In dispute: A .85-acre piece of land in Lilydale that the city wants to sell but many residents say was a gift intended as permanent open space.
What's happened: The Lilydale City Council voted 4-1 in August in favor of rezoning the land for housing. The Metropolitan Council's community development committee on Jan. 22 approved the city's request to amend its comprehensive plan to allow the rezoning. The land is advertised for sale. It has dropped from an initial asking price of $350,000 to $279,900.
What's next: The full Metropolitan Council considers the amendment request today at 4 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 390 N. Robert Street, St. Paul. After that, it goes to the Minnesota Department Natural Resources for review because the land lies within the protected Mississippi River corridor. The DNR will have 45 days to approve the amendment or send it back to Lilydale for revisions.
