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Council authorizes sale of park land strip to MnDOT for sidewalk and ADA work
Summary
Council held a public hearing and approved a resolution declaring no public interest in a thin strip of parkland along West Main (Murren/Morne/Murren Park), authorizing sale of the easement area to the Minnesota Department of Transportation for sidewalk and ADA improvements; council asked about maintenance and the city engineer said plowing would remain the city's responsibility.
The Albert Lea City Council on July 13 opened a public hearing and approved a resolution declaring no public interest in a narrow city‑owned parcel at 222 Saint Mary Avenue (recorded in the meeting materials as part of Murren Park) and authorizing transfer of the easement area to the Minnesota Department of Transportation to support MnDOT’s planned sidewalk and ADA improvements on West Main and South Broadway (Trunk Highways 13 and 65).
City manager Rigg said the parcel “is already subject to a permanent easement granted to the Minnesota Department of Transportation for the existing sidewalk and right of way” and staff recommended approval so MnDOT could proceed with the sidewalk and ADA upgrades. Councilors asked whether sale would include the sidewalk surface and who would handle winter maintenance; the city engineer clarified that the thin sliver being sold is already treated as MnDOT property on mapping but that the city would continue to be responsible for plowing, noting the sidewalk already exists and MnDOT is paying for the majority of the sidewalk costs.
Councilor Baker moved to approve the resolution; the motion was seconded and the council approved the sale on a roll‑call vote (recorded as ayes by Councilors Baker, Harmon, Olson, Van Beek, Anderson and Mayor Murray; Councilor Christiansen voted aye in the roll call earlier; the motion carried). The resolution’s staff report noted no additional park property beyond the existing easement area would be included in the sale.
What’s next: The sale formalizes transfer of only the narrow easement area being used for trunk‑highway infrastructure; MnDOT’s sidewalk and ADA work will proceed as planned under MnDOT project job 26112. The council did not authorize any additional parkland conveyances at this meeting.
