Lege Proposal: Penalize Coercive Eminent Domain Acts. Prohibitions With Teeth.

Ohio lawyers are proposing an enforcement mechanism for bad eminent domain actors.

Why does OH need enforcement for coercive eminent domain? The law has no enforcement mechanism for the prohibition against coercive acts.

What’s the propsed enforcement for bad actors? 

  • Clear cause of action that clearly provide landowners with a private cause of action against condemnors who use coercive tactics or conduct in land acquisitions
  • Monetary penalties
  • Attorney Fees Bad actors should be liable for…

TREND. Elected Official Opposes Project Using Eminent Domain by Private Entity. Who. What. Where.

The elected official: U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-WA)

The project: Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline

What are the facts aroudn the pipeline?

  • a private foreign company may use eminent domain
  • to take American citizens’ private properties
  • to export Canadian gas to Asia

Oregon Live | Op-Ed by Landowners | Blocking eminent domain for private gain: Guest opinion

Attorney General Threatens Eminent Domain for Sports Team After Stadium Plan Announced in Other State. 3 Key Points.

The Professional Sports Team: Crew SC, an MLS team in Columbus OH

What is the basis for the eminent domain threat by OH’s Attorney General?  “Art Modell Law” which Ohio passed after the Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore

What does the Art Modell Law require? A professional sports team that receives taxpayer funds cannot move without approval of the city or without offering the team for sale

Fox 28 | Ohio Attorney General sends letter to Crew SC owner threatening to sue 

Legal Trend. What you need to know about Texas Cities Suing Over Right of Way Fee Caps

Why are cities suing?  The cap on the amount cities may collect per network node violates the state constitution & is only a fraction of what cities have been getting from private companies

Does a right of way, like a network node right of way,  have to be compensated? Yes. 

What do supporters of the law say?  “helps consumers and small businesses by improving the quality of the networks where they live, work and play.”

What do non-city opponents of the law say? The cap cuts out private…

Texas State Rep. 3 Points on Eminent Domain Review and Reform.

Texas State Representative Ernