Supervisors Discuss Disposing Of Property

Sonora, CA– The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors today unanimously approved to begin the process of selling three County properties no longer needed for public use.

As Tuolumne County prepares to undertake construction of critical infrastructure for the County Law & Justice Center, funds are needed to pay for the improvements. Part of this strategy is disposing of unneeded County property.

The Board of Supervisors discussed three properties in particular. These areas include the 1.28 acre Mother Lode Medical Center located at 22044 Cedar Road in Sonora, the 16 acre undeveloped western portion of the Sonora Library property and 2.24 acres just west of the Sullivan Creek Bridge along Mono Way.

‘In terms of the uses of these properties, one is currently being used, the other two are vacant,” said Deputy County Administrator Daniel Richardson. “We’ve had people propose things to us such as commercial to long-term residential senior care. I think these properties would be desirable and this is the commencing of that process to dispose of them.”

Richardson says the next step is to have the Planning Commission have the City declare that disposing of these properties is consistent with the County and City’s General Plan.

Three resolutions would then be brought to the Board of Supervisors to declare each property as surplus and establish the terms and process to dispose of each one. The properties will be offered first to governmental agencies and then to any private bidder.

The County stands to benefit in several ways by selling these properties. The cash from these sales can be used to purchase other County property, or in this case, to pay for the Law & Justice Center property. These properties also have the potential to re-enter the County’s tax roles, depending on the purchaser and can be used for the highest and best use.

Written by tina.falco@mlode.com