Athens could soon acquire a sizable chunk of land on the south side of the city, and several Athens City Council members said last week they support spending as much as $25,000 on the purchase.
The 15-acre property, which is currently owned by a family that no longer lives in Athens, is valued at $58,000. But the owners are looking to sell the land to the city for $40,000, Athens City Planner Paul Logue said.
Factor in a $15,000 donation from the family and the city would only be paying about $25,000 for the land, according to the proposal on the table.
The owners, who have developed a subdivision near Farhills Drive with other land they own, had originally planned to build a subdivision on the parcel that the council is now considering buying, Logue said.
But the cost of another subdivision ended up being too high for the family.
The city’s goal for the property, which is located near Camp Rotan, is to turn it into a park similar to Sells Park. There could be trails in addition to open space.
Both the rotary club and some council members support of the idea of the city taking the land.
“I think this is a beautiful parcel of land,” said Councilman Steve Patterson, D-at large.
Discussion between Logue and various members of the Dowler family have taken place, but family members live as close as Michigan and as far as Paris, which complicates matters.
Multiple family members are listed on the deed, but not all of them intend to contribute to a $15,000 donation that would help the city get land for a $25,000 price tag. In order for this purchase and donation to work out, Logue said, paperwork that would legally bind the family members to donate the money needs to be written up.
Those listed on the deed, including the family member in Paris, need to sign over the property. The family members involved in the transaction will all be in the country in late July or early August.
Despite the expense and possible headache that will come with trying to acquire the land, the green space that would come of such a transaction would outweigh any complications, officials have said.
“I think it would be a wonderful addition to the south side and the green space,” said Councilwoman Chris Knisely, D-at large. “If we can work towards conservation easement that would be great, so we could have access on the trails.”
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