CY42-25

Request of Widseth, on behalf of the developer, Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership, with permission of the property owner, for the vacation of a portion of Ruth Street between the platted, improved 4^th Street and the vacated 5^th Street. The subject property is generally described as Ruth Street between 4^th Street and 5^th Street, and as lying directly to the south of Outlot C, School Sisters of Notre Dame Subdivision, etal and being part of Highwood Subdivision.

The anticipated date of City Council action is October 14, 2025. 

The applicant is Widseth on behalf of the developer, Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership. 

The applicant is requesting the vacation of a portion of Ruth Street between the platted, improved 4th Street and the vacated 5th Street.

The subject property is generally described as Ruth Street between 4th Street and the vacated 5th Street, and as lying directly to the south of Outlot C, School Sisters of Notre Dame Subdivision, etal and being part of Highwood Subdivision.
 
 

The City's Land Use Plan designates this area as Public-Semi Public.

The property is zoned R-2, one and two-family dwelling district. 

The Environmentally Sensitive Areas Map indicates that a portion of the property sits within the shoreland district. No development is planned in that area.

The applicant shall provide an easement over existing infrastructure in the proposed area to be vacated.  

The City Code pertaining to the R-2, to the one and two-family dwelling district, may be view at the link below:

https://library.municode.com/mn/mankato/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CH10LAUSDE_ARTIIREDI_DIV4OMIDWDI
 

The Site Plan Review committee met on April 14, 2009, and submitted the following comments: 

1. The applicant shall resolve parcel ownership of a parcel owned by the City of Mankato prior to, or in conjunction with, the vacation of Ruth Street proceeding.
2. The applicant shall be aware that there will need to be utility easement dedication in the vacation area.
3. General note: public use of the area appears to be occurring in the proposed vacation area. The street is utilized for access and for infrastructure.
4. If not already complete, the applicant shall log in to the online portal and make notification fee payment.

 

The applicant, Widseth, on behalf of the developer, Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership, is requesting a vacation of a portion of Ruth Street between the platted, improved 4th Street and the vacated 5th Street.

History 
In June 2022, the Mankato City Council approved the final plat review of School Sisters of Notre Dame Subdivision. The subdivision included the replatting of Lots 7-45, Highwood Addition to Mankato; Lots A-H, Dukes' Subdivision; Lots 18-20, Shaw’s Addition to Mankato; Outlot Nos. 1 & 2, Dukes' Addition; Part of the Southeast Quarter of Section 5, Township 108 North Range 26 West; and Part of Northwest Quarter of the Northeast Quarter of Section 8, Township 108 North Range 26 West (145 Good Counsel Drive).

The School Sisters of Notre Dame Subdivision contains one-lot and four-outlots and was proposed to facilitate the sale of a portion of the property from School Sisters of Notre Dame Central Pacific Province to Mankato Loyola. Lot 1, Block 1 contains 50.18 acres and is the location of the existing Mankato Loyola School. The remaining property within the subdivision is depicted as outlots. Outlot A, encompassing 1.78 acres, is the location of an existing cemetery. Outlot B, depicted as 41.96 acres, is the School Sisters of Notre Dame campus.  No future uses are contemplated as part of this subdivision.

Outlot C is the area currently depicted as Highwood Subdivision. The replatting of this property to an outlot required a new plat in conformance with the R-2 standards, if any development was proposed for this area. Outlot D is 8.35 acres and is the location of the existing barn building and community garden plots.

The subject property is described as part of Outlot C, School Sisters of Notre Dame Subdivision, a portion of vacated Ruth Street as shown in the Subdivision of Outlots Dukes Second Addition – Highwood, part of Outlot B, School Sisters of Notre Dame Subdivision, part of Lots 1, 2, 17, 18, Block 13, Shaw’s Subdivision, City of Mankato (PID R010905379004, R010905379005, etal).

On July 14, 2025, the Mankato City Council approved the preliminary plat of Good Counsel Meadows Subdivision, a 2-block, 11-lot subdivision. Block 1 contains eight single-family dwelling lots. Each lot in Block 1 is 6,500 square feet, which exceeds the minimum lot size requirements. The lots were required to provide additional depth to meet the shoreland requirements for Thompson Creek, a protected water body.

Block 2 contains three lots, which range in size from .37 acres to .84 acres.

Current Proposal
As previously stated, the applicant is proposing to vacate a portion of the unimproved Ruth Street located to the east of North 4th Street. The vacation is required to better align the proposed lots and private access to the site. The unimproved portion of Ruth Street currently has public utilities, including sanitary, sewer, and water connections which extend through the property, connecting to 4th Street.

Based on the existing utilities within the site, the developer will be required to provide an easement over the existing infrastructure. The information was shared with utility companies and no additional impacts to the existing utilities will occur. 

Staff submits the following findings. 

1. The portion of Ruth Street proposed to be vacated was never improved as a Public Street following its dedication as such. 
2.  The developer plans to create an Outlot on the triangular portion of the property adjacent to N 4th Street and to dedicate a utility and access easement to the City for maintenance of the existing sanitary sewer line that runs adjacent and parallel to the Section line. Alternatively, the applicant may deed a portion of the vacated Ruth Street right of way to the city of Mankato. 
3. The proposed vacation is necessary for the development of the subject parcel as the existing alignment restricts development of a portion of the property.

Staff recommends approval of the vacation of Ruth Street with the following conditions:  

1. The applicant shall provide a utility and access easement to the City of Mankato for maintenance of the existing sanitary sewer line that runs adjacent and parallel to the Section line. Alternatively, the applicant may deed a portion of the vacated Ruth Street right of way to the city of Mankato.