Target Access Road Easement

At a glance

What: Council authorized legal action to use eminent domain to change easement consent rights so an access road can be modified for property on Calhoun Memorial Highway, tied to the proposed Target development.
Where it stands: Authorized August 10, 2026 by 5-2 in public session after executive session. No real estate is taken; the action modifies easement consent rights.
Protection for the City: The development agreement, as amended September 14, has the developer reimburse the City up to $50,000 for legal fees and costs of any eminent-domain or condemnation action. A council member had floated broader reimbursement of fees, judgments and awards.
Next: No filing or court date appears in the records read.

August 10: in favor Mayor Talbert, O'Shields, Rainey, Clark and Fedder; opposed Searcy and Alexander. Councilwoman Rainey made the motion.
One council member opposed it as neither just nor moral, saying the City would use the force of law to modify easement consent rights against the owner's will, and objected that Council was asked to act before the public meeting the next day.
A resident, Rebecca Starnes, raised the precedent of government action on easement rights on September 14.

The legal-fee reimbursement amendment (up to $50,000) passed 7-0 with the development agreement.

Executive session 7:43 to 8:31 PM for legal advice, then the 5-2 vote in public.