Agenda Packets - 2024/05/13 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Profile of the City The City is located in the northwest corner of Ramsey County, approximately eight miles north of the City of St. Paul. The City encompasses an area of approximately 4.25 square miles. Population was 10,599 in 1970, 12,593 in 1980, 12,541 in 1990, 12,738 in 2000, 12,155 in 2010, and 13,193 in 2020. The City is empowered to levy a property tax on both real and personal property located within its boundaries. The City has been a municipal corporation since 1958. The City operates under a Home Rule Charter (the Charter) that was adopted in 1979. The Charter was most recently amended on May 15, 2023. The form of government established by the Charter is the Mayor/City Council plan. There is a Mayor and four City Council members, all of whom are elected at large. The City provides a full range of services, including police and fire protection, planning and zoning, streets and roads, parks and recreation, and a community center. Certain utilities are provided through Water, Sewer, Storm Water, and Street Light Funds that operate as departments of the City. The Economic Development Authority of the City is treated as a blended component unit of the City and is reported as a Special Revenue Fund. Fire protection is provided through the joint Spring Lake Park — Blaine — Mounds View Fire Department (the Fire Department). Only the City's contribution to the Fire Department is reported in these financial statements. The annual operating budget is the core of the City's financial planning. All departments and all funds are required to submit budget requests. The City adopts annual budgets for the General Fund and special revenue funds. The state of Minnesota requires local governments to meet certain processes and deadlines for consideration, public notification, and adoption of property tax levies. These requirements form the basis of the City's entire budget process. Additional details on the profile of the City can be found in Note 1 of the basic financial statements. Local Economic Condition and Outlook The City is over 90 percent developed with the majority of land having been developed as single-family housing. Since the City is primarily residential, many residents are employed in other parts of the metropolitan area. Interstate Highway 35W, U.S. Highway 10, and Mounds View Boulevard traverse the City, providing easy access routes for commuters and commercial traffic. Mounds View Boulevard was formerly County Road 10, which was formerly U.S. Highway 10, until a new freeway segment was constructed and took the name. The City had one new residential dwelling in 2023. This compares with one residential development of 120-unit senior housing in 2022. The City issued no new commercial building permits in 2023, compared with none in 2022. The City issued a total of 809 building permits in 2023, compared with 441 in 2022, at a total constructed value of $10,721,088, compared with $27,923,245 in 2022. The City anticipates modest residential development and no commercial development in 2024. It is unlikely at this time that the City will see a reduction in anticipated aid payments in the next state budget cycle. The City prepared the 2024 budget at 90 percent of certified state aid and thus a reduction, if any, will not have as adverse an impact on the City. The City has entered into tax abatement agreements for projects that, but for city assistance, would not have occurred. The benefit to the City is elimination of blighted and underutilized properties, job creation, and increased tax base in the future years.