Jefferson County initiates eminent domain proceedings for safety buffer at airport
“The Jefferson County Board of Legislators unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday that will begin eminent domain proceedings on land adjacent to the Watertown International Airport.
Eminent domain allows the government to take private property for public use provided that it pays just compensation to the owners of the property.
The county is planning to expand the runway at the airport by 1,000 feet and is attempting to gain control of parcels that lie to the east and west of the runway so that it can provide the average 2,500 feet of safety clearance required by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The western parcel is owned by William E. and Colleen J. Lawler and the eastern parcel is owned by Roscoe A. Eisenhauer, according to County Administrator Robert F. Hagemann III.”
Flatley, Daniel. Watertown Daily News 7 August 2013.