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Council discusses widely divergent appraisals for right‑of‑way at 2995–2997 North Main Street; suggests midpoint offer
Summary
City staff presented two appraisals for a right‑of‑way abandonment request at 2995 and 2997 North Main Street that differed by $6,600; council members expressed concern over the variance and directed staff to propose a midpoint figure of roughly $12,300 to the property owner
City staff briefed the council on a request to abandon a city right‑of‑way affecting property at 2995 and 2997 North Main Street and presented two appraisals with substantially different assessed fair‑market values.
The property owner originally submitted an appraisal from Beck Appraisal Services valuing the area at $9,000. The city then hired Hall Rigdon & Associates, which returned a higher fair‑market value of $15,600. Because the appraisals differ by $6,600, councilmembers questioned the comparables used and whether either appraisal would hold up under challenge.
One councilmember described the two appraisals as “so far off” from each other that neither might be reliable. The city attorney advised that the key legal standard is whether the city can make the argument that the adopted figure represents fair market value; the council may negotiate with the property owner.
After discussion, several councilmembers expressed willingness to meet the parties in the middle. The council agreed in principle to ask staff to present a midpoint figure of approximately $12,300 to the property owner and to proceed with negotiations based on that number.
Staff also noted the parcel’s configuration and limited utility as a right‑of‑way, which some members said reduces its value to both the city and to the owner. The council directed staff to return with the owner’s response and to proceed according to the abandonment process documented in city procedures.
No final ordinance abandoning the right‑of‑way was adopted at the work session; the council provided direction to staff on valuation and next steps.
