Douglas County to consider land sale for future development – Superior Telegram

PARKLAND — Two properties that once served as mobile home parks could be sold for $52,402 for future development.

Tom Van Driessche, owner of a duplex between the properties, submitted the winning bids for the properties along County Road E in Parkland.

Van Driessche said he initially tried to buy the property from the woman who owned it before the county took it by tax deed. He said his plan for the north property is to build three new duplexes in the future.

“It’s not feasible at the moment,” Van Driessche said, citing current construction costs.

The property to the south has a garage that Van Driessche said he could use for his business.

Van Driessche would pay $40,201 for the property to the north and $12,201 for the property to the south after the county spent $162,000 to clean up the two properties. The offers exceed the county’s asking price of $25,000 for both properties.

“It’s $52,000 that you’re investing, so you’re not going to stay on that, I believe,” said Supervisor Alan Jaques, a member of the Land and Development Committee.

The committee is recommending that the Douglas County Council approve the bids received from Van Driessche because they were the highest bids and future development is planned for both sites.

Two other bids were received for the northern property, near Log Cabin.

The County Council will consider land sales at its meeting on May 16 at 6 p.m. in the Government Center Meeting Room, Room 201.

Shelley Nelson has been a reporter with the Duluth Media Group since 1997 and covered the communities and government of Superior and Douglas County for the Duluth News Tribune from 1999 to 2006, and for the Superior Telegram since 2006. Contact her at 715-395 -5022 or Snelson. @superiortelegram.com.