06-10-1997 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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Glenn Willis 56 W. Little Canada Road Little Canada, MN 55117 June 05, 1997 City of Little Canada Attn: Joel Hanson City Manager Dear Joel: Thank you for your patience in attempting to work with us on the sale of our home in the City of Little Canada. My wife and I are reluctant to sell for a number of reasons. Firstly, we have come to enjoy our lot and home and have planned to live here raising our son at least through elementary school. Secondly, we have found that it is impossible to replace what we have here in terms of location, lot size, lake view and home size for less than $135,000. And thirdly, the home -based business which we operate would suffer significantly by any move: we clearly identify income over $9000 per year which comes from the fact that we live and work at this location. We understand from previous conversations that the City of Little Canada, while obviously interested in our parcel of land, does not view it as key to the redevelopment vision. Thus we do not feel that our decision not to accept the City's offer of $98,000 and to remain living in our home for the next ten years or so will significantly interfere with the community's progress. Further, with the understanding that we have from you and with your reassurance, we took great heart in the fact that the City will not be "taking" our home and land under an eminent domain action. Based on this understanding, and we would like this confirmed in writing from the City, we plan to continue with renovations to the home which we have put off for months pending this outcome. If the City of Little Canada should wish to consider discussions regarding the purchase of our home we would entertain such, but only if we could come to an agreement prior to June 30, based on the following: • We believe, based on the results of our Realtor's Market Analysis, that your appraised value of $98,000 is low by 5 to 7 %. This we believe to be true for two reasons: the appraisal did not take into account current market conditions which are quite favorable to sellers; the appraisal did not factor in the lake view or the value of our unusually wide lot. • The City's plan and proposed offer makes no allowance for the fact that we do not wish to move. • The City's offer makes no allowance for closing costs on the sale of our home, the purchase of a replacement home, or for moving expenses. Federal laws in cases where real property is "taken" stipulate that the owner of the property shall be fully reimbursed. • The City's offer makes no allowance for the fact that we stand to lose $9000 per year in profit from our home -based business. In consideration of the above and in fairness we believe that the City's offer could easily be adjusted upward in a minimum amount of $20,000. Please consider this letter and let us know by June 10, 1997 if we shall expect to receive from you a more reasonable offer or if we may now begin to plan for our future here at 56 W. Little Canada Road. Sincerely, Glenn Willis Page 55