City now has condemnation power for Byers project

By Terry Murry on Friday, January 8th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

PENDLETON – As part of its project to reconstruct Southeast Byers Avenue, the city of Pendleton wants to straighten the road at the intersection with Southeast Sixth Street. That would require using what is described as slivers of private property. The landowner of one piece of property has not been interested in selling.

“Roughly, the value of the land is $600,” City Manager Robb Corbett said. “It’s just a sliver of property. It’s a very small impact in our opinion.”

Earlier this week the city council passed a resolution empowering the city to condemn and take possession of the land. Corbett says the act of condemnation is controversial, and the city hopes to avoid taking that step.

“We’re going to be more than fair with the property owner in what we pay them,” he said. “If the property owner is unwilling to come to terms with us then the city has the option to condemn. It doesn’t mean that they will condemn.”