1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to dogs; creating a regional dog park permit and matching grant program 
1.3 	in the Twin Cities metropolitan area; appropriating money;proposing coding for 
1.4 	new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 473.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [473.361] REGIONAL DOG PARK PERMIT PROGRAM.
1.7 	(a) The Metropolitan Council must administer a regional dog park permit program 
1.8 	in the metropolitan area. The Metropolitan Council may charge an administration fee of 
1.9 	up to $25 per person or family for a regional dog park permit, which is valid for three 
1.10 	years from the date of issuance. A person may apply for a regional dog park permit on a 
1.11 	form provided by the Metropolitan Council.
1.12 	(b) A local governmental unit must allow a person issued and possessing a valid 
1.13 	regional dog park permit to use any dog park for which the local governmental unit 
1.14 	received funding from the Metropolitan Council under the dog park matching grant 
1.15 	program in section 473.3615.

1.16 	Sec. 2. [473.3615] DOG PARK MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM.
1.17 	(a) The Metropolitan Council must administer a dog park matching grant program to 
1.18 	provide grant funding to local governmental units for the establishment, expansion, or 
1.19 	maintenance of dog parks.
1.20 	(b) The Metropolitan Council must solicit dog park matching grant proposals 
1.21 	from local governmental units at least annually, subject to funding availability. Eligible 
1.22 	applicants must agree in writing to:
2.1 	(1) allow a person issued and possessing a valid regional dog park permit issued 
2.2 	under section 473.361 to access and use a dog park funded in whole or in part by the 
2.3 	dog park matching grant program;
2.4 	(2) post the minimum dog park rules in paragraph (c); 
2.5 	(3) provide matching contributions at a rate of at least one to two that may include 
2.6 	in-kind contributions of land, access roadways and access roadway improvements, and 
2.7 	necessary landscaping and parking; and
2.8 	(4) post a conspicuous sign at major points of entry stating that the dog park was 
2.9 	funded wholly or partially by the people of Minnesota through a constitutional amendment 
2.10 	adopted in November 2008. If a standard sign is required by Minnesota Statutes for all 
2.11 	parks and trails funded wholly or partially by the constitutional amendment, the applicant 
2.12 	must agree to acquire and post the standard sign.
2.13 	The Metropolitan Council must rank eligible dog park proposals that satisfy the 
2.14 	conditions in clauses (1) to (4) according to criteria that include but are not limited to 
2.15 	prioritizing a proposed dog park that would be located in a portion of the metropolitan area 
2.16 	with limited or no public dog park availability and prioritizing the creation of new dog 
2.17 	parks over the maintenance or expansion of existing dog parks. The Metropolitan Council 
2.18 	may enter into agreements with local units of government for the purpose of this program.
2.19 	(c) Minimum dog park rules are:
2.20 	(1) all dogs must enter and exit the park on a leash;
2.21 	(2) all dogs must be licensed by the appropriate local authority; and
2.22 	(3) dogs under the age of four months are not allowed in the park.
2.23 	A local governmental unit may use a portion of any funding received under this 
2.24 	section to enforce the posted rules at a dog park funded in whole or in part by the dog park 
2.25 	matching grant program.
2.26 	(d) The Metropolitan Council must convene an advisory committee to oversee the 
2.27 	program. The advisory committee must consist of 11 members, as appointed by the chair 
2.28 	of the Metropolitan Council, as follows:
2.29 	(1) seven public members, one from each of the metropolitan counties;
2.30 	(2) two county commissioners from the metropolitan area who may not represent 
2.31 	the same county; and
2.32 	(3) two elected officials of cities or towns in the metropolitan area who may not 
2.33 	represent the same city or town.
2.34 	Advisory committee members serve two-year terms and may be reappointed 
2.35 	indefinitely. The advisory committee may elect a committee member to serve as chair.
3.1 	(e) No later than January 15, 2011, the chair of the Metropolitan Council must 
3.2 	provide a program report along with any program recommendations to the house of 
3.3 	representatives and senate committees with jurisdiction over environmental finance 
3.4 	and, if such committees exist, the house of representatives and senate committees with 
3.5 	jurisdiction over the allocation of constitutionally dedicated parks and trails funding.

3.6 	Sec. 3. DOG PARK PERMIT AND GRANTS.
 3.7 	$500,000 in fiscal year 2010 and $500,000 in fiscal year 2011 are appropriated 
3.8 	from the parks and trails fund established in Minnesota Statutes, section 85.53, to the 
3.9 	Metropolitan Council for implementation and operation of the regional dog park permit 
3.10 	program in section 1 and the dog park matching grant program in section 2.