Possible housing development details emerge ahead of Bob's Trailer Park public hearing

Randy Petersen, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
·5 min read

May 14—ROCHESTER — Bob's Trailer Park is expected to be completely vacated by the end of the month, leaving a planned public hearing Monday as a potential formality.

"At this time, TSJ (Parks LLC) has entered into agreements with all authorized tenants residing in the park, as well as the owners of trailers situated in the park," Rochester attorney Travis Ohly wrote in a March 23, 2023, letter to the Rochester and Olmsted County officials. "TSJ has or will be purchasing the resident-owned trailers no later than May 31, 2023."

The letter also points to plans to create income-restricted, affordable housing on the site.

The majority of the trailers in the park have been condemned, with only three remaining occupied when Ohly sent the letter.

The park is surrounded by a fence with a single gate to deter unauthorized access to the park.

The final occupants reached agreements with TSJ Parks, calling for them to move by the end of May, with TSJ Parks agreeing to pay a portion of their moving expenses and housing costs for 12 months.

The agreements stem from court filings after water service to the park at 1915 Marion Road SE was discontinued on Nov. 17, 2022, due to the inability to secure a Rochester Public Works water meter following the theft of pipes and electrical wires from the house that held the park's meter.

The park was ordered to restore the water service, but deemed it too costly and worked on the agreements with the remaining legal residents.

Earlier in the year, the Pennsylvania-based TSJ Parks had unsuccessfully attempted to sell the property through an auction. The company had purchased the park for $1.3 million in 2021.

The company later announced it would close the park, but failed to send government officials proper notification and a request for a public hearing related to the plan, which is required a year before a trailer park can officially close.

TSJ Parks partner Scott Kramer was informed of the requirement in a Sept. 12, 2022, letter from Olmsted County Senior Assistant Attorney Tom Canan, but the required notification was delayed until after several evictions occurred and the property owner reached agreements with the remaining tenants.

The Rochester City Council will conduct the required hearing during its regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday in council chambers of the city-county Government Center.

Taryn Edens, manager of Rochester's Housing and Neighborhood Services, said the public hearing is intended to clear the path for redevelopment of the site without further delays under state statutes overseeing trailer park operations.

"Ultimately, it's our position that the required procedures for park closing are being met currently, and planned activities for redevelopment can continue as such," she said.

Kramer has said TSJ Parks plans to build a low-income senior housing complex on the 3-acre site, but a request for city support for a state tax-credit application appears to take a different approach.

The request for potential council review states the proposed development would include eight townhome buildings with a combined 32 rental units.

"The townhomes are designed as two stories with two, three, or four-bedroom units," it states. "Nine of the two-bedroom units will be set aside for persons with disabilities and high-priority homeless households."

Use of tax credits would likely require the rents charged to be deemed affordable for specific income brackets, meaning the monthly cost could not exceed 30% of the household's income.

Information sent to the council indicates rent on 24 units would be deemed affordable for households earning 50% of the area median income, with the remaining units deemed affordable to households earning 30% of AMI.

At this point, there are no plans or building permits posted for review on the city's Community Development website, which would be required before any construction activity could start.

Meetings scheduled to be held during the week of May 15 include:

Rochester

—City Council study session, 3:30 p.m. Monday In council chambers of the city-county Government Center, 151 Fourth St. SE. The meeting will livestream at

www.rochestermn.gov/meetings/council-meetings

and be available on Spectrum cable channel 180 or 188 and Metronet channel 80.

—City Council, 7 p.m. Monday in council chambers of the Government Center. The meeting will livestream at

www.rochestermn.gov/meetings/council-meetings

and be available on Spectrum cable channel 180 or 188 and Metronet channel 80.

—Library Board, 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in meeting room C of the Rochester Public Library, 101 Second St. SE.

—Police Civil Service Commission, 3 p.m. Thursday in room 164B of the Development Services and Infrastructure Center, 4001 West River Parkway.

Olmsted County

—Administrative Committee, 1 p.m. Tuesday in board chambers of the city-county Government Center, 151 Fourth St. SE.

—Health, Housing and Human Services Committee, 2:15 p.m. Tuesday in conference room 1 of the Government Center.

—Physical Development Committee, 2:15 p.m. Tuesday in conference room 2 of the Government Center.

—Housing and Redevelopment Authority, 4 p.m. Tuesday in board chambers of the Government Center.

—Board of County Commissioners, 6 p.m. Tuesday in the board chambers of the Government Center.

—Planning Advisory Committee, 6:30 p.m. Thursday in board chambers of the Government Center.

—County Commissioner retreat, 9 a.m. Friday in the elections room at 2122 Campus Drive SE.

Rochester Public Schools

—School Board, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the boardroom of the Edison Building, 615 Seventh St. SW.