Council stands firm with streets at Country Club Heights
Staff reporter
Local attorney Chris Costello asked Marion City Council to make a decision Monday regarding his clients' request for reducing the cost of streets in exchange for land.
So, the council did. There will be no swapping of land for a new street.
Costello, who represented developers and landowners Doug Sharp and Roger Hannaford III, previously had asked the city council to consider reducing the cost of a new street to a housing subdivision developed by Sharp and Hannaford who contended that a "gentleman's agreement" about 15 years ago between the developers and the city commission promised a street to the subdivision after four houses were built. That agreement was never made a part of the city's public meeting minutes and no documentation could be found to substantiate the claim.
Property owners of Country Club Heights signed a petition that asked for hard-surfaced streets to and in the addition. The council approved the petition, bids were awarded, and plans were made for the improvements. Sharp and Hannaford then came to the council and asked the city to pay for the main street that goes from Tanglewood Drive to the housing addition. In exchange, the pair would deed property to the city.
Much debate followed regarding the city's obligation and the petition that landowners had already signed for street improvements.
The cost of the improvements will be assessed appropriately to the property owners during a 10-year period and will be paid through their property taxes.
Mayor Mary Olson asked that the minutes reflect that the assessments will be as approved and the city will not accept any donation or deeding of land in exchange for the city paying for some or all of he new streets. The motion passed 4-1 with councilman Bill Holdeman opposing.
