Council authorizes eminent-domain filings for small property interests on Beasley Road/Highland Drive project

The Jackson City Council on Feb. 5 approved resolutions authorizing condemnation proceedings to obtain small property interests needed for the Beasley Road at Highland Drive improvement project (Federal Project STP8254-00004).

Terry Williams of the office of the city attorney explained the properties are adjacent to the intersection near Callaway High School and described the action as necessary after survey and right-of-way work indicated a sliver of private property must be acquired to address erosion and permit construction of a sidewalk and drainage improvements. "When the survey was done... they realized that there's an area over there where there's some erosion where we need to do just a small drainage improvement project... So we're just acquiring a little portion of that," Williams said on the record.

The resolutions name parcels owned by Tin Brothers LLC (listed on the agenda packet as parcel 001-00-00-W, tax parcel 706-15-4) and two parcels listed as Jackson Mystic A LLC and Jackson Mystic B LLC (parcel 002-00-00-W, tax parcel 706-201). Williams said the city first made an appraisal-based offer (the appraiser's valuation for the sliver was described on the record at about $6,800–$6,900) and that negotiations did not produce agreement, leaving condemnation as the option to keep the federally funded project on schedule. He explained the council's approval allows staff to file suit and use the quicker "quick-take" procedure available for roadway projects, which permits the city to deposit estimated value into court so work can proceed while valuation disputes are resolved.

Both condemnation resolutions were approved on recorded votes of 5–0. Williams said the city will pay into court the appraised value determined by the court's neutral appraiser if required; potential litigation by property owners remains possible.