[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the City
of Meriden 12-5-1966 (Ch. 27 of the 1963 Code); amended in its entirety 1-20-2004. Subsequent
amendments noted where applicable.]
Except as otherwise provided by law, whenever
the City wishes to acquire or dispose of real property, it shall do
so as set forth in this chapter.
A.
Prior to submission to the City Council for approval,
each proposal to acquire or dispose of real property first shall be
reviewed by an administrative group to be known as the "Economic Development
Task Force."
B.
The Economic Development Task Force shall be composed
of the following members: the Chairperson of the Economic Development,
Housing and Zoning Committee of the City Council, or such other comparable
committee of the City Council as may from time to time be created
by the City Council, and the City Manager, the Director of Planning,
the Director of Health and Human Services, the City Engineer, the
Economic Development Director, the Community Development Director,
and such other City administrative officials as may be assigned from
time to time by the City Manager. The City Manager may designate another
City employee to act on his behalf, from time to time.
C.
Each property acquired by the City, other than for
a specific purpose or project approved by the City Council, shall
be reviewed by the Economic Development Task Force. The Task Force
shall recommend to the City Council that the City maintain ownership
of such property or that each such property be sold or transferred
and, if so, by what method and on what terms and conditions. The Task
Force may recommend that such property be disposed of by transfer
to a contiguous property owner or owners, by listing the property
for sale with a licensed real estate agent, or by a request for proposals.
The City Council may accept such recommendation or may approve the
disposition of such property by a method or means other than that
recommended by the Task Force, provided that in such instance the
City Council shall set forth its reasons for not accepting the recommendation
of the Task Force.
D.
The City Manager, or his designee, shall negotiate
the sale or transfer of each property approved for disposition by
the City Council and shall negotiate the acquisition of any property
that the City wishes to acquire by purchase. For each such property
valued by the Assessor on the last Grand List at more than $50,000
but less than $100,000, the City Manager or his designee shall obtain
at least one opinion of value of such property from a licensed Connecticut
real estate broker or appraiser. For each such property so valued
at more than $100,000, the City Manager or his designee shall obtain
two appraisals from licensed Connecticut appraisers.
E.
The City Manager shall submit each proposed agreement
for the sale, transfer or acquisition of such property to the Economic
Development, Housing and Zoning Committee, or such other comparable
committee as may be created by the City Council from time to time,
for approval, together with a statement of reasons why the proposed
agreement should be approved, which statement shall set forth the
value of the property as determined by the opinion of value or appraisals,
as the case may be. The submission by the City Manager shall remain
confidential until such time as acted upon by the Committee. Upon
approval by the Committee, such proposed agreement shall be submitted
to the City Council for approval.
F.
The requirements of this chapter shall be in addition
to any other requirements imposed by state or local law or regulation.
With regard to any property which has a value
less than $5,000 as determined by the Assessor on the last Grand List
or to property which consists of a vacant lot which may not be used
or developed for building purposes, the City Manager is authorized
to maintain ownership of or dispose of such property as approved by
the City Council, without further approval.
