On Monday, City Council will decide on a special use permit for a long-abandoned gas station on State Street sold for $35,125 last year to local businessman, Mark Bonner.
When the tax sale certificate was sold there were other credible buyers willing to pay $70,000 or more for the blighted lot and building. City Council voted four to one (I was the NO vote) to skip the higher offers and sell the property for $35,125 to Mr. Bonner. There were assertions made the lot would be home to a Tim Horton's restaurant.
No such event happened and now as a stopgap use of the property, Mr. Bonner is seeking to lease the property to a nearby automotive repair business that also sells used cars and wants to display cars on the 804 State Street lot. Under the zoning law, such a use requires granting of a special use permit, just like the Red & White Auto Sales on Arsenal Street did some years ago.
The way I look at it the City and its taxpayers have a $35,000 investment in the property since that is the amount the land was discounted to the current owner. With that subsidy in mind, I believe the Council has far more of an interest in the use of the property than if it had been sold at a market price.
The reasons for selling to Mr. Bonner were never really explained other than a promise had been made to him prior to other buyers becoming aware of and interested in the sale of the land.
This is an interesting dilemma for lawmakers on Monday night.
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7 comments:
that is how you guys do everything, behind the closed doors. It was going to be a wine store that's why you know who, voted, and raised so much hell. She would have a few more places to go.
sure its an interesting dilemma just how forward thinking you fellers and ladies are. SOLD to the first low bid!!! what kind of nonsense is that? no one is accountable on the city level either, I see.
time for these incumbent to get canned. same kind of goverment, different level, SOLD! TO THE LOWEST BIDDER.
no one ran on the issue...voters had their chance to weigh in.
Look at any way you choose - you never listen the public or use common sense... sold it for $35,000 when $70,000 was also on the table?
"Assertions about a Tim Horton's?"
Assertions: does that mean some kind of sweet heart deal was made behind closed doors and that it possibly influenced Council... sure sounds like it.
Dig, dig, dig, you'd better stop now... that hole has a sandy bottom. And, your poo-pooing it off with a slick sound byte: "Interesting dilemma for lawmakers," is petty and condescending.
thank you Dan 4:18 for your insight
Of course Mr. Bonner is telling the same story to the JCIDA, he's buying "Gioivoni's" restaurant on Leray St. for a convience store, $60,000.00 is the amount, Of course the sale could have been worse, the property could have been given to NOW and you'd be paving it and plowing it, and of course the property would be given to NOW.
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