The Transportation Agency for Monterey County is proposing to extend passenger rail service from Santa Clara County south to Salinas. The service is scheduled to start with two round trips, expanding to up to six round trips as demand warrants.
The properties in question are approximately 9,405 combined square feet located at 15 Station Place and 52 West Market Street in the City of Salinas, California, known as Monterey County Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 002-171-010 and 002-171-006. The parcels will be needed for the parking lot and extension of Lincoln Avenue planned for the area of the Salinas Rail Station. A Phase I environmental review found no contamination on the property.
At the March 22, 2017 meeting of the Transportation Agency Board of Directors, the Board approved proceeding with the condemnation process on 15 Station Place and 52 West Market Street for the Salinas Rail Station project. This included establishing just compensation for the combined properties at $295,000 and depositing that amount with the State Condemnation Fund.
The Agency's real estate acquisition consultant, Overland, Pacific, & Cutler, and special legal counsel, Meyers Nave, have continued to negotiate with the property owners. The property owner has agreed to sell the property and grant the Agency possession at $302,500, which is roughly splitting the difference between the $295,000 TAMC appraised value and the property owner's appraised value of $310,000. The Agency is also legally required to pay for the property owner's statutory costs of $2,000 in this process, which have primarily been filing fees, as well as their appraisal costs up to $5,000. As such, Agency staff is seeking Board approval of an additional $14,500 to add to the amount already on deposit with the State Condemnation Fund, for a total negotiated settlement (inclusive of statutory and appraisal costs) of $309,500 to acquire the property.