Council Votes 4-3 for Eminent Domain
“During a Special Meeting on Monday, June 24th, and after years of political wrangling, the Duncanville City Council voted 4-3 to allow Dallas County to commence eminent domain proceedings on the Dotson family homestead in order to move Wintergreen Rd. Currently that stretch of road is in DeSoto connecting Cockrell Hill and Cedar Hill’s Duncanville Rd.
This Special Meeting featured a presentation by the County on the road project and the county’s eminent domain procedure. The presentation was followed immediately by a vote on the County/City eminent domain contract .
Mayor Hodge expressed concern in voting on a contract without the benefit of discussing it with the city attorney. A substitute city attorney was present. She pointed out the fallacies of the safety issues, saying that all these will be solved by widening the road and putting in left hand turn signals. She also pointed out the very low traffic count on the road and that the projected traffic count in 2025 is substantially low. She went on to assert that the amount of money being proposed for the project is excessive and unnecessary.
Councilmember Jones spoke about a family’s home being sacred, treasured not for its financial worth but for its memories and could not support this effort in destroying a family’s home.”
The Suburban Newspaper 26 June 2013.