279440 M�HITE - CITV CLERK COUflCll
PINK - FINANCE �'
CANARV - DEPARTMENT GITY OF SAINT PAUL
BLUE - MAVOR File No. � y�4U
o�nc 'l Resolution
Presented By .
Referred To Committee: Date
Out of Committee By Date
WHEREAS, the Soo Line Railroad Company has abandoned and is offering fox sale
its railroad rights-of-way which run approximately from Interstate 35-E and
Arlington Avenue in St. Paul, to Interstate 694 and County 68 in Oakdale, and
WHEREAS, if no action is taken the rights-of-way or portions of it could
revert to noncompatible uses, and
WHEREAS, a task force consisting of elected officials and staff from nine (9)
governmental units -- �Iinnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN/DNR),
Minnesota Department of T`ransportation (MN/DOT), Metropolitan Council, Ramsey
County, Washington County, and the cities of St. Paul, Maplewood, North St. Paul
and Oakdale -- have reviewed the rights-of-way and potential private uses, and
WHEREAS, the most practical approach to a planned use of the rights-of-way
as determined by the above named task force is legislation authorizing the
MN/DNR to purchase the entire corridor, develop a comprehensive, master plan
and then resell unneeded parcels to the other individual units and to private
parties, now there€o�e be it
RESOLVED: 1. The City of St. Paul supports the concept outlined in the proposed
legislation (attached);
2. The City of St. Paul, �.n conjunction with the other members of
the task force, w�.11 actively pursue sponsorship of the proposed
legislation from area legislators;
" 3. The City of St. �aul will actively support the legislation by
testifying before committees and lobbying as necessary to assure
passage of the legislat�.on.
4. The City of St. Paul will, if applicable, budget funds in its
next budget period or commit funds from existing budgets (cross
out the one that does not apply) for acquisition of any parcels
in the corridor it needs for its purposes.
COUNCILMEN
Yeas Nays Requested by Department of:
�"r1@tefie► �
Levine In Favor
Masanz
Nicosia
scheibei _ � __ Against BY —
Tedesco
Wilson
Adopted by Council: Date
�� 91981 Form Approved by City Attorney
Certified Y s•e b Coun .il ta By
sy
6lpproved y blav r. Date
N�v � Approved by Mayor for Submission to Council
By _ BY
p�,�?�.iS;;�:.':� N C�:� N 0 19$Z
�- ��������
_�-� .
CITY OF SAIN1� PAUL
INTERDEPARTMENTAL MEMGRAND
DATE: �lc�v��ber 3, 7982 R� _ .----
a -_ _
T�: Jim Be1ius �OV $ _. .�.. - -�
19$� �,�; i :L,-•` a
�RQM: Steve Grochala �` �` '�
COUNCILMAW��+��,.-. ` ' —
:_�3L�
RE: Soo Line DNR Legislation JAMES SCHEIBEL
The DNR has revised its draft bill for purchase authority for the Soo Line
from Trout Br�ok to Oakdale. The Department is seeking confirmation of local support
for the appropriation request. They would like confirrnation by November 15, 1982.
I sndicated to the Soo Line task force members that the City of St. Paul would
support the legislation' However, it was too early in aur legislative review to
c�et a confirmed resolution from the City Council . I explained to the task force
the City Council 's need to evaluate our entire legislative packaae before a formal
confirmatfon could be given.
4Jhatever support or endorsement that we could make now would be very useful. The
ONR is loathe to include in their budget request any atem where local and legislative
support is not already assured.
Attached is a draft endorsement resolution prepared by DNR and a new draft of the
leQislation.
If the resolution is not timely, I would suggest the city either send a letter
f rom you or from the Mayor indicating the city's interest in supporting the legislation.
Also attached is a draft letter to that effect.
