Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Preliminary steps are being taken by the Forest Lake Economic Development Authority that could lead to the purchase of the former Holiday Station store site in the downtown.

The EDA on June 26 asked City Attorney Dave Hebert to take the next step in the process and complete a title search on the site, located at 207 N. Lake St. (US-61) at NE 2nd Ave. If the title search reveals no problems, the next step would be to order an appraisal of the corner lot.

The EDA expressed interest in the land after Holiday closed the store and removed the underground fuel tanks. Holiday recently put the lot on the market and gave the city of Forest Lake the first crack at buying the land.

According to a report from EDA Executive Director Chip Robinson, Holiday is willing to sell the property at a price of $220,000 to $230,000.

The EDA is eyeing the site for expansion of downtown municipal parking. EDA Engineer Paul Hornsby said 22 parking spaces could be provided for cars.

The EDA has also expressed preliminary interest in acquiring the Goodroad Driving School building directly east of the former station and has been told by the owners the building may be for sale. Its addition would increase the parking capacity in the new area to 28 to 31 vehicles if three parking stalls are allowed on US-61.

EDA President Terry Smith said the parking move would be a short-term use of the land. He said the land could be used as a city component to some future redevelopment effort for the block north of 2nd Avenue. The area is primarily residential now.

Hebertís title search is expected to sort out any future problems with a home directly north of the Goodroad building that appears to be landlocked with no street access.

The EDA board voted 4-0 with one member absent to proceed with the title search. Support came from Smith, Bob Morehead, Jeannie McCarver and Mike Muske. Judy Bull was absent.

The EDA will also need to take steps to inspect the site for possible problems and seek quotes for demolition of the building. The appraisal is expected to cost $1500 to $2000.

Hebert said the EDA must also take steps to modify its downtown plan to include the area for budgeting purposes to allow EDA funds to be used for the purchase.

More on parking

Smith, in speaking to another parking issue for the Lakeside Park municipal lot, offered a solution to help simplify the problem of vehicle and boat trailer parking spaces. The problem, Smith said, is the use of trailer parking areas by vehicles while some trailers are parked in spaces reserved for vehicles only.

With solid white lines used to distinguish the two areas, Smith suggested the boat trailer spots in the main parking lot be painted with yellow lines. Yellow lines will ìjump out at you,î Smith said.

The main lot spaces for boat trailers ó 12 in all ó are overflow spaces for the boat launch parking area that is exclusively reserved for trailers.

The addition of colored parking lanes would be part and parcel of city plans for a proposed ordinance that will give city police the needed enforcement tool to ticket vehicles and trailers that are parked illegally.

Hornsby will look into the suggestions and return with more information at the Monday, July 10 EDA session.

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Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
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