Northfield: Eminent domain petition a ‘backup’ to TIGER trail negotiations
“The city is scheduled to appear April 15 at a motion hearing in Rice County District Court on a petition it filed in mid-March to take part of four parcels via condemnation proceedings. Under the state’s eminent domain law, because the project is for the public good, the property needed for it to be constructed can be taken without the property owner’s consent.
But city officials caution not to read too much into the legal move.
“Depending on the ownership some [negotiations for property] can be fairly easy, some are fairly complicated,” said city administrator Tim Madigan, noting that the process for the TIGER trail project falls into the latter category. “But it’s not unusual to file a petition.”
Under the rules that regulate the award of the $1.06 million federal grant for the project, before the city can request bids for construction, it must secure all the easements required.
The Northfield Modal Integration Project — its formal name — is a proposed 4,660-foot trail that will parallel Greenvale Avenue starting at Spring Street and will cross Hwy. 3 via bridge near the railroad overpass to Water Street before connecting to existing sidewalk south to St. Olaf Avenue.
The city has agreed to provide an additional $500,000 in financing for the project. “
Smith, Jaci. Faribault Daily News 5 April 2013.