Title
Resolution approving and authorizing the transfer and conveyance of HRA owned land in Victoria Park to City of Saint Paul for park purposes, and budget Amendment, District 9, Ward 2
Body
WHEREAS, the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota (“HRA”) is a public body corporate and politic established pursuant to the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, Section 469.001 et seq (the “HRA Act”); and
WHEREAS, the HRA has the power to engage in development or redevelopment activities under Chapter 469 of the Minnesota Statutes, Housing and Redevelopment Act (“Act”) and by authority of said Act engages in activities relating to: a) housing projects and development; b) removal and prevention of the spread of conditions of blight or deteriorations; c) bringing substandard buildings and improvements into compliance with public standards; d) disposition of land for private development; and e) improving the tax base and the financial stability of the community, and to engage in the aforementioned activities when these needs cannot be met through reliance solely upon private initiative and which can also be undertaken in targeted neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, for many years land located in area of Saint Paul known as Victoria Park that is adjacent to West 7th and Otto Avenue (“Land”) was operated by oil companies as tank farms; and in the mid-1990s the oil companies ceased the tank farm operations, and environmental clean-up efforts were undertaken; and
WHEREAS, in order to redevelop the Land the HRA acquired various parcels of land in Victoria Park and over the years portions of the Land have been sold and conveyed by the HRA and development of commercial, school, and residential uses has occurred; and
WHEREAS, the following portions of the Land remain owned by the HRA, namely:
(a) Real estate acquired from ExxonMobil Oil Company that can only be used for park purposes (“Exxon Parcel”), that is legally described in the attached Exhibit A to this Resolution. As part of this acquisition the HRA received funds from ExxonMobil Oil Company to be used to clean up the Exxon Parcel and the HRA has now completed that remediation work and the HRA has a balance of funds that the HRA now desires to transfer to the City of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department for development of the Exxon Parcel for park purposes.
(b) Other real estate legally consisting of two parcels of land that are also legally described in Exhibit A (“Other Parcels”) (the Exxon Parcel and Other Parcels are collectively referred to as the “Transfer Parcels”).
WHEREAS, community groups have long known of the City’s intent to acquire the Transfer Parcels for park purposes; and
WHEREAS, a public hearing on the transfer and conveyance of the Transfer Parcels to the City of Saint Paul for park purposes subject to existing easements, restrictions and conditions of record, was held on July 10, 2019 and notice of such public hearing was duly published; and
WHEREAS, the HRA Board of Commissioners finds a public purpose for the actions being taken in this Resolution.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Commissioners of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, that:
1) The HRA Board hereby approves and authorizes the transfer and conveyance of the Transfer Parcels to the City of Saint Paul for park purposes on the terms set forth in the staff report.
2) The HRA Chair/Commissioner is authorized and directed to execute the Quit Claim Deed conveying the Transfer Parcels to the City of Saint Paul.
3) The HRA Executive Director, staff and legal counsel for the HRA are directed and authorized to take all actions necessary to implement this Resolution and the HRA’s Executive Director is authorized to execute any other documents and instruments in connection therewith.
4) The Budget Amendment attached to this Resolution is approved.
Exhibit A
Legal Description
Parcel 1 - PIDS 14.28.23.12.0019 and 14.28.23.12.0038
Lot 2, Block 4, Victoria Park, according to the recorded plat thereof, Ramsey County, Minnesota.
Being Registered land as is evidenced by Certificate of Title No. 553458.
