Purpose

• Authorizes Aitkin County to privately sell tax-forfeited land in a specific location in order to return the land to private ownership, despite existing public sale requirements.

Main Provisions

• Private sale authorization: Aitkin County may sell by private sale the tax-forfeited lands described in the bill, notwithstanding the public sale provisions of Minnesota Statutes chapter 282 or other law to the contrary.
• Conveyance requirements: The land conveyance must be in a form approved by the Attorney General, and the Attorney General may modify the land description to correct errors and ensure accuracy.
• Described land: The land to be sold is located in Aitkin County and described as: the East 32 feet of the West 250 feet of Lot 5 and the East 32 feet of the West 250 feet of the North 10 feet of Lot 3 in Hill City Realty Co.’s Fourth Addition, Section 14, Township 52 North, Range 26 West, Aitkin County, Minnesota; listed as approximately 01 acres with parcel number 571073003.
• Rationale: The county has determined that its land management interests would be best served if the lands were returned to private ownership.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Overrides/adjusts existing public sale requirements: Allows a specific tax-forfeited parcel to be sold privately rather than through standard public sale processes.
• Increased state oversight on private sale: Requires the land conveyance to be approved by the Attorney General, with the AG authorized to correct the land description as needed.

Context and Implications

• This bill focuses on a single parcel in Aitkin County and sets a process where private ownership is preferred for purposes aligned with the county’s land management goals, rather than using typical public sale mechanisms.

Relevant Terms tax-forfeited land, private sale, Aitkin County, conveyance, Attorney General, Hill City Realty Co., Fourth Addition, Section 14, Township 52 North, Range 26 West, parcel number 571073003, land management interests, private ownership, Minnesota Statutes chapter 282