East Side Corridor ESC Abandonment Timeline

Preservation Actions
Abandonment Actions

1990's - Various studies were conducted to determine a north/south corridor.  

• Ultimately determined 29th Ave was the best solution located 1200' from impacted partially built neighborhoods

• EAW was never completed or submitted to the state

February 10, 2000 - A mapped corridor of 29th Ave was formally filed with the Steele County Recorder.

• A mapped corridor does not establish a Right-of-Way or an Easement

• It is for land use planning and not indexed to any parcel ids, so it does not appear on basic property title searches

February 4, 2003 -  The City of Owatonna approved the annexation of 23.2 acres for the N. Country Subdivision Addition. (Ord 1305)

May 6, 2003 -  The City of Owatonna approved the platt for North Country Addition

October 7, 2003 -  The City of Owatonna approved the annexation of 14.4 acres for the N. Country Subdivision Addition 2. (Ord 1327)

February 3, 2004 -  The City of Owatonna approved the annexation of 9.34 acres for the N. Country Subdivision Addition 3. (Ord 1338)

March 9, 2004 - The City and the County filed a Joint Powers Agreement allowing each entity the first right of rufusal, purchase, and a 6th month contention window. 

March 16, 2004 -  The City of Owatonna approved the platt for North Country Addition 2.

• City/County did not refuse, purchase, or contend development

August 31, 2004  -  US Highway 14 Beltline study: 

• Recommends preserving both the 34th Avenue East and 44th Avenue East corridors for future roadway systems. 

• 34th Avenue East could be converted into an internal collector to provide safe and efficient travel as Owatonna continues to grow. 

• 34th Avenue East is a rural gravel roadway with a 66-foot wide right-of-way. 

• The 24th Avenue East corridor has been mapped on the Steele County official map and the City has assumed responsibility for constructing the road.

September 2004 -  6mo after Joint Powers Agreement, first home built ON the mapped corridor

• City/County did not refuse, purchase, or contend development

February 8, 2005  -  34th Ave and 44th Ave were mapped as official Right-of-ways (not corridors)

September 23, 2005 -  The City of Owatonna approved the platt for North Country Addition 3.

• City/County did not refuse, purchase, or contend development

August 28, 2009 (10:58 AM)  -  34th Ave and 44th Ave were officially recorded with the Steele County Recorder

August 5, 2013  -  The City of Owatonna publicly stated it did not believe the East Side Beltline would ever be built and adopted Resolution 72-13, declassifying the East Beltline roadway from Municipal State Aid funding.

August 26, 2015 -  The City of Owatonna allowed the designated outlots to enter foreclosure and revert to bank ownership.

November 2018  -  A bank offered to convey the outlots back to the City of Owatonna in conjunction with the City’s purchase of a parcel for a neighborhood park,

• Deed contains no land-use designation identifying the property as a roadway.

2003-2019  -  The outlots were consistently classified as Residential Vacant Land, not as right-of-way or a roadway easement.

2020  -  The parcels were classified as exempt property, releasing them from property tax liability due to ownership by the City of Owatonna.

2020 – 2021  -  The City of Owatonna and Steele County conducted a joint study—the 2040 Transportation Plan

• Identified the East Side Corridor as a need 

• Selected its specific location prior to any environmental review or studies

July 21, 2022 -  The East Side Corridor was first publicly announced.

September 2004 - Present Day -  Homes were permitted to be built within the mapped corridor without refusal, purchase, or objection by the City.

February 10, 2025  -  Under Minnesota law, a right-of-way not built or used for 25 years may be considered legally abandoned for non-use, making abandonment of this corridor legally supportable. 

• We should move quickly to build 34th Avenue before it is also abandoned.