Easement Vacation Guide

This is a guide for Land Use Applications in the City of Ramsey.

Easement Vacation Basics

An easement is a grant by a property owner to use a portion of land by the public or any person for any specific purpose(s) of construction and maintaining utilities, drainage ways, or roadways. Under Section 12.6 of the City Charter, as outlined below, there is a procedure for applying to vacate a public utility, drainage, roadway, access, or other form of easement.

Application Fee and Escrow

• Application Fee per project (non-refundable):  $500
• Minimum Escrow:  $1,000

* Required escrows are the minimum escrows. Escrows are collected with a Land Use Application to pay for the review of the application by the Planning Division and costs associated with the application, such as public hearing notice mailings. A project may have multiple requests, and the escrow related to each request must be paid when applying. The remaining surplus shall be refunded to the Applicant after all remaining obligations are completed and accepted by the City. The Applicant shall be responsible for all costs incurred by the City above the minimum escrow. More information can be obtained by contacting the Planning Division at 763-433-9821.

Easement Vacation Procedures

1. Fill out the Land Use Application, check the applicable box(es), and pay the appropriate application and escrow fee. Applications cannot be processed until the application fee and escrow(s) have been paid.
2. Provide a detailed description of your request and the reason for vacating the easement (attach a separate page if necessary).
3. Provide a legal description and exhibit, prepared by a Minnesota licensed surveyor, that identifies the easement to be vacated, any proposed replacement easements, and any additional information as required by the City.

Easement Vacation Process

1. Applications for Easement Vacation must be submitted to the Planning Division by the Division’s Land Use Application Calendar meeting schedule.
2. The City has 15 business days to determine if the application is complete per state law. In the event that it is incomplete, the Planning Division will notify the Applicant within 15 business days and provide direction on what information is still required.
3. Properties within 350 feet of the subject property will be notified of the request and the public hearing date. Utility companies will be notified 30 days prior to the public hearing date.
4. The Planning Division will prepare a report detailing the information related to the request, findings of fact, and proposed resolution.
5. The City Council will decide upon the resolution. If adopted, it will also be recorded with the Anoka County Recorder’s Office or Registrar of Titles.
6. The City Council meets monthly on the second and fourth Tuesdays.

Easement Vacation Guide (PDF)

Created January 2012 | Revised January 2024