HB 2369 -- Informed Growth Act

Sponsor:  Roorda

This bill establishes the Informed Growth Act which requires a
comprehensive economic impact study to be completed as part of a
municipal reviewing authority's review of land use permit
applications for large-scale retail developments.  In its main
provisions, the bill:

(1)  Requires the study to be completed by someone other than the
applicant who is listed by the Department of Economic Development
as someone who is qualified to prepare the study;

(2)  Requires a permit applicant to pay a $40,000 fee to be
deposited into the newly created Comprehensive Economic Impact
Study Fund.  Upon appropriation, moneys in the fund will be used
to reimburse municipalities in an amount equal to the projected
costs of the study, the notice of public hearing, and related
municipal staff support.  The municipality must ensure that the
$40,000 fee will be sufficient to cover these costs.  Any portion
of the fee that is unexpended will be returned to the applicant;

(3)  Requires the study to be completed within four months of
filing the permit application and to be made available to the
authority, applicant, and public;

(4)  Requires the study to identify and estimate the economic
effects of the development on certain factors specified in the
bill including existing retail operations, employment, retail
wages and benefits, and municipal revenues generated;

(5)  Requires the authority to conduct a public hearing
presenting the study before the permit application is approved.
Requirements of the hearing notice are specified in the bill;

(6)  Specifies that the authority must issue a finding of undue
adverse impact or no undue adverse impact based on the study,
testimony received during the public hearing, and other presented
information.  The authority may only issue permits for
large-scale retail developments if it determines that there is
likely to be no undue adverse impact; and

(7)  Exempts municipalities that have adopted economic and
community impact review criteria and require a study of these
impacts as part of reviewing applications for large-scale retail
development land use permits from the act.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated October 15, 2008 at 3:12 pm