Area lawmakers vie for trails bills to protect towns

SAINT PAUL - A bill that would require 80 percent of all residents and 80 percent of all landowners living or owning land adjacent to a proposed trail or park to provide written approval before state funds could be awarded to a project is not moving forward in the legislature, according to State Senator Lyle Koenen, DFL-Clara City, one of its chief authors.
There is not a companion bill to this legislation in the House, according to Koenen and Representative Tim Miller, R-Prinsburg. Miller said he has not introduced legislation that would require written approval by 80 percent of residents and landowners affected by a proposed trail or park.
The legislation was cited as a concern by trail advocates attending a recent bike trails open house meeting hosted by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
The area legislators have introduced two bills that would require local government approval before the commissioner of natural resources could award state funds.
Koenen and state senators Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria; Tony Lourey, DFL-Kerrick; David Tomassoni, DFL-Chisholm; and Dan Hall, R-Burnsville, are chief authors of Senate File 574. The bill would require that “written approval be obtained of every city and organized township where the park or trail is located or through which it passes.’’
In the House, Miller and colleagues Dale Lueck, R-Aitkin; Dave Hancock, R-Bemidji; and Tom Anzelc, DFL- Balsam Township, Itasca County are listed as chief authors of House File 619. It contains identical language to the Senate bill and requires the “written approval of every city and organized township where the park or trail is located or through which it passes.’’
The written approval required in the House and Senate bills applies only to projects outside of the seven-county metropolitan area.
The House bill was introduced and referred to the Committee on Mining and Outdoor Recreation Policy. The Senate bill was introduced and referred to the Committee on Environment and Energy.
Koenen’s bill that would require 80 percent of residents and landowners to provide written approval is Senate File 575. The chief co-authors are also Ingebrigtsen, Lourey, Tomassoni and Hall.