The Lake Havasu City Council will hold a special meeting next week to discuss the potential purchase of county-owned land in the downtown area that was once home to Havasu’s Mojave County Senior Center.
A 0.8-acre property at 2223 Swanson Avenue, just south of the intersection with Acoma Boulevard, has been the subject of disputes between Havasu and Mohave County for the past few months. In September, the County Board of Supervisors considered the possibility of his five-year lease with the city to use the property, considering the city would set up a parking lot to serve the downtown area. voted to do Subsequently, on December 5, the Supervisory Board was notified of Havasu’s interest in purchasing the property rather than leasing it.
During that meeting, the supervisors unanimously voted to approve an agreement with the city to value the property. Under the agreement, Havasu will be given the opportunity to purchase the parcel at the assessed value of the property, plus the cost of the assessment itself, and other fees associated with the sale. The City Council unanimously decided to approve the deal at its December 13 meeting.
At a Dec. 13 meeting, City Attorney Kelly Garry said in a discussion of a potential development near the Arizona State University campus that city officials decided to stop Swanson after creating a need for additional parking at the location. He told the council that he had reached out to the county to inquire about 2223 Avenue. area of town.
Mayor Jess Knudson said the evaluation has since been completed.
“Now it’s up to the city council to decide which direction they want to go,” Knudson said.
A special meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. inside the Police Department Council at 2360 N. McCulloch Blvd. The Council will vote to adjourn the meeting to an executive meeting shortly after it begins, where, in addition to obtaining legal advice on potential purchases, it will consult with representatives on negotiations regarding the purchase of the property. can.
“If there is negotiation that needs to be done, it is clearly better to do it without the negotiating partner hearing all the details,” Knudson said of the executive session.
After the Executive Meeting, the Council will return to the Chamber to reconvene a special session and hold a hearing for discussion and possible action regarding 2223 Swanson Avenue.
“The opportunity for the city to acquire downtown real estate is always worth considering,” said Knudson. “The first use is for parking in the area. There are apartment complex plans across from ASU, and the ASU field is used for soccer and other recreational activities for children. There is a need for additional parking, and will be even more so if construction takes place on vacant lots currently used for parking.”
