Council discusses sale of 10 acres; questions raised about 'usable' acreage and price
Loading...
Summary
Council and staff reviewed a letter of intent for a proposed 10‑acre sale at $30,000 per acre and debated buyer requests to pay only for 'usable' acres because of drainage ponds and power‑line right‑of‑ways; staff said the contract will be revised to clarify definitions.
Council and staff discussed a prospective sale of 10 acres of city-owned land after the city received a letter of intent. Staff said the council set a price of $30,000 per acre; the prospective buyer had proposed paying only for 'usable' acres, excluding areas occupied by drainage ponds, power-line corridors or right-of-way.
Council members pressed staff for clarity about what counts as 'usable' acreage and noted examples — a drainage pond with surrounding sidewalk and power lines on parts of the parcel — that could reduce the buyer’s calculable acreage. One council member said some parcels are not usable because they contain stormwater infrastructure or power lines and that the city should not simply let the buyer re-define acreage without council review.
Staff said they will prepare a revised purchase contract and return to the council with a clarified definition of usable acres and any necessary resolution amendments. The mayor and staff also noted there are 16 total acres in the larger site; 10 acres were proposed for sale while six acres would remain under other considerations.
