Sandy Springs council votes to allow city to file eminent domain against Master Kleen site
“Sandy Springs City Council on March 4 voted to authorize the condemnation of property leased by Master Kleen dry cleaning.
City officials intend to use the property for the city’s future civic center. The city has offered the property owner, Nancy Clamp, the appraised value of $680,000, but so far has not been successful in purchasing it, City Attorney Wendell Willard said during the council’s March 4 meeting.
Negotiations are continuing and mediation is planned, Willard said, but the city will use an eminent domain filing as a last resort.
“I hate eminent domain . . . especially of an existing business,” said City Councilman Gabriel Sterling, who cast the lone vote against the resolution. However, he said that he understood the rationale and intention behind voting for eminent domain, but he hoped the city and property owner could come to a resolution.
Mayor Rusty Paul urged the council to go forward in its city center plans. “We’ve embarked on a project where we’ve spent over $20 million in taxpayer money,” he said. He said he understood why some council members expressed an interest in holding off on voting until after the mediation, but that they “couldn’t put the project at risk.””
Reporter Newspaper 4 March 2014.