Grand Forks City Council says it opposes legislation on creation of military impact zones and commission
The unanimous vote (with Trisha Lunski absent) came during the council's regularly scheduled Committee of the Whole meeting.
The legislation, Senate Bill 2398, would create four military impact zones and a commission of the governor, a public service commissioner, local government representation and military installation representation to review all land development within the zone. In the bill's current form, it would mean that for a 25-mile radius around Grand Forks Air Force Base, all local land use development would have to be reviewed.
That zone would stretch from west of Niagara, six miles east of East Grand Forks city limits (around halfway to U.S. Highway 75), north of Minto and south near Buxton, encompassing all of the city of Grand Forks, most of Grand Forks County including all its incorporated cities, most of its townships and into the surrounding counties.
"I think the creation of the military impact zone is probably good for our military and our community and the military compatibility commission isn't necessarily a bad thing," Council President Dana Sande said. "However, the 25-mile jurisdiction is incredibly problematic; I think it really challenges and is an infringement to our home-rule authority."
Sande said he may support the legislation if there is an amendment to the bill excluding the city and its extraterritorial area, two miles outside of the limits generally. While the bill sets out a mechanism for local representation, it also likely means that almost every planning, zoning and development decision taken by any local authority would have to be reviewed by the compatibility commission.
As part of its legislative priorities, the city opposes proposals that directly conflict with limiting its authority as a home-rule city. Home rule gives the city more powers to control its affairs, finances, and ordinances and means that the city is governed by its charter and state law rather than exclusively by state law.
Citing the Federal Aviation Administration's compatibility zones with airports, which are five miles, City Administrator Todd Feland said there could be bigger implications if this legislation becomes law in its current state.
"I think what Council President Sande is saying is the circle around the Grand Forks Air Force Base needs to probably have some further due diligence," Feland told the council. "I suspect it'll have an impact on Minot because I think their Air Force base is actually closer."
Minot is approximately 14 miles from Minot Air Force Base. Most of Grand Forks is approximately 18 miles from GFAFB, but there are parts of the city — like the airport — that are closer. However, due to the way the city annexed it, the "leapfrog" annexation doesn't have an extraterritorial area like the core city does.
The North Dakota Senate Committee on Agriculture and Veterans Affairs will review the proposal on Thursday in its initial hearing.
In other news, the council:
* Received and filed the annual report from Visit Greater Grand Forks' administration of the city's special event funding program and recommended reauthorizing the bureau to continue to administer the funds. Council member Rebecca Osowski said she doesn't understand why funds were given to UND for events, saying, "I'm starting to feel like they're a little bit of a parasite to the taxpayers of Grand Forks."
UND events given money include the Feast of Nations, the Wacipi Powwow and the FIRST Lego League State Robotics Championship.
* Discussed its 2025 Community Development Block Grant funds and its next consolidated action plan for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. The plan and the CDBG funds go hand in hand
as a way for the city to address housing concerns in Grand Forks.
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