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Milford council and park board extend deadline to secure Calkins Park easement
Summary
The Milford City Council and Park Board unanimously extended the deadline to secure an easement for Calkins Park to Jan. 1, 2027 and authorized staff to gather easement information and coordinate with Brew Oil; ownership rests with lot owners in the original plat, so an easement must be secured before a quitclaim deed can be sought.
The Milford City Council and the Milford Park Board on May 4 unanimously extended the deadline to secure an easement for Calkins Park to Jan. 1, 2027 and authorized staff to gather easement information and coordinate with Brew Oil.
Mayor Bob Clark recused himself from the discussion because of a conflict of interest; Mayor Pro‑Tem Shane Hoffman presided during the item. City Attorney Dave Stein told the joint meeting that Calkins Park was originally dedicated to the lot owners in the plat, not to the city, and that the city therefore does not currently hold fee title. Stein said securing an acceptable easement is a necessary step before pursuing a quitclaim deed from the property owners, and he warned the process could be complex.
Why it matters: without an easement the city cannot establish formal rights for public access and maintenance. Park Board member Logan Davids and council members said they wanted to keep the process moving and reduce liability exposure for surrounding property owners.
Public Works Director Kent Eilers recommended staking the proposed easement area and working with Beck Engineering to develop a conceptual plan, and he asked who would be responsible for engineering and legal costs. Stein acknowledged there would be costs and said it could be reasonable to seek cost‑sharing from surrounding property owners given the city’s long‑term maintenance obligations, but he emphasized securing the easement first.
Both bodies adopted matching motions: the Park Board extended the time to acquire an easement to Jan. 1, 2027 and authorized staff to gather easement information and coordinate with Mayor Clark to communicate with Brew Oil; the City Council then approved the same actions. Both votes were recorded as unanimous.
During public comment, attendee John Walters said the city should bear all costs related to the easement; Park Board member Logan Davids responded that such assumptions had not been made. City Administrator LeAnn Reinsbach asked staff about potential cost responsibility; Stein again urged focusing on obtaining the easement before resolving those details. Councilmember Kyle Mohni encouraged cooperation among stakeholders to resolve the issue.
Next steps: staff were authorized to gather easement information and work with Mayor Clark to communicate with Brew Oil; the council also said it would explore potential additional land for parking as requested by councilmembers and staff.
