Jefferson County eminent domain hearing to reconvene
“Jefferson County will reconvene a public hearing about eminent domain proceedings at the Watertown International Airport tonight.
Eminent domain allows the government to take private property for public use provided it pays just compensation to the owners of the property.
The hearing was adjourned two weeks ago after property owners raised several concerns about the county’s land acquisition at the airport on Route 12F near Dexter.
“We’re simply looking to entertain any further public comment and any remarks that are pertinent to the proceedings. Then we will go ahead and close the hearing,” said County Legislator Barry M. Ormsby, R-Belleville, chairman of the board’s Planning and Development and airport ad-hoc committees.
The county is planning to extend a runway at the airport by 1,000 feet to accommodate larger regional jets and needs to gain control of parcels at either end of the runway to provide 2,500 feet of safety clearance required by the Federal Aviation Administration.”
Flateley, Daniel. Watertown Daily News 19 December 2013.