City unlikely to use eminent to take Daley Street homes

The city is unlikely to rely on eminent domain to force Daley Street homeowners to get out of the way of a proposed new school next door.
“I think we would in all consciousness attempt to resolve it without the use of eminent domain,” Mayor Art Ward said Thursday.
Ward said that that if the homes are needed – as well as the market at the corner of Daley and Pine streets – the city would negotiate with the owners.
One city councilor, Mike Rimcoski, has already said he won’t support the use of eminent domain to take anybody’s home for the proposed $120 million school projects.
The Forestville School Building Committee recently voted unanimously to ask city councilors to buy a small market and three Daley Street houses to allow for the expansion of the site for a proposed 900-student school nearby.
If the owners aren’t willing to sell, the panel asked city leaders to consider using eminent domain to take the land.
It isn’t clear why the land was targeted since there isn’t yet an architect hired to work out what the space requirements for the project would be.
The city is eyeing the purchase of the former Crowley dealership on Pine Street as a site for a new kindergarten to eighth grade school. Negotiations are underway for its purchase.
At least one Daley Street couple, Richard and Rosemary Morgan, have said they aren’t interested in selling their house to the city for the project.
Steven DeVaux, the assistant school superintendent for business, said one of the homeowners was willing to sell, one didn’t have any interest and another was undecided.

*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com