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Mill Site Advisory Committee recommends city proceed with $1 purchase and sort out use later
Summary
The Mill Site Advisory Committee voted to recommend Plan A — proceed with purchasing the mill parcel for $1 while the Minnesota Historical Society covers much of the related costs — and assigned staff to prepare a City Council presentation and follow up on planning approvals.
The Mill Site Advisory Committee voted to recommend that the City Council proceed with Plan A: buy the mill parcel now and determine its final use afterward.
The committee’s July 6, 2024 notes say the parcel is being offered for $1 and that the Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) would cover much of the related costs, an arrangement the notes describe as a "no brainer." Committee members also cited an existing working relationship with Ben Leonard, MNHS Senior Vice President for Historic Sites Network & Operations, and concern that a successor might not offer similar terms, arguing that purchasing now would lock up local control of the property.
The committee recorded that little activity may occur on the property for months or even years because of funding constraints. Kevin Nyenhuis noted that, according to Ben Leonard, any transfer of additional property would likely trigger extensive archaeological work that could significantly slow the project. The committee discussed the possibility of acquiring more land but concluded that the archaeology requirement would be a major constraint.
As next steps, Kevin Nyenhuis, Mill Site Advisory Committee member, was assigned to prepare a PowerPoint presentation for the City Council that includes a project timeline, a map of the mill parcel and the Mill Stream setback area where building would not be allowed. The committee also agreed to explore the planning experience of HGKi and asked Nyenhuis to follow up with Lynnette about whether Planning Commission approval is required before purchase. The notes record that committee members discussed what motion to ask the council for but did not finalize specific motion language at the meeting.
The committee’s recommendation and the materials prepared by Nyenhuis are scheduled to be presented to the City Council at an upcoming meeting; the notes do not specify the council meeting date or a timeline for final action.
