After months of unsuccessful negotiations with the current landowner, Gwinnett County will use eminent domain procedures to acquire the property to build a park near its newest high school.
The county’s Board of Commissioners approved Tuesday night a resolution to move forward with eminent domain proceedings on about 45 acres at the corner of Lawrenceville-Suwanee and Old Norcross roads near Lawrenceville. Such proceedings allow a government to forcibly acquire land (while still paying for it) if it’s intended for a “public purpose.”
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The county plans to use the land to build a new park for nearby Discovery High School. Officials said the area is underserved recreationally.
“We always use eminent domain as a last resort,” Commission Chairman Charlotte Nash said in a news release about the decision. “We were concerned that if we didn’t act, the land would be developed and we wouldn’t be able to meet the needs of our residents. So after much debate and a lot of thought, we decided to employ this tool for the greater good.”
The land Gwinnett intends to acquire is currently owned by an individual doing business under the name Dillard Worthington Corporation. Tuesday’s decision had been delayed for several months while negotiations between the county and the landowner’s attorney continued.
The resolution approved by the county clears the way for paperwork to be filed asking a Superior Court judge to appoint a special master, who will determine the proper compensation that should be paid to the landowner.
In other Gwinnett news:
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