BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ
Daily Post Staff Writer
Redwood City Council has given City Attorney Veronica Ramirez authority to take land from property owners using eminent domain near the Woodside Road-Highway 101 interchange so it can be rebuilt to address traffic.
Council voted unanimously Monday (April 28) to negotiate with 11 property owners over how much the city will pay them for their land. If the city can’t reach a deal, the city can declare eminent domain. That will allow the city to seize the land and then go to court to determine how much money each property owner will get.
From 2018 to 2020, 195 collisions were reported, Transportation Director Tanisha Werner said during the meeting. She said 49% of the collisions were rear-ends and that it was an incredibly high number for one location.
“This is a safety issue. It’s really important that this project happens for the safety of our constituents. I will be very supportive of these acquisitions because they’re the only way this project is going to happen,” said Councilwoman Isabella Chu.
The city is working with Caltrans and the county’s transportation authority to widen Woodside Road to six lanes and add dedicated turn lanes. The project would reconstruct the ramps between Woodside and 101.
On March 13, Director of Engineering and Transportation Tanisha Werner sent out letters inviting property owners of 24-Hour Fitness, Smart & Final, CVS, BMR-Bay Custom Truck, San Carlos Restaurant Supply, PBM Granite Rock, Cargill Salt, Broadway Auto, Wheeler Hirahara and Extra Space Storage to yesterday’s council meeting on eminent domain over their land.
Eminent domain refers to the ability of the government, under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution, seize private property for public use as long as the owners are compensated.
Some of the property owners are objecting. Attorney Andrew Faber sent the city a letter on behalf of Zachary Pearlman, who owns the land at 1050 Broadway, the location of 24-Hour Fitness. Faber said the seizure of the property will impact future development of the site and, in the short term, take away a row of parking from the gym.
Smart & Final at 1185 Broadway rejected the project proposal and the offer to buy the property rights. BMR-Bay at 740 Bay Road requested more time to review the project.
The city has not disclosed how much money it has offered each of the 11 property owners. The appraised value of the 11 properties totals $2.7 million, although that number could increase if a dispute over the payment price is taken to court.
At Monday’s meeting, resident Chris MacIntosh said he was worried the businesses would close after the eminent domain process was complete.
None of the businesses will close, said city Project Manager Leo Scott.
After Monday’s vote, the city will continue to negotiate with property owners, and eminent domain lawsuits will be filed as necessary, according to Werner.
Council approved plans to reconstruct the ramp connections between Woodside and 101 in 2017. That year, council agreed to spend $7.2 million on the project. Construction was set for 2020 and to be completed by 2023, according to the city’s website at that time, but it was not fulfilled. No current dates were disclosed for when construction would start.
More turn lanes will be added to the intersections at Blomquist, East Bayshore Road, Broadway and Bay Road, according to Werner. The project would include constructing an elevated flyover of Veterans Boulevard above Woodside Road, connecting to the freeway, according to Werner’s presentation.
The goal is to reduce traffic congestion, but it can’t happen without the city acquiring the private property, according to Werner.
The project would add additional sidewalks for pedestrians and bicyclists through Broadway, Veterans and Seaport boulevards.
Instead of taking property from private owners, why can’t the City use it’s own land at the City Corporate Yard? The City should should sacrifice too!