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r MINUTES OF THE REGULAR ORONO CITY COUNCIL <br />MEETING HELD ON JULY 8, 1996 <br />(#10 - Saga Hill Park Land Acquisition - Continued) <br />Callahan said a 20 ’ easement should be acquired on the Valek property. Council <br />members concurred Only a 10' easement is now available <br />Callahan continued that the 11 acre parcel is being purchased by the Minnesota Land <br />Trust, who would take title from the current owner, Midway Bank, but would be <br />dependent on the grant of $50,000 being obtained by the City from the DNR The grant <br />is conditioned on the land being maintained in its current state The Minnesota Land <br />Trust would like a conservation easement also placed on the land <br />Callahan noted that a rush decision was made in submitting the application as the deadline <br />for submission was the day following the approval given by the Council for the <br />application Because of this time conitramt. the application included information <br />supplied by the Saga Hill Group and Minnesota Land Trust, which was not consistent <br />with the beliefs of the City tow ards the land and surrounding vicinity. The application <br />submitted referred to the 9 5 acre parcel as being included with the 11 acre parcel with a <br />conservation easement to be placed over the entire 20 acres as a core area for a future 60 <br />acre park Callahan said the DNR has verbally agreed to the separation of the 9.5 acre <br />parcel from the grant <br />Callahan said if the 9 5 acre ta.x forfeit parcel was at some time used for other purposes <br />than general park use, the City would be required to forfeit the parcel back to the <br />County, who would resell the land The City could purchase the property and have no <br />restriction on it This scenario is not in the current plans but is ^ possibility in the future. <br />The Minnesota Land Trust is viewing the two parcels together Callahan said if the <br />agreement was made and use of the land changed, the DNR has the veto right. The DNR <br />could allow the City the change the use of the land if replacement land is found <br />elsewhere 1 he condition of the Minnesota Land Trust conservation easement would be <br />a separate agreement with another entity involved other than the DNR. The question is <br />unanswered as to what w ill occur if the conservation easement with the Minnesota Laud <br />Trust is not approved by the Council, if the Council does not agree to the conditions of <br />the DNR, the grant will not be received. <br />Moorse concurred with the above analysis <br />Callahan said the Council has already made the decision to take the 9.5 acre parcel with <br />an easement, which is a separate issue from the 1 1 acre parcel. The decision for the <br />Council is whether the DNR grant should be accepted with the amendment placed on it <br />excluding the 9.5 acre parcel. <br />Callahan said he believes it would be a mistake in regards to public policy to take land <br />that is tied up forever. Any changes would also involve modification by two other <br />agencies He noted it would not affect this Council's plans, but conditions could change.