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<br />Page 6 of 20
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<br />In evaluating the land dedication and park development requirements for a specific application,
<br />the City may consider whether in conjunction with a previous subdivision an adequate area of
<br />land was conveyed or dedicated to the City to meet the minimum needs for parks, trails,
<br />wetlands, and open spaces resulting from the subject development proposal. In reviewing the
<br />dedications required by the City Code, the Council should consider the impact of the proposed
<br />subdivision and multifamily dwelling land use and if the previous dedication meets none, some,
<br />or all of the dedication that would be required.
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<br />A. Residential Dedication
<br />The City requires all owners or developers, as a prerequisite to approval of a subdivision to
<br />convey to the City or dedicate to the public use a reasonable portion of any such proposal for
<br />public use as streets, roads, sewers, electric, gas, and water facilities, storm water drainage and
<br />holding areas or ponds and similar utilities and improvements, parks, recreational facilities,
<br />playgrounds, trails, wetlands, or open space, in such portions to be approved and acceptable to
<br />the City.
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<br />For a subdivision that results in new dwelling units in excess of eight units per acre, Section
<br />1130.08 of the Subdivision Ordinance permits the City to require the Applicants to dedicate up to
<br />20% of the acres of development or a cash contribution in lieu of land dedication may be required
<br />at the discretion of the City at the time the final plat is approved. The cash payment shall be
<br />determined based on the fair market of the land that would otherwise be dedicated to the City.
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<br />In 2024, Ramsey County assigned an estimated market value of $22 million to the Subject
<br />Property prior to the subdivision. This value is inclusive of both the land and existing structure
<br />on the property. State Statutes require the City to use the value of the property prior to
<br />development when determining park dedication requirements. The Applicant has stated that the
<br />purchase price for the property does not reflect the $22 million estimated value from Ramsey
<br />County. The residential dedication is based on the acres of development, and as such the
<br />dedication can be evaluated not as the total 41.10-acre property, but the 10.74 acres being
<br />acquired and developed by the Applicant, or 26.1% of the property. Based on the assessed value,
<br />and the percentage being developed, an approximate value for the 10.74 acres is $5,742,000 and
<br />20% of this value is $1,148,400.
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<br />The Applicant is not proposing land dedication as part of the final plat beyond the standard right-
<br />of-way and easements requirements. The City Council should discuss the City’s discretion for
<br />payment in lieu of land dedication for the 10.74 acres as Lot 1, Block 1.
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<br />B. Park Development
<br />The City’s Subdivision Code establishes requirements for Public Use Dedications and Park, trails,
<br />and open space land dedication and development. Owners or developers, as a prerequisite to
<br />approval of a subdivision to convey to the City or dedicate to the public use a reasonable portion
<br />of any such proposal for public use as streets, roads, sewers, electric, gas, and water facilities,
<br />storm water drainage and holding areas or ponds and similar utilities and improvements, parks,
<br />recreational facilities, playgrounds, trails, wetlands, or open space, in such portions to be approved
<br />and acceptable to the City.
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<br />The Applicant proposed to meet park dedication requirements by a payment of cash-in-lieu of
<br />land. In residential subdivisions where a park development fee is required, the City shall apply
<br />the fee on a per unit basis. The park development fee is established by ordinance on a regular
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