County Response 7/17/18: The County will hire an appraiser to complete a valuation of each property impacted by the project. When the value of the land is known, an offer will be extended to each property owner for the land rights necessary to construct the project. The following activities will need to be completed before an offer will be presented:

• Revise 60% plans based on community comments received in April 2018
• Community meeting to present revised project plans
• Complete 90% plan submission
• Complete utility coordination for the project
• Complete project plats and utility plats
• Authorize land acquisition to proceed with property appraisals
   

County Response 7/17/18: There are no homes that will be demolished as a result of this project.
 

County Response 7/17/18: When the proposed sidewalk is located outside of the existing right of way, the County will purchase the land rights for the area to ensure the sidewalk is included within the public right of way. Permanent easements could also be obtained for facilities, such as drainage structures, that extend away from the roadway. The County will also purchase temporary land rights from many of the property owners that are adjacent to the project limits. The temporary land rights are used to allow the contractor an area to tie-in the back of the sidewalk with the surrounding property, tie-in driveways to the new curb, and set erosion and sediment control devices. The temporary easement areas expire at the conclusion of the project.

County Response 7/17/18: Residents along Sleepy Hollow Road generally own land to a point a few feet behind the existing curb. The property owner owns 100% of the value of their land unless the property is encumbered by an existing easement from a utility or public agency. If an easement exists along the frontage of property, this means that the land owner does not own 100% of the value of the property impacted by the easement. There are several existing easements that can be found within the project limits including trail easements, sight distance easements, and utility easements. These easements are not continuous along the entire length of Sleepy Hollow Road. Known easements are labeled on the County design plans.  In the event the County project impacts an existing easement area, the County would not compensate the full appraised value of the existing easement area because of the existing encumberment on the land.

County Response 7/17/18: The land rights needed for the April 2018 version of the project plans are posted on the project website. The plans are currently moving through the revision process. The modified plans will be presented for public comment when completed. The project team has not progressed the project to a stage that land rights offers can be discussed. When the land rights acquisition phase begins, the property owner will be mailed an offer for the impacts to their property. The County Land Acquisition Division will be available to answer any questions at that time.