Roseville council hears neighborhood split over Aldine right-of-way; no vacation approved

Roseville — The City Council debated for more than two hours on Monday whether to vacate a 30-foot portion of Aldine Street right-of-way in southwest Roseville, ultimately declining to adopt a resolution that would have transferred the corridor to adjacent owners and leaving the status quo in place.

Council members and staff reopened the discussion after Public Works Director Pat Fryhhammer told the council that Ramsey County had confirmed the city does not own the west 20 feet of the corridor; the city’s interest is limited to the east 30 feet. Fryhhammer said staff also prepared a “mini feasibility report” that estimated construction of an improved pathway in the 30-foot corridor would likely affect a significant number of mature trees and cost “between $84,000 and about $177,000,” with additional costs possible for enhanced crossings or drainage treatments.

Why it matters: the corridor has served for decades as an informal footpath used by families walking to Brimhall Elementary and to nearby parks. Residents urged the council to preserve an informal, natural trail; adjacent property owners and others said vacation would allow them to clear invasive plants and better manage their yards. The council’s decision to take no action leaves multiple practical questions unsettled: who may legally use the informal path, what city maintenance (if any) will continue, and whether utilities that cross the corridor will be protected by easements.

Key fa…