Subdivision 1. Tax increment financing plan. (a) A tax increment financing plan shall contain:

(1) a statement of objectives of an authority for the improvement of a project;

(2) a statement as to the property within the project, if any, that the authority intends to acquire, identified by parcel number, identifiable property name, block, or other appropriate means indicating the area in which the authority intends to acquire properties;

(3) a list of any development activities that the plan proposes to take place within the project, for which the authority has entered into an agreement or designated a developer including the names of the parties or designated developer, the activity governed by the agreement or designation, and the expected date of completion of that activity;

(4) identification or description of the type of any other specific development reasonably expected to take place within the district, and the date when the development is likely to occur;

(5) estimates of the following:

(i) the cost of the project, including administrative expenses, and interest as a financing cost, which will be paid or financed with tax increments from the district, but not to exceed the estimated tax increment generated by the development activity;

(ii) the amount of bonds to be issued;

(iii) the original net tax capacity of taxable real property within the tax increment financing district and within any subdistrict;

(iv) the estimated captured net tax capacity of the tax increment financing district at completion; and

(v) the duration of the tax increment financing district's and any subdistrict's existence;

(6) statements of the authority's alternate estimates of the impact of tax increment financing on the net tax capacities of all taxing jurisdictions in which the tax increment financing district is located in whole or in part. For purposes of one statement, the authority shall assume that the estimated captured net tax capacity would be available to the taxing jurisdictions without creation of the district, and for purposes of the second statement, the authority shall assume that none of the estimated captured net tax capacity would be available to the taxing jurisdictions without creation of the district or subdistrict;

(7) identification and description of studies and analyses used to make the determination set forth in subdivision 3, clause (2); and

(8) identification of all parcels to be included in the district or any subdistrict.

(b) The authority may specify in the tax increment financing plan the first year in which it elects to receive increment, up to four years following the year of approval of the district. This paragraph does not apply to an economic development district.

Subd. 1a. Inclusion of county road costs. (a) The county board may require the authority to pay all or a portion of the cost of county road improvements out of increment revenues, if the following conditions occur:

(1) the proposed tax increment financing plan or an amendment to the plan contemplates construction of a development that will, in the judgment of the county, substantially increase the use of county roads requiring construction of road improvements or other road costs; and

(2) the road improvements or other road costs are not scheduled for construction within five years under the county capital improvement plan or within five years under another formally adopted county plan, and in the opinion of the county, would not reasonably be expected to be needed within the reasonably foreseeable future if the tax increment financing plan were not implemented.

(b) If the county elects to use increments to finance the road improvements, the county must notify the authority and municipality within 45 days after receipt of the proposed tax increment financing plan under subdivision 2. The notice must include the estimated cost of the road improvements and schedule for construction and payment of the cost. The authority must include the improvements in the tax increment financing plan. The improvements may be financed with the proceeds of tax increment bonds or the authority and the county may agree that the county will finance the improvements with county funds to be repaid in installments, with or without interest, out of increment revenues. If the cost of the road improvements and other project costs exceed the projected amount of the increment revenues, the county and authority shall negotiate an agreement, modifying the development plan or proposed road improvements that will permit financing of the costs before the tax increment financing plan may be approved.

Subd. 2. Consultations; comment and filing. (a) Before formation of a tax increment financing district, the authority shall provide the county auditor and clerk of the school board with the proposed tax increment financing plan for the district and the authority's estimate of the fiscal and economic implications of the proposed tax increment financing district. The authority must provide the proposed tax increment financing plan and the information on the fiscal and economic implications of the plan to the county auditor and the clerk of the school district board at least 30 days before the public hearing required by subdivision 3. The information on the fiscal and economic implications may be included in or as part of the tax increment financing plan. The county auditor and clerk of the school board shall provide copies to the members of the boards, as directed by their respective boards. The 30-day requirement is waived if the boards of the county and school district submit written comments on the proposal and any modification of the proposal to the authority after receipt of the information.

