Council authorizes start of public sale process for vacant parcel at 445 Ellipse Creek

The Tonawanda City Council voted to authorize the start of a public sale process for a vacant parcel identified in discussion as 445 Ellipse Creek, a property the city has maintained in recent years.

Council members said the property has been vacant for about a year and that several parties have already expressed informal interest. The council president clarified that the resolution considered that evening only authorizes beginning the public sale process and that the detailed terms of sale — including a minimum bid or reserve price and deed restrictions, if any — will be set in a subsequent resolution.

Councilors discussed how to publish the sale and whether to set a starting price. One council member proposed a $25,000 starting amount as a floor; others said the terms of sale will be published when the city publishes the formal sale notice. The mayor’s office and staff said they will bring back a second resolution that sets the sale terms for council approval.

Council members asked whether deed restrictions would be applied; staff said purchasers would still be required to follow existing zoning and building code requirements.

The resolution to begin the sale process passed on the city council floor by voice and roll call votes; the council president and other members described the vote as approving the resolution to “start the process,” with the final sale and terms to be decided later.

The discussion occurred as part of the regular agenda, and councilors said the city will advertise the sale publicly and allow any interested parties to submit bids when the terms and timeline are finalized.