The Union County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing 10 a.m. Aug. 17 to hear input on the sale of county-owned property in the formerly incorporated city of Kent, the supervisors said during their weekly meeting Monday at the Union County Courthouse.
“We’re not in the business of owning property,” supervisor Ron Riley said during a follow-up phone call Monday.
The county acquired the property through abandonment and tax sales after the city of Kent formally disincorporated in 2003. The property that belonged to the city reverted to Union County.
Recently, a neighboring land owner approached the county about purchasing the property. Supervisor Rick Friday said there are multiple parties interested in the property.
According to Riley, there are four small parcels being discussed. Some of the parcels are still labeled as belonging to the city of Kent on Beacon, the website where interested parties can view public land records. Others are listed as owned by Union County.
After the public hearing, the supervisors will determine if the property is to be sold and the method. It will likely be sold with a sealed bidding process, Riley said. Friday said the parcels may be consolidated for the sale or sold separately.
Depending on the outcome of the public hearing and subsequent sale, the county has other parcels of land the supervisors may consider selling.
“It’s time to put it back on the tax rolls,” Friday said.
