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CASE <br /> <br />SECTION 12.5, SALES OF REAL PROPERTY <br />By: Ryan Schroeder, City Administrator <br /> <br />Background: <br /> <br />Section 12.5 (attached) provides that Ramsey cannot sell property until after an ordinance approval <br />process. This r~quires two meetings. The ordinance takes effect 30 days after passage and <br />publication. The)result is that if it is proposed to sell property, it will take two to three months to <br />do so. <br /> <br />In most cases, the protections afforded the public due to the above are well worth the delay. <br />Recently, we hav~e had two separate cases wherein this process created some difficulty. Both were <br />on development Orojects. <br /> <br />The first was where a small parcel of property was deeded to the City with the intent that we <br />would, in turn, d~eed it over to Anoka-Ramsey Sports Center. The developer then constructed a <br />parking lot on this property as part of a tax increment development expansion project. Due to the <br />delay in our lanai transfer, the construction funds were frozen until clear title was held by the <br />owner. <br /> <br />The second case, ialso a tax increment project involved the Detail Tool project at County Road gl 16 <br />just west of Sunfish Lake Blvd. We acquired the property and sold it to Detail at our acquisition <br />cost so they could build their tool and die facility. Ramsey acted as the conduit to ensure this <br />project occurred~ Again, due to the delay, the title transfer did not happen in a timely fashion <br />creating a large e~penditure of legal time by the City, the developer, and the bank to ensure that we <br />were all protected with a building under construction on land .which the City still owned. <br /> <br />Proposed is thai in cases wherein the intent of City ownership of land is for development <br />purposes, the process should occur much more quickly. Staff desire the ability to effect <br />simultaneous closings if at all possible. If the Commission is uncomfortable with that, closings <br />occurring within~ a 30 day period is preferred (saves title work). Perhaps a restriction of an <br />identified develol~ment area would be an adequate safeguard for the public. <br /> <br />Commission Action: <br /> <br />Direct the City Aitorney to draft a Charter amendment pursuant to the above. <br /> <br />Reviewed by: <br /> <br />City Adminisn'ator <br />City Attorney <br /> <br />CH: 11/17/94 <br />/ccr <br /> <br /> <br />