TITLE
Authorizing the Department of Planning and Economic Development to apply to the Metropolitan Council for Tax Base Revitalization Account fund for projects at 160 Wabasha Avenue South, West Side Flats - Phase III, 1560 White Bear Avenue, and 678 Snelling Avenue North.
BODY
WHEREAS the City of Saint Paul is a participant in the Livable Communities Act's Local Housing Incentives Account Program for 2020 as determined by the Metropolitan Council, and is therefore eligible to make application apply for funds under the Tax Base Revitalization Account; and
WHEREAS the City has identified the 160 Wabasha Avenue South, West Side Flats - Phase III, 1560 White Bear Avenue, and 678 Snelling Avenue North contamination cleanup projects within the City that meet the Tax Base Revitalization Account’s purposes and criteria and are consistent with and promote the purposes of the Metropolitan Livable Communities Act and the policies of the Metropolitan Council’s adopted metropolitan development guide; and
WHEREAS the City has the institutional, managerial and financial capability to ensure adequate project and grant administration; and
WHEREAS the City certifies that it will comply with all applicable laws and regulations as stated in the contract grant agreements; and
WHEREAS the City finds that the required contamination cleanup will not occur through private or other public investment within the reasonably foreseeable future without Tax Base Revitalization Account grant funding; and
WHEREAS the City represents that it has undertaken reasonable and good faith efforts to procure funding for the activities for which Livable Communities Act Tax Base Revitalization Account funding is sought but was not able to find or secure from other sources funding that is necessary for cleanup completion and states that this representation is based on the following reasons and supporting facts:
• The City of Saint Paul has no general fund resources to invest in site investigations or remediation activities; and
• Demands on balances in existing TIF districts and the financial limits on new TIF districts leave the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Saint Paul with no resources to invest in these site investigation and cleanup activities; Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of Saint Paul authorizes the Director of Planning and Economic Development to submit an application for Metropolitan Council Tax Base Revitalization Account grant funds and, if the City is awarded a Tax Base Revitalization Account grant for these projects, the City will be the grantee and agrees to act as legal sponsor to administer and be responsible for grant funds expended for the project contained in the Tax Base Revitalization grant application submitted on November 2, 2020.