Dec. 05--Jefferson County will hold a public hearing about eminent domain proceedings at the Watertown International Airport at 5:30 p.m. today at the airport's Fire/Rescue Building on Route 12F near Dexter.
Presentations will be made by Passero Associates, a consultant hired by the county, and attorney Joseph W. Russell.
"The primary purpose is to determine if there is a sufficient public purpose" for eminent domain to be used, said County Administrator Robert F. Hagemann III.
Eminent domain allows the government to take private property for public use provided that it pays just compensation to the owners of the property.
The county is planning to extend a runway at the airport by 1,000 feet and is attempting to gain control of parcels that lie to the east and west of the runway to provide a safety buffer required by the Federal Aviation Administration.
That control could take the form of a permanent easement or ownership of the land, Mr. Hagemann said.
The parcels in question are, to the east of the runway: 84.79 acres owned by Roscoe A. Eisenhauer and 2.83 acres owned by Robert M. Siver Sr. and John R. Siver and, to the west of the runway: 25.33 acres owned by William E. Lawler and Colleen J. Lawler, 15.63 and 5.74 acres owned by Colleen J. Lawler and 7.65 acres owned by Hydro Development Group.
Those affected by the eminent domain proceedings will be able to testify during the hearing and may make objections to the process based on materials presented during the hearing.
Copyright 2013 - Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
