Committee Approves Condemnation Cases

Would Acquire Street Improvement Right of Way

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

— Six condemnation cases could soon be filed by the city to acquire right of way on 56th Street.

The City Council Street and Capital Improvement Program Committee sent a resolution to the full council Monday recommending approval. The agenda for the 6 p.m. council meeting tonight will include the resolution.

AT A GLANCE

Condemnation

Property owners on 56th Street faced with condemnation:

• Donald and Cindy Lee and Kenyon Atkinson

• Lonnie and Barbara Dickard

• Mary Ruth Wilhite

• Oren and Lorene Larue

• Hubert and Mattie Wilhite

• Victory Church

Source: City Of Springdale

Most of the properties are on the south end of 56th, between Arvest Ballpark and Dearing Road. Two additional properties south of Dearing would be affected by a planned large roundabout at its intersection with 56th.

The right of way would allow widening of the street from two to four lanes and to build the roundabout.

City officials plan to start construction as soon as possible, said Mayor Doug Sprouse.

"We've got to move on this," Sprouse said. "We do have a time crunch."

Bids will be opened for the section running along 56th from Dearing past Sunset Avenue on May 8, said Alan Pugh, city director of engineering. Construction is expected to begin in June.

The city raised $42.7 million for streets through a bond sale with the bonds to be repaid by an existing sales tax. The bond money must be used substantially within three years of the time of the sale, Sprouse said. City voters approved the sale in August 2012, with the bond sale coming in November 2012.

"It's taken us a while to run through the design phase," Sprouse said. "We're having to go to the condemnation stage faster than we usually would."

Lonnie Dickard, a property owner on 56th, said he was all for the street improvements and knew there were time restraints. Dickard's property was one of the parcels that a condemnation would be filed against.

"The offers have to be fair," Dickard said. "Land across the street shouldn't be that much higher than mine," Dickard said.

The city will take possession of the right of way property as soon as the lawsuit is filed, said Ernest Cate, city attorney.

The committee also made a counteroffer to another property owner that could also go to condemnation. The original offer for property owned by Thang Van Nguyen and Xuan Thi Huynh was $1,600. The owners countered with $3,500, Pugh said.

Alderman Jeff Watson suggested an offer to split the difference at $2,550.

"I think I can get a reply by the time of the council meeting," Pugh said.

NW News on 04/08/2014