Wednesday, November 19, 2003
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Wednesday, November 19, 2003 |
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Property owners object to F’ville park plan By JOHN MUNFORD Plans to build a passive park in downtown Fayetteville may have hit a snag as negotiations for the city to purchase two parcels for the project have stalled, according to city officials. The city has no plans to condemn the property through use of eminent domain in the event the purchase can’t be successfully negotiated, said City Manager Joe Morton. “That was never in the picture,” Morton said, adding that if an agreement isn’t reached with the two property owners for the first phase, the city will look for another location for the project. The Village Green park is planned to be the first phase of a city-initiated development that would later feature retail shops with offices and residential units to expand the city’s offerings downtown. The remaining development would take place in two additional phases at a later date. The city is attempting to purchase two parcels that front Ga. Highway 85 on the block between LaFayette Avenue and Ga. Highway 54. But the negotiations on the purchase have stalled, Morton said Tuesday morning. “It boils down to money, just like everything else,” Morton said, adding that more information on the negotiations would be available in several weeks. Other property owners in the area have privately expressed displeasure with the plans to develop the area. The city has received a $1.5 million grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Livable Centers Initiative for the first phase of the project. The city expects to chip in another $361,000 as part of the 20 percent matching funds for the grant. LCI is a voluntary program designed to increase pedestrian traffic and reduce automobile traffic in Georgia cities. Officials plan to include walking trails and other amenities as part of the passive Village Green park. The city completed its LCI study process earlier this year and a report recommends the Village Green be used as a place to hold community events including the city’s art festivals and summer gatherings. A report from a real estate consulting firm has indicated Fayetteville has a future need for more small-scale specialty stores even though there is a glut of normal commercial space. If all three phases of the project are completed, it would reach all the way to Tiger Trail from Hwy. 85, bringing it near the Villages at LaFayette residential and office development and the city’s Villages Amphitheater.
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