Subdivision 1. Authority to provide site. Any county or municipality as defined in section 471.345, subdivision 1, desiring to construct a new armory may provide a site therefor as hereinafter provided.

Subd. 2. Acquisition of site; conveyance to corporation. If such county or municipality as defined in section 471.345, subdivision 1, shall desire to have a new armory constructed, such county or municipality may secure by purchase, gift, or condemnation, and may convey to such corporation, a site for such new armory approved as suitable therefor by the adjutant general. In case such site or any part thereof or interest therein is owned or controlled by the board of park commissioners of such county or municipality or by any other governmental agency therein except the state or county or municipality, such board or other agency may convey the same by way of gift or sale to such corporation without charge.

Subd. 3. Outstanding ownership or interest. In case any person or corporation except such county, municipality or board of park commissioners or other governmental agency hereinbefore referred to shall own any lands required for such site, whether provided under subdivision 2 or under this section, or any interest in any such lands which would interfere with the use thereof by the state for armory or military purposes, such county or municipality or such board of park commissioners or other governmental agency may acquire such lands or interest by purchase, gift, or condemnation and may convey the same by way of gift or sale to such corporation; provided, that notwithstanding any such outstanding ownership or interest, such corporation may, in its discretion, with the approval of the adjutant general, accept a conveyance of such lands and interests in lands for such site as may be owned or controlled by such county, municipality, board of park commissioners, or other governmental agency, and may acquire by purchase, gift, or condemnation any further lands or interests in lands that may be required for such site.

Subd. 4. Eminent domain. The governing body of such county or municipality and such board of park commissioners and any other governmental agency concerned shall have power to exercise the power of eminent domain in the manner provided by chapter 117, for the purpose of acquiring any lands or interests in lands authorized to be acquired as aforesaid.

Subd. 5. Lease of lands by state to corporation. In the event that the state of Minnesota shall own any lands or interest in lands included in the site of such existing armory and required for site of such new armory, such lands or interest therein shall be leased by the state to such corporation for a period of not exceeding 40 years without any consideration other than the use of such property by the state for armory or military purposes as herein provided and the provision hereof for the conveyance to the state of the new armory building and the site thereof. The adjutant general shall have power to execute such lease to such corporation in the name of the state; provided, that such corporation shall have no power to mortgage or encumber any lands or interest so leased to it by the state except to the extent of such leasehold interest and subject to the conditions and limitations herein prescribed.

Subd. 6. Disposal of unused site. In case any land acquired for armory site purposes hereunder has been donated to such corporation or to the state of Minnesota by such county or municipality or by other governmental agency except the state, and in case such land or any part thereof shall thereafter not be used for armory purposes for a continuous period of more than ten years, not including the period of any war or other emergency in which the armed forces of the state may be engaged, the county or municipality may provide written notice to the adjutant general and, if the property is not used for armory purposes within one year from the notice, the adjutant general shall reconvey the property to the donor county or municipality. The adjutant general may reconvey the property in less than ten years, if the adjutant general determines that the corporation or the state has no further interest in the property.

History: 1947 c 133 s 4; 1955 c 18 s 4; 1969 c 40 s 2-6; 1971 c 298 s 1; 1997 c 24 s 19-21; 1Sp2001 c 10 art 2 s 65; 2006 c 214 s 20