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Hooper council orders review of trail leases after photos show fences and animals on city land
Summary
Council reviewed photos showing private fences, animal corrals and planted trees on city-owned trail property; staff will draft a standard license/lease and inventory affected parcels after legal recommended replacing inconsistent 50-year legacy leases with clearer, shorter-term licenses.
Council members reviewed a photographic survey of the city's trail and slough-adjacent parcels and found multiple instances where private owners have fenced, planted or placed structures on city-owned land without consistent lease terms. Staff said some sites were leased historically (some agreements cited as 50-year $1-per-year leases) while others are informal uses with no written agreement.
Darren, the city's legal staff, told council the city retains the right to revoke use of city property and recommended creating a standardized license agreement for non-trail-adjacent parcels and a revised trail lease for parcels adjacent to the trail corridor. "The city retains the right at any time with a one-year notice to the lessee to cancel this lease," he said when discussing current documents; he recommended a shorter, clearer revocation clause and liability/insurance requirements for future agreements.
Council asked staff to prepare a written inventory of all city parcels currently used under ad hoc arrangements, propose a model license (30
to 60-day or defined-term licenses rather than 50-year leases), and clarify who (staff or council) would have approval authority for requests to keep animals on leased parcels. No immediate enforcement action was taken during the meeting; council prioritized clarity, consistency and risk-limiting contract language.
