Minnesota Session Laws - 1987, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1987 

                        CHAPTER 182-H.F.No. 799 
           An act relating to Koochiching county; permitting the 
          county to establish an economic development authority 
          and a pilot bidstead development authority. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  [KOOCHICHING COUNTY; BIDSTEAD AND ECONOMIC 
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [PURPOSE; PROGRAM.] The legislature finds 
problems of declining population and depressed economic 
conditions exist in Koochiching county caused by the steady 
decline in jobs relating to farming and logging.  These problems 
have impaired the value of private investments in the county and 
threaten sources of public revenue, causing underutilization of 
schools, other public facilities and land located in existing 
service corridors.  It is found that these factors are injurious 
to the stability, health, safety, and welfare of the residents 
of the county. 
    It is, therefore, in the public interest to establish a 
public program to encourage the homesteading of land serviced by 
existing public services and facilities, to encourage people 
with transferable livelihoods to establish residences within the 
county, to stabilize or increase the tax base, increase 
employment opportunities, alleviate problems of economic 
depression and declining population, and assure the stability of 
the community and the availability of governmental services and 
facilities. 
     It is hereby declared that the activities necessary to 
implement the public program to be known as the bidstead 
program, which activities cannot be accomplished by private 
enterprise alone, constitutes a public purpose. 
     Subd. 2.  [PROGRAM.] The Koochiching county bidstead 
authority may acquire real property from Koochiching county or 
any other source.  The authority may enter into contracts with 
individuals under which the authority will permit the individual 
to reside on a parcel of land, not to exceed 40 acres, held by 
the authority if the individual agrees to: 
    (1) build a home on the parcel; 
    (2) pay tax on the property; 
    (3) maintain an income sufficient to support the individual 
and any dependents who reside on the parcel; and 
    (4) continue to reside on the property for a period of at 
least ten years.  
    At the end of the ten-year period, a warranty deed shall be 
issued to the bidsteader upon the completion of specified 
covenants.  The county will receive, in return, stabilization of 
the tax base, economic revitalization, and fuller utilization of 
existing services and infrastructure. 
    Sec. 2.  [BIDSTEAD DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY.] 
    Subdivision 1.  [AUTHORITY.] A public body corporate and 
politic, to be known as the Koochiching county bidstead 
authority, may be created by the Koochiching county board.  The 
authority shall have all of the powers and duties of an economic 
development authority under Minnesota Statutes, sections 458C.01 
to 458C.23, except as otherwise provided in this act and the 
powers and duties to operate the bidstead program.  For the 
purposes of applying sections 458C.01 to 458C.23, the authority 
has all the powers and duties of a city and the commissioners of 
the authority have all the powers and duties of a city council, 
except as otherwise provided in this act.  The authority may 
exercise all of the powers of the economic development authority 
act, including those contained in section 458C.14, within or 
without an economic development district. 
     The powers and duties of the authority may not be exercised 
until the Koochiching county board of commissioners passes a 
resolution establishing the authority.  The resolution shall 
require the affirmative vote of three county board members. 
    Subd. 2.  [AREA OF OPERATION.] The area of operation shall 
include all of Koochiching county.  The city council of any city 
within Koochiching county must approve the use of any parcel 
within the city before the parcel is available to the authority 
for the purposes defined in this act. 
    Subd. 3.  [MEMBERSHIP.] The authority shall consist of five 
commissioners who shall be members of the county board of 
commissioners.  The county board may set the terms of the 
commissioners to coincide with their terms of office as members 
of the county board. 
     Sec. 3.  [BIDSTEAD POWERS AND PROCEDURES.] 
     Subdivision 1.  [MARKETING; CONVEYANCE.] The authority may 
advertise and market the bidstead program and convey and receive 
public lands from other political subdivisions. 
    Subd. 2.  [GUIDELINES.] The authority shall adopt 
guidelines for the bidstead program that include a recapture of 
benefits and imposition of penalties for individuals who do not 
comply with requirements of the contract with the authority.  
The authority shall take into consideration such factors as 
highest and best use of the land, the number of jobs to be 
created, veteran status, and other factors in determining the 
allotment of land parcels. 
     Subd. 3.  [ADVISORY COMMITTEE.] The commissioners of the 
authority may establish an advisory committee.  The committee 
membership shall be geographically representative of the 
county.  The committee shall advise the authority on the 
operation of the bidstead program. 
    Sec. 4.  [EFFECTIVE DATE; SUNSET.] 
     This act takes effect the day after compliance with 
Minnesota Statutes, section 645.021, subdivision 3, by the 
Koochiching county board.  No individual may enter into a 
contract under section 1, subdivision 2, after July 31, 1992.  
Contracts entered into before August 1, 1992, shall remain in 
effect for their full term. 
    Approved May 20, 1987