Courthouse ownership still discussed: County and city officials appear close to a deal
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That question has been a snag in a Court Square property ownership deal made between city and county committee officials in mid-February. County officials have most recently questioned a proposal by Main Street planners where it appeared new parking across from the post office could potentially snatch some of the county’s property.
Some county officials wondered if new parking was developed directly across from the post office, if those spaces would belong to the county. But city officials said Monday the ideas for new parking were only ideas and were never considered feasible.
City Building and Grounds Committee Chairman Michael Chrisawn and Alderman Patti Nunley said there wasn’t enough room to accomplish new parking across from the post office even though a map of Main Street plans posted at city hall suggests so. They said they didn’t see a need for it and told county officials they were confident the parking plans would not occur.
“I thought we recommended they take all of them out because of the distance problems,” Chrisawn told members of the county’s Land and also Building and Grounds committees, who met at city hall to air their concerns.
“I think we had that eliminated, and if you want it eliminated, I can guarantee we’ll tell them,” Nunley added of informing planners the parking situation across from the post office would not work.
City and county officials recently met in an attempt to determine courthouse ownership. A tentative deal gave ownership of the courthouse and its surrounding sidewalks to the county.
But when county officials learned there was a possibility a portion of those sidewalks could be used to create parking spaces, they questioned the deal. However, county Building and Grounds Committee and Land Committee Chairman Carl Bouldin said he was satisfied with city officials’ explanations of the Main Street design plans Monday. Both county committees voted to leave the quitclaim deal as is.
City officials unanimously approved their part of quitclaiming property to the county on second reading in their regular business after approving it on first reading and referencing a survey legally describing the affected property March 17.
Under the agreement between the city and the county committees, the county is supposed to quitclaim property located outside of the courthouse sidewalk to the city.