As of the evening of Nov. 26, three properties in the North Vine Street Corridor project have not reached an agreement with the city of Hays regarding acquisitions of easements and rights of way. Commissioners voted Tuesday to approve an eminent domain ordinance.
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
With no discussion, Hays city commissioners Tuesday evening voted 4-1 to approve an eminent domain ordinance for the North Vine Street Corridor Project.
No questions or statements about the ordinance came from anyone in commission chambers.
Mayor Henry Schwaller voted no. He has consistently objected to portions of the design which includes four traffic roundabouts between 32nd and 41st Streets.
The final paperwork from Pheasant Run restaurant was completed earlier Tuesday, according to John Bird, city attorney, and subsequently removed from the condemnation ordinance.
Four properties were originally included in the ordinance.
The agreement with Pheasant Run, 3201 Vine, was reached Tuesday. The restaurant was removed from the condemnation ordinance.
The remaining three properties are the the former Ambassador Hotel, which was razed and is now a vacant lot, Golden Ox truckstop and the Super 8 motel.
"This ordinance will allow us to go forward," Bird explained, "against the owners of the former Ambassador site, where a small tract that involves Mark Augustine is kind of a 'friendly situation' where he hasn't been able to get [an owner] signature on something we needed, so he knows that's coming. And then there's the Super 8 and the Golden Ox."
Bird said there are eight tracts total in the condemnation.
"Some of them are just temporary easements and then the rest of them are where we'll actually install improvements and streets that are going in the Ambassador area."
The ordinance will effect upon publication in the official city newspaper, the Hays Daily News. The next step in the process is to file a petition for eminent domain proceedings with the district court.
In other business, commissioners unanimously agreed to resolutions for annexations of six properties into the city for development of a planned travel plaza just north of the Interstate 70 west Exit 157.
Six annexation requests for a proposed travel plaza in northwest Hays
Five of the properties are not contiguous to the city limits and will first require approval by the Ellis County Commission.
The annexations are expected to return to the commission for its Dec. 12 meeting.
A 15-minute executive session was called at the end of the meeting to discuss possible property acquisition. No action was taken.
Commissioner Sandy Jacobs participated in the meeting by telephone.