(b) For purposes of this subdivision, "fiscal and economic implications of the proposed tax increment financing district" includes:

(1) an estimate of the total amount of tax increment that will be generated over the life of the district;

(2) a description of the probable impact of the district on city-provided services such as police and fire protection, public infrastructure, and the impact of any general obligation tax increment bonds attributable to the district upon the ability to issue other debt for general fund purposes;

(3) the estimated amount of tax increments over the life of the district that would be attributable to school district levies, assuming the school district's share of the total local tax rate for all taxing jurisdictions remained the same;

(4) the estimated amount of tax increments over the life of the district that would be attributable to county levies, assuming the county's share of the total local tax rate for all taxing jurisdictions remained the same; and

(5) additional information regarding the size, timing, or type of development in the district requested by the county or the school district that would enable it to determine additional costs that will accrue to it due to the development proposed for the district. If a county or school district has not adopted standard questions in a written policy on information requested for fiscal and economic implications, a county or school district must request additional information no later than 15 days after receipt of the tax increment financing plan and the request does not require an additional 30 days of notice before the public hearing.

Subd. 2a. Housing districts; redevelopment districts. In the case of a proposed housing district or redevelopment district, in addition to the requirements of subdivision 2, at least 30 days before the publication of the notice for public hearing under subdivision 3, the authority shall deliver written notice of the proposed district to each county commissioner who represents part of the area proposed to be included in the district. The notice must contain a general description of the boundaries of the proposed district and the proposed activities to be financed by the district, an offer by the authority to meet and discuss the proposed district with the county commissioner, and a solicitation of the commissioner's comments with respect to the district. The commissioner may waive the 30-day requirement by submitting written comments on the proposal and any modification of the proposal to the authority after receipt of the information.

Subd. 2b. [Repealed, 2014 c 308 art 9 s 94]

Subd. 3. Municipality approval. (a) A county auditor shall not certify the original net tax capacity of a tax increment financing district until the tax increment financing plan proposed for that district has been approved by the municipality in which the district is located. If an authority that proposes to establish a tax increment financing district and the municipality are not the same, the authority shall apply to the municipality in which the district is proposed to be located and shall obtain the approval of its tax increment financing plan by the municipality before the authority may use tax increment financing. The municipality shall approve the tax increment financing plan only after a public hearing thereon after published notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality at least once not less than ten days nor more than 30 days prior to the date of the hearing. The published notice must include a map of the area of the district from which increments may be collected and, if the project area includes additional area, a map of the project area in which the increments may be expended. The hearing may be held before or after the approval or creation of the project or it may be held in conjunction with a hearing to approve the project.

(b) Before or at the time of approval of the tax increment financing plan, the municipality shall make the following findings, and shall set forth in writing the reasons and supporting facts for each determination:

(1) that the proposed tax increment financing district is a redevelopment district, a renewal or renovation district, a housing district, a soils condition district, or an economic development district; if the proposed district is a redevelopment district or a renewal or renovation district, the reasons and supporting facts for the determination that the district meets the criteria of section 469.174, subdivision 10, paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (2), or subdivision 10a, must be documented in writing and retained and made available to the public by the authority until the district has been terminated;

(2) that, in the opinion of the municipality:

(i) the proposed development or redevelopment would not reasonably be expected to occur solely through private investment within the reasonably foreseeable future; and

(ii) the increased market value of the site that could reasonably be expected to occur without the use of tax increment financing would be less than the increase in the market value estimated to result from the proposed development after subtracting the present value of the projected tax increments for the maximum duration of the district permitted by the plan. The requirements of this item do not apply if the district is a housing district;

(3) that the tax increment financing plan conforms to the general plan for the development or redevelopment of the municipality as a whole;

(4) that the tax increment financing plan will afford maximum opportunity, consistent with the sound needs of the municipality as a whole, for the development or redevelopment of the project by private enterprise;

(5) that the municipality elects the method of tax increment computation set forth in section 469.177, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), if applicable.

