Lege Trend. Eminent Domain by Donation. Read the Bill.

A billionaire in California bought property on Martin’s Beach. Martin’s is a popular surfing spot. The billionaire cut off public access to the beach.

Round and round went lawyers, state commissions on land use, and then came California’s Senate Bill 42 that allows California to use eminent domain to guarantee public access for the surfers and beach goers.

But, how is California going to pay for this public access its acquiring from the billionaire? Via donation.

Senate Bill 42 allows the…

+1 Lawsuit. Legal Trend. Landowners Sue. Pipelines a Public Use? + 4 State Reactions

Add another federal lawsuit to the list of whether pipelines consistite a public use that triggers eminent domain for private entities.

The new lawsuit is in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia.

4 States have expereinced different reactions ont he same topic- pipelines & eminent domain:

  • South Carolina and Georgia have restricted the use of eminent domain for oil pipelines
  • Ohio and Iowa have ahad a fair share of legal challenges concerning property takings for pipelines.
  • …

Eminent Domain as the Cause for Primary Defeat. One Mayor Thinks So.

The mayor of West Haven, CT lost his primary race to a city council person.

Some say the surprising loss was due to a redevelopment project that utilized eminent domain.

What factors concerning the project using eminent domain were deemed harmful to the mayor’s campaign?

  • Eminent Domain use for a waterfront outlet mall
  • That 4 years since property was acquired, there has been no progress, beyond boarded up property
  • Demolition is scheduled for after the primary

Lessons:

Schedule demolition…

Did a Stadium Bill Expand Eminent Domain too Far? 3 Points from the 13 Colonies. Public Opinion is No Litmus Test for These Politicians.

Rhode Island has a stadium to build for its Pawtucket Red Sox.

  • the bill would allow for private development to sieze private land that is not blighted
  • the bill would apply to property anywhere in Rhode Island
  • the bill’s author says neither of these is the intent of the bill, and that the bill’s langauge is a concern that will be addressed

What did the Senate Finance Chair say in response to this hoopla?  “public opinion is not going to be the litmus test”

AP via Boston Herald Radio | Alarms…

Case Study. City Creates Redevelopment Zone to Cut Blight.

Mesa, AZ wants to reduce blight. To do that, it created a redevelopment zones- East and West Redevelopment Areas.

Why redevelopment zones? The designations trigger access to tax breaks & other incentives to attract investment and infill development

What does Arizona law require to trigger blight tax incentives? That a redevelopment district must exhibit a predominance of blighted conditions

East Valley Tribune | Mesa creates redevelopment zones to reverse blight

TX A.G. Opinion Answers Whether Affidavits of Adverse Possession Should Be Filed by County Clerks

Texas Attorney General Opinion, KP-1065, finds that affidavits of adverse possession should be filed by county clerks.

What standard does the affidavit need to meet? It must meet the requirements of Property Code section 12.001(a) : acknowledged, sworn to with a proper jurat, or proved according to law.

What does the affidavit not need to do? The affidavit is not proof that adverse possession has legally occured.

Lege & Legal Trend. Protecting Private Property Rights From Activists. 4 Bits Informed Intel.

What is a data trespass law? While it sounds like data security, these laws create a crime against physically entering land to acquire data like pollution or animal cruetly.

Are data trespass laws constititional? Maybe not. A Federal Appeals court has found a Wyoming law likely violates the 1st Amendment.

Who is for these laws? Land owners, members of the Farm Bureau

Who is against these laws? People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Center for Food Safety, National Press Photographers…

Read the Bill. Expedite Eminent Domain, but only for commercial property.

Los Angeles will be hosting the 2028 Olympics and the Clippers need a new stadium. What is a state to do? Pretend we’re working in a cartel cocaine processing room and sampling our own product? Yes, in a way, by expediting the permiting process to build stadiums more quickly.

How is the bill expediting the process?

  • By exempting from full environmental review any “rail, bus, or transit project connected to the 2028 Olympics, along with expediting environmental challenges to construction of the…

Legal Trend. Constitutionality of Eminent Domain for Pipelines. Denbury Meets Federal Courts. 3 Bits informed:intel to watch.

In a nod to the Denbury case, land owners across the east coast are suing FERC in federal court over whether pipelines have a public use that justifies eminent domain authority.

What to watch:

  • Will the court set a new test for what qualifies for public use by a pipeline?
  • Will this test be set forth by the court to apply to all private entities that have eminent domain authority?
  • How far reaching will the federal court decision be?

Roanoake Times | Landowners ask federal court to intervene…

Private Property Rights. 3 Points informed:intel Billboard Fees.

The Texas Supreme Court this week refused to take an appeal on the City of Austin billboard fee.

Lawyers, courts- their words are like teachers in a Peanuts cartoon. What does this mean?

  • The Court of Appeals opinion declaring Austin’s billboard fees unconstitutional stands.
  • Why is the fee unconstitutional?
    • The city can charge taxes up to 50% of what the state imposes.
    • What kind of billboard fee does the state have? None.
    • 1/2 x 0 = 0. Austin can impose a total fee of 0 under this…