Benicia eminent domain dilemma nears vote
“The city’s eminent domain dilemma is headed to a vote tonight as the City Council decides whether to take private property to build a park-and-ride.
The issue concerns a proposed park-and-ride and bus hub at the corner of Park Road and Industrial Way, in the Benicia Industrial Park.
The project is part of a larger effort to increase transportation options in the industrial district, regarded as an important regional employment center. It’s been in the planning stages for more than a decade.
The city has secured $1.75 million in grant funding to build the facility, but must act quickly or risk losing the funds to shovel-ready projects in other counties, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
However, the owners of the proposed project site — the Barragan family of Concord — have not said if they’re willing to sell their one-acre gravel lot, where they operate a taco truck for truckers.”
Burchyns, Tony. Times Herald 21 January 2014.