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RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY FROM SOO LINE RAILROAD COMPANY, D/B/A CANADIAN PACIFIC, IN THE ONEOTA NEIGHBORHOOD.
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CITY PROPOSAL:
RESOLVED, that the proper city officials are hereby authorized to enter into the purchase agreement, substantially the same as the agreement attached as Exhibit 1, with Soo Line Railroad Company, d/b/a Canadian Pacific, authorizing the purchase of a real property, consisting of approximately 10 acres, and legally described as:
Blocks 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, and 19, ONEOTA, together with Lots Five (5), Six (6), Seven (7), Eight (8), Ten (10), Twelve (12), Fourteen (14), and Sixteen (16), Ste. Marie Pier, ONEOTA
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the proper city officials are hereby authorized to disburse one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the purchase price of the above-described real property, payable from Fund 450-030-5530 (capital improvements, finance, improvements other than buildings, cross city trail phase II), Project 0595TR.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the proper city officials are hereby authorized to execute all documents necessary to effectuate the acquisition of the real property from Soo Line Railroad Company, d/b/a Canadian Pacific.
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: This resolution authorizes the City to pay $100,000 to Canadian Pacific Railway from the half and half tourism tax fund for investment in the St. Louis River Corridor for the purchase of approximately 10 acres of land located beneath the Bong Bridge to allow 2017-2018 construction of a segment of the Cross City Trail. An aerial view of the property to be purchased is attached as Exhibit 2.
The approved Cross City Trail Mini Master Plan prescribes construction of the trail along the river from the Wade Stadium area to the park at the heart of the Irving Park neighborhood. The prescribed route crosses the Canadian Pacific Railway property to be purchased.
The attached Exhibit 3 depicts the segment of the Cross City Trail to be constructed in 2017 and labels each of the three real estate transactions necessary to allow construction to proceed. The attached Exhibit 4 depicts the proposed trail alignment for the Cross City Trail across the property to be purchased from Canadian Pacific Railway.
The Canadian Pacific Railway property in question is part of a larger contaminated area that is scheduled to be cleaned up by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) over the next two years. In association with purchase of this property, the City of Duluth has engaged with MPCA to secure a letter formally confirming that the City shall have no responsibility for preexisting contaminants on the site. Final sale of the property to the City is contingent upon receipt of this letter.