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Supervisors discuss owner‑unknown river parcels, favor legal quiet‑title route for private parties
Summary
County staff described owner‑unknown parcels (some river‑created) and told supervisors private parties seeking the land should pursue quiet‑title actions; the board discussed tax‑sale publication requirements and deferred formal action pending further review.
County staff briefed the board on inquiries about owner‑unknown parcels, including land newly exposed by river shifts adjacent to the Skunk River. Staff explained two main pathways: (1) interested private parties could pursue quiet‑title actions with an attorney to establish ownership (faster for the requester but at their expense), or (2) the county could move the parcels to a tax sale — a slower process that would require public notices and might not result in the inquiring party acquiring the land.
Supervisors discussed legal and practical considerations: some parcels are effectively landlocked by adjacent owners, publication and notice requirements would add cost, and tax‑sale timing (June) affects whether a quiet‑title action during the same period could proceed cleanly. Speaker 6 recommended advising private claimants to pursue quiet title when feasible to avoid long county involvement, and the board agreed to reconsider the topic later rather than undertake immediate tax‑sale action.
Next steps: staff will monitor the specific inquiry, share existing file records, and revisit the question if private parties do not pursue quiet‑title actions.
