equipment
for the acquisition of development rights in the form of
conservation easements under chapter 84C, and for capital
equipment for the administration and conduct of elections
providing the equipment is uniform countywide, except that the
power of counties to issue bonds in connection with a library
shall not exist in Hennepin County. new text begin The authority to issue
bonds or other obligations for personal rapid transit systems is
contingent on the commissioner of transportation certifying that
the personal rapid transit technology is at least as safe and
reliable as other fixed-guideway transit systems, and expires
July 31, 2030.
new text end

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 475.52, is
amended by adding a subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Loans for prt. new text end

new text begin A statutory or home rule charter
city or a county may issue bonds or other obligations and loan
the proceeds, with or without charging interest, to a public or
private entity to design, construct, furnish, and equip a
personal rapid transit system. This subdivision expires July
31, 2030.
new text end