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Council moves to sell small city parcel, pauses broader surplus-policy changes
Summary
Council voted to offer a city-owned lot on Plantation Road for sale by sealed bid with a $3,000 minimum and a six-month cleanup requirement, then paused wider changes to surplus-property policy for staff to return with clarified procedures.
The City Council on Aug. 12 voted to offer parcel 07740-000 (approximately 415 Plantation Road) for sale by sealed bid with a minimum bid of $3,000 and a six-month requirement that the buyer clean the property.
Council discussion included estimates for cleanup costs (presented as $8,000 to $20,000 depending on scope), the parcel's flood-zone status and whether the lot had been included on prior "surplus property" lists. A majority of council members said selling the parcel would return the lot to private ownership and remove a maintenance burden; others urged strict conditions and adherence to a transparent surplus-property policy.
Why it matters: The sale affects city maintenance costs, property taxes and neighborhood blight. Councilors and staff stressed the need for consistent, public procedures when selling municipal land and agreed to revisit the city's surplus-property policy for clarity.
Action taken and conditions: Council approved a motion to accept sealed bids with a $3,000 minimum bid and required the purchaser to clean the parcel within six months of closing. Council also directed staff to follow the city's surplus-property procedure for public notice and sale steps but later paused broader policy revisions and asked legal/staff to return with clarified language before additional surplus land sales.
Next steps: Staff will publish the sealed-bid notice consistent with city procedure, include the cleanup condition in the sale terms, and return to council with any recommended updates to the surplus-property policy.
