Title
Authorizing the City's conveyance of a perpetual easement to the Saint Paul Port Authority for a new dockwall near the Barge Terminal 2 facility to tie into the existing levee system.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul ("City") owns and operates the US Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi River levee system in Saint Paul; and
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul Port Authority ("Port Authority") owns property along the levee system that it leases to tenants for barge operations within the riverway; more particularly, the Port Authority owns the Barge Terminal 2 (BT-2) facility located along the right descending bank of the Mississippi River in Saint Paul and on the riverward side of the levee system; and
WHEREAS, the Port Authority has proposed a project to rehabilitate the existing steel sheet pile dockwall at the BT-2 facility in order to provide safe access to the facility and critical barge cleaning operations (the "Project"); and
WHEREAS, the Project will include installation of new steel sheet pile in front of the existing dockwall, installation of new anchors, safety and resiliency improvements along the length of the dockwall, and construction of a new boat ramp for first responders at the downstream/east end of the dockwall; and
WHEREAS, the west end of the current dockwall extends onto City-owned land (Parcel ID No. 05-28-22-23-0043) where it meets the City’s levee and additional easement area will extend onto adjacent City-owned land (Parcel ID No. 05-28-22-21-002); and
WHEREAS, based on a review of City and Port Authority records, an easement for the dockwall to encroach onto City property does not exist. To rehabilitate the dockwall, a new steel sheet pile will be installed directly in front of the existing dockwall. The gap between the new steel sheet pile and the levee will be closed using a bent steel plate that will meet up with but will not attach to the levee; and
WHEREAS, the Port Authority is now requesting a Dockwall Tie-Back Anchor and Sheet Pile Closure Perpetual Easement ("Easement") to allow the rehabilitated dockwall to encroach onto City property, and the City has agreed to convey the Easement, as documented in Exhibit A attached hereto; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the City Council hereby authorizes and directs the proper city officials to execute the Easement in a form and content substantially as set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto, and to record said Easement with the Ramsey County Recorder's Office and/or Registrar of Titles.