DANVILLE – Three property owners along Mount Cross Road between Walmart and Averett University's North Campus refuse to accept the city's offer for their property.
So, the city is going to take them to court.
Two of the properties are vacant land, and the third property contains its owner's home.
"The court will decide a fair price and it has to do with a lot of things," Danville City Manager Ken Larking explained. "Fair market value, which is an appraisal, some other factors involved in the process."
Larking says the price has been the sticking point for the property owners. He points out that one of the three property owners was offered $40,000 by the city but refuses to sell for less than $100,000.
The city needs to purchase a portion of each of the three properties in order to have enough land to widen the road. The city has already reached an agreement with the 15 other property owners whose land the city needs a portion of.
Larking says the city has no choice but to use eminent domain and take the property because the funding the city has received for the project will expire soon.
"Hopefully, within the next few months, you'll see some activity out there," he said.
Once the council votes on Tuesday to begin the eminent domain process, work can begin to widen the road.
WSLS 10 reached out Friday to the three property owners in question.
Two declined to comment and the third did not respond.
But others who live on the stretch of Mount Cross Road were happy to share their thoughts.
"By taking from our yards, that's less room for our kids. That's less room for us to have for our own use. So, I think it's better if they just leave it alone," said Robert Fields.
The city's plan is to make the road two lanes in each direction with a turn lane in the middle and turn the intersection at the entrance to Averett University's North Campus into a roundabout.
Fields said except during sporting events at North Campus, the road is not busy enough to justify widening or the creation of a roundabout.
"I'd just like to see a stop light at the Averett football field," Fields said.
He said hehe is concerned about his children's safety with the road being widened.
Those at the gas station across from the entrance to North Campus are also concerned about the project, saying the new design could hurt business.
From 3:30-6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the city will hold a community meeting at North Campus to get feedback from residents about the transportation study being done on the road.
The goal of the study is to determine what is needed, for example, sidewalks and bike lanes.