S.F. No. 2520 converts the Washington County Housing and Redevelopment Authority into the Washington County Community Development Agency. The Washington County Community Development Agency maintains the power of a housing and redevelopment authority and is granted additional powers.

Section 1. Washington County Community Development Agency. The Washington County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) is converted into the Washington County Community Development Agency (CDA). The CDA maintains the authority of a HRA and is given the powers of a city economic development agency (EDA).

Section 2. Application.

Subdivisions 1, 2, and 3 make conforming changes.

Subdivision 2a.  Request to handle economic development, housing, or redevelopment duties. A city or town with an existing EDA may request that the CDA handle the economic development, housing, or redevelopment duties. If it does, the CDA has exclusive jurisdiction.

Subdivision 4. Washington County Community Development Agency. The CDA has the powers of an EDA that the county board grants by resolution. The CDA may also exercise HRA powers. The CDA cannot levy a tax under the EDA law but it may levy a tax under the HRA law and to any higher limit authorized by the EDA law. The enabling resolution may impose limits on the CDA, but cannot impose limitations on the CDA’s exercise of HRA powers.

Subdivision 5. Offers of tax-forfeited lands. Washington County may offer nonconservation tax-forfeited land to the CDA before offering it to cities in the county.

Section 3. Municipal Approval. CDA projects that are within the boundaries of a city or town are subject to planning, zoning, sanitary, and building laws, ordinances, and regulations of that city or town. The city or town which a CDA project is located must first authorize the project unless the city or town has given the CDA authority to exercise exclusive jurisdiction for economic development duties.

Section 4. Effective date. This act is effective upon local approval by the county.

ACS/syl