The Knightdale Town Council has authorized the condemnation of the property on which a pump station under construction sits at the Neuse River and Hodge Road.
JDH Riverview Commons of Charlotte that planned to build a commercial and residential development at Poole and Hodge Roads misplaced an easement before it was recorded, Town Attorney Clyde Holt told the Town Council Wednesday.
The 3,600 square-foot parcel is held in a trust. The trustees are Thomas and Iris Tilley of Chapel Hill, Holt said.
Holt told the council that the Tilleys want to connect their nearby mobile home park to the town’s sewer line in exchange for the easement.
The mobile home park is outside of the town of Knightdale.
“We can’t wait on that process (annexation proceedings) for the easement,” Holt said Thursday.
“I will contact the Tilleys again and see if we can achieve this through a voluntary conveyance,” Holt said. “ If not, unfortunately we will have to file a condemnation. That sewer line is going to serve all of the property on Poole Road between Wendell and Raleigh. It’s just a tremendous public deterrent to not moving this project along.”
Holt said he estimated the market value of the property at $5,000 and that the Tilleys would receive that amount.
The Tilleys were unable to be reached.
Knightdale has been in negotiation with JDH Riverview Commons for over a year, trying to get the pump station finished.
The lost easement is the latest in a series of delays.
A subdivision planned for the property adjacent to JDH’s development can’t pump its sewer across the Neuse River until the pump station is complete.
Developer David Menaker of Menaker and Associates has asked the council to take action because he said he can’t build without sewer.
Menaker completed a $800,000, 30-inch .7 mile, water line to the corner of Hodge and Poole road for city water to lots at his subdivision, JDH’s development and Knightdale residents who live nearby.
He was reimbursed $400,000 by the city of Raleigh for the line.
Menaker said the delays with the pump station have cost him $10,000 a lot and $400,000 in interest.
