County to pursue easement access to Perch Lake lots and correct historic easement transfer in Timothy Township

Tom from the Land Services Department briefed the Committee of the Whole on two separate county property items on Feb. 18: a proposed easement in the city of Baxter to provide access to county-owned Perch Lake lots, and an administrative correction to an older easement in Timothy Township.

On the Baxter parcels, Tom said Crow Wing County owns three lots on Perch Lake that currently lack practical public access because Grouse Drive is a private roadway and an outlot separates the county parcels from public access. He said staff have been negotiating with the private landowner (referred to in the meeting as the "novelist land company") about granting an easement that would allow county access and enable the county to divest the parcels.

Commissioners indicated support for pursuing the access easement and suggested placing the item on the consent agenda for the next county-board meeting. Tom said he would continue the process and bring formal action as needed.

Tom also described a separate case in Timothy Township involving an easement originally granted in February 2005 to Dan and Ann Steward. He said a later county action transferred the easement to a David Baston trust, but both the original grant and the later transfer named individuals rather than the parcel. Land Services staff have changed their process and now grant easements to the parcel; Baston's title company said the current wording prevents transfer of access on sale. Tom said the county will rework the existing easement so it runs with the property; he said any survey, legal and recording costs would be the responsibility of the applicant (Mr. Baston).

Commissioners confirmed they do not expect the county to incur staff or financial costs for either easement update; staff said new or complex easement requests normally require more staff time, but in these two cases the applicant will provide the updated documents and pay survey/recording costs. Tom said staff do not foresee negative operational impacts or effects on timber-management activities from reworking the Timothy Township easement.

Tom said the Baxter easement would be brought forward on consent at the next meeting and the Timothy Township correction would proceed under the applicant's responsibility for fees and recording.