Council members and the city administrator discussed several downtown redevelopment matters, including negotiations to sell Main Street properties, concerns about demolition timing, and railroad right-of-way rules that affect redevelopment near the tracks.

City Administrator James Fincher reported that a buyer (Aaron McMahon was mentioned by name as a potential buyer) has emerged for Main Street parcels and that the buyer wants coordinated demolition and streetscape work so the city avoids repeated disruptions. The administrator said developers prefer to demolish and redevelop in a coordinated timetable so the city “rips up” Woodlawn once rather than multiple times.

Fincher and others also explained that railroad rules can impose tight timelines: in the meeting they discussed a railroad right-of-way rule that was described as a 100-foot control (50 feet on either side of centerline was also discussed). The city administrator said the railroad’s policy often requires property owners to rebuild promptly after demolition or else the owner may face restrictions on future rebuilding; the railroad’s insurance- and right-of-way policies were cited as reasons property owners have delayed demolition. Council members said they are exploring potential workarounds with staff and the railroad but cautioned the railroad has historically been difficult to work with.

Separately, the city reported early success with the downtown Farmers Market. The market opened two Saturdays prior to the meeting and was described as growing from five vendors to eight (and later to ten vendor slots) with average attendance near 100 people during its first two weeks. The city adjusted hours because sellers were selling out early and added vendor canopies to accommodate growth.

Council said staff is pursuing negotiations on multiple downtown lots (including a church parcel treated as a separate transaction) and will coordinate streetscape and beautification projects with redevelopers where possible. Council members noted the importance of timing demolition, relocation of small businesses and street construction to minimize repeated disruption to downtown traffic and pedestrian access.

No formal council action was taken on redevelopment at the meeting; the council accepted the Farmers Market update and directed staff to continue negotiations and to explore potential solutions for railroad right-of-way constraints with due diligence.