County aid to municipalities

Currently, the following 18 communities in Hennepin County have less than 5,000 persons based on the 2020 census, and are thus eligible for CAM funds:

• Deephaven
• Excelsior
• Greenfield
• Greenwood
• Hanover
• Independence
• Long Lake
• Loretto
• Maple Plain
• Medicine Lake
• Minnetonka Beach
• Osseo
• Rockford
• St. Bonifacius
• Spring Park
• Tonka Bay
• Wayzata
• Woodland

Project qualifications

To be eligible projects must qualify under the following criteria:

• The project must reside at least in part within an eligible CAM town/city listed above.
• The proposed project must be located on or along a street identified on the approved CAM system map for that community.
• The improvements can include activities for items such as street, bridge, trail, or sidewalk construction.

The streets in the CAM system should provide an integrated and coordinated system affording a network consistent with local traffic demand, and should connect to state highway, county roads, other CAM streets or major points of interest (e.g. schools, parks, public buildings, etc.).

The CAM network should be spaced a reasonable intervals consistent with existing or projected land use. Cul-de-sacs and dead-end streets are not normally eligible for inclusion unless they serve a major point of interest.

Each municipality needs to review and update its CAM street system map annually, showing any additions or deletions to the CAM street system. Hennepin County then reviews and approves the proposed CAM system changes. Submittals for projects on streets not identified as part of the CAM system will not receive funding approval.

Step 1

Prior to construction or project initiation, proposed improvements on the CAM system should be submitted to the Hennepin County Transportation Department for initial approval of eligibility prior to construction. Submittals should include information on location, a project scope, and a cost estimate.

Step 2

Once the improvement is submitted, county staff will check project eligibility and status of any deficient bridges within the jurisdiction. County policy requires that a town or city must program for the repair or replacement of structurally deficient municipal bridges before funding will be approved for road or street projects. Municipalities are notified of any deficient bridges within their jurisdiction as part of the annual CAM allocation notice.

Step 3

The municipality is given written approval when the project is eligible for CAM reimbursement.

Step 4

After project completion, reimbursement requests can be submitted to the county using a form provided as a part of the annual information packet. The submission should include a final cost statement or invoice for the project.

Step 5

The county will verify the construction work and confirm that eligible project costs were incurred.

Step 6

Hennepin County will then process the payment request and reimburse the city. Reimbursement is limited to the lesser of the project cost or the accrued allocation.

Municipalities are allowed to accrue up to three years of annual CAM allocations. Under special circumstances, such as funding needs for upcoming, programmed projects or difficulties with scheduling, a one or two year extension can be requested by the city.