MILFORD, DE - The City of Milford has released a lengthy statement in response to an ongoing controversy surrounding the acquisition of a local woman’s property using eminent domain.
The owner of that property, Annette Billings, refused to sell her property to the City. Milford seeks to use the parcel of land as part of its comprehensive plan, including the development of bike lanes and a park.
The dispute has drawn wide attention and the ire of Milford residents and nearby neighbors.
According to the City, the development of the City’s Strategic Plan in 2021 included input from residents as to what changes they’d like to see to make Milford an even better place to live. City officials says the list of suggestions featured amenities such as park land, open space, walking/biking trails, and recreational opportunities.
In what the City says was in the interest of fulfilling those requests, development of paths and recreation areas was commenced.
“The only missing link in connecting all of the paths and recreation areas was the 8 acre tract titled in the name of the Sharp trusts,” Milford said in their statement. “The City originally contacted the Trustee, Mrs. Billings, in 2021 regarding purchasing all 25 acres of her property to be included in the greenway project.”
An 8-acre parcel eventually became the property in question, with the entire western side of the parcel bordering the City of Milford municipal boundary, according to Milford.
The City says though the acreage has no assessed value on tax records, a Delaware real estate appraiser determined the value of $15,000 in Spring of 2023. That assessment was sent to Billings and the City says they offered her a purchase price in excess of the value. Billings refused, though the City says she would discuss with a realtor in case she changed her mind.
Milford officials claim Billings’ brother, a beneficiary of the the trust, was not made aware of the City’s offers.
Finally, in September 2023, City Council voted 7-1 to proceed with eminent domain, saying they were obligated to fulfill the wishes of city residents for more recreation options.
“Over the last four years, City Council and Staff’s only interest in pursuing the project was with the intent of providing open space and walking/biking paths, as well as other passive and active recreational opportunities for not only now, but far into the future, which addressed what we heard from citizens in 2021,” the City said in a statement Wednesday.
Milford's full statement can be found attached to this article.