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Webster City approves sale of 128 Apple Ave with extended build deadline after buyer raises site concerns
Summary
Council approved sale of city property at 128 Apple Ave to adjoining buyers, amending the purchase agreement to extend the build deadline after the prospective buyer raised concerns about trees, exposed sewer pipe and grading; staff committed to completing site repairs within six months.
City staff asked the council to approve a resolution to sell city-owned property at 128 Apple Avenue to the adjoining buyers listed in the packet (identified there as Brent and Becky, packet spelling shown as 'Mulgafer') for $20,000.
Staff said the city acquired the property through abandonment in April 2025 and demolished the structure; the purchase agreement requires the buyers to combine the adjacent parcels and construct a detached garage by a deadline in the agreement. The original deadline in the packet was 06/30/2028.
A prospective buyer who spoke at the hearing said site work remains: several large trees need removal, a sewer pipe is exposed, there is an unfilled hole left from water-line work and grading is incomplete. The speaker asked for more time to prepare the site, saying "we need more than 2 years" and estimating it would take several years to remove trees and level the lot.
Staff (identified in the meeting as Zach) told council the city would expedite removal of the city-owned tree, fill the excavated area and address the exposed sewer within six months. To accommodate readiness concerns, staff proposed amending the purchase agreement deadline from 06/30/2028 to 06/30/2029; the council approved the amendment and the resolution by voice vote. The transcript records one speaker opposing the motion but does not include a roll-call vote.
The approved action directs staff to amend the contract and complete the promised site work; if the buyers fail to build by the amended date, the agreement provides the city a reversion remedy (the property would return to city ownership).
