Title
Authorizing the conveyance of city-owned property at 1199 Rice Street to Ramsey County in connection with the County's Rice Street roadway improvement program.
Body
WHEREAS, various arterial and commercial streets within the city of Saint Paul are designated as County roads that are under the jurisdiction of Ramsey County (“County”) and require the County to improve the streets and partner with the City of Saint Paul (“City”) in the design and funding of such improvement projects; and
WHEREAS, in 2009 the County implemented a left-turn-lane signalization project along Maryland Avenue at its intersection with Rice Street to improve the safety and efficiency of eastbound and westbound traffic and pedestrians (“Maryland Avenue Project”); and
WHEREAS, the City participated in the project by acquiring necessary permanent right-of-way easements and temporary construction easements in the vicinity of the intersection, including the direct purchase of 1199 Rice Street (“1199 Property”), a former sports bar at the southwest corner of Rice Street and Maryland Avenue; and
WHEREAS, the expectation at that time was that the City would convey the 1199 Property to the County because: 1) much of the north portion of the property would be needed for right-of-way for the widened and reconfigured Maryland Avenue; 2) much of the east portion of the property would eventually be needed for right-of-way for the future widening and reconfiguration of Rice Street; and 3) the remainder of the 1199 Property would be needed for stormwater ponding purposes for the 2009 project and a future signalization project; and
WHEREAS, in 2023 the County commenced with design and property acquisition for the Rice Street left-turn-lane signalization and roadway project (“Rice Street Project”), including the County’s acquisition of additional property rights; and
WHEREAS, the County now desires to complete the transaction contemplated under the Maryland Avenue project by purchasing the 1...
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