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• CHAPTER 15 XIX. Real estate acquisitions, sales, and other dispositions Minn.stat.§412.211. Statutory cities are authorized to acquire real and personal property within or See League research memo outside their corporate limits by purchase, gift, devise, condemnation, lease, Purchase and Sale of Real or otherwise.The law permitting the conveyance of tax-forfeited land to a Property(470a). city may also be used to acquire land for community development programs. Minn.stat.§412.211. Statutory cities are free to hold,manage, control, sell, convey, lease, or otherwise dispose of real and personal property as required by the city's interest. Minn.Stat.§465.035. With the council's authorization,no consideration is required when a city conveys land for the public use to another public corporation,any governmental subdivision, or the Minnesota Armory Building Commission. Minn stat §412.211. Special problems arise in conveying lands held in trust for some specified public purpose.Usually a statute or charter is necessary to enable a city to alienate lands it holds in trust and uses for a specific purpose. Headley v City of Northfield, For example, if a city has dedicated land for a public purpose, such as a park 227 Minn.458,35 N.W.2d 606 or square, the city corporation holds the property in trust for the public and (1949). has no power to divert the lands from the uses and purposes of its original Kronshnabel v.City of St.Paul, dedication. The land can be used only for the purposes for which it is 272 Minn.256,137 N W.2d 200 dedicated and cannot be sold. (1965). City of Zumbrota v.Stafford Western Emigration Co.,290 N.W.2d 621(Minn.1980) McQuillin,Municipal Corporations§28.38. Ag.Op.460-A-15(Nov.20, Thus, it is important for cities to examine the specific language of a deed that 1969). restricts the purposes of the land to determine if the deed created a trust. If a trust is created and the city sells the land,the buyer's ownership interest will terminate if the land ceases to be used for the purpose identified in the deed. Minn.Stat.§541.023. A city's power to convey land that is limited to a particular purpose is a Minn.Scat.§500.20. complicated legal consideration. The council should seek the advice of its city attorney prior to authorizing any sale or disposition of the property. Witchelman v.Messner,250 Minn.88,83 N.W.2d 800 (1957). Witzig v.Phillips,274 Minn. 406,144 N.W.2d 266(1966). • IHANDBOOK FOR MINNESOTA CITIES 15-39 This chapter last revised 12/15/2004