Perham moves to vacate road right-of-way for uptown development
Perham cleared a step toward squaring off an uptown lot on East Coney Street, a change that could make the parcel fit parking, access and a new commercial building.
Vacating a thin strip of East Coney Street could turn an awkward uptown parcel into something a commercial developer can actually use. In practical terms, the move would square the lot with the road, add the right-of-way land to the site and make it easier to picture a building, parking and access on property tied to Simple K, LLC.
Perham’s Planning Commission took up the request at its May 19, 2026 meeting, held a public hearing and recommended approval. No one came forward to ask questions, and the city said no comments or objections were received before the hearing. The commission’s vote was without dissent, and the city’s resolution said all affected utilities were duly notified and everyone had an opportunity to be heard.
The request covered a portion of East Coney Street in Section 23, Township 136 North, Range 39 West in Otter Tail County. The application came from Dean Simpson, and city records said the city manager was directed to record the right-of-way vacation after the council acted on June 8, 2026. That kind of land adjustment can look minor on a map, but in a tight uptown setting it can decide whether a site has enough usable square footage for a real commercial user.
Perham’s economic development materials show why that matters. The city says commercial lots are available from the Highway 10 and Highway 78 intersection to the downtown shopping area, and that it can help with site selection and related infrastructure. For a builder or business owner weighing a storefront, service shop or other commercial project, an extra sliver of land can make the difference between a site that is merely available and one that is actually buildable.
The city is making those decisions in a small but growing market. Perham’s 2020 census population was 3,512, and recent census estimates put it at about 3,627. In a community that size, each parcel change can carry outsize weight for the tax base and for the look of Uptown Perham. The right-of-way move also follows Otter Tail County’s Main Street reconstruction work in Perham, which began in mid-April 2024 and was completed afterward, adding another layer of change to the city’s commercial core.
This article was produced by Prism’s automated news system from verified source data, official records, and press releases, then run through automated quality and moderation checks before publishing. The system is built and supervised by the people who set the standards it runs under. Read our full AI policy.
Did this article answer your question?