(c) When the municipality and the authority are not the same, the municipality shall approve or disapprove the tax increment financing plan within 60 days of submission by the authority. When the municipality and the authority are not the same, the municipality may not amend or modify a tax increment financing plan except as proposed by the authority pursuant to subdivision 4. Once approved, the determination of the authority to undertake the project through the use of tax increment financing and the resolution of the governing body shall be conclusive of the findings therein and of the public need for the financing.

(d) For a district that is subject to the requirements of paragraph (b), clause (2), item (ii), the municipality's statement of reasons and supporting facts must include all of the following:

(1) an estimate of the amount by which the market value of the site will increase without the use of tax increment financing;

(2) an estimate of the increase in the market value that will result from the development or redevelopment to be assisted with tax increment financing; and

(3) the present value of the projected tax increments for the maximum duration of the district permitted by the tax increment financing plan.

(e) For purposes of this subdivision, "site" means the parcels on which the development or redevelopment to be assisted with tax increment financing will be located.

(f) Before or at the time of approval of the tax increment financing plan for a district to be used to fund a workforce housing project under section 469.176, subdivision 4c, paragraph (d), the municipality shall make the following findings and set forth in writing the reasons and supporting facts for each determination:

(1) the city is located outside of the metropolitan area, as defined in section 473.121, subdivision 2;

(2) the average vacancy rate for rental housing located in the municipality and in any statutory or home rule charter city located within 15 miles or less of the boundaries of the municipality has been three percent or less for at least the immediately preceding two-year period;

(3) at least one business located in the municipality or within 15 miles of the municipality that employs a minimum of 20 full-time equivalent employees in aggregate has provided a written statement to the municipality indicating that the lack of available rental housing has impeded the ability of the business to recruit and hire employees; and

(4) the municipality and the development authority intend to use increments from the district for the development of rental housing to serve employees of businesses located in the municipality or surrounding area.

(g) The county auditor may not certify the original tax capacity of an economic development tax increment financing district for a workforce housing project if the request for certification is made after June 30, 2027.

Subd. 4. Modification of plan. (a) A tax increment financing plan may be modified by an authority.

(b) The authority may make the following modifications only upon the notice and after the discussion, public hearing, and findings required for approval of the original plan:

(1) any reduction or enlargement of geographic area of the project or tax increment financing district that does not meet the requirements of paragraph (e);

(2) increase in amount of bonded indebtedness to be incurred;

(3) a determination to capitalize interest on the debt if that determination was not a part of the original plan;

(4) increase in the portion of the captured net tax capacity to be retained by the authority;

(5) increase in the estimate of the cost of the project, including administrative expenses, that will be paid or financed with tax increment from the district; or

(6) designation of additional property to be acquired by the authority.

(c) If an authority changes the type of district to another type of district, this change is not a modification but requires the authority to follow the procedure set forth in sections 469.174 to 469.179 for adoption of a new plan, including certification of the net tax capacity of the district by the county auditor.

(d) If a redevelopment district or a renewal and renovation district is enlarged, the reasons and supporting facts for the determination that the addition to the district meets the criteria of section 469.174, subdivision 10, paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (2), or subdivision 10a, must be documented.

(e) The requirements of paragraph (b) do not apply if (1) the only modification is elimination of parcels from the project or district and (2)(A) the current net tax capacity of the parcels eliminated from the district equals or exceeds the net tax capacity of those parcels in the district's original net tax capacity or (B) the authority agrees that, notwithstanding section 469.177, subdivision 1, the original net tax capacity will be reduced by no more than the current net tax capacity of the parcels eliminated from the district. The authority must notify the county auditor of any modification that reduces or enlarges the geographic area of a district or a project area.

