Eminent domain action draws criticism
“Sandy Springs isn’t playing around with business owners who won’t sell their property for the city’s new downtown.
If the owners won’t sell, the city will use its powers of eminent domain to take their property.
City Council made the point at its June 18 meeting, voting to buy two similar pieces of property along Roswell Road for two distinctly different prices.
The parcels are both .29 acres, both front Roswell Road, and are both adjacent to the former Target building on Johnson Ferry Road that the city purchased for $8 million in 2008.
The city will pay $1.2 million for the parcel at 6204 Roswell Road owned by Dorothy K. Steinheimer, who was a willing seller. The city authorized using its powers of eminent domain to buy property at 6224 Roswell Road, currently home to a Makara Mediterranean Restaurant, but offered only $440,000.”
Whisenhunt, Dan. Reporter Newspaper 27 June 2013.