Vienna Town Council member Albert Boudreau said he is not going to buy Exxon gas anymore.
He is boycotting Exxon because the corporation charged the town more than $20,000 for the rights to a 216-square-foot piece of property at the corner of Maple Avenue and Branch Road.
Exxon is one of 12 property owners along Maple Avenue that have recently transferred easements or right of ways to the town of Vienna for phase two of the Maple Avenue Enhancement project. When the project is finished trees, brick sidewalks and Victorian-style light poles will line Maple Avenue as it runs through the town. Phase two will run from Park Street to Branch Road and then Branch Road to Wolftrap Creek.
In order to carry out the project, though, the town needs to secure easements anywhere a sidewalk will be built or a light pole will be installed. Phase two is projected to cost around $3.4 million. Phase three of the project, from Wolftrap Creek to East Street, should cost around $1.4 million.
"The town is contributing a great deal of money to enhance the appearance of our business district," Boudreau said. "It’s pretty short-sighted to make the town pay to put in a few feet of sidewalk."
Town staff appraised the Exxon right of way at $7,600 but were forced, because of time constraints, to pay the oil company $20,048. Other property owners asked for the maximum, or near-maximum, appraised easement amount.
"You can haggle, but it takes more time and more time," Boudreau said. "We were kind of over the barrel. Its obvious some of the businesses have taken advantage of that."
In order to stay on their project schedule, the town had to secure the necessary easements for the project by Dec. 28, 2001. Officials hope construction on the project will begin by April 29.
AND EVEN THOUGH Boudreau was disappointed by some Maple Avenue property owners, he was gratified by others. Five out of the 12 owners donated easement rights at no cost to the town. An easement in front of the Giant Shopping Center was appraised at $14,500 but Greenhoot Cohen Property Management, the company that manages the shopping center, donated the entire area.
"The family that owns the shopping center has been there 40 years," said Richard Houser, property manager of the center. "They are very committed to anything that supports the town. They give up part of the parking lot for local organizations to sell Christmas trees during the holidays."
The town appraised the entire group of phase two easements at just under $84,000, and paid out just over $56,000.
"There were also those who didn’t charge, so on the whole it probably evened out," said council member Maud Robinson.
Although the donated easements helped lower the town’s overall financial commitment, the town also reduced the size of some easements, reducing cost in the process.
Robinson was not especially concerned by the money property owners charged for the easements. She said it is normal, in projects such as this, for owners to get the entire appraised value of their property.
Vienna Mayor Jane Seeman agreed with Robinson. She said the market determines how much an easement is worth.
"The property owners, if they feel they need to have that money, that was what it was budgeted for," Seeman said. "Usually we pay for it. It’s unusual for them to donate."