Eminent domain considered for vacant city lot in Columbus Ohio
“Amy Kuhn, an attorney representing Hazelbaker, said the family has owned the property for 22 years and decided to sell it to another buyer for reasons that she would not disclose.
“A number of potential buyers made offers to purchase the property prior to the city expressing an interest,” she wrote in an email. “At all times in their dealings with the city, representatives of the Hazelbaker family negotiated in good faith. At no time did the city make an offer that was acceptable.”
Eminent domain gives government the power to seize property for a public purpose after paying its fair market value. The practice is usually reserved for building roads and installing sewer lines.
The city says it needs the property to relocate its Downtown snowplow, street-sweeping, code-enforcement and facilities-management operations from the Arena District.”
Sullivan, Lucas. The Columbus Dispatch 20 November 2012.