City council will eventually vote on first reading of a bylaw that would see the city sell land that's been seen as being expropriated.

Before it does so, Mayor Dan Curtis has committed to meeting with both former and current residents near the area.

Curtis said Tuesday night he would hold a meeting about the proposed sale of 706 and 708 Ogilvie St. prior to council voting to move forward on the bylaw, but holding off on first reading.

Council is considering selling the two properties. They were sold back to the city in the 1970s as part of a program where properties along the escarpment were purchased by the city because they were viewed as being in "potential danger from slumping of the clay cliffs.”

Recent studies have shown the risk not to be as significant as once thought in certain areas, prompting city officials to bring forward the proposal to sell the Ogilvie Street lots, which are now listed as being a low risk.

As council heard Tuesday evening though, the potential sale is not sitting well with groups like the Escarpment Parks Society – nor some former residents of the area who felt like they had to sell their homes in the area.

Sally Wright, who is with the parks society, said the group had viewed the land "as a park in waiting.”

As land that was once expropriated for being seen unsafe, the group thought it wouldn't be sold. It had expected it could serve as a park or, perhaps, house an expansion of gardens for the Downtown Urban Gardeners Society.

"Our plans were fairly casual,” Wright said. The group didn't think there was any urgency to move ahead with the plans until now, she added.

She also noted the impact the expropriation had on residents of the area who were forced to sell their homes and relocate.

Pat Ellis, a local author and historian, was among those living in the escarpment area at the time and had to sell her land.

She was too upset about the situation to show up and speak out at Tuesday evening's meeting.

In a letter to the Star published Wednesday, Ellis wrote about having to sell her downtown home in the 1970s.

"We clearly understood it was an expropriation process and that it would take three years,” she wrote.

"With good will, I agreed to sell my little home and quickly buy another, as I had three young children to support and prices were rapidly increasing.”

Ellis went on to note the studies that were done on the area over the years.

She pointed out the reports did not suggest removing the buildings along the escarpment edge and pledging to deliver archived newspaper clippings to the mayor's office to showcase the history and provide a "clearer picture” of the situation.

While council voted to move forward with the bylaw Tuesday, members did not bring forward first reading on it or another bylaw to sell 67 Wann Rd.

As noted by Coun. Mike Gladish, there were a number of questions that had come up from council members about the sale of all the properties.

A council and senior management meeting has been scheduled for noon today to look at the issues around the land sale.

"The reason we're doing this is there are concerns,” Curtis said.

Coun. Kirk Cameron asked Wright if the parks society would be interested in meeting with council for a longer discussion on the matter. Wright said her group would be, but couldn't make today's lunch hour session.

"If we could have a meeting, that would be really good,” she said.

Her group did not receive a letter nor formal notification that the city was considering selling the lots, she argued.

A council and senior management meeting does not allow for a public discussion, though the public can observe the meeting.

Curtis then later committed to holding a separate meeting with the parks society, current and former residents of the area and others interested in the matter.

First reading is expected to come back to council at the Nov. 25 meeting, after today's council and senior management meeting and the public meeting.