Council to delays on easement fight - NBC12.com - Richmond, VA News

A fight with the city over a piece of property will continue past Monday night. Richmond City Council delayed a vote on whether or not it will force easements on a property owner on Hull Street Road. The issue will be re-addressed in two weeks after all council members learn more about a resident's concerns.

The city says it will pay the owners $667 for a sliver of property it wants for temporary construction and permanent drainage easements, but the owners don't want money, they want to be left alone.

Now, the fate of about 4,000 square feet lies in city council's hands.

This fight has been going on for years on Richmond's south side.

The city has been negotiating with homeowners in order to get easements for the "realignment" of Hull Street, Hey and Derwent Roads. Many have called the intersection "dangerous."

Most property owners have signed deals with the city, which offer compensation for temporary and in some cases, permanent use of the land. There's one hold out.

The Haases, who own the corner lot, say the easements prohibit their livelihood by blocking their pressure-washing business sign and endanger their home with flooding.

"The only thing that I would like them to do is work out a sign issue with me and to kind of guarantee with me that they're not going to put new piping into the ground to put more water into the backyard," Lena Haas told us.

The Haases say they don't want to move the sign back into the property because it would be so far removed no one would see it from the road and, they claim, construction vehicles would be blocking the view.

The ordinance council voted on allows the city to acquire the land through gift, purchase or condemnation action, which means a judge could soon get involved in making sure the easements happen. 

That wouldn't be the Haas' first interaction with the justice system. They say they've been harassed by the city and police department for years in order to force them off the property.

They showed us summons they've received for everything from not having dog tags to stealing utilities. A check of court records shows some cases did not move forward and in others the Haases were found guilty.

The couple maintains they've corrected the majority of the violations and call others bogus.

NBC12 called the mayor's press secretary for comment early Monday morning, but had not heard back at air time.

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