Alpine condemns private land to widen road

(Daily Herald) Alpine elected officials on Tuesday reluctantly voted to use eminent domain to take an easement from three landowners so that a road can be repaired and widened.

"Historically, I never, ever vote for condemnation," said Councilman Kent Hastings moments before the vote, noting that the city has tried for months to negotiate with the three landowners. "I always want the parties to resolve it. But in this case, we can't maintain the road right now because it has pretty much failed, so this is going to greatly improve safety on that road. That is why I am voting to condemn these pieces."

"We hope we don't have to use these" resolutions to condemn the property "and everything gets worked out," said Mayor Hunt Willoughby after the unanimous vote.

The land is necessary to both widen and improve Fort Canyon Road in advance of development in the area, said city staff.

Two of the owners of the property in question have been sparring over how to divide the payment for the land, said city attorney David Church. The city did not disclose how much it was paying for the easements. Both landowners have tacitly agreed to turn over the land, but Alpine still needed to condemn the property because that allows the courts to decide who gets the money while allowing the city to move forward with work on the road.

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