Duluth will continue to lease land near railroad for parking

The Duluth City Council voted recently to enter into an updated lease agreement with Norfolk Southern Railway Co. for public parking in the railroad right-of-way. The annual lease amount increased from $2,500 to $ 5,000. The new lease will allow the city to resurface and stripe the parking area behind Pure Taqueria and the Red Clay theatre.

The agreement for approximately one acre of land requires a 25-foot set-back from the railroad tracks. Norfolk Southern retains the right to approve modifications, alterations or improvements to the lot. An extensive part of the lease agreement prohibits the city from storage or hazardous materials near the railway.