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Committee approves transfer of LWCF‑encumbered parcel to school district
Summary
The committee voted to transfer the LWCF-encumbered parcel (including the tennis-court area) to the Richland School District, after staff said the DNR requires grant property to remain intact; the school will accept the land contingent on demolition of the courts.
The Richland County Public Works committee voted to approve transferring the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant parcel to the Richland School District.
Staff explained that DNR guidance prevents splitting the grant parcel: “you cannot break up the grant property,” staff said during the meeting, noting an explicit DNR requirement that the LWCF property remain with a single entity. The school district told the committee it will accept the parcel if the county removes the tennis courts; staff said the courts must be condemned and removed prior to transfer.
Why it matters: transferring the LWCF parcel to the school district clarifies who will manage recreational land and avoids violating the grant terms — violation could jeopardize future grants. Committee members discussed alternatives such as relocating the grant or paying back older grants but were told repayment is not feasible.
Vote and next steps: the committee moved and carried the transfer; one member who sits on the school board abstained from the vote. Staff will coordinate required demolition, DNR notifications, and the formal conveyance paperwork for presentation to the county board.
