Public Works Facility Site Acquisition
At its June 17, 2025 meeting, the Golden Valley City Council approved the $6.9 million purchase of property at 6100 Olson Memorial Highway, which will become home to the new Public Works Facility. This investment in the City’s facilities is funded through local sales tax revenue, which was approved by voters in November 2023.
The acquisition of this 7.51 acre parcel, located to the west of the interchange between Hwy 55 and Hwy 100, marks the next big step in the City’s Building Forward plan to modernize its core service operations.
Site Acquisition Process
There are several ways cities can acquire property for public purposes. In this case, the City used a process called friendly condemnation, a type of eminent domain. This approach allows the City and the property owner to work together in a way that closely resembles a typical real estate deal, allowing for open communication and mutual agreement.
Here’s a quick overview of how the process works:
The City may identify a property for purchase, or the property owner may reach out with interest in selling to the City.
An independent appraiser determines the fair market value of the property.
The property owner reviews the appraisal. In this case, they agreed the value was fair.
The City Council passes a resolution approving the purchase and formally authorizes the use of eminent domain. At that point, a written offer is made to the property owner.
Once the offer is made, any tenants on the property become eligible for relocation assistance, which the City provides.
The property owner has 30 days to accept, reject, or negotiate the offer.
After the offer has been accepted and filed, the City takes ownership of the property in 90 days.
