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Council committee clears authorization to declare small triangular green at 25 Main Street surplus for commercial lease
Summary
The Finance Committee voted to recommend declaring Parcel B at 25 Main Street surplus so the city can lease the triangular seating area (Bullnose Park) for commercial use.
The Finance Committee voted Wednesday to recommend to full council that the small seating area in front of 25 Main Street — identified in the packet as Parcel B of the Bullnose Park triangle — be declared surplus and made available for a commercial lease with a minimum value of $10 per year.
Mayor Nicholson told the committee Parcel B is not a designated city park and therefore may be leased. "If you look at the map that's there, I want to stress that this is Parcel B, which is at the top of the triangle and not Parcel A, which is George Sweeney Parking Lot," the mayor said. He said a restaurant moving into 25 Main Street has expressed interest in using the space for outdoor seating and that pending lease negotiations would determine whether the city must issue an RFP. He added that, if the parcel is leased, the fountain installed there would be removed and relocated or repurposed to create space for outdoor seating.
Councilors asked about typical lease lengths, public access to nearby flower beds and protections if a tenant fails. The mayor said commercial leases in comparable cases average 20 years and that the city may grant leases up to 99 years by law, though 20 years is typical. He said the lease would preserve public access to the flagpole and the flower bed area and that lease language would allow termination if a tenant goes out of business (typically a 30- to 60-day termination provision).
A motion was made and seconded to recommend the measure to full council. The assistant clerk called the roll and returned affirmative votes from Councilor Verma, Councilor Hegland and Councilor Mack; the committee recommendation will go to full council for final authorization of the lease terms and execution.
Committee members said they set a modest $10 minimum so proposals could be evaluated; the mayor said the city typically sets a minimum and evaluates proposals to obtain the best financial outcome.
