City staff told the Huber Heights City Council at a work session Tuesday that the city will begin the formal appropriation process for permanent right-of-way and temporary construction easements needed for the Chambersburg Road West widening project.

City staff said the move affects two properties for which negotiations have stalled: a Walgreens parcel (temporary easement) and a single residential property. The city’s acquisition consultant and city representatives attempted to negotiate, the staff member said, but the property owners or their attorneys did not respond or would not sign agreements.

"This legislation will authorize the city to start the process of appropriating permanent right of way and temporary construction easements for the widening of Chambersburg Road West," the city staff member said.

Staff emphasized that the intent-to-appropriate step is preliminary and that the city offers fair-market value and uses appraisals in negotiations. "We offer them the appraised value at that time, and then some of them accept, some come back to negotiate a little more money for it," the staff member said.

The staff member said the city is pursuing appropriations now because it risks losing grant funding if the right-of-way is not secured. Council was told the Chambersburg West project is scheduled to bid in the second half of next year.

Council gave no formal roll-call vote at the work session but heard from staff that the administration will return with formal legislation and counsel in two weeks to finalize the appropriations.

The city identified the Walgreens property and an unnamed residential parcel as the two current holdouts; staff said they have contacted 30 to 40 property owners for the project overall. Staff also said consultants will obtain appraisals and continue negotiations before final legislation is introduced.