Santa Barbara County officials recently filed an eminent domain lawsuit against Walmart to obtain land owned by the corporation to complete the Union Valley Parkway extension.
However, representatives for the county and Walmart will continue to negotiate in hopes of coming to an agreement over details regarding the three parcels of land needed to connect the UVP extension.
“The county is very much seeing that the negotiations are continuing to be in the forefront. The eminent domain case will be in the background just to insure the timing of the project,” said Walter Rubalcava of the Santa Barbara County Public Works Department.
The roadway project must be completed by November 2013 to coincide with Caltrans’ completion of the interchange.
The property is an unincorporated section of Orcutt bordered by Hummel Drive and Highway 135. The roadway and interchange is expected to alleviate traffic from Clark Avenue and Lakeview and Foster roads.
This article appears in May 10-17, 2012.