Subdivision 1.A duty of chief administrative law judge.

The chief administrative law judge shall conduct proceedings, make determinations, and issue orders for the creation of a municipality, the combination of two or more governmental units, or the alteration of a municipal boundary.

Subd. 1a.Legislative findings.

The legislature finds that:(1) sound urban development and preservation of agricultural land and open spaces through land use planning is essential to the continued economic growth of this state;

(2) municipal government most efficiently provides governmental services in areas intensively developed for residential, commercial, industrial, and governmental purposes; and township government most efficiently provides governmental services in areas used or developed for agricultural, open space, and rural residential purposes;

(3) the public interest requires that municipalities be formed when there exists or will likely exist the necessary resources to provide for their economical and efficient operation;

(4) annexation to existing municipalities of unincorporated areas unable to supply municipal services should be facilitated; and

(5) joint resolutions for orderly annexation, consolidation of municipalities, mergers of towns and municipalities, long-range joint powers planning or other cooperative efforts among counties, cities, and towns should be encouraged.

Subd. 1b.Goals in promoting, regulating municipal development.

The chief administrative law judge may promote and regulate development of municipalities:(1) to provide for the extension of municipal government to areas which are developed or are in the process of being developed for intensive use for residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, and governmental purposes or are needed for such purposes; and

(2) to protect the stability of unincorporated areas which are used or developed for agricultural, open space, and rural residential purposes and are not presently needed for more intensive uses; and

(3) to protect the integrity of land use planning in municipalities and unincorporated areas so that the public interest in efficient local government will be properly recognized and served.

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/414/full#stat.414.041