City of Jasper looking to repurpose two underutilized parks

Jasper is working to open two underutilized park properties up for other uses.

The Jasper Park Board approved sending letters to surrounding property owners at both Hochgesang Park and Seng Park as part of efforts to potentially repurpose or clarify ownership of the properties.

Legal intern Ella Hopf presented research on both parks, outlining the distinct legal challenges at each location and recommending courses of action for the board to consider.

Hochgesang Park, located near St. James Avenue in the Holy Family area, was deeded to the city in 1948 but platted prior to that with a covenant requiring the land be used for recreational purposes. The city owns the lot outright, but changing its use requires approval from a majority of the 43 surrounding lot owners.

Because the property is already zoned residential, no rezoning process is needed — the covenant restriction is the only hurdle. The board voted to send letters to those 43 owners asking them to approve a change in use from recreational to residential.

If the majority declines, City Attorney Renee Kabrick says the city could stop maintaining the park and remove equipment, though the space would technically remain a recreational area.

Seng Park, located at Genevieve Avenue and Giesler Road, is a more complicated situation. While the city holds the deed, it does not have clear legal title. “The city is the listed owner, but the property is technically owned by all of those 41 owners surrounding it,” Hopf explained.

She added that it is also platted for recreational use only.

The board voted to send a letter asking each owner to sign a quitclaim deed transferring their interest to the city, thereby allowing the city to move forward with redevelopment. All 41 property owners must agree to transfer their interests to the city.

Board President Roger Seger asked what would happen if they didn’t receive all 41.

“If we can’t get those signatures, then we would send a letter to the property owners saying this property has been maintained by the city for whatever that number of years is,” Kabrick said. “But there’s a cloud on the title. And therefore, since you all won’t agree to quitclaim the property to the city, it’s yours, so you’re going to have to maintain it.”

Kabrick noted the city has faced the same issue at 34th Street Park and has attempted similar outreach before — but has never followed through on the threat to stop maintaining the property. “The city has never gone the next step and said, okay, well, then we’re just no longer maintaining it,” she said.

A question was also raised during the meeting about whether proceeds from any future sale could be distributed back to the surrounding property owners, but Kabrick indicated the board is not yet at that stage.

“Let’s get through this part of it first,” she said.

She told the board she was considering having a neighborhood meeting with the property owners to discuss the issue.