CITY OF WOODBURY, MINNESOTA

Office of City Administrator

Council Letter No. 02 -

July 24, 2002

The Honorable Mayor

And

Members of the City Council

City of Woodbury

Council Members:

BACKGROUND

The City of Woodbury's Comprehensive Land Use Plan calls for sanitary sewer to be extended to serve the northeast portion of Woodbury. This summer the City of Woodbury proposes to construct a sanitary sewer lift station adjacent Cottage Grove Drive just north of the Black Diamond site along with the installation of approximately 16,270 feet of 16" sanitary trunk force main and gravity sewer line. These facilities are part of the infrastructure necessary to open the northeast part of Woodbury for development. In order for this work to proceed it is necessary to obtain permanent and temporary construction easements from several properties adjacent to the proposed force main.

Mr. Gerald Gross is the owner of property east of Cottage Grove Drive and just north of the Black Diamond site where the city proposes to locate a sanitary sewer lift station. In order for this work to proceed, the City will need to obtain fee title to approximately 2.07 acres of Mr. Gross's property along with temporary construction easements across approximately 2.58 acres surrounding the proposed construction site (see attached sketch and description).

The appraisal firm of Bettendorf-Rohrer-Knoche Inc. conducted an appraisal of the aforementioned property. The appraisal defined the value of the fee title land taking and temporary construction as $175,000 and $21,800 respectively for a total offer to the property owner in the amount of $196,800.00. Based upon the appraisal and the value of land being sold in the area, staff feels this is a reasonable value for this property.

SITE ACQUISITION

City staff have met with the property owner and they have verbally agreed to sell the land and convey the easements to the City for the amount proposed ($196,800.00). Based upon this verbal agreement, staff is requesting Council authorization to complete the land and temporary construction easement purchase for a total expenditure of $196,800.00. If there is crop damage the City will also pay for any losses that occur based on fair market value of the damaged crops, although, this project may well start after crop harvest.

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing a payment of $175,000.00 to Mr. Gerald Gross for fee title purchase of 2.07 acres and $21,800.00 for a 2.58 acre temporary construction easement for the Northeast Trunk Sanitary Sewer Lift Station and Force Main Improvements

Respectfully submitted,

Barry P. Johnson

City Administrator

By: Warren Tracy, Engineering Tech IV

Through: David R. Jessup, Public Works Director

Attachments: Resolution, Sketch and Description

File: 2-2000-01B