Let the public know | IN OUR OPINION

Published 8:27 am Monday, January 18, 2016

In the past two weeks, we’ve occupied this opinion space with our emerging views on the public-owned Suzuki property.

The city has received four proposals for the land — three for housing developments and one for a public park — and the council will review those options during meetings scheduled through next month.

What happens to the 13.83-acre parcel at the southeast corner of Sportsman Club Road and New Brooklyn Road is of intense interest to islanders, and not just neighbors who live nearby who will be asked to deal with added traffic, noise and other issues if the

project is densely developed (development plans range from 52 to

75 homes).

A few weeks ago in this space, we called for a public vote on what to do with the property, as it is the last large undeveloped plot of land on central Bainbridge.

Last week, we said the city should aggressively examine a “do nothing” option with the property. Such a suggestion isn’t groundbreaking, as environmental impact statements conducted for large projects routinely include a “do nothing” alternative to be studied.

Faithful readers may think we’ve become a bit obsessed with the Suzuki property, as this week we return again with another view on the process that will play out before the land’s fate is decided.

Earlier, we reported that none of the developers who have submitted proposals to the city have offered to pay fair market value.

Offers have ranged between $2.4 million and $2.6 million, while a March 2008 appraisal of the Suzuki property put the value at $5.4 million.

The city has a more recent appraisal, conducted in July 2013, but is keeping that one secret.

We’d like to see a new appraisal done. Land values can change a lot in two years.

And while state law allows cities to keep appraisals confidential, which makes sense when a city buys land (because public knowledge of a potential government purchase of property could drive the price up), we believe it’s not appropriate in this case to keep the 2013 appraisal, or a new one, if completed, from the public.

Islanders have a right to know how much the property is worth before discussions continue on possible development scenarios and a future sale of the land to a developer.

Citizens should know how much we are giving up if the property is sold at below cost for development. Only then can we fully and adequately evaluate the proposals for the property.