Mayo Clinic seeking removal of street and utility easements to make way for 'Bold. Forward. Unbound.' plans
ROCHESTER — Mayo Clinic is seeking to end a variety of city easements to make room for its $5 billion "Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Rochester" expansion plan .
The Rochester City Council will hold a public hearing during its 6 p.m. Monday meeting to hear concerns or support for the changes.
The easements, which provide specific rights to cross private property, are connected to public rights-of-way, alleys and utilities that sit within the proposed areas of expansion. Removing the easements, also known as vacating the related restrictions, ends any related access requirement.
"If approved, this vacation will allow for a larger parcel for redevelopment purposes associated with the Mayo Clinic Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Rochester initiative," Community Development planning supervisor Ed Caples wrote in a report to the council ahead of Monday's meeting
The easement vacations would be the next step toward Mayo Clinic submitting a site development plan for city review.
The specific right-of-way and alley easements being sought include Third and Fourth avenues southwest between Center and Second streets; 75 feet of First Street Southwest, stretching west of Fourth Avenue; the western portion of one block of Second Avenue Southwest, south of Center Street; an alley that connects Fourth and Fifth avenues south of Second Street Southwest; and an alley south of Second Street Northwest, connecting Sixth and Seventh avenues.
Two churches near the planned construction support the proposed changes. The Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist and Calvary Episcopal Church have submitted letters outlining their support.
"Mayo Clinic began working with the Co-Cathedral of St. John's nearly two years ago as plans emerged for what has become Bold. Forward. Unbound. In Rochester.," the Rev. Gerald Mahon wrote in an Oct. 25 letter to the council. "They have worked with us to ensure access to the co-cathedral and St. John's Middle School throughout construction and there continue to be access to parking for parishioners."
In addition to the street and alley easement vacations, Mayo Clinic is seeking access to eight other public easements that could require the relocation of utility lines, which would be done at Mayo Clinic's expense.
The additional easements cover a variety of locations south of Second Street
Northwest and north of Second Street Southwest on property currently owned by Mayo Clinic.
"The vacation of the easements are in the public's interest," Caples wrote of the request. "The (city's) Planning 2 Succeed Comprehensive Plan calls for infill and redevelopment in and around the downtown area."
He added that utility providers have been notified of the anticipated changes that are expected to make way for the planned Mayo Clinic construction.
Monday's hearing regarding the request will be held in council chambers of the city-county Government Center, 151 Fourth St. SE, before the council is asked for a decision regarding the existing easements.
Meetings scheduled to be held during the week of Nov. 18 include:
• City Council, 6 p.m. Monday in council chambers of the city-county Government Center. The meeting will livestream at www.rochestermn.gov/meetings/council-meetings and be available on Spectrum cable channel 180 or 188.
• Police Civil Service Commission, 3 p.m. Tuesday in room 164 of the Development Services and Infrastructure Center.
• Fire Civil Service Commission, 3:15 p.m. Tuesday in room 104 in City Hall, 201 Fourth St. SE.
• Library Board, 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in the first floor meeting room of the Rochester Public Library, 101 Second St. SE.
• Planning and Zoning Commission, 5 p.m. Wednesday in council chambers of the Government Center.
• Zoning Board of Appeals, 5 p.m. Wednesday in room 104 of City Hall.
Olmsted County
• Physical Development Committee, 1 p.m. Tuesday in conference room 1 of the Government Center.
• Health, Housing and Human Services Committee, 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in conference room 2 of the Government Center.
• Administrative Committee, 4 p.m. Tuesday in conference room 1 of the city-county Government Center.
• Board of County Commissioners, 6 p.m. Tuesday in the board chambers of the Government Center.
• Sheriff's Civil Service Commission, 8 a.m. Wednesday with the location to be posted at
• Soil and Water Conservation District Board, 8 a.m. Thursday in conference room A at 2122 Campus Drive SE.
• Planning Advisory Commission, 7 p.m. Thursday, in board chambers of the Government Center.
Rochester Public Schools
• School Board study session, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the boardroom of the Edison Building, 615 Seventh St. SW.