Parcel 2 - PID 14.28.23.12.0011
That parcel of land situated in the Northeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter and Government Lots 1 and 2, in Section 14, Township 28 North, Range 23 West, Ramsey County Minnesota (including a portion of J.N. Rogers' Second Addition), bounded and described as follows: Beginning at the intersection of the low water line of the Mississippi River with a line 500 feet Southwesterly from and parallel to the Southwesterly line of Riverside Addition No. 2; thence Northwesterly and parallel with said Southwesterly line of Riverside Addition No. 2 to a point where said parallel line intersects a line 600 feet North of and parallel with the South line of Government Lot 1 in said Section 14; thence Northwesterly at an included angle of 20 degrees 20 minutes to said last-named parallel line, 640.07 feet to the intersection with the center line of the 100-foot strip covered by the conveyance of May 28, 1923, to Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway for right of way purposes over and across said Section 14; thence Southwesterly along the said center line of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway 301.11 feet to a point of intersection with the line 600 feet North of and parallel with the said south line of Government Lot 1 in said Section 14 hereinbefore referred to; thence West and parallel with said south line of Government Lot 1 and 600 feet North of and parallel with the South line of the Northeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter of said Section 14, 1155.09 feet to the intersection with the Easterly line of Hathaway Street, as said street is platted and located over and across that part of said Section 14; thence Southeasterly along the said Easterly line of Hathaway Street 130.96 feet to the intersection with the present Southeasterly line of Adrian Street, as said street is opened and platted over and across said quarter-quarter section; thence Southwesterly along the Southeasterly line of Adrian Street, 411.87 feet; thence continuing South along the east line of Adrian Street 191.87 feet to the intersection with the South line of the Northeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter of Section 14 aforesaid; thence Southeasterly at an included angle of 49 degrees 30 minutes with said South line of said quarter-quarter section a distance of 605.14 feet to the intersection with the center line of the 100-foot strip deeded to the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway for right of way purposes hereinbefore mentioned; thence Northeasterly along the said center line of said right-of-way a distance of 439.4 feet to the intersection with a line drawn at right angles from a point which is 825 feet Southwesterly from the South line of said Government Lot 1, measured along a line described as follows: "Commencing at a point in the South line of said Government Lot 1, Section 14, a distance of 420 feet East of the Southwest corner of said Government Lot 1; thence Southwesterly in a straight line to a point in the South line of Government Lot 2 in said Section 14, a distance of 290 feet East of the Southwest corner of said Government Lot 2", thence Southeasterly along the above named right angle line a distance of 535.85 feet to the last-mentioned Southwesterly line; thence at right angles Northeasterly a distance of 825 feet to a point in the South line of said Government Lot 1, which point is 420 feet East of the Southwest corner of said Government Lot 1; thence East along the said South line of Government Lot 1 to the intersection with the low water line of the Mississippi River, thence Northeasterly along the said low water line of the Mississippi River to the point of beginning; excepting from the above-described property Lot 6, in Block 2, J.N. Rogers' Second Addition; also excepting from the above-described property a 1.728 acre tract of land conveyed by Quit Claim Deed dated September 27, 1965, from Socony Mobil Oil Company, Inc., to the City of St. Paul, Minnesota.
The above-land contains a portion of the land described on Certificate of Title No. 383366. The land on that certificate of title is repeated below:
Commencing at the Southwest corner of the Northeast quarter of the Northwest quarter of Section 14, Township 28, Range 23, running thence East 417 2/5 feet; thence North 208 5/8 feet; thence West 417 2/5 feet; thence South 208 5/8 feet to place of beginning.
That part of Government Lot 2, Section 14, Township 28, Range 23 described as follows: Beginning at the Northwest corner of said Lot 2; thence running South 5 chains; thence East 9 chains and 24 links to the center of the St. Paul and Fort Snelling Territorial or Ferryroad; thence along said road North 47 3/4 degrees east 6 chains and 76 links to North line of said Lot 2; thence West 14 chains and 23 links to the point of commencement, except from the above property so much thereof as lies westerly of a line described as follows; Commencing at the intersection of the Easterly line of Adrian Street with the North line of said Government Lot 2; thence Southeasterly at an angle of 49 degrees 30 minutes from said North line of Lot 2, to the South line of said tract above described.
Parcel 3 - PID 14.28.23.21.0033
Lot 6, Block 2, J.N. Roger’s Second Addition, according to the recorded plat thereof, Ramsey County, Minnesota.
(Abstract Property)