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Council authorizes negotiation to buy site for new Fire Station 23 after contested appraisals; eminent‑domain option remains
Summary
Council approved an ordinance authorizing the administration to negotiate purchase of a parcel for a new Fire Station 23 and restricted the permitted funding sources; the property owner disputed the city's appraisal and submitted a higher independent valuation, and council scheduled an eminent‑domain resolution for further consideration.
City Council on May 29 authorized the administration to negotiate for a parcel at 122 Madison Ave as the prospective site for a relocated Fire Station 23 and tightened the ordinance language that identifies allowable funding sources for an acquisition.
The action (ordinance 368‑2026, as amended) instructs the administration to pursue an acquisition and provides a capped negotiating authority that includes the owner’s recorded purchase price and a stated allowance for additional documented costs. The ordinance language as amended instructs the administration to use restricted designated funds rather than an open "any other funds" clause; council also approved a technical amendment narrowing which city funds may be used.
Representatives of Shaker Madison LLC, the current property owner, told the council that the appraisal circulated to council contains language stating it is "not to be relied upon," and that the owner has provided a different appraisal that produces a materially higher value. The owner's representative said their side had a verbal counter of approximately $2 million during recent discussions; county records cited in the hearing show the owner’s recorded purchase price as $575,000.
"If you look at the underlying appraisal that was obtained, it literally has the words in it. This is not to be relied upon by any third party for any purpose whatsoever," the owner's representative told council. The administration's acquisition team said it prefers to reach a negotiated settlement, will review both appraisals, and typically uses the appraisal review process to resolve differences. The administration cautioned that if settlement cannot be reached, a court process could extend the timeline by 18 months or more.
Council members repeatedly emphasized the need to steward taxpayer funds and asked the administration to document how any amount beyond the recorded purchase price is justified. The administration said it had previously offered the owner a figure based on its appraisal and that the ordinance allows documentation of additional costs to be considered when calculating a final offer.
Council also heard from fire department officials who detailed why the Madison site is operationally suitable (minimum acreage, pull‑through bays, space for two EMS units and apparatus) and said some nearby parcels would not meet siting or dimensional requirements. The administration noted design funding is scheduled in the capital plan and that, if negotiations are successful, design and construction funding could be moved up.
The council approved the amended ordinance and will consider a separate eminent‑domain resolution on the calendar; administration officials said they intend to keep negotiating but reserved eminent domain as a last resort.
