City sells Lincoln tracts

The city is $100,000 richer after selling two tracts of land from the former Lincoln High School Tuesday night.

The land was sold to New Peak Construction through a unanimous Council vote, with Gary Killpack abstaining from the decision due to his relationship with the owners of New Peak.

The sale conforms to the original specifications of the bid request the city issued last year. The two tracts were appraised for $100,000 and New Peak was the sole bidder for the land, bidding $100,000. The purchase agreement conforms to the original bid documents specified by the city.

The sale comes after a dispute between New Peak and the city over how residential construction should move forward on the land. During the March 20 Council meeting, director of the city’s Community Development department, Laura Leigh, said New Peak had questions about the land’s zoning and construction deadlines outlined in the bid documents.

New Peak initially submitted a red-lined purchase agreement changing elements of the original bid documents, which included a 36-month deadline for utilities and street construction and sought permission to complete the work in multiple phases. The original bid request specified a 24-month deadline for street construction and utility instillation in accordance to city ordinances in place and limited construction to single-family homes. The city did not sign the purchase agreement created by New Peak and sent what Leigh referred to as a lengthy response to New Peak’s requests.

During that meeting, members of the Council openly considered the idea of rebidding the land with the specifications requested by New Peak, as the original bid requests made by the city could have limited interest from other construction companies, but the Council decided to wait for New Peak to respond to communication the community development office sent to make a decision.

Tuesday’s purchase approval results in the complete sale of land formerly occupied by Lincoln High School. Tract B, which consisted of the school’s football field and track, was originally park land vacated in 2017 to allow for its sale and development.

 

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