Commissioners approve cross-parking easement ahead of hospital property transfer to Saint Elizabeth

Dearborn County commissioners approved a cross-parking easement to govern shared use and maintenance of parking areas between county-owned apartment property and the county hospital parcel that is to be transferred to Saint Elizabeth.

County staff explained the parcel currently contains the hospital and an adjacent apartment building (formerly a community mental health facility) that is leased to the behavioral health provider for $1 per year under a long-term lease. The hospital property will be transferred to Saint Elizabeth, but the apartment parcel will remain with the county; the easement formalizes reciprocal use and maintenance responsibilities where parking lots are contiguous.

A county presenter said the cross-parking easement will be recorded after necessary platting and a joinder from Saint Elizabeth as successor owner. Commissioners approved the easement as presented; the record shows the motion carried by voice vote. County officials said each party will be responsible for maintenance of its parcel while allowing shared circulation across the lots.

Commissioners discussed logistics including creating a panhandle parcel for road access and following an existing easement corridor between the credit union and fire station. The county recorder and legal staff recommended the easement and the board directed that signatures and platting steps follow approval.

The board recorded Jim Batcher’s name as the president of the Board of Commissioners on the signature block before signing the document for filing.

The motion passed by voice vote; recording and platting steps were described as prerequisites to final recording of the easement.