Purpose

• The bill authorizes St. Louis County to sell certain tax-forfeited land by private sale rather than through public sale, with the goal of returning the land to private ownership. The county identifies these lands as suitable for private ownership to better serve its land management interests.

Main Provisions

• Allow private sale: Notwithstanding the public sale requirements in Minnesota law (including Minnesota Statutes chapter 282 or other law), St. Louis County may sell by private sale the tax-forfeited land described in the bill.
• Conveyance approval and corrections: The deed or conveyance must be in a form approved by the attorney general, and the attorney general may adjust the land description to correct errors and ensure accuracy.
• Specific land descriptions: The land to be sold is located in St. Louis County and includes:
  • The easterly 15 feet of Lot 5, Block 47, West Duluth 6th Division, Section 7, Township 49, Range 14, parcel number 010452006505; and
  • The described portion of the Northwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter with metes-and-bounds described in the bill, parcel number 550002002294.
• Policy rationale: The county has determined that returning these lands to private ownership would best serve the county’s land management interests.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• By permitting private sale of tax-forfeited land that would normally be disposed of through public sale, the bill changes the standard method for disposing of these specific lands. It centralizes approval and adjustment responsibilities with the attorney general, and it explicitly ties the action to the county’s assessment that private ownership better serves its land management goals.

Land Descriptions Involved (for clarity)

• Parcel 1: easterly 15 feet of Lot 5, Block 47, West Duluth 6th Division, Section 7, Township 49, Range 14, parcel number 010452006505.
• Parcel 2: a described portion of the Northwest Quarter of the Northwest Quarter, with detailed metes-and-bounds and parcel number 550002002294.

Relevant terms - tax-forfeited land - private sale - St. Louis County - Minnesota Statutes chapter 282 - public sale provisions - conveyance - attorney general - land description - parcel number - land management interests - return to private ownership