Core to shore land acquisition...
Not sure where to put this, so I thought I would start a new thread. Mods, merge it with an old thread if needed.
City faces a tough task in Core to Shore
By Will Kooi
The Journal Record
Posted: 09:46 PM Wednesday, July 28, 2010
OKLAHOMA CITY – Al Cusack’s meatpacking plant sits among the neglected streets and neighborhoods due south of the downtown business district, an area known for its history but not its aesthetics. The good news: The city plans to build a large public park in his neighborhood.
The bad news: It will be right across the street, overtaking his parking lot.
Cusack Meats has been in the midst of Hubcap Alley since 1951, supplying meat to major corporations, hotels and hospitals – all from the nondescript former Baptist church building on SW 12th Street. Half of his property will become public property and the other half will be moved to make way for urban renewal.
But Cusack said he supports the change, the park and the entire Core to Shore project.
“I don’t think it’s something that I’m ever going to enjoy in my lifetime, but maybe my kid or her kids will be able to enjoy this,” he said.
Because of Core to Shore urban renewal and a public park paid for by the MAPS 3 tax, a wide area between Interstate 40 and the Oklahoma River will be totally revamped.
The city and the Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority are beginning the processes of acquiring large swaths of land for the park or possessing properties for future private development that will meet Core to Shore design standards.
That means the city is preparing for one of its most dangerous games.
“There’s always a handful of people who end up going to court,” said Alex Souder, senior vice president of Oklahoma City-based Pinnacle Consulting Management Group Inc. Pinnacle is working with the Urban Renewal Authority, buying properties and assisting property owners with relocation. Pinnacle sends letters to residents and business owners, letting them know the process and what they can expect to happen.
The owners are then contacted by appraisers, surveyors and environmental inspectors who all do their best to come up with the most recent, fair market price. Pinnacle makes the owners an offer and works with them to find a suitable relocation placement or facility.
“They usually go pretty well,” Souder said. “Our goal is to treat people fairly, to provide fair and just compensation, sound and solid relocation. … But you normally can’t make everyone happy.”
Most of the businesses in the area feel they will be treated fairly.
“(Urban Renewal Authority’s) comment to me has been, ‘We will make you whole again,’” Cusack said.
But some are getting ready to hold out, before the process has even started. Mike Bailey, owner of The Car Doctor auto repair on SW Sixth Street – a block west of the future park – said he has been approached by several local businesses wanting to know if he would join with them in hiring an attorney.
“The answer is no. Absolutely not,” he said, claiming relocation is in the best interests for himself, his business and the city.
Souder said if an owner is simply against a project or doesn’t feel like the market value is fair, there’s the eminent domain channel.
“We explain to them, it’s not a threat, it’s not an arm-twisting tactic – in fact it’s their right under the Fifth Amendment to appeal their price,” he said. “It is a legal process that is here for both sides.”
Once an eminent domain case has been filed, a judge appoints three commissioners: landowners in the district, businessmen, or people with real estate backgrounds – anyone who deals with property and can fairly appraise. The commissioners determine a value for the property through viewings and meetings with the owner.
The value is rendered to the judge, and once the governing authority pays that value, it possesses the property.
“From that point, both sides have the ability to appeal the report, leading to a jury trial,” Souder said. “Those can take years.”
Regardless of a subsequent appeal, once the authority pays the price determined by the commissioners, it possesses the property and can continue with the project. The owner has 30 days to vacate the property.
Souder said between 10 to 30 percent of property acquisition results in eminent domain. However, Pinnacle and the Urban Renewal Authority want to make sure the process is smooth and would rather settle with an owner than waste time and money resorting to the tactic.
“Usually, once they understand the appraised value, see the relocation financial assistance we have available, and see we’re on their side, they’re OK,” Souder said.
“We want to make sure taxpayers’ money is spent reasonably.”
In fact, although the Urban Renewal Authority’s acquisition procedures are modeled on federal procedures, theirs have been tweaked to provide more compensation than normal.
“We don’t want to be branded with people saying, ‘I didn’t get enough money,’” said Urban Renewal Authority Director JoeVan Bullard.
Cusack Meats hosted a Core to Shore meeting for surrounding businesses where Bullard and Director of City Planning Russell Claus answered questions. While some are still not happy and will demand more money, Cusack said he thinks the city will be fair.
“A lot of people have the mind-set that the city is just taking their property away from them and isn’t going to give them anything,” he said. “I don’t see that happening.”
Relocation will actually benefit his business with the possibility of a new and bigger facility, Bailey said.
“If they need my property to do a designed urban program, that’s fine; just move me to a place where I can continue my 10-year plan,” he said.
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Originally Posted by Steve
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