In Brief: City Discusses the Fate of No. 1 Liquors

Councilwoman Christine Nagle (Dist. 1) proposed an amendment Tuesday night to the 2012 budget that would prevent the city from .

She proposed a separate motion to take permission away from the city manager to take the plot over through eminent domain, a process through which the government can force a landowner to sell property for public use.

No. 1 Liquors might be the most contentious item regarding the budget at next Tuesday’s meeting, and Nagle said there will likely be a lengthy debate over whether the city should buy the plot for aesthetic reasons.

“I would not say my opinion is representative of the view of the council,” Nagle said.

The city council is currently planning to buy the plot No. 1 Liquors stands on and turning it into a small park with money from the city’s Capital Improvement Plan.

Residents spoke against the plan to buy the plot at a public hearing last week, worrying that it could scare new businesses away in the future.

“Residents have asked us to do this,” Nagle said. “This is the number one comment from residents.”