City of Columbia to pay $950,000 for Orr Street property
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Columbia City Council has approved paying $950,000 for two adjacent plots of contaminated land in the North Village district.
The land at 209 St. James St. and 201 Orr St. is the former site of an Ameren Missouri manufactured gas plant. Contaminants remain in soil on the site and an agreement with state regulators stipulates that it cannot be used for residential development.
The Columbia City Council voted 6-1 on Monday to buy the land, with Mayor Brian Treece the lone dissenting vote after expressing concerns about the site.
"I do have grave concerns about the risk we are transferring to the city and to taxpayers," Treece said as the council debated the measure.
The contamination at the site means the city would be subject to different regulatory requirements depending on the type of development it plans there. More intensive work on the site would trigger more thorough reporting to regulators.
Council members amended the ordinance authorizing the purchase to remove a requirement that the purchase be funded with a parks sales tax that is up for renewal later this year. Only Ward 1 Councilwoman Pat Fowler voted against the amendment.
City leaders have discussed using the two plots, which are about 2 acres combined, as a park or green space. Council documents say the city will seek public input before developing the land.
