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% <br />REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <br />4' ^ <br />Of> <br />DATE: June 19. 1996^'^Q <br />ITEM NO: / <br />X <br />'At> <br />Department Approval: <br />Name Ron Moorse <br />Title City Administrator <br />Item Description: <br />Saga Hill Park Land Acquisition <br />Admin^rator Reviewed:Agenda Section: <br />Administrator's Report <br />Backeround <br />Approximately 21 acres of land in the Saga Hill area (east of County Road 19 and north of <br />Tonkaview) have become available and affordable to the city due to various difficulties <br />encountered by previous owners/potential developers of the property. The 21 acres include a <br />nine plus acre parcel of tax forfeit property and 11 plus acres of property acquired by a bank <br />through a foreclosure. <br />The city is acquiring the nine acres of tax forfeit property at no cost. The city is working with <br />the Saga Hill area residents and the Minnesota Land Trust to acquire the 11.25 acres of property <br />through donations and a DNR grant. <br />The application for a $50,(XX) Scenic and Natural Area grant through the DNR was prepared <br />through a joint effort of the city, the Saga Hill residents, and the Minnesota Land Trust. The <br />purchase agreement with the owners of the 11.25 acres, Midway Bank, was developed with <br />assistance from the Minnesota Land Trust and is in the name of the Minnesota Land Trust. <br />Update <br />The Saga Hill group has been successful in obtaining a sufficient level of donations to fund the <br />portion of the land purchase cost not covered by the DNR grant. The application for the Natural <br />and Scenic Area grant in the amount of $50,CI00 was successful. <br />Funding <br />Because the DNR grant is not paid to the city until after the purchase is completed, the city will <br />need to provide interim funding of $50,(XX) until the grant funds are received. This amount can <br />be taken from the Park Dedication Fund and repaid upon receipt of the grant funds. <br />Conservation Easement <br />The purchase agreement for the 11.25 acres of property owned by Midway Bank is in the name <br />of the Minnesota Land Trust. The Land Trust is requesting that, as part of the Trust assigning <br />its interest in the property to the city, a conservation easement be placed on the property. <br />Because the purpose of the Land Trust is to preserve natural and open space, the conservation <br />easement would preserve the property from all development, except minor recreational uses such <br />as trails.