Rawlins staff compiles inventory of 26 city-owned vacant properties; council asks for top-five list, lien checks

Community Development Director Lou Lascano told the Rawlins City Council at a Sept. 2 workshop that staff had compiled an inventory of the city’s vacant properties and identified roughly 26 parcels, ranging from downtown lots to 50.014 acres near the recreation center.

"We've been compiling the information on the vacant properties that we do have in the city," Lascano said as he walked council through maps and photographs. He described the largest parcel as about 50.014 acres by the recreation center and landing strip and raised options including residential, multifamily or senior living, but cautioned that utilities are not currently on that tract and developers would need to connect off Harshman Street.

Councilors spent the session asking detailed questions about specific parcels, leases and liabilities. Council member Patterson asked about 1115 North Higley — the former Come-N-Go property — and whether Maverik would break its lease; Lascano said Maverik had a lease through the end of next year, Dec. 31, and "if they get somebody that's interested in talking to them, they'd be willing to walk away from that." City staff said an appraisal had been completed and that any purchaser would inherit responsibility for monitoring and potential underground tank cleanup.

Why it matters: the inventory covers downtown commercial parcels, former trailer-court sites, Antelope Flats near Rochelle Ranch Road and properties adjacent to the fairgrounds; several sites will require zoning changes, drainage or utility work before redevelopment. The council emphasized that the city is not in the real estate business and asked staff to produce clear packets for potential buyers so offers are informed.

Most important direction: council members coalesced around a near-term course of action instead of immediate sales. Staff were asked to select five priority parcels to evaluate further, run title and lien searches, obtain or confirm appraisals, and prepare a concise checklist for each lot showing access, water, sewer, utilities and known encumbrances. "I think taking five values or properties and starting with those and getting them through the lien investigation process would be a very good start," a council member said near the end of the workshop.

Supporting details and constraints - Inventory size and examples: Lascano presented about 26 city-owned parcels, including a 50.014-acre tract near the rec center, downtown Commercial C-2 parcels (e.g., the Uptown Hotel site on Spruce Street), 6,000–7,000 sq. ft. downtown parking lots, several lots on State and Perkin Streets, Antelope Flats, and 6.5 acres near the sewer shop by the underpass. - Utilities and development readiness: The large tract near the recreation center "has no utilities on that property," Lascano said; nearest water and sewer tie-in points were identified at Harshman and Murray streets for some sites. Staff repeated that some lots have sewer/water already and others would require tie-ins or infrastructure investment. - Leases and environmental monitoring: The Come-N-Go property at 1115 North Higley has an active lease to Maverik through Dec. 31 of the following year; Maverik had been maintaining required DEQ monitoring and insurance for an underground tank. City staff said the DEQ monitoring/insurance is nominal ("like $200 or $250 a year") while the city would assume responsibility if the lease ends. - Encumbrances and due diligence costs: Councilors urged title searches to reveal IRS, medical or other liens before any sale; staff estimated title searches run about $250 each and noted appraisals would be required under state statutory process for disposing of municipal property. - Zoning and spot zoning concerns: Several parcels cross existing zone boundaries (industrial, residential-mobile-home, R7.5, C-1/C-2 downtown). Lascano and councilors repeatedly cautioned against "spot zoning" and said some sites will need formal rezones before new uses are permitted. - Liability and public access: Council members discussed public safety and liability concerns for the Lawrence property, which currently contains derelict vehicles and scrap; staff indicated a scrapping bid would be brought to the council for action at a future meeting rather than opening the site to the public.

What council asked staff to do next - Produce a prioritized "top five" list of properties for immediate action (value work, title/lien searches and marketability assessment). - For each top-five parcel, provide a one-page packet showing zoning, easements, water/sewer availability, known liens or environmental monitoring requirements, appraisal status and a recommended disposition path (sale, redevelopment, hold, or city use). - Run title and lien searches and report findings back to council, including any liens that materially affect marketability. - Prepare an example buyer checklist (utilities present/tap status, measured parcel, alley and easement limits) to reduce later surprises.

Context and background Lascano said much of the base mapping came from the County assessor's website and from earlier conversations with developers (including prior interest from tiny-home developers and a Chicago-based developer who toured sites). Some parcels were conveyed from the county or were forfeited rather than retained through a lien sale; a handful were conveyed to the city in exchange for public works (for example, Saint Joseph's parcels previously conveyed in return for paving). Lascano and councilors noted prior discussions dating as far back as 2013 about using some parcels for low-income or multifamily housing.

Quotations (selected) "We've been compiling the information on the vacant properties that we do have in the city," Community Development Director Lou Lascano. "If they get somebody that's interested in talking to them, they'd be willing to walk away from that," Council member Patterson on Maverik's lease at 1115 North Higley. "There is a statutory process that sets forth the appraisal process and all of those types of factors," Attorney Mayberry said when asked whether the city must obtain appraisals before selling city land.

Ending Councilors did not vote on any disposition at the workshop. Instead they directed staff to return with the prioritized list, title/lien search results and standardized buyer packets so the council can consider formal actions at a future meeting; staff said a follow-up report will include the requested appraisals, encumbrance details and rezoning recommendations where applicable.