Lafayette City to offer three surplus parcels near Old Romney Road for sale to abutting owners

The Lafayette City Board of Works on Thursday approved two resolutions to declare three parcels of land near Old Romney Road and State Road 25 surplus and to offer them for sale to the two adjoining property owners.

City legal counsel told the board the land was originally acquired to build a trail where pedestrian facilities were then lacking, but the state later installed sidewalks along State Road 25. “We have no current use for this land, and we feel that the highest and best use will be to offer it for sale to the two abutting landowners,” Legal counsel said. “I request your approval.”

The board approved what counsel described as Resolution O1-2025 for parcels 1 and 2 and Resolution O2-2025 for the third parcel. Under the terms described at the meeting, the city will solicit offers equal to the average of two appraisals; the buyer(s) would pay title insurance, survey and engineering expenses.

Legal counsel told the board staff will notify both adjoining owners that the property is available but that only one of the two abutting parties is expected to express interest; the third parcel would be marketed similarly. The parcels were described as a contiguous stretch of land formerly held for a trail project.

Board members approved both resolutions by voice vote; no roll-call tally was reported during the meeting.

Next steps specified at the meeting: the city will proceed with the sale process described in the resolutions and notify prospective abutters. Specific sale prices, appraisal dates and timelines were not specified at the meeting.