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1/16/2025 <br />24 <br />Decision-making, Findings <br />•Findings of Fact are critical to good decision-making. <br />•The Commission or Council should be able to state the reasons, based in the City’s land use <br />goals/policies, why a decision is being made, pro or con. <br />•Should be made at the time of the decision, in writing. <br />•Should be based on evidence presented to the public body – not some outside knowledge the Council or <br />Commission has. <br />•Solid findings protect the City from future litigation – a court will rarely overturn clear findings, and will <br />presume those facts. <br />•Staff’s practice will be to build findings into the resolution, but the Commission should add findings it <br />deems relevant. <br />“60-Day Rule” <br />•An administrative responsibility – from MN Stat 15.99 – to ensure <br />zoning decisions are made promptly, within 60 to 120 days. <br />•The date is from the date of complete application to the final <br />Council decision. <br />•The City has 15 days to determine whether a land use application is <br />“complete” for review. Once complete, the 60-day clock starts <br />ticking.