The Duluth City Council voted to uphold the city's decision to fight a local business over it's air space last night. The vote was 7-1 with councilor Jim Stauber being the only no vote.
The city and the councilors believe that we should go to court over air space that was part of the Voyaguer motel. The city used eminent domain over a parking lot that was owned by the motel. It is now were the parking ramp sites for the SMDC 1st street building.
A court told the city they had to pay 545,600 to the owners of the voyageur motel. This let to a discussion in the city and in that lead to the vote last night. The council apparently agrees with the city officials that is should fight this ruling. The city did make an offer to the owners of just over 100,000 for the space at one time. They declined that offer as they did not feel it to be adequate to the space they would be giving up.
I tend to agree with the owners of the motel and I don't believe the city should fight the decision of the court. Yes we are in hard times but we can't allow our city to be combative to business's that want to operate here.
Our city is already known for it's hard stands against business, it at least has that perception. I think you can argue both ways on this. Yet when we chose to fight common sense decision the
city is at fault. It is clear that just over 100,000 would not be a fair compensation to the owners of the motel. They lost space with would case lose of business. The city needs to very careful when they move on projects. Yes many projects are good, however you need to look at what effects it will have on other business's that have been there for many years.
I also don't see any plus in the city fighting the ruling. It only gives a bigger black eye to the city.
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Let me just get this straight. The city took the property and owes the owners over 300,000 but they don't want to pay it so they are trying to get a court to say they only owe 100,000 for the land they they took?
Yes and no. The city took the property and at one time was willing to give the owners just over 100,000. The owners said no that is not enought to cope with what we will lose.
I am not sure were the 300,000 comes into play. I thought it was by a cour ruling. Not sure however as I can't recall at this point. Not the city is fighting that. Because they say that the 100,00 is enough.
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