City of Oconomowoc to proceed with eminent domain of parcel for community center parking
“In a 4-3 vote Tuesday night, Common Council approved a resolution to proceed with establishing eminent domain of 219. W. Wisconsin Ave. Officials were presented with the option after Mayor Jim Daley said two years of negotiations with the property owner have been unsuccessful.
The city is seeking the property directly across from the new community center for parking. The issue has been a hot-button topic in the city because the nearest public parking is about a football field away.
According to a timeline presented at the meeting by Director of Economic Development Bob Duffy, since 2010, the city has gone back and forth with the property owners over the value of the land. The city has assessed the land twice with the latest offer for $250,000 based on the assessment.
The property owners have argued that the land’s value is upwards of $400,000. They have argued this based on claims that the property could be rezoned from its current residential to mixed-used commercial increasing the value by almost double.”
Lake County Reporter 15 January 2013.