By A.J. Hazarabedian
Annie Burris, The Orange County Register
The County of Orange may consider using eminent domain to acquire a portion of property from Huntington Apartments on Edinger Avenue in Huntington Beach. The County indicates it needs to acquire 20 parking spaces in order to tunnel under the 405 for a storm drain project.
According to the article, “O.C. may force sale of property for tunnel,” from the Orange County Register, the County has offered the property owners “$96,500 for use of about 7,200 square feet of the parking lot for about a year or whenever the construction is completed.”
Debbie Kroner, a spokeswoman with the County Public Works Department said, “eminent domain would only be used if negotiations with the owner of the Hungtinton Apartments at 8400 Edinger Avenue fall through.”
The County is planning these storm drainage improvements because of a flood which occurred in 1995, bringing about a series of lawsuits. The flood resulted in 138 ground floor units of the complex having to be evacuated due to waist-high water flooding the apartments.
Debbie Kroner states, “…unless improvements are made, when heavy storm conditions similar to what we had in 1995 occur, this property will no doubt be flooded again.”
County supervisors may decide Tuesday whether or not to use eminent domain.