Ephrata council enacts ordinance authorizing condemnation filings to acquire property portions

Ephrata Borough Council voted unanimously on March 2 to enact Ordinance No. 1604, authorizing the filing of a declaration of taking and condemnation to acquire fee simple title in portions of certain properties in the borough. The motion was moved by Vice President Victor Richard and seconded by Councilor Nancy Aronson.

The ordinance, described at the work session as authorizing a formal declaration of taking and condemnation to acquire fee-simple interests in portions of specified properties, was approved without recorded roll-call tallies in the meeting minutes; the motion "carried unanimously." The minutes do not list the specific properties targeted in the ordinance or state subsequent administrative steps or timelines for filing.

Council considered the ordinance as part of its work-session recommendations and enacted it by motion. No formal public debate of the ordinance is recorded in the work-session minutes. The meeting record does not specify whether the enactment constitutes final adoption or initiates a process that will include additional hearings or appeals.

The work session agenda also listed other related highway and development items (including Ordinance No. 1605, parking items, and a Resolution 2026-10) for committee consideration, but Ordinance No. 1604 was the only formal council recommendation acted on during the session.