Commissioners debate sale terms for St. Andrews parcels as buyers propose parking; staff to report further Oct. 7

The CRA board and city staff discussed the status of several city parcels in the St. Andrews area that were offered at auction, focusing on buyer plans for parking lots, improvement timelines and deed restrictions that allow the city to repurchase parcels if buyers do not complete agreed improvements.

Staff said one parcel—purchased by the buyers associated with the Los Indigitos restaurant operation—has documents set for an October closing and that other corner parcels have unresolved follow-up with buyers who bid at auction. Staff and commissioners recalled that auction terms included an option allowing repurchase at the same price paid by the buyer if the buyer fails to complete required improvements within an agreed period. The standard improvement window discussed in the workshop has been 36 months; several commissioners questioned whether that period is too long for parcels that would function as parking lots and proposed reducing the required improvement window to 12 or 24 months for surface parking proposals.

“Why 36 months on a piece of dirt that we know is gonna be a parking lot?” Commissioner Hughes asked. Commissioner Street said the auction’s original intent was to obtain vertical development on Beck Avenue; staff said many bidders instead indicated plans for parking to support nearby businesses, which prompted the board to clarify expectations and improvement timelines.

City staff and legal counsel explained that prior practice for such sales has included an option to repurchase the property at the purchase price if the buyer fails to complete promised improvements; staff said deed language and the repurchase option are modeled after prior agreements and that the city seeks to avoid ending up with unimproved gravel lots. Commissioners suggested standardizing sale documents and adding consistent improvement timelines and deed conditions so the city retains leverage if buyers delay improvements.

Staff and counsel said they will return to the board with a fuller report and recommended contract language at the next meeting (staff noted they can add the item to the Sept. 23 agenda or present an update Oct. 7).