(f) The geographic area of a tax increment financing district may be reduced, but shall not be enlarged after five years following the date of certification of the original net tax capacity by the county auditor or after August 1, 1984, for tax increment financing districts authorized prior to August 1, 1979.

Subd. 4a. Filing plan with state. (a) The authority must file a copy of the tax increment financing plan and amendments to the plan with the commissioner of revenue and the state auditor. The authority must also file a copy of the development plan or the project plan for the project area with the commissioner of revenue and the state auditor.

(b) Filing under this subdivision must be made within 60 days after the latest of:

(1) the filing of the request for certification of the district;

(2) approval of the plan by the municipality; or

(3) adoption of the plan by the authority.

Subd. 5. Annual disclosure. An annual statement showing for each district the information required to be reported under subdivision 6, paragraph (c), clauses (1), (2), (3), (11), (12), (18), and (19); the amounts of tax increment received and expended in the reporting period; and any additional information the authority deems necessary must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality that approved the tax increment financing plan. The annual statement must inform readers that additional information regarding each district may be obtained from the authority, and must explain how the additional information may be requested. The authority must publish the annual statement for a year no later than August 15 of the next year. The authority must identify the newspaper of general circulation in the municipality to which the annual statement has been or will be submitted for publication and provide a copy of the annual statement to the county board, the county auditor, the state auditor, and, if the authority is other than the municipality, the governing body of the municipality on or before August 1 of the year in which the statement must be published.

The disclosure requirements imposed by this subdivision apply to districts certified before, on, or after August 1, 1979.

Subd. 6. Annual financial reporting. (a) The state auditor shall develop a uniform system of accounting and financial reporting for tax increment financing districts. The system of accounting and financial reporting shall, as nearly as possible:

(1) provide for full disclosure of the sources and uses of tax increments of the district;

(2) permit comparison and reconciliation with the affected local government's accounts and financial reports;

(3) permit auditing of the funds expended on behalf of a district, including a single district that is part of a multidistrict project or that is funded in part or whole through the use of a development account funded with tax increments from other districts or with other public money;

(4) be consistent with generally accepted accounting principles.

(b) The authority must annually submit to the state auditor a financial report in compliance with paragraph (a). Copies of the report must also be provided to the county auditor and to the governing body of the municipality, if the authority is not the municipality. To the extent necessary to permit compliance with the requirement of financial reporting, the county and any other appropriate local government unit or private entity must provide the necessary records or information to the authority or the state auditor as provided by the system of accounting and financial reporting developed pursuant to paragraph (a). The authority must submit the annual report for a year on or before August 1 of the next year.

(c) The annual financial report must also include the following items:

(1) the original net tax capacity of the district and any subdistrict under section 469.177, subdivision 1;

(2) the net tax capacity for the reporting period of the district and any subdistrict;

(3) the captured net tax capacity of the district;

(4) any fiscal disparity deduction from the captured net tax capacity under section 469.177, subdivision 3;

(5) the captured net tax capacity retained for tax increment financing under section 469.177, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (1);

(6) any captured net tax capacity distributed among affected taxing districts under section 469.177, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (2);

(7) the type of district;

(8) the date the municipality approved the tax increment financing plan and the date of approval of any modification of the tax increment financing plan, the approval of which requires notice, discussion, a public hearing, and findings under subdivision 4, paragraph (a);

(9) the date the authority first requested certification of the original net tax capacity of the district and the date of the request for certification regarding any parcel added to the district;

(10) the date the county auditor first certified the original net tax capacity of the district and the date of certification of the original net tax capacity of any parcel added to the district;

(11) the month and year in which the authority has received or anticipates it will receive the first increment from the district;

(12) the date the district must be decertified;

(13) for the reporting period and prior years of the district, the actual amount received from, at least, the following categories:

(i) tax increments paid by the captured net tax capacity retained for tax increment financing under section 469.177, subdivision 2, paragraph (a), clause (1), but excluding any excess taxes;

(ii) tax increments that are interest or other investment earnings on or from tax increments;

