2007 Minnesota Statutes

398.32 COUNTY PARKS.
    Subdivision 1. Acquisition, establishment, and maintenance. Any county may acquire by
purchase, lease, or gift or by condemnation as provided by law any land or water areas or interests
therein within or outside of the county which the county board deems suitable for use by the
residents of the county for public park purposes and related outdoor recreational purposes, may
establish and name the same as county parks or other units, and may hold, improve, maintain,
supervise, control, and operate the same for said purposes; provided, that no such area situated in
any other county as defined by section 398.31 or otherwise shall be acquired without the approval
by resolution of the county board thereof, and no such area situated within the limits of any city
shall be acquired without the approval by resolution of the governing body thereof.
    Subd. 2. Existing areas. Except as otherwise expressly provided, all areas heretofore or
hereafter acquired by any county under any other law for public park purposes, public access
to waters, or related outdoor recreational purposes shall be deemed to be county parks or other
units of the county park system and subject to the provisions of sections 398.31 to 398.36
so far as applicable.
    Subd. 3. Public use facilities, accommodations, and services; public or private operation.
The county board of any county having a county park or parks may provide for the construction,
installation, maintenance, and operation therein of suitable facilities, accommodations, and
services for public use for the purposes specified in subdivision 1, or may authorize private
persons or corporations to do so under leases or contracts upon such terms and conditions as
the board may prescribe in the public interest.
    Subd. 4. Surveys and plans. The county board of any county may provide for surveys to
determine the need for county parks and the location and suitability of areas available therefor, for
general plans for a county park system, and for plans for the improvement of any county park or
the construction or installation of facilities, accommodations, or services for public use therein.
    Subd. 5. Sale or disposal of surplus tracts. The county board of any county, after public
hearing upon notice given by the county auditor by publication for two successive weeks in the
official newspaper of the county, may, upon determining that any tract of land or water or interest
therein acquired under or subject to the provisions of sections 398.31 to 398.36 is no longer
needed for the purposes thereof, sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of such tract or interest upon
such terms as it deems best in the public interest, or may provide for the use thereof for other
purposes, so far as not inconsistent with any lawful restrictions on the use or disposal of such
tracts or interests therein.
    Subd. 6. Cooperation with other agencies. A county or any other governmental subdivision
or public agency of the state may be a party to a joint cooperative project, undertaking, or
enterprise with any one or more other counties as defined in section 398.31 or otherwise or other
governmental subdivisions or public agencies for any purpose under sections 398.31 to 398.36
upon such terms as may be agreed upon between the governing bodies or authorities concerned
not inconsistent with law. Without limiting the effect of the foregoing provision or any other
provision of sections 398.31 to 398.36, any such county or other governmental subdivision or
public agency, with respect to any of said purposes, may act under and be subject to the provisions
of section 471.59, as now in force or hereafter amended, or any other appropriate law now in force
or hereafter amended, or any other appropriate law now in force or hereafter enacted providing
for joint or cooperative action between governmental subdivisions or other public agencies.
History: 1961 c 512 s 2; 1973 c 123 art 5 s 7