THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 4, 1996 TAG: 9609040005
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 29 lines
Referring to your article concerning the creation of a ``condemnation tool'' (Aug. 26, MetroNews) - here we go again!
Does anyone on the Virginia Beach City Council remember the 1960s when Richmond created the so-called ``Rudee Inlet Authority''? My recollection is that the ``power of eminent domain'' was given to the ``Authority'' to be able to condemn desired property from Rudee Inlet to 17th Street, and from Pacific Avenue to Birdneck Road, for redevelopment.
Acquisition of property was begun on the south side of Winston Salem Avenue (old 4th Street) from Pacific to Mediterranean Avenue. Some property owners sold and those who refused went to court. The Honorable Judge Wahab ruled in the owners' favor, declaring the ``Authority'' illegal. This ruling was upheld.
This whole procedure caused much expense for the city as well as anxiety and expense for those citizens involved who did not care to sell their homes. I should know! I was one of them!
Thanks to the good judgment of the courts, I am still living at the same location.
Are they really going to push those people out of their homes? Burton Station is merely the beginning - no property in the city will be exempt!
THELMA G. SIMMONS
Virginia Beach, Aug. 27, 1996 by CNB