(iii) tax increments that are proceeds from the sale or lease of property, tangible or intangible, purchased by the authority with tax increments;

(iv) tax increments that are repayments of loans or other advances made by the authority with tax increments;

(v) bond proceeds; and

(vi) the agricultural homestead market value credit paid to the authority under section 273.1384;

(14) for the reporting period and for the prior years of the district, the actual amount expended for, at least, the following categories:

(i) acquisition of land and buildings through condemnation or purchase;

(ii) site improvements or preparation costs;

(iii) installation of public utilities, parking facilities, streets, roads, sidewalks, or other similar public improvements;

(iv) administrative costs, including the allocated cost of the authority; and

(v) for housing districts, construction of affordable housing;

(15) the amount of any payments for activities and improvements located outside of the district that are paid for or financed with tax increments;

(16) the amount of payments of principal and interest that are made during the reporting period on any nondefeased:

(i) general obligation tax increment financing bonds; and

(ii) other tax increment financing bonds, including pay-as-you-go contracts and notes;

(17) the principal amount, at the end of the reporting period, of any nondefeased:

(i) general obligation tax increment financing bonds; and

(ii) other tax increment financing bonds, including pay-as-you-go contracts and notes;

(18) the amount of principal and interest payments that are due for the current calendar year on any nondefeased:

(i) general obligation tax increment financing bonds; and

(ii) other tax increment financing bonds, including pay-as-you-go contracts and notes;

(19) if the fiscal disparities contribution under chapter 276A or 473F for the district is computed under section 469.177, subdivision 3, paragraph (a), the amount of total increased property taxes to be paid from outside the tax increment financing district; and

(20) any additional information the state auditor may require.

(d) The reporting requirements imposed by this subdivision apply to districts certified before, on, and after August 1, 1979.

Subd. 6a. [Repealed, 2000 c 490 art 11 s 44]

Subd. 6b. Duration of disclosure and reporting requirements. The disclosure and reporting requirements imposed by subdivisions 5 and 6 apply with respect to a tax increment financing district beginning with the annual disclosure and reports for the year in which the original net tax capacity of the district was certified and ending with the annual disclosure and reports for the year in which both of the following events have occurred:

(1) decertification of the district; and

(2) expenditure or return to the county auditor of all remaining revenues derived from tax increments paid by properties in the district.

Subd. 7. Creation of hazardous substance subdistrict; response actions. (a) An authority which is creating or has created a tax increment financing district may establish within the district a hazardous substance subdistrict upon the notice and after the discussion, public hearing, and findings required for approval of or modification to the original plan. The geographic area of the subdistrict is made up of any parcels in the district designated for inclusion by the municipality or authority that are designated hazardous substance sites, and any additional parcels in the district designated for inclusion that are contiguous to the hazardous substance sites, including parcels that are contiguous to the site except for the interposition of a right-of-way. Before or at the time of approval of the tax increment financing plan or plan modification providing for the creation of the hazardous substance subdistrict, the authority must make the findings under paragraphs (b) to (d), and set forth in writing the reasons and supporting facts for each.

(b) Development or redevelopment of the site, in the opinion of the authority, would not reasonably be expected to occur solely through private investment and tax increment otherwise available, and therefore the hazardous substance district is deemed necessary.

(c) Other parcels that are not designated hazardous substance sites are expected to be developed together with a designated hazardous substance site.

(d) The subdistrict is not larger than, and the period of time during which increments are elected to be received is not longer than, that which is necessary in the opinion of the authority to provide for the additional costs due to the designated hazardous substance site.

(e) Upon request by an authority that has incurred expenses for removal or remedial actions to implement a development response action plan, the attorney general may:

(1) bring a civil action on behalf of the authority to recover the expenses, including administrative costs and litigation expenses, under section 115B.04 or other law; or

(2) assist the authority in bringing an action as described in clause (1), by providing legal and technical advice, intervening in the action, or other appropriate assistance.

