City files motion to condemn former country club property
By Greg Rayburn \ Editor
Thursday, February 14, 2008 1:59 PM CST
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| City officials continue the process of transforming the former North Hills Country Club into a park, green space or something else designed to serve the community. (Photo by Geoff Phillips ) |
The city of Sherwood filed a motion in Pulaski County Circuit Court on Feb. 7 seeking to condemn the former North Hills Country Club.
The court filings followed the City Council’s Jan. 28 vote to condemn the property and claim eminent domain.
City Attorney Steve Cobb said attorney Timothy Grooms of Sherwood was instrumental in drafting the motion.
On Jan. 28, the council retained Grooms’ Little Rock law firm, Quattlebaum, Grooms, Tull & Burrow, to assist Cobb in all matters dealing with the North Hills property.
In the filing, the city petitioned the court to place a value on the property.
“We will seek a jury trial to determine the fair market value of the property,” to make sure the owners are fully and fairly compensated under the city’s claim of eminent domain, Cobb said.
By press time, no court date had been set, but an April 21 court date remains for a federal lawsuit filed by the North Hills owners. They seek damages for when the city placed a six-month development moratorium on the property.
In an appraisal paid for by the city last summer, the property was valued at $2.2 million.
Jim Rodgers, co-owner and spokesman for Club Properties Inc., said he believes he and his fellow owners should receive $5.5 million.
Rodgers said they have received more than one offer in excess of $5 million for the property.
Rodgers said the property could be worth much more than $5.5 million as a housing development but added that he and the other owners believe $5.5 million would be fair.
The City Council voted Jan. 28 to develop North Hills’ 105 acres for a city park, including green space, recreational facilities, hiking and biking trails or other purposes.
