Title
AN ORDINANCE DEDICATING REAL PROPERTY AS PARK PROPERTY FOR INCLUSION INTO DOWNER PARK.
Body
CITY PROPOSAL:
The city of Duluth does ordain:
Section 1. That the city of Duluth does hereby dedicate the real property legally described on the attached Exhibit A as park property for inclusion into Downer Park.
Section 2. That the proper city officials are authorized to record, with the register of deeds and/or the registrar of titles of Saint Louis County, Minnesota, a certified copy of this ordinance showing the real property dedicated as park property.
Section 3. That this ordinance shall take effect 30 days after its passage and publication.
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: The purpose of this ordinance is to authorize the dedication of certain real property as park property for inclusion into Downer Park. The property is located on both sides of Vermilion Road near Downer Park in the Morley Heights/Parkview neighborhood. Downer Park was conveyed to the City in 1918 for park purposes.
The City purchased the property legally described on the attached Exhibit A from Park Hill Cemetery Association in 2023 and 2026. The acquisition was funded by the following three sources (collectively, the “Grants”):
$400,000 Conservation Partners Legacy Program Grant authorized under Resolution No. 22-0408
$100,000 Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Lake Superior Coastal Program Grant authorized under Resolution No. 23-0707
$164,800 Conservation Partners Legacy Program Grant authorized under Resolution No. 21-0976
One of the conditions of the Grants was to execute and record certain documents in the real estate records to ensure that the property: (i) is used for the purposes of which it was acquired for and in accordance with the terms of the Grants and (ii) not sold, transferred, pledged, or otherwise disposed of without the written approval from the grantors of the Grants. The city council approved the execution and recordation of those documents on: (i) June 24, 2024 under Resolution No. 24-0436 and (ii) May 26, 2026 under Resolution No. 26-0473. Another condition of the Grants is to dedicate the property as park property for inclusion into Downer Park.
A map depicting the property to be dedicated in this ordinance, as well as Downer Park, is attached as Exhibit B.