The Roanoke City Council on Monday will consider allowing eminent domain as an option to acquire the final property rights to complete the 10-mile section of the Roanoke River Greenway.
City staff is asking the council to approve condemning all or part of three parcels owned by Walker Machine & Foundry to add taking the land to its options to complete the greenway, Acting City Manager Sherman Stovall said.
The law allows governments to take private land for public purposes while compensating the owner.
“It’s not saying we’re ready to pull that trigger yet,” Stovall said. “We remain hopeful that we’ll be able to work out a solution.”
