Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
McMinnville council directs staff to pursue sale of air easements near Ty Park, agrees on opt‑in fee policy
Summary
After hearing an appraisal that removing rear‑lot air easements could raise lot values roughly $40,000–$85,000 each, the council voted 6–0 to direct staff to pursue sale of city‑owned air easements affecting properties adjacent to Ty Park. Council agreed to an opt‑in release process with a fee model tied to a percentage of appraised gain and a five‑year appraisal validity window.
The City Attorney presented an appraisal and legal analysis showing recorded air easements over the rear 100‑foot strips behind lots adjacent to Ty Park limit buildability. David Lightenberg told council that, under city code, “once the air easement is removed, they would be considered buildable” and that the appraisal estimated increased market value per lot between roughly $40,000 and $85,000.
The long discussion that followed balanced homeowner equity, historic understandings at the time parcels were sold, and the city’s interest in funding and protecting Ty Park. Councilors raised several concerns: some homeowners had existing structures within the easement…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
