Residents can tell Kent city officials what they think about a plan to sell about 7 acres downtown known as the Naden Avenue properties.
A public meeting about the Naden Avenue properties surplus consideration is from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 19, in Council Chambers at City Hall, 220 Fourth Ave. S. The meeting runs right after a City Council workshop at 5 p.m. and before the regular council meeting at 7 p.m.
The city purchased the properties to build an aquatics center at the site but later abandoned that plan because of a lack of funding. City officials are now working with the YMCA to try to build a facility on the East Hill.
The land marks the first to fall under the city’s recently adopted surplus property policy as an effort to notify residents whenever it considers selling property and to hold a hearing for public comment.
The 21 parcels, generally bordered by West Meeker Street, the Interurban Trail, Willis Street and Highway 167, are collectively known as the Naden properties.
The council in May approved the new policy to avoid another Pine Tree Park fiasco, an expensive and embarrassing decision where the council voted to sell the neighborhood park for $2 million to a housing developer in September without any notice to residents. Park neighbors later found out about the sale and successfully fought to save the park when the council reversed its sale decision in April. That decision cost the city about $800,000 to settle up with the developer for ending the sale agreement.
City staff has said the Naden properties could be sold to a developer who might want to build a hotel.
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