City council approves consent items including ordinance authorizing eminent domain acquisition for street and sidewalk improvements

As part of the consent agenda on Sept. 15 the Vancouver City Council approved items including an ordinance that declares the public necessity to acquire a parcel by eminent domain for a street and sidewalk improvement project.

The city read the ordinance into the record as an action "relating to construction for the public use of streets, sidewalks, and related improvements; declaring the public necessity for and providing for the acquisition by the city of Vancouver by eminent domain of real property located in the city limits on the Northwest corner of the intersection of Southeast A Hundred And 70 Sixth Avenue in Southeast 20 Ninth Street." The ordinance text also authorized the city attorney to prosecute eminent domain proceedings, to negotiate a resolution if possible to mitigate damages, to provide for payment of just compensation, and provided for immediate effective date if adopted.

Councilors moved to approve consent items 1, 2, 5 and 6; the motion was made by Council Member Hansen and seconded by Council Member Stober. The roll call vote was unanimous; council members present voted aye and the motion passed. The ordinance authorizing condemnation was included in that approved package.

The consent vote does not record any separate debate on the ordinance at the meeting and the council did not pull the item for separate discussion. Staff and the city attorney remain authorized to proceed with acquisition efforts per the ordinance language; the city attorney may pursue negotiations to avoid litigation and must provide just compensation in any acquisition.