City Can’t Afford View Property Pupo Asks City Council To Withdraw From Condemnation Of Riverfront Land

Saving money may prove more important to city officials than saving the view of the falls from the downtown Spokane library.

City Manager Bill Pupo is asking the City Council to walk away from condemning Steve and Leslie Ronald’s riverfront property just north of the library.

A Superior Court jury last week said the Ronalds’ land was worth $2.184 million - nearly 50 times the value set by an appraiser hired by the city.

“We don’t have that kind of disposable cash sitting in the treasury,” Pupo said Friday. “We’d have to cut budgets around here to find that kind of cash.”

The possibility of the city backing out of the condemnation angered Mike Maurer, the Ronalds’ lawyer.

“It just absolutely floors me that the city of Spokane would treat two fair and honest people this way,” Maurer said. “First, they’re going to take the property. Then they’re not going to take the property.

“They’ve run them pillar to post.”

For now, at least, the Ronalds are getting a good return on their property: Since the April 17 jury decision, taxpayers are paying the couple $719 in interest every day until the city buys the land or withdraws from the condemnation.

The Ronalds planned to build a seven-story condominium complex on the 1.34-acre property, but the council voted to condemn the site in 1995 to save the view of the falls from the library windows.

Attorneys for the city and the Ronalds tried for two years to negotiate a selling price, but eventually left the decision to a jury.

During the six-day trial, one appraiser for the city said the land was worth $47,000, while another said it was worth $282,000. The jury sided with the Ronalds’ appraiser, who said the property was worth $2.184 million.

City attorneys drafted an ordinance Friday aimed at stopping the condemnation. The ordinance will be on Monday’s agenda, but council members won’t vote on the matter for at least a week.

In case council members still want to pursue the property, attorneys for the city also filed a motion in Superior Court on Friday asking for a new trial.

City attorney Jim Sloane said Judge Neal Reilly kept the city from introducing evidence about the high cost of developing the steep site.

The testimony would have proved “a willing buyer would not pay the Ronalds’ estimated market value,” Sloane said.

Maurer dismissed the city’s request for a new trial as “perfunctory. That doesn’t have me concerned at all.”

Two council members reached Friday said they wouldn’t commit to stopping the condemnation, but did say the city can’t pay the price set by the jury.

“The city can’t afford the property,” said Councilman Jeff Colliton, whose sentiments were shared by Mayor Jack Geraghty.

Councilwoman Cherie Rodgers didn’t agree, saying that not buying the land “could cost us a lot more in the long run.”

Buying the land is a condition of a settlement the city reached last year with attorney Steve Eugster, who sued to stop the Lincoln Street bridge from being built. Eugster wanted the city to preserve open spaces near the bridge.

Eugster said Friday he would take the city back to court to enforce the agreement.

Sloane said city officials plan to meet with Eugster to find another way of satisfying the open space agreement.

Going back to court against Eugster isn’t the only cost facing taxpayers. Unless a new condemnation trial is granted, the city must pay the Ronalds’ attorneys and expert witness fees.

, DataTimes