Planning committee discusses possible eminent domain purchase at Binghamton Plaza; environmental and employee impacts raised
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Summary
Planning committee members reported meetings about advancing eminent-domain purchase of property at Binghamton Plaza, discussed business transition and employee impacts in executive session, and raised questions about potential disruption to a decade-old brownfields cleanup; a state DEC representative attended to answer environmental questions.
Members of the council’s planning committee reported July meetings on a proposal to pursue purchase of property at Binghamton Plaza using eminent domain. Committee members said they met July 17 and again the morning of July 30, discussed business-transition plans and employee impacts, and held an executive session to address personnel and bargaining-related questions; the committee also discussed potential environmental implications tied to a prior brownfields remediation.
A committee member told the council that a representative from the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) attended the meeting to answer questions about whether a brownfields cleanup completed roughly a decade ago could be disrupted by proposed actions. Committee members said the discussion included expertise from the DEC and that the full meeting is available on the city’s YouTube channel.
Why this matters: Pursuing eminent domain to acquire commercial property could affect businesses and employees and raises environmental-review questions where prior brownfields remediation exists. Committee members signaled they are evaluating business-transition and employee-impact plans and environmental risks before moving forward.
What happened at the meeting: The committee reviewed public-facing materials and noted follow-up work on transition planning. The Commission for Conservation of the Environment also reported it is considering the city’s “blue bag” refuse-management policy and will discuss potential modifications with the acting commissioner of Public Works at a legislative committee meeting.
Ending: No final legislative action on eminent domain was taken at the council meeting; planning committee members said they will continue studying business-transition details, employee impacts and environmental questions before any formal acquisition action.