Board authorizes staff to dispose of county-owned utility sites after public comment urging return of a gifted parcel

Mecklenburg County staff asked the board to authorize disposal of a set of county-owned utility sites using a variety of means — auction, direct sale or gift — and to give staff authority to carry out dispositions when appropriate.

Alex explained the resolution provides flexibility: "the action in essence will give the staff the ability to dispose of these properties if that's the wish of the board," he said.

Tony Hurst, vice president of the Cliffs Presswood Homeowners Association, asked the board to return the largest parcel in question (PRN 36959 plot 5, described in county records as conveyed to the county in 2008 for a sales price of $0) to the HOA by gift so the immediate community could steward and use it for trailer storage and landscaping. Hurst cited the parcel's original conveyance and referenced Va. Code §15.2-18B (transcript citation) as authority allowing conveyance by gift. "Returning this land to the HOA ensures that the property remains under the stewardship of the immediate community it was originally intended to serve," he said.

Board members discussed offering adjacent owners a short right-of-first-offer window (boardmember suggested about 30 days) before moving to public auction, and staff noted that the resolution as drafted permits auction, direct sale, or gift so the board can adopt it and still pursue a gift when appropriate. The board adopted the resolution authorizing staff to proceed with disposal options by voice vote.

What happens next: Staff will proceed under the adopted resolution to evaluate parcels, contact potential adjacent owners (per board direction regarding a short local-offer window where appropriate), and pursue disposition by gift, direct sale or auction as circumstances and law permit.