WINONA LAKE - Town council members provided $75,000 as damage payment to Ralph and JoEllen Fitch, Larwill, in a resolution passed Tuesday at the council's meeting.

The amount, taken from the wastewater operating fund to the tax increment financing account, represents the fair market value of the apartment building at 800 Park Ave.

Three appraisers - Jon Shively, John Beer and Jean Williams - found $75,000 to be the fair market value of the condemned property secured through eminent domain procedures by the town's redevelopment commission.

Standing on the northeast corner of an area commonly known as the Village at Winona, at the corner of Park Avenue and Canal Street, the two-story dwelling is surrounded by specialty shops to the south and west, a parking lot to the north and Hillside Park across the street to the east.

The property is zoned as a planned unit development with combined commercial and residential uses, owned by the Village at Winona.

The Fitch property was declared a blighted area Oct. 4, 2000, in a Winona Lake Redevelopment Commission resolution. The couple have owned the property since 1992.

The Winona Lake Redevelopment Commission, once it acquires the property, may then sell, hold or use the property as the members consider best.

Under Ind. Code 36-7-14-12.2, powers of eminent domain may be exercised by established redevelopment commissions. The local commission found the property is not in compliance with surrounding uses.

Condemnation proceedings against the property began Dec. 31, 2001. A stipulated order of condemnation was filed April 11, 2002, following a conference between the town's legal representatives, Stephen Snyder and Jan Carroll, and the Fitch's attorney, Jonathan Tison. Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Rex Reed is special judge in the matter.

Tison withdrew from the case in October 2002. [[In-content Ad]]