MnDOT confirms Rock Island Park is surplus land, City of SLP reviewing options

First, updates on the ‘Say YES to Rock Island Park!’ community campaign

• Two council members reported receiving more emails supporting Rock Island preservation than other community issues (these emails will be included in final report to City Council)
• Increased website traffic shows people are learning more about Rock Island Park
• Many selfie photos have been submitted to the ‘Say Yes to Rock Island Park’ virtual rally
• Yard signs are being installed this week
• First e-newsletter goes out soon

Thank you to the volunteers and the Lilac Way community!

Thanks to everyone who has sent emails to the City urging them to save Rock Island Park, shared rally selfies and displayed yard signs. Many people are behind the efforts to preserve Rock Island Park for the community.

• Dennis Williams kindly paid for printing yard signs and flyers
• Michael Periolat installed signs, handed out flyers to raise awareness
• Diane Steen-Hinderlie and John Olson met with a Council member and residents

Updates from Andrew Lutaya, West Area Engineer, MnDOT:

11.12.21 – Process necessary for MnDOT to convey surplus right of way.

For the land at Th 100 & Toledo, the land is owned in fee* and the process of conveyance is below:

• MnDOT has completed internal reviews and confirmed that Rock Island’s two land parcels are ‘surplus property; MnDOT has no plans to retain the land for MnDOT purposes
• As of Nov 12, 2021, MnDOT intends to dispose of this surplus right of way
• MnDOT has to now complete environmental investigations (contaminated, historical, etc.) to determine its liability in conveying this property. This stage is targeted to be completed in January of 2022.
• MnDOT still needs to appraise/determine the value of the property. Completion date TBD.
• The stipulation in the conveyance offer is the land will be for public use (my emphasis)
• MnDOT doesn’t operate under the statute that requires it to offer surplus right of way first to a public agency. For MnDOT, the first right of refusal would fall on the person/entity MnDOT acquired that property from. (I am trying to clarify this info)
  • This means the City of St. Louis Park needs to submit a request letter to MnDOT to express interest in taking this property.
  • This letter should be sent to Jennifer Bailey Matti, LS, MnDOT Office of Land Management – MS 632, Property Conveyance Unit in St. Paul, MN
• Once all steps above are complete, MnDOT will send an offer letter to the City with a 6 months expiration date (his emphasis)

Updates from Deb Heiser, Engineering Director, City of St. Louis Park:

11.12.21

• We don’t need to make a decision in 90 days. The MnDOT and the city agreed to meet for a check in at 90 days. That meeting is scheduled for January 2022.
• MnDOT has declared the land as surplus, this is the first step in MnDOT’s decision making process for land release. Their next steps include:
  • Environmental review
  • Historical review
• They are targeting having this complete by our meeting in January.
• With any land acquisition, it is important that the city does our due diligence.
• Once MnDOT completes their process and provides us with their findings, staff will determine if there are additional investigations that we need to do to understand our potential liability if the city should ask for the land.

11.03.21 – Deb Heiser, Refers to Nov. 22, 2021 City Council Study Session agenda item  ‘MnDOT excess land report’

• The written report on November 22 is a first step in bringing this matter to the council. It will provide the city council with background on the MnDOT excess land and potential uses.
• There will not be a formal discussion and they are not making any decisions.
• The purpose is to see if the council would like more information prior to having a discussion on the topic.
• We plan on sharing a summary of the feedback received, however, do not plan on attaching all of the emails (from SLP residents) to this report.
• All of the emails (from SLP residents) that were submitted to Deb will be attached to the council memo when they are asked to make a decision (RLW note: the emails will not be attached to the Nov. 22nd report as I originally thought, but will be attached to a later report)
• This ensures that the feedback is in front of them when they are considering a particular action and is consistent with our practice.
• That will not occur for several months.

10.05.21, Deb Heiser:

• MnDOT has reached out to the city regarding the right of way west of Toledo and south of 28th Sttreet. They have determined they do not need the land for their purposes and are starting their review process to relinquish ownership. When this occurs, MnDOT will first reach out to the city to see if we are interested in having the land released to us.
• Last week, city staff met with them to discuss their process and timeline. The group agreed to get back together in 3 months.
• Since this is a new opportunity for the city, staff will take the next 3 months to put together information on potential uses for the land and bring it to council for policy direction.
• In the meantime, MnDOT will continue their review process for land release, this includes environmental review and other internal reviews. Their timeline is not set and review findings could result in the land not being available for release. We believe we have time to move thoughtfully. Based on past right of way review in the city, it can take 1 to 2 years for MnDOT to complete their process.

The City of St. Louis Park released this statement on Oct. 1, 2021:

“The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has reached out to city staff regarding a parcel of land west of Toledo Ave. and south of 28th St. in the Fern Hill neighborhood. This parcel includes Rock Island, part of the original Lilac Park which was built by the WPA in the 1930s.

MnDOT no longer needs the land and has begun a review process to relinquish ownership. When this process is complete, which can take months to a year or more, SLP will be first in line to have control of the land.

City staff have begun brainstorming possible future land uses that align with our strategic priorities and will bring this information to council in the next 2-3 months. Stay tuned!”