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414.0325 Orderly annexations within a designated area.

Subdivision 1. Initiating the proceeding. One or more townships and one or more municipalities, by joint resolution, may designate an unincorporated area as in need of orderly annexation. The joint resolution will confer jurisdiction on the board over annexations in the designated area and over the various provisions in said agreement by submission of said joint resolution to the executive director. The resolution shall include a description of the designated area and the reasons for designation. Thereafter, an annexation of any part of the designated area may be initiated by:

(1) submitting to the executive director a resolution of any signatory to the joint resolution; or

(2) the board of its own motion.

Whenever a state agency other than the pollution control agency, orders a municipality to extend a municipal service to an area, such an order will confer jurisdiction on the Minnesota municipal board to consider designation of the area for orderly annexation.

If a joint resolution designates an area as in need of orderly annexation and states that no alteration of its stated boundaries is appropriate, the board may review and comment, but may not alter the boundaries.

If a joint resolution designates an area as in need of orderly annexation, provides for the conditions for its annexation, and states that no consideration by the board is necessary, the board may review and comment, but shall, within 30 days, order the annexation in accordance with the terms of the resolution.

Subd. 1a. Electric utility service notice. At least 60 days before a petition is filed under this section or section 414.033, the petitioner must notify the municipality that the petitioner intends to file a petition for annexation. At least 30 days before a petition is filed for annexation, the petitioner must be notified by the municipality that the cost of electric utility service to the petitioner may change if the land is annexed to the municipality. The notice must include an estimate of the cost impact of any change in electric utility services, including rate changes and assessments, resulting from the annexation.

Subd. 2. Hearing time, place. Upon receipt of a resolution for annexation of a part of the designated area, the executive director shall set a time and place for a hearing in accordance with section 414.09.

Subd. 3. Board factors, order. In arriving at its decision, the board shall consider the factors in section 414.031, subdivision 4.

Based upon factors in section 414.031, subdivision 4, the board may order the annexation:

(a) if it finds that the subject area is now or is about to become urban or suburban in character and that the annexing municipality is capable of providing the services required by the area within a reasonable time; or (b) if it finds that the existing township form of government is not adequate to protect the public health, safety, and welfare; or (c) if it finds that annexation would be in the best interests of the subject area. The board may deny the annexation if it conflicts with any provision of the joint agreement. The board may alter the boundaries of the proposed annexation by increasing or decreasing the area so as to include that property within the designated area which is in need of municipal services or will be in need of municipal services.

If the annexation is denied, no proceeding for the annexation of substantially the same area may be initiated within two years from the date of the board's order unless the new proceeding is initiated by a majority of the area's property owners and the petition is supported by affected parties to the resolution. In all cases, the board shall set forth the factors which are the basis for the decision.

Subd. 4. Effective date of annexation. The board's order shall be effective upon the issuance of the order or at such later time as is provided by the board in its order. A copy of the annexation order must be delivered immediately by the executive director of the Minnesota municipal board to the appropriate county auditor or auditors. For the purposes of taxation, if the annexation becomes effective on or before August 1 of a levy year, the municipality may levy on the annexed area beginning with that same levy year. If the annexation becomes effective after August 1 of a levy year, the town may continue to levy on the annexed area for that levy year, and the municipality may not levy on the annexed area until the following levy year.

Subd. 5. Planning in the area designated for orderly annexation. A joint resolution may provide for the establishment of a board to exercise planning and land use control authority within any area designated as an orderly annexation area pursuant to this section, in the manner prescribed by Minnesota Statutes 1976, section 471.59, subdivisions 2 to 8, inclusive.

(a) A board established pursuant to a joint resolution shall have all of the powers contained in sections 462.351 to 462.364, and shall have the authority to adopt and enforce the uniform fire code promulgated pursuant to section 299F.011.

(b) The joint resolution may provide that joint planning and land use controls shall apply to any or all parts of the area designated for orderly annexation as well as to any adjacent unincorporated or incorporated area, provided that the area to be included shall be described in the joint resolution.

(c) If the joint resolution does not provide for joint planning and land use control, the following procedures shall govern:

If the county and townships agree to exclude the area from their zoning and subdivision ordinances, the municipality may extend its zoning and subdivision regulations to include the entire orderly annexation area as provided in section 462.357, subdivision 1, and section 462.358, subdivision 1.

If the county and township do not agree to such extraterritorial zoning and subdivision regulation by the municipality, zoning and subdivision regulation within the orderly annexation area shall be controlled by a three-member committee with one member appointed from each of the municipal, town, and county governing bodies. This committee shall serve as the "governing body" and "board of appeals and adjustments", for purposes of sections 462.357 and 462.358, within the orderly annexation area. The committee shall have all of the powers contained in sections 462.351 to 462.364, and shall have the authority to adopt and enforce the uniform fire code promulgated pursuant to section 299F.011.

HIST: 1978 c 705 s 14; 1Sp1981 c 4 art 1 s 171,172; 1982 c 424 s 116; 1983 c 18 s 1; 1988 c 719 art 5 s 84; 1989 c 329 art 13 s 20; 1Sp1989 c 1 art 2 s 11; 1991 c 291 art 12 s 23; 1992 c 556 s 4; 1994 c 511 s 3; 1996 c 303 s 10-12; 1997 c 202 art 5 s 2

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Revisor of Statutes