Board advances purchase of 2.3‑acre parcel for Berryhill Road improvements at $640,000

The board considered a staff recommendation to purchase a 2.3‑acre parcel (parcel 32‑2N‑29) for $640,000 to facilitate future Berryhill Road widening and associated stormwater improvements. Staff said the parcel is critical to manage basin drainage for Basin Number 2 and to allow realignment of Greenfield Street at a problematic intersection near a childcare center.

Staff noted two appraisals — one at $620,000 and one at $640,000 provided by the property owner — and described outreach to other nearby property owners; commissioners and residents debated whether all nearby owners had been contacted and whether the county had performed adequate due diligence. A resident, Sherry Chapman, urged the board to ensure outreach and consider other nearby parcels before final purchase decisions. Staff responded that engineers selected the parcel because of topography and gravity‑driven drainage, and that other parcels had been considered but were not suitable without costly redesign.

The item proceeded with board discussion; staff said the acquisition is key to the drainage design and will reduce future construction and maintenance costs compared with piping water across topographic constraints.