CCP 12-09-2002 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Memo to Mayor and City Conncil December 5, 2002 Request for Ramsey Connty Board Action Page 2 of3 . Collection: Ramsey Connty expects to collect approximately $700,000.00 on an annual basis by instituting this fee. Connty information provided estimates that if this fee had been collected since 1997, Ramsey County would now have a fund balance, without interest, of 2.5 million dollars. Minnesota Statue 383A.81 grants Ramsey County the ability to collect or charge this fee, which is set by statue, and to collect revenues and appropriate monies. The original legislation was slated to expire on January 1, 2003, but the 2002 legislature extended this deadline to January 1, 2008. Proiects The enabling legislation contains language that identifies that the clean up of the area designated as the Dale Street Shops and Maxson Steel sites in the City of St. Paul are the top priorities for this fund. At this time, there is no known cost estimate to accomplish both of these legislative priorities. Response Ramsey County did attempt to receive responses from cities in Ramsey Connty regarding this potential fee and asked those cities to respond to a survey, in priority rank, of the use of the funds. In the enclosed infonnation, you can read our response on the priority ranking of fnnd uses and read staff comments to Ramsey Connty on examples of projects where such funding could be used. . Policv Question If the Minnesota Statue establishes the priority use of funds, should Ramsey Connty be allowed to collect this fee from suburban commnnities for assistance to the City of St. Paul, for property remediation? The converse is true, should St. Paul property owners expect to pay this fee to assist suburban commnnities with property remedy that don't directly benefit them or their city. In the information provided, you can read the policy questions that the Ramsey Connty staff has identified for the Ramsey County Board. There isn't any question as to whether Ramsey Connty has the authority to establish such a fee and collect it, but the question is how the funds should be used. On page one ofthe policy questions, you can see the identification of how the fnnds must be used. · Land or property which are polluted or contaminated with hazardous substances. · Paid costs associated with indemnifying or holding harmless the entity taking title to lands or property from any liability arising of ownership, remediation, or the use of the land. · Paid cost of remediating the acquired land or property · Paid a cost for remediation land or property which are polluted or contaminated · Paid a cost associated improving the property for economic development, recreation, housing, transportation or rail traffic. .