(2) Whenever the council of any incorporated city deems it necessary to take or damage private property for the purpose of establishing, laying out, extending or widening streets, or other public highways and places within any city, or for rights of way for drains, sewers or aqueducts, or for widening, straightening or diverting channels of streams and the improvement of waterfronts, and the council cannot agree with the owner of the property as to the price to be paid, the council may direct proceedings to be taken under the general laws of this state to procure the same.