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Billboard poses quandary for sale of city property

By ALI HELGOTH - Staff Writer
Monday, September 22, 2008 12:42 PM PDT

ELKO - It should be a relatively easy process for the city to sell its small piece of land on Idaho Street near Ruby Station, across from Main City Park.

There are several people interested in purchasing the parcel, so the city should have no trouble receiving the $7,500 minimum bid amount at public auction.

It would be an easy process, anyway, if it weren't for the gigantic pesky billboard of uncertain ownership occupying the land.

The sign advertises Stockmen's, as it has for decades, but it is not clear if the city owns the sign or if the casino's owners do.

City Manager Curtis Calder believes the city owns the billboard, but that hasn't yet been confirmed by the city attorney.

When the city decided to sell the land, it was appraised as required by state law and the fair market value was set at $7,500.

The appraisal, however, was made with the assumption the sign would be removed from the land. The billboard does not meet the specifications of city code, which limits the size of signs along Idaho Street.

At Tuesday's city council meeting, councilmen will consider action to allow the billboard to remain as a non-conforming use.

It is likely some businesses want to purchase the property only if the sign remains and others want to purchase the property only if the sign goes, Calder said, so the determination must be made before the sale can go forward.

If the sign stays, Calder said the city would need to have the appraiser take another look at the property. The billboard itself would likely increase the value of the land.

Also at Tuesday's 4 p.m. meeting, councilmen will:

- Hear a request by County Commissioner John Ellison for a donation to the Fire Science Academy;

- Hear a request by Elaine Barkdull Spencer of Elko County Economic Diversification Authority for a letter of acknowledgment for RAM Enterprise's state incentive request for their new expansion;

- Hold a public hearing for a change in zoning from commercial to industrial commercial for a portion of lot one in The Highlands at the corner of Doerr Drive and Ruby Vista Drive;

- Hold a public hearing to discuss adoption of an ordinance that gives city staff members authority to approve some special use permits;

- Consider awarding an engineering contract to Aqua Engineering for the Wastewater Reclamation facility 10-year master plan;

- Award a bid for the concrete co-op project at the corner of Fourth and Court streets;

- Consider final acceptance of the Fire Station No. 3 addition project;

- Accept the resignation of Planning Commissioner Michael Ayala;

- Consider annexation of 3.118 acres owned by Leonard and Susan Howe located at the southeast corner of Sagecrest Drive and Jennings Way;

- Consider a change to the horizontal control datum ordinance;

- Hear a presentation about the Elko Motorcycle Jamboree.

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