The decision to participate in any action to recover expenses is at the discretion of the attorney general.

(f) If the attorney general brings an action as provided in paragraph (e), clause (1), the authority shall certify its reasonable and necessary expenses incurred to implement the development response action plan and shall cooperate with the attorney general as required to effectively pursue the action. The certification by the authority is prima facie evidence that the expenses are reasonable and necessary. The attorney general may deduct litigation expenses incurred by the attorney general from any amounts recovered in an action brought under paragraph (e), clause (1). The authority shall reimburse the attorney general for litigation expenses not recovered in an action under paragraph (e), clause (1), but only from the additional tax increment required to be used as described in section 469.176, subdivision 4e. The authority must reimburse the attorney general for litigation expenses incurred to assist in bringing an action under paragraph (e), clause (2), but only from amounts recovered by the authority in an action or, if the amounts are insufficient, from the additional tax increment required to be used as described in section 469.176, subdivision 4e. All money recovered or paid to the attorney general for litigation expenses under this paragraph shall be paid to the general fund of the state for deposit to the account of the attorney general. For the purposes of this section, "litigation expenses" means attorney fees and costs of discovery and other preparation for litigation.

(g) The authority shall reimburse the Pollution Control Agency for its administrative expenses incurred to review and approve a development action response plan. The authority must reimburse the Pollution Control Agency for expenses incurred for any services rendered to the attorney general to support the attorney general in actions brought or assistance provided under paragraph (e), but only from amounts recovered by the authority in an action brought under paragraph (e) or from the additional tax increment required to be used as described in section 469.176, subdivision 4e. All money paid to the Pollution Control Agency under this paragraph shall be deposited in the remediation fund.

(h) Actions taken by an authority consistent with a development response action plan are deemed to be authorized response actions for the purpose of section 115B.17, subdivision 12. An authority that takes actions consistent with a development response action plan qualifies for the defenses available under sections 115B.04, subdivision 11, and 115B.05, subdivision 9.

(i) All money recovered by an authority in an action brought under paragraph (e) in excess of the amounts paid to the attorney general and the Pollution Control Agency must be treated as excess increments and be distributed as provided in section 469.176, subdivision 2, clause (4), to the extent the removal and remedial actions were initially financed with increment revenues.

Subd. 7a. [Repealed, 1995 c 264 art 5 s 48]

Subd. 8. Payment of debt service on credit enhanced bonds. A tax increment financing plan may provide for the use of the tax increment to pay, or secure payment of, debt service on credit enhanced bonds issued to finance any project located within the boundaries of the municipality, whether or not the tax increment financing district from which the increment is derived is located within the boundaries of the project.

History: 1987 c 291 s 176; 1987 c 312 art 1 s 26 subd 2; 1988 c 719 art 5 s 84; art 12 s 9-14; 1989 c 277 art 2 s 63; 1989 c 329 art 13 s 20; 1989 c 335 art 1 s 246,247; 1Sp1989 c 1 art 14 s 6-8; 1990 c 604 art 7 s 10-14; 1993 c 375 art 3 s 43; art 14 s 7-9; 1995 c 264 art 5 s 17-21; 1996 c 471 art 7 s 11-13; art 11 s 14; 1997 c 231 art 10 s 5; 1998 c 389 art 11 s 2-5; 1999 c 248 s 20; 2000 c 490 art 11 s 19-24; 1Sp2001 c 5 art 15 s 7-9; 2003 c 127 art 10 s 6-9; 2003 c 128 art 2 s 45; 2005 c 152 art 2 s 7-11; 2006 c 259 art 10 s 1-3; 2008 c 154 art 9 s 4,5; 2009 c 88 art 5 s 4,5; 2009 c 101 art 2 s 90,91; 2010 c 216 s 28; 2014 c 275 art 1 s 113; 1Sp2017 c 1 art 6 s 2