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March 21, 1995 TESTIMONY AT HEARING BY RAMSEY CITY COUNCIL ON PROPOSED COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Mr. Mayor and Council: I rise to testify regarding 45.9 acres of land I own situated on either side of the right of way between U.S. #10 and the Mississippi River which was purchased as a future route to a proposed bridge over the river to Dayton. I have been testifying before the Council now almost 20 years regarding this property and the acres of adjacent land (on the Mississippi) which were purchased from me (under threat of condemnation) to be part of the adjacent regional park. Therefore, I am in a position to know the history behind the previous bridge decision as well as the zoning and planned use of my remaining 45.9 acres (Outlots A and C, Tooth Acres Subdivision), located fronting the southwest side of U.S. #10 and between Traprock Street N.W. and Alpaca Estates. In the middle to late 1980s, three changes were being contemplated: 1. The Anoka County Parks Department was seeking the permission of Ramsey to buy (or condemn) my total property to add to the regional park; 2. The City Council was seeking a location for a river crossing into Dayton; and 3. The Metro Council was pressuring Ramsey to enlarge its minimum -sized unsewered residential development lot from 2.5 acres to 5.0 acres. Unbeknown to me, the Ramsey City Council made a deal with the Anoka County Parks Department (Torkelson) that they could acquire that part of my land for regional park shown on your maps today as regional park, based on two concessions: 1. That that part of my land which is now shown to be zoned B-3, Highway Business be left in my ownership so that it could be developed commercially in the future. 2. That the Anoka County Parks Department allow a U.S. #10 service road to cross its regional park from the Schwartzman property on the east to my property on the west. Mr. Torkelson, of the Anoka County Parks Department, admitted this in an open meeting before the Ramsey Council (at a later date) where I was in attendance.