1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to taxation; providing for permitted public 
  1.3             uses and discretion by Ramsey county board in 
  1.4             determining value of tax-forfeited lands; changing a 
  1.5             census date; amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 
  1.6             469.202, subdivision 2; proposing coding for new law 
  1.7             in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 383A. 
  1.8   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.9      Section 1.  [383A.76] [TAX-FORFEITED LANDS.] 
  1.10     Subdivision 1.  [SALE; VALUATION.] Notwithstanding any 
  1.11  other law to the contrary, the Ramsey county board may sell 
  1.12  tax-forfeited lands in the county to an organized or 
  1.13  incorporated governmental subdivision of the state for any 
  1.14  public purpose for which the subdivision is authorized to 
  1.15  acquire property.  Tax-forfeited land in the county may be 
  1.16  released from the trust in favor of the taxing districts on 
  1.17  application of a state agency for an authorized use at a value, 
  1.18  which may be less than its appraised value, as determined by the 
  1.19  county board.  Factors that may be considered by the county 
  1.20  board in determining value for lands to be held by a 
  1.21  municipality for a permitted public use or redeveloped by an 
  1.22  authority established under chapter 469 include the projected 
  1.23  gap financing and public subsidy needed for a redevelopment 
  1.24  project, expected increases in property taxes, before and after 
  1.25  redevelopment appraised values, the potential use of the 
  1.26  property for affordable housing, environmental contamination and 
  2.1   pollution, site preparation and infrastructure costs, and any 
  2.2   other relevant factors.  The commissioner of revenue may convey 
  2.3   by deed in the name of the state a tract of tax-forfeited land 
  2.4   held in trust in favor of the taxing districts to a governmental 
  2.5   subdivision for an authorized public use, if an application is 
  2.6   submitted to the commissioner.  The application must include a 
  2.7   statement of facts as to the use to be made of the tract, the 
  2.8   need for it, and the recommendation of the county board. 
  2.9      Subd. 2.  [USE OF LAND.] For lands located within Ramsey 
  2.10  county, the deed of conveyance of tax-forfeited land to an 
  2.11  organized or incorporated governmental subdivision of the state 
  2.12  for an authorized use must be on a form approved by the attorney 
  2.13  general and must be conditioned on continued use for the purpose 
  2.14  stated in the application.  If the governing body of the 
  2.15  governmental subdivision determines by resolution after public 
  2.16  hearing that some other public use should be made of the lands, 
  2.17  the changed use may be made upon filing with the county recorder 
  2.18  or registrar of titles a certified copy of the resolution and 
  2.19  without conveying the lands back to the state and securing a new 
  2.20  conveyance for the new public use.  Permitted public uses under 
  2.21  this section for a municipality include street, storm water 
  2.22  ponding, drainage, parks, watershed, wetlands, library, fire and 
  2.23  police stations, utility easements, and public facilities.  
  2.24  Permitted public uses under this section for an authority 
  2.25  established under chapter 469 include commercial or housing 
  2.26  redevelopment.  A municipality may, upon payment to the county 
  2.27  of the value of the lands as determined by the county board in 
  2.28  subdivision 1, convey lands directly to an authority for the use 
  2.29  of the lands as a commercial or housing redevelopment project. 
  2.30     <b>[EFFECTIVE DATE.]</b> This section is effective only after its 
  2.31  approval by a majority of the governing body of Ramsey county 
  2.32  and upon compliance with the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, 
  2.33  section 645.021, subdivision 3. 
  2.34     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 469.202, 
  2.35  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  2.36     Subd. 2.  [ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR TARGETED 
  3.1   NEIGHBORHOODS.] An area within a city is eligible for 
  3.2   designation as a targeted neighborhood if the area meets two of 
  3.3   the following three criteria: 
  3.4      (a) The area had an unemployment rate that was twice the 
  3.5   unemployment rate for the Minneapolis and Saint Paul standard 
  3.6   metropolitan statistical area as determined by the 1980 federal 
  3.7   decennial census. 
  3.8      (b) The median household income in the area was no more 
  3.9   than half the median household income for the Minneapolis and 
  3.10  Saint Paul standard metropolitan statistical area as determined 
  3.11  by the ~~1980~~ most recent federal decennial census. 
  3.12     (c) The area is characterized by residential dwelling units 
  3.13  in need of substantial rehabilitation.  An area qualifies under 
  3.14  this paragraph if 25 percent or more of the residential dwelling 
  3.15  units are in substandard condition as determined by the city, or 
  3.16  if 70 percent or more of the residential dwelling units in the 
  3.17  area were built before 1940 as determined by the 1980 federal 
  3.18  decennial census.