What I need from you and Mary Schweiger is some indication of the priority this
legislation might have in St. Paul 's package and what direction we should be takinq
with the pert;nent state legislators (Waldorf in the Senate and Q'Connor and Osthoff
in the House) . �
cc Mary Schweig
Maureen Warren
Peggy Reichert
DRAFT 11-3-82
�a��9���i
Donald Carlson, Assistant Commissioner
Trails and Waterways
Department of Natural Resources
Bvx 52, Gentennial Building
St. Paul , �9innesota 55155
Dear pon:
St. Paul has been actively concerned about the abandonment of the Sao Line Railroad
from I-35E to Oakdale/I-694. Such an abandonment withou� a purchaser or piecemeal
disposition will create significant land use problems in the city. -It will detrimentaTly
affeCt adjacent homeowners. St. Paul staff have been meeting as a part of a task
force of local and state officials to achieve a unified approach to dealing with
the railroad abandonment.
The neighborhood groups,in the area, and our City Comprehensive Land Use Plan have
identified recreational trail use of this corridor as a good option for the railroad
right-of-way. The task f orce came to the conclusion also that the most appropriate
direction would be MN/DNR purchase of the entire carridor, development of a comFreh�nsive
master plan for trail use and resale of unneeded parcels.
7he city will support legislation to do this and will actively seek endorsement
and sponsorship by the legislators in St. Paul who represent this area of the city.
Our timetable for legislative package review prevents me from including a City
Council resolution supporting this direction but I assure you this appropriation
will be part of St. Paul 's official legislation request this year.
Sincerely,
. . . . , .
• �
P. BILL FOR P.N P.CT - !
. �
���.��f���.
Relating to State Trails, amending Mi.nnesota Statutes 85.015, by addi.ng
a Subdivision #1G.
Mi.nnesota Statutes 1980, Section 85.015, Subdivision 14 is added reading:
Subd. 14. Trai.l, Ramsey and Washingtan Gounties
a. The trail shall or5.ginate at Trout Broak Junction near mz�.e�os� 446
in �he city of Sa�.nt Pau� in Rar,:sey CounLy and thence ext�nd -
in an east-northeasterly direction along the Sao I.ine Railr�ad
right-of-way into the city of Oakdale near milepost 438 where
it will joi.n th�e Minnesota-Wisconsin Boundary State Tr2i1 and
terminate.
b. The trail shall be developed pri.mari.ly for non-motorized recreati.onal
uses.
c. In addition to the authority granted in Subdivision 1 , lands ,
or interests in lands for the Trail
may be acquired by gi:t, purchase and/or eminent domai.n pursvant
to Minnesota Statutes Chapter 117. The Commissioner may dispose
of land deemed not necessary for a trail as determined by the
trail Master Plan ir. the following manner.
1 . The Department of Na�ural Resources will work with an interagency
task force consisting of all affected local units of gavernment
, ,
as well as the Metropolitar, Council and the Minnesota Department
of Transportation throughout the trail master planning process
in an effort to determine Lhe best possible trail configuration
and use for all parties involved. Lands not needed by DNR
or MN/DOT will be declared surplus.
2. The affected local uni.ts of governr�ent shall have one year
from the completi.on date of the master plan to declare an
i::terest ir. a:�y unneed�d pa^cels 21o^g the tra�1. Fu:.? or
parti.al interest i.n these parcels shall be then conveyed to
these governmental uni.ts for the appraised market valve at
the time of state purchase. 1'he proceeds from any su�h sale
shall be returned to the fund from which the enti.re trail
ri.ght-of-way w2s purchasee.
,
s: __. .,.......�.•_-.,.....,,. .,,_. _
_ ...:,.._ ,.,.�.. , .. ... �....;�,.
.,
::.,> �......:�..�:. . .:..
�_. . ._,. _..... . � ..... �_,...:n...�..,_'^:::... „-.�.s.,,,.,...�....s...�,r.._ .,.
. � _ '
3. Once the initial y�ar has elapsed, the Commissioner may r?��
�,���-�.��
dispose of lands which are not needed for the trail in a
manner provided in Minnesota Statutes 94.09 to 94.76. Any
proceeds from such sales shall return to the fund from which -
the entire trail ri.ght-of-way was purchased.
4. For the purpose of this section, � shall be
appropriated from the state bui.lding fund, or any other fund
designated, to the IJepartment of Natural Resaurces, fa� th� _
acquisition and development of the above stated State Trai.2. .
• .
�
.�= x� _ .•