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STAFF REPORT <br />DATE: 4/7/26 <br />CONSENT <br />TO: Mayor and Councilmembers <br />FROM: Clark Schroeder- Special projects manager <br />AGENDA ITEM: Approve 76 acre farm lease- future parkland <br />CORE STRATEGIES: <br />☐ Vibrant, inclusive, connected community <br />☐ Responsive, transparent, adaptive governance <br />☐ Managed Growth <br />☐ Efficient, reliable, innovative services <br />☒ Balanced Finances now and future <br />☐ Resilient Infrastructure <br />BACKGROUND: <br />In January of 2025 council approved the purchase of 76 acres just south of Sunfish lake park for a future sports <br />complex/city park. In the negotiation with the property owners at the time, they asked us to lease the land to <br />the farmer currently farming the land. This farmer, David See, currently has a 5 year lease on our (3M) property. <br />It makes sense to continue to lease the 76 acres to him as well. <br />ISSUE BEFORE COUNCIL: <br />Should council approve a 5 year lease with David See for the 76 acres future sports complex property? <br />PROPOSAL DETAILS/ANALYSIS: <br />Like the 3M property, the timing of development of the 76 acre park is unknown at this time. It is in the interest <br />of the farmer to lease the property to improve the soil condition with different products to improve plant <br />health. This expanses application does not make sense in a year-to-year lease, so just as the 3M 5 year lease <br />staff are recommending a 5 year lease for this property. In the lease, we built in terms of access for things such <br />as soil testing, surveying and other analysis. If the council were to develop this property and take it out of <br />production, we could terminate the lease early. If we did mass grading while crops were on the property, we <br />would have to reimburse Mr. See. The City Attorney has reviewed this lease and ensured the city is protected <br />from various claims of the leaser in case of termination. As is the case in the 3M property, the poor soil <br />condition need work and as such Mr. See is requesting a decrease from last year’s payments from $12,590 to <br />$11,752 per year. This will be spread out in two payments. One in April and the other in the fall.