(May 11, 2017) Swapping a few dozen feet of land between the Pocomoke City and the Pocomoke Volunteer Fire Company elicited an extended discussion over procedures during a council meeting last Monday.
The fire company recently deeded its storage building and associated property at the site of the former Fifth Street firehouse in exchange for VFW property on Dun Swamp Road owned by the city.
Jerry Barbierri, fire company board of directors chairman, said the move would require erecting a new 40-foot by 60-foot storage building on the Dun Swamp Road property at cost of about $50,000.
“The transfer was intended to help the city to sell the entire Fifth Street parcel as one property,” he said.
After the fire company entered into a contract to design and build a new storage building, which was designated for the south side of the property to allow access to the current driveway, a problem became apparent, Barbierri said.
“We had a survey done of the property because it wasn’t done by the city,” he said.
The results from a metes and bounds survey indicated the property line on the south end of the parcel ended 33 feet further north.
“Where our building is going to sit is right on that property line,” Barbierri said. “We request … that that piece of property be deeded to the fire company in exchange for 33 feet on the north end.”
City Manager/City Attorney Ernie Crofoot said the issue could have been avoided if a survey had been conducted prior to determining the buildings placement and now the parcel in question would need to be re-subdivided.
“You just can’t say lets move the line, the heck with it,” he said. “We’ve got to go through the planning commission and we’ve got to re-subdivide the property.”
Crofoot also questioned who would absorb the associated costs.
“Arranging for the construction of a building prior to knowing where your own lot lines were is not our fault,” he said. “Now there is going to have to be a formal process, just like any developer, to re-subdivide that property.”
Noting that the fire company paid about $2,000 for the survey, Barbierri said the entire cost of constructing a new storage building would have been avoided if the exchange had never occurred.
“This building’s going to cost in excess of $50,000 when we could have kept the building uptown and not paid a cent,” he said.
Taking a different bent was Crofoot, who said the city is under no obligation to agree to the exchange.
“Personally I think it was a very generous offer in the first place,” he said. “If you ask for my opinion as city manager I’d be opposed.”
Despite Crofoot’s objections, Councilwoman Esther Troast had no issues with the request.
“I make a motion to proceed to let you have that property,” she said.
In response Crofoot asked Troast to amend her motion to include a stipulation that the fire company absorb any cost associated with the land swap.
“We have no clue what that cost is going to be at this point,” Barbierri said.
Mayor Bruce Morrison attempted to cut through the dissension.
“I’m not a professional surveyor, but it looks like it’s just a little line adjustment to me,” he said.
Councilman George Tasker seconded Morrison’s sentiment, stating the request appeared to be an even exchange.
Troast again motioned to follow though on the request, which received unanimous endorsement from the council.
The fire company recently deeded its storage building and associated property at the site of the former Fifth Street firehouse in exchange for VFW property on Dun Swamp Road owned by the city.
Jerry Barbierri, fire company board of directors chairman, said the move would require erecting a new 40-foot by 60-foot storage building on the Dun Swamp Road property at cost of about $50,000.
“The transfer was intended to help the city to sell the entire Fifth Street parcel as one property,” he said.
After the fire company entered into a contract to design and build a new storage building, which was designated for the south side of the property to allow access to the current driveway, a problem became apparent, Barbierri said.
“We had a survey done of the property because it wasn’t done by the city,” he said.
The results from a metes and bounds survey indicated the property line on the south end of the parcel ended 33 feet further north.
“Where our building is going to sit is right on that property line,” Barbierri said. “We request … that that piece of property be deeded to the fire company in exchange for 33 feet on the north end.”
City Manager/City Attorney Ernie Crofoot said the issue could have been avoided if a survey had been conducted prior to determining the buildings placement and now the parcel in question would need to be re-subdivided.
“You just can’t say lets move the line, the heck with it,” he said. “We’ve got to go through the planning commission and we’ve got to re-subdivide the property.”
Crofoot also questioned who would absorb the associated costs.
“Arranging for the construction of a building prior to knowing where your own lot lines were is not our fault,” he said. “Now there is going to have to be a formal process, just like any developer, to re-subdivide that property.”
Noting that the fire company paid about $2,000 for the survey, Barbierri said the entire cost of constructing a new storage building would have been avoided if the exchange had never occurred.
“This building’s going to cost in excess of $50,000 when we could have kept the building uptown and not paid a cent,” he said.
Taking a different bent was Crofoot, who said the city is under no obligation to agree to the exchange.
“Personally I think it was a very generous offer in the first place,” he said. “If you ask for my opinion as city manager I’d be opposed.”
Despite Crofoot’s objections, Councilwoman Esther Troast had no issues with the request.
“I make a motion to proceed to let you have that property,” she said.
In response Crofoot asked Troast to amend her motion to include a stipulation that the fire company absorb any cost associated with the land swap.
“We have no clue what that cost is going to be at this point,” Barbierri said.
Mayor Bruce Morrison attempted to cut through the dissension.
“I’m not a professional surveyor, but it looks like it’s just a little line adjustment to me,” he said.
Councilman George Tasker seconded Morrison’s sentiment, stating the request appeared to be an even exchange.
Troast again motioned to follow though on the request, which received unanimous endorsement from the council.