Tallahassee city commissioners voted along their usual lines of 3-2 to discontinue efforts to acquire by eminent domain the land for a Circle K in Welaunee.
Mayor John E. Dailey joined Commissioners Dianne Williams-Cox and Curtis Richardson to stop the process; Commissioners Jack Porter and Jeremy Matlow voted to continue it.
The idea was to buy the land and prevent a gas station and convenience store from being built in the Canopy neighborhood. But staff said the city didn’t have enough of a case to pull off the move.
At the commission’s final meeting on June 11 before their summer break, dozens of residents filled the chambers to express their concerns, hoping to change the commission’s mind. Some children, whose home is near where the outlet would be, even spoke out.
“I live in Canopy … I do not want a gas station because I want to ride my bike in peace without worrying about strangers and traffic being so close to my house. I am also concerned of the noise near to my house. Please help my community be clean and safe for kids like me,” one 8-year-old said.
Over seven months ago, many of these same residents attended another commission meeting where they first raised alarm that Circle K was eyeing a lot for a new location less than 60 feet from some homes. Locals said they were worried about noise, light, crime and air pollution, among other things.
Attorneys representing Circle K in the gas station proposal put the city on notice of the company’s plans to sue if eminent domain was used to block the development from moving forward.
Despite voting against eminent domain, Dailey said he would work with Circle K to see what still could be done. And despite frustration over the vote, residents are looking at what their next step will be, which for now is unclear.
Arianna Otero is the trending and breaking news reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact her via email at AOtero@tallahassee.com and follow her on X: @ari_v_otero.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee commissioners end Circle K eminent domain bid in 3-2 vote
Reporting by Arianna Otero, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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