House Bill 8 could threaten Carrboro’s plan to buy Collins Crossing
“n January, the N.C. General Assembly drafted House Bill 8, which would prohibit governments from purchasing private property except for public use, such as to create a parking lot.
North Carolina’s current statute states that private property may also be purchased for public benefit — as would be the case with Collins Crossing — but House Bill 8 would remove that ability.
The amendment will be voted on in a statewide referendum on Nov. 4, 2014.
Mike Brough, the town attorney for Carrboro, said the language of the proposed amendment is confusing, and its impact is not yet clear.
“It raises the question as to whether or not the government can only condemn property if the public is going to use it,” he said.
“I think the impact of that proposed constitutional amendment is not entirely clear.”
Alderman Sammy Slade said the process of condemning property is already lengthy and complicated, and the town might not be able to complete the process to take over Collins Crossing by next November.
“If we decide to do eminent domain, it would be a big question if we could do it in time before the referendum passes,” Slade said.
In addition to the potential legal problems, the Board of Aldermen is still unsure if it can afford to purchase the property.”
Heerman, Danielle. Daily Tarheel 1 April 2013.