City moves a step closer to taking of property

Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. City officials have made an offer to purchase a tiny piece of land owned by the Cross Landing facility, on which land off U.S. 19 North is located a failing city-owned lift station. The purchase offer essentially serves as a prelude to eminent domain proceedings, should the property owner fail to respond or refuse to sell the property. “The property owner has 30 days to respond,” City Attorney Mitchell Herring informed the City Council on Tuesday evening, Dec. 5. Should no response be forthcoming, he added, the next step would be to initiate a taking of the land by eminent domain. Access to the property is critical to the city in order to replac