Council approves sale of 0.025-acre basin strip to adjacent homeowner, records plat

Council approves sale of a small basin parcel to adjacent property owner Robert McFarland and approves related plat survey.

On Aug. 21 the Marion City Council approved Resolution No. 32,519 to sell a 0.025-acre portion of a public basin (described as Lot C, author’s Fifth Edition) to the adjacent property owner at 3470 Montgomery Circle, identified in the motion as Robert McFarland. The council also approved Resolution No. 32,520 approving Plat of Survey No. 2976 for the same property.

City planner Nicole presented slides showing the triangular parcel on the backside of the homeowner’s lot and said staff found that the small outer edge of the basin is flat and not being used to contain water during storm events. Nicole said the triangular notch had been included on earlier improvement plans but then was omitted in the final plat and incorporated into the public basin area. The city calculated the acquisition cost based on 100% assessed value and told the council the applicant had been informed of the price and wished to proceed.

“We do not have to go through the vacation process…because this is public property,” Nicole said, explaining why the sale is being handled as a sale rather than vacation of right-of-way.

Council asked for the parcel size; Nicole confirmed it was 0.025 acres. Council also asked whether the sale would affect basin function; Nicole replied it would not. Staff noted the applicant had been mowing and maintaining the triangle and proposed to incorporate it into his property.

The council approved both resolutions by a roll-call vote; recorded responses in the meeting indicated unanimous approval on the record.

The sale and approved plat will move forward under the city's standard sale and plat-recording procedures.

(Transcript excerpts used for provenance are listed below.)