05-28-97 Council Workshop Minutes

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL AND PARKS & RECREATION MAY 2S, 1997 other than the money that would potentialiy be lost by not having it put on the market and collecting taxes annually. Sanders asked if it were acquired and a development proposal were to come in, would it be possible to turn it back to the developer. The Administrator replied that if they acquired the property under public use deed, the City would have to transfer the property back to the County and it would have to go through public auction before any development activity could occur. Pedersen asked what if the City wanted to acquire the property for other than public use. The Administrator replied that there would be a value placed on the property and it would be put up for public auction, which may in itself spur development. The City may have the opportunity to purchase the property for the arranged price prior to auction. He said that there were significant assessments on the property. Morelan asked if the City acquires the property for pubiic purposes, and eventually reverts it back to the County, wouid the back taxes and assessments be forgiven or would the developer have to absorb those costs. Scalze asked what would make a developer assume all of those assessments. The Administrator replied that the assessments are eliminated in the tax-forfeiture process. The County's costs would get paid off first, and then the assessments and back taxes, but the full amount would not be recovered. Scalze said that whether they keep the property or sell it, it looked like the assessments would not be recovered. The Administrator suggested possibly changing the zoning to maintain control over the property. Christensen asked what is meant by non-conservation land. The Administrator replied that it meant the property has value. Conservation land would be parks or wetland, or that the property is not marketable. The Administrator said that there used to be a house on part of the lot. Christensen asked if the wetland had to be preserved. The Administrator repiied that the regulations pertaining to wetlands would stili apply. Christensen asked if the small area in the north east corner of the property that went through tax forfeiture previously is still for sale. The Administrator said that he did not know if the County had tried to sell that piece yet. Johnson said that the Park Commission was unaware that the larger area would eventually be tax forfeited when they decided not to pick up that parcel. Scalze asked if they could acquire that small part also. The Administrator said that we could probably get the whole parcel from the County. Johnson said that she thought the residential area surrounding the property could benefit from a park area. Christensen said he thought that not many other residents would use the park, especially considering the proximity of Acorn Park. Morelan said he thought a neighborhood park would be good in that area, but he did not think that the City had to act on it until it is developed. The Director asked if the park land dedication ordinance would apply to this azea. The Administrator said that it would. The Director asked if the City acquired the land through tax-forfeiture, would they then be able to split the lot and revert part of it back to the County. The Administrator said he thought they could, but he was not sure how a subdivision of a use deed would be handled.