La Porte authorizes formal offer for 13-acre parcel tied to headworks/Travis Ditch project

The Board of Public Works and Safety voted May 6 to authorize city staff to make a formal offer—based on two appraisals—for a 13-acre agricultural parcel adjacent to the city’s stormwater/sewer facility that staff say is necessary for headworks and Travis Ditch improvements. City Attorney Nick Otis and project staff said the statutory process requires a formal offer and a waiting period before eminent domain litigation can be initiated.

Otis and others said the city has completed two appraisals, attempted repeated outreach and prefers to negotiate rather than litigate; Otis said the city would bring a purchase agreement back to the board if the owner agrees. Several members expressed discomfort with eminent domain in principle and asked for more evidence that purchase-by-negotiation was exhausted; the board amended the motion to limit authority to making the offer based on appraisals, with any litigation or acquisition to return to the board for approval. The amended motion passed unanimously.

Public-works staff said the land is mostly farmland and that acquiring it would allow needed wastewater and stormwater infrastructure work at lower cost than alternatives. A follow-up report to the board was requested if negotiations fail.