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MINUTES OF THE REGULAR ORONO CITY COUNCIL <br />MEETING HELD ON JULY 8, 1996 <br />• (Engineer Report - Continued) <br />Jabbour said additional capacity would be required for any additional projects beyond <br />what is already in place. Jabbour said he would like to see a tandem process occur in <br />terms of review of sewer expansion alteratives. <br />CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT <br />( #10) SAGA HILL PARK LAND ACQUISITION <br />Callahan reviewed his understanding of the Saga Hill park land acquisition to date noting <br />a concern over several problems. Callahan noted there were two separate parcels of land <br />involved. The 9.5 acre tax forfeit parcel is for general park use. Callahan said the <br />general feeling is the land would be left as open space until such time as Council is of a <br />differing opinion. <br />Callahan stressed the need for an access easement to this 9.5 acre parcel. An offer for an <br />easement from the church has been received, but Callahan said he does not believe it <br />would serve the need for the land as it would be given with a restriction placed on the <br />usage of the land. If such usage would change, the easement could be withdrawn. He <br />noted the reasons for allowing an easement were too narrowly based. <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 />r-1 <br />LJ <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 constraint, 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 towards 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 />13 <br />