The cost could run taxpayers more than $600,000.
We told you weeks go about the need for developers JMF Properties to gain access for a new sewer line that would run from the post office site through the back parking lot and connect with sewers on Baker Street. Township engineers have said the new sewer line is needed because the extra sewer water would overwhelm the current Maplewood Avenue sewer.
Currently, the parking lot is leased by the Township from the owners of the buildings that run from 166 Maplewood Ave. to 180 Maplewood Ave. for $11,820.29 per year. But that lease is up next month.
Township officials had been in negotiations with the building owners to extend the lease but announced at Tuesday night's meeting plans to purchase the land so that it can be used for the sewer line and future parking without any lease.
The Township today released a property value assessment from Township Attorney Roger Desiderio that indicates the value of the property is at least $641,200.
See that appraisal HERE.
"We've looked at extending the lease of those properties behind those stores which we have been leasing on a five-year basis and renewed," Mayor Vic Deluca said at Tuesday's meeting. "In our conversations with one of the owners it became evident that it would be a significant bump in what we are paying for the lease."
He later added, "Over time it would be more economical to pay to buy it rather than leasing it. It would assure that there would be public parking back there and no future property owner could hold up his or her piece of property and get into a protracted debate with the town. We thought it best to move forward and purchase the property."
The largest property owner is Saul Fischer, who owns three of the buildings. He had told us he was in favor of the post office project, but had not heard back about the Township's offers. He did not respond to a request for comment about the pending efforts to purchase the parking lot land.
It is unclear if the Township would take legal action to obtain the land by eminent domain if needed.
2 comments:
So we, the taxpayers, are gonna spend $650,000 to purchase an entire huge parking lot to install an 8" pipe. A little overkill, no?
And this is to benefit JMF, a private entity...so how can eminent domain be legally used?
Prove to me that this makes some kind of financial sense...give me the figures please?
There is no need to either lease or buy the property. If we don't least the lot, it will still be used by the owners for parking. Perhaps fewer train commuters? Sure. But we have jitneys for a reason and to pay $650,000 instead is an absurd fleecing of the taxpayers. One other point: NOBODY would pay 30 times as much to buy something as to lease it. Let alone 50. The implied return is absurd.
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