(rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Sheldon Spackman

TENSE NEGOTIATIONS

Blackfalds resident seeking fair deal from Town in land acquisition for Multi-Plex expansion

Jan 29, 2020 | 3:33 PM

A Blackfalds resident embroiled in a months-long land acquisition dispute with the Town of Blackfalds says he just wants a fair deal.

Justin Smith’s family home sits on land required by the Town of Blackfalds for additional parking for the Multi-Plex Expansion Project.

Smith spoke in front of Blackfalds town council Tuesday night and says most of council seemed to agree with his concerns that the negotiation process hasn’t been handled properly.

“To us, it seemed like town council hadn’t even been informed really of everything that was going on,” Smith said Wednesday. “We kind of felt bad that some of the people there seemed to be under the impression that it was council that has been giving us these problems.”

Smith says Town officials, outside of a public forum, have seemed unwilling to negotiate a fair deal with his family to allow the land acquisition to proceed.

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“As soon as we got back to speaking to them through our lawyer, it just kind of went back to the same,” says Smith. “Take our offer, get your home surrounded by a parking lot, we’re not going to negotiate. This is our price, we’re not going to budge on it. We’re not going to hear any other proposals on moving your home or anything like that.”

Smith says his research into comparable family homes in Blackfalds, Red Deer or Lacombe shows they are valued at anywhere from $90,000-$120,000 more than what the Town of Blackfalds is offering for their home.

“We would be more than willing for the Town to move our home, as long as the Town was going to pay for any of those expenses in moving the home,” he explains. “Basically, the Town rejected that and told us that they would pay us the money that they were offering us. But if the cost of moving the home ended up being more than that, then we would basically be on-the-hook to pay any extras and anything like that.”

Blackfalds CAO Myron Thompson says the Town will soon be reaching out to Smith in hopes of further exploring available options.

“We talked about (were) the possibility of moving the home, administration had looked at that option,” recalls Thompson. “We are very limited in empty lot space or infill space because of the shape of the house. But we committed to taking another look at that and providing some options for them if there was any that were feasible.”

Thompson says the Town is empathetic to Smith’s situation.

“We’ve tried very hard to meet everybody’s expectations, but sometimes it’s difficult to do that,” he admits. “Coming up with a comparable home is difficult when you look at exact square footage of the home, square footage of the lot, and those things that they like about their home. But ultimately, we will assist them in locating a home that best meets the replacement of their existing home.”

Smith says if the Town truly believed its previous offer was generous, they should simply pay the cost of moving his home.

“It’s our opinion, and I think it’s the Town’s opinion as well, that they can’t move this home for what they’re offering us,” he suggests. “We’re not trying to get a pay day from the Town. All we’re asking is that if you’re going to take our home, then at least give us enough money to buy a comparable home.”

Thompson points out the money they’re dealing with is public funds and that they’ve already purchased two adjacent properties for the Multi-Plex Expansion Project.

“We’ve taken the same position of providing a 10 per cent over appraised value through the negotiation and completion of those sales,” he explains. “So that definitely comes into play as we move forward.”

Smith says he’s unsure what will happen next.

“I’m just going to wait and see what the Town wants to do,” says Smith. “If they are going to sit down with us and negotiate, or if they are going to look into the possibility of moving the home, then we’ll be all for that. But if it turns out to be like it was in September where they just kind of tell us what we want to hear while everybody is listening, then go back to doing the same things, then I guess we’ll have to make a decision then on what we do.”

A deadline to have negotiations between the two sides completed by this Friday has been extended. Thompson says the Town is looking to have possession of Smith’s land by May.

“We are commencing construction and it’s a big project, and there’s lay down areas that are needed and things like that,” adds Thompson. “But ultimately, we want to make sure that we’re treating our residents properly and that we’re professional in discharging our duties and we’ll do everything we can to ensure that we do that, and if there’s any failures on our part, to correct those.”

Completion of the Blackfalds Multi-Plex Expansion, which includes the addition of a new indoor area and library, is slated for fall of 2021.