The City Council on September 12, 2011, approved annexation of property owned by Knife River Inc. located on the South Frontage Road, west of the intersection of Sugar Avenue and South Frontage Road. The property is addressed as 3128 South Frontage Road. As a condition of the annexation resolution approved by Council, a 30-foot-wide trail easement along the southern boundary of Tract 1, C/S 1591 of the subject property was to be recorded (See attached Resolution #11-19100). This trail easement is a key segment of a planned trail corridor from Riverfront Park to Coulson Park along the Yellowstone River. Knife River, Inc. has prepared and signed the easement in coordination with the County Clerk and Recorded and Planning staff. The City Council needs to accept and sign the easement so that it may be recorded, meeting the condition of annexation. The easement document and exhibit is attached for reference.

The City Council may:

• Accept the easement and direct the Mayor to sign the easement document for recording;
• Not accept the easement and not direct the Mayor to sign the easement document. Not accepting the easement would mean the Knife River property would remain out of compliance with the condition of annexation imposed by the City Council in September 2011, and the trail could not be completed (?). 

There should be no direct financial impact to the City by accepting this easement. Funding is not currently in place or identified to construct or maintain the trail on this easement in this location. Accepting the easement provides a dedicated corridor for a future trail along the Yellowstone River in this area.

Staff recommends that the City Council accept the trail easement and direct the Mayor to sign the easement for recording.