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Cedar Park council authorizes use of eminent domain for emergency raw water intake easements
Summary
The Cedar Park City Council approved two resolutions authorizing the use of eminent domain, if necessary, to obtain temporary easements for an emergency floating raw water intake and related anchoring, utility and electrical access. Both measures passed 6-0 with one member absent.
The Cedar Park City Council voted to authorize the use of eminent domain, if necessary, to acquire temporary easements for construction and operation of an emergency floating raw water intake and related infrastructure.
The council approved two related resolutions: one to acquire a set of temporary easements (including a 7,069-square-foot temporary access easement, a 2,500-square-foot temporary generator easement, a 29,484-square-foot temporary utility easement and a 4.5-acre temporary anchoring easement) from an 18.681-acre tract conveyed to Jaden F. Newman (document number 2014183750, Travis County records), and a second to acquire a 1.1-acre temporary waterline anchoring and electrical easement from Lot 4 of the George Family Partnership subdivision (property recorded to Alan David Colby and Aaron Paige Lucius Colby, document number 2023064140). Both resolutions state the public purpose as establishing, constructing, anchoring, operating, and maintaining an emergency floating raw water intake facility and appurtenances.
Council members recorded no substantive staff presentation on the items before the motions were made. The first resolution (agenda item H‑1) was moved and seconded; the council approved that item 6‑0 with one member absent. The second resolution (agenda item H‑3) was similarly moved, seconded and approved 6‑0 with one member absent.
The resolutions authorize the city to pursue acquisition “by eminent domain, if necessary,” rather than documenting negotiated acquisition details or settlement amounts in the meeting record. The text presented on the agenda describes the easement sizes, the public-use purposes, and the recorded property descriptions and document numbers but does not specify any compensation amounts, settlement offers, or a timeline for acquisition.
No members of the public addressed the council on these items during the meeting, and there was no recorded extended debate or amendment to either resolution in the transcript.
The actions allow city staff to proceed with securing the required temporary easements for the floating raw water intake project, but the resolutions as recorded leave open whether the city will reach voluntary agreements or proceed to condemnation.
