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Council moves to initiate orderly annexation of Riverside Drive corridor after debate on obligations to residents
Summary
Staff recommended bringing unincorporated parcels on Riverside Drive into Brainerd to provide municipal utilities and resolve service islands; council members debated whether prior assurances had been given to property owners and whether forced annexation was appropriate. After extended discussion, council voted to begin the orderly annexation process and directed staff to work with the county on a joint resolution and community communication.
Brainerd City staff asked the council on July 7 to initiate an orderly annexation process for the Riverside Drive corridor, arguing that the area is best served by municipal utilities and that annexation will clean up isolated pockets of unincorporated land surrounded by city property.
City Engineer Jesse Dean explained staff selected the mapped territory where municipal utility service is already available or can be extended with limited costs. Council members raised concerns: some recalled a prior understanding that property owners would not be forcibly annexed unless…
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