In order to acquire the easement necessary to repair the stormwater sewer at 42 W. Washington, Clarkston’s City Council on Monday authorized City Manager Dennis Ritter to make a good-faith offer of $3,235.69 to Lehman Investments at 20 W. Washington.
‘It wasn’t adversarial,? said Ritter. ‘But the property owners were unwilling to grant the easement.?
Once delivered to property owners, the city will ask a judge to grant a ‘Declaration of Taking.? The process, Ritter said, was identical to steps taken to obtain an easement at 42 W. Washington.
‘It’s a nice way of condemning the part of the property needed to lay the sewer,? he explained. ‘Lehman will still own the property, but it gives the city the right to lay the pipe.?
City officials were unsure when construction would begin, but Mayor Steve Awrkright said the goal was ‘ASAP.?