The Linbrook Business Park is expected to be a great boost toboth Brookhaven and Lincoln County’s economy once it is built.

City officials said a current holdup is obtaining easementsthey’ve been seeking since late last year to put in power and waterlines, which are integral not only to the park when it isoperational but also while building it.

“I just know it’s been a long, long, long drawn-out process,”said Public Works Director Steve Moreton. “So we can’t get thepower lines and we can’t clear it until we get the easements.”

Moreton explained that the power lines will need to go in on thenorth side of the business park, which is where the city is havingtrouble getting easements. Moreton said the problem is that thereare several heirs to the land in question, and that attorneys havebeen handling the problem.

An eminent domain hearing is scheduled for Sept. 10. Moretonsaid the point is just to be able to put the utilities through, notto take over the entire property.

“We’ve got a million gallon tank and a well, and we can’t usethem,” he said. “We don’t have the power to go in the well, and wedon’t have the right-of-ways to build the water ways back toBrookway Boulevard.”

Meanwhile, the easements on the south side have been obtainedand workers have been able to do some clearing and otherdevelopment.

“Now the telephone company is out there putting in the telephonelines and stuff, on the south side,” he said.

Another step in the right direction, Moreton said, is that thebuilding at the corner of Saints Trail and the Brookway BoulevardExtension, commonly known as the old “Rib Shack,” has been torndown.

“That building was in the boundaries of what they needed,”Moreton said.

Once the hearing has been held, and if the easement has beenobtained, Oddee Smith will come in, clear the right of way and dothe dirt work, and then the power will be installed, Moretonsaid.

Then, a subcontractor will put in the water and sewer lines.Moreton said the force main line will need to be connected, eventhough there is no one to use the sewer yet.

When the water and power have been installed, Moreton said thepoint is to try to get everything under way before winter sets in.He is hopeful the activities will not be affected by anyhurricane-type weather.

“It’s just weather-related,” he said. “Usually September,October and November are pretty dry months, and most of December.And this is not a long stretch of work – there’s just this onelittle parcel holding things up, but it’s the key.”