Former Verso Landfill Redevelopment Brings Big Opportunities

SARTELL -- Some major development could be on the horizon in Sartell.

Monday night, the Sartell City council approved entering into a purchase agreement with AIM Development, LLC for the former Verso landfill along 4th Avenue South near the Public Works Department.

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The 167 acre property, along with the Paper Mill site, was bought by AIM back in 2013.

Mayor Ryan Fitzthum says conversations between the city and AIM really picked up over the last year, which led to the purchase agreement.

He says the goal is to make sure the site does not become an active landfill in the heart of the city.

If you travel through Sartell and think about that parcel becoming an active demolition landfill and the amount of truck traffic that would be generated, that's not a productive area for large and frequent truck traffic to occur. We think closing the landfill is the best interest of our community and that's what we're working to assure.

Fitzthum says the site is made up of about five different parcels, which they plan to redevelop if the agreement is accepted.

Twenty-seven acres of the property needs to be capped and controlled under MPCA as a landfill, the rest of the property we would absolutely get out to market and work with developers to reimagine that site.

Fitzthum says the former Verso Paper Mill site itself is not part of their agreement. However, the proposed purchase agreement does require that AIM Development plats the site in preparation for sale.

He says they are aware of a few parties who are interested in the former mill site.

Once both sides have signed off on the agreement, the city could close on the property in about 90 days.