 Several months ago Farney began a project to expand his
business at the corner of Woodlawn Road and Lincoln Parkway. He had
poured a concrete pad for the foundation of a new building. Then it
was discovered that the pad was partially on state property.
According to Farney, 8 feet of the pad on the east side is actually
on property belonging to IDOT. When the discovery was made, Farney
had contacted the state about getting the property declared as
excess property and signed over to him, but the state was unable to
do this. In order for Farney to get the property the city had to
become involved.
Mayor Keith Snyder said he had met with IDOT officials, state
Rep. Rich Brauer and Farney last week on Thursday and had worked out
a way in which Farney could continue his building and expansion
project and over time would also become the owner of the property
that now belongs to the state.
For this work, Snyder said the state would have to give the city
a jurisdictional transfer, and the city would have to annex the
property into city limits and issue Farney a permit to build.
IDOT would retain ownership of the property for the next 18
months because that is how long it takes to declare the ground as
excess and turn it over to Farney.
The plus side to doing this is that Farney will be able to go
ahead with his building plans right away. On the minus side, the
city will become responsible for Hickox Drive from Farney's business
south past Manley Monuments.
Tracy Jackson, street superintendent, said the state currently is
responsible for patching and maintenance on the frontage road, but
the city would have to take that over. The city would also have to
plow snow as needed and mow the grass. However, Farney said the
state never mowed the grass; he has been doing that all along Hickox
Drive for quite some time.
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The details of how such a transfer would work were a bit
confusing for Farney and the council. Farney said he would like to
buy a 50-by-70-foot plot of the ground. He said that in six years
his business has grown and is still growing, and he is out of room
on the corner lot.
However, city attorney Bill Bates said the city wouldn't be able
to sell anything to Farney. The annexation of the property into city
limits would not affect its ownership by the state. Snyder agreed,
telling Farney he'd have to deal with the state on any purchase of
land.
Bates also told the council that before the land could be
annexed, it would have to be surveyed, which would be at the city's
expense.
As the discussion continued, Farney was asked if it would not be
easier to cut one side off the concrete pad. Farney said he's
figuring out that it almost would be easier, but he needs the size
he has, and there is no other direction to go with it. He noted that
on another side of the pad is a sewer line, and he can't build on
top of it.
In the end, the motion was made to go along with proposal as
outlined by the mayor to take the jurisdictional transfer and annex
the business into the city. When it came to a vote, the motion
passed unanimously with eight aldermen voting. Alderwoman Joni Tibbs
and Alderman Buzz Busby were absent for the evening.
[By NILA SMITH]
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