Acquisition Services

SRF has provided right of way acquisition services for a variety of clients. In the utility sector, we have experience in the electric transmission and distribution field. SRF Real Estate Group provides the following services, all or part which may be required for typical acquisitions:

• Site identification and analysis
• Title research and analysis
• Field survey, survey exhibit drafting, and preparation of legal descriptions
• Appraisal services
• File and legal document preparation
• Permitting services (highway, railroad, environmental, zoning, etc.)
• Negotiation services
• Condemnation preparation
• Construction damage claim settlements

Land Owner Mailing Lists

SRF has been retained by a number of utility producers and transmission companies to produce land owner mailing lists for projects across the Midwest. These projects consisted of owner lists for transmission, wind farms, and biomass facilities.

 To complete these responsibilities, SRF coordinates with counties to acquire digital parcel data with land owner information in a GIS format.  Availability of the GIS data ranges from fully integrated spatial and land owner information, to the complete absence of digital spatial and land owner information. We also collect data manually through online county tax assessor websites.  SRF delivers two types of standardized mailing lists for corridors: 1. a list of all potentially impacted parcels and 2. a list with duplicate landowners removed.

SRF has developed land owner mailing lists for the Oak Glen Wind Farm, Shell Rock Wind Farm, and CapX2020 project.

Corridor /Asset Management

SRF provides management and field services for utility projects where the existing right-of-way needs to be managed. Our projects include phase raising, vegetation management, and encroachment detection and enforcement.

We assist our clients with data gathering, document review, land owner contacts, reporting, and final documentation. For some projects, our final deliverable is a map that illustrates preferred access routes and full owner and/ or tenant contact information.

SRF can also handle damage payments, including damages to crops, landscaping, trees, and other impacts to a private property.

Property Management

If our clients are required due to "buy the farm" or some another action to acquire whole properties, SRF can assist with your property management needs. We are prepared to act as your agent in the field with rent collections, coordinate routine maintenance, make recommendations on major repairs that may be required, and other services necessary to assure your asset is protected after you have made the purchase.

SRF can also coordinate the disposition of the properties that you have purchased. We can work directly on your behalf to sell properties and to make sure you receive a fair market price for your assets.

Land Rights and Use

SRF provides land rights and acquisition services to assist clients (both developers and land owners) with the development of wind farm projects. SRF has successfully provided the following land rights services: title, owner identification, GIS services, public meetings, document development, owner contacts, land rights acquisition, cooperation agreements, options, and lease/ or easement negotiations.

SRF has worked with Avant Energy on the Shell Rock and Oak Glen Wind Farms.

Structural Evaluations for Wind Projects

SRF can provide structural evaluations of box culverts and bridges in the planning phases of a major wind energy project. Tractor trailers carry the needed erection equipment and turbine parts to rural locations, and the loads frequently exceed 200,000 pounds . Many times, the identified haul routes have structures, such as small concrete pipes with minimal cover, larger box culverts that provide cattle crossings, and actual bridges that carry streams under rural roadways.

SRF can evaluate each structure to determine if any retrofit design would be needed to accommodate the heavy loadings. Evaluations are based on the actual per axle loading and trailer configuration as provided by the contractor. In addition, geotechnical borings can be taken to better understand the soil conditions and determine the foundation support that could be expected.

SRF performs field inspections prior to construction and documents the condition and integrity of each structure. After construction is complete, we will conduct follow-up field inspections to determine if any damage occurred from the heavy loads crossing the structures. These evaluations and retrofit designs protect both the contractor and the county from the liability of damage during construction.

SRF recently assisted Faribault County, Minnesota, in evaluating several structures on a haul route.

SRF has provided right-of-way acquisition services for a variety of clients. In the pipeline sector, we have the experience necessary to complete your job on time and on budget. SRF provides the following services, all or part which may be required for typical acquisitions:

• Site identification and analysis
• Title research and analysis
• Field survey, survey exhibit drafting, and preparation of legal descriptions
• Appraisal services
• File and legal document preparation
• Permitting services (highway, railroad, environmental, zoning, etc.)
• Negotiation services
• Condemnation preparation
• Construction damage claim settlement

SRF provided comprehensive real estate services on the Greater Minnesota Transmission effort.

SRF works with energy developers to provide real estate services for biomass, solar, and other green energy solutions. We assist our clients with the initial site evaluation process and initiate land owner relations with residents that reside near the proposed facilities as well as with area farmers who are interested in obtaining byproducts to use in lieu of commercial fertilizer applications.

Mr. Hansen has 18 years of civil engineering, land surveying, and real estate experience on a variety of utility and infrastructure projects. He is experienced in preparing feasibility studies and preliminary layouts, construction plans and specifications, cost estimates, permit applications, right of way and easement descriptions, and contract documents. Mr. Hansen frequently manages complex transportation and infrastructure improvement projects and coordinates them through multiple agency reviews and approvals.

With more than 18 years of right of acquisition experience, Mr. Helvey is highly respected for his ability to successfully conduct the right-of-way acquisition process. As the manager of SRF's Real Estate Group, he manages the right-of -ay process for turnkey projects as well as stand-alone right-of-way projects. Mr. Helvey has worked closely with utilities; local, municipal, county and state agencies; the Minnesota and North Dakota Departments of Transportation; and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He has also successfully completed the acquisition and negotiations for hundreds residential and commercial parcels.

Mr. Brunsvold has worked in the energy development sector for 12 years, with an emphasis on wind farm development. He has worked on a range of wind farm development issues, including planning and zoning, property tax estimations, and local and state permitting issues. Recently, he successfully managed the Bent Tree Wind Farm project, which is located on a 400-MW, 300 landowner site. In addition, his background in military aviation enables him to effectively resolve FAA issues affecting energy project development. Mr. Brunsvold’s experience also includes landowner and local government interface and project site plan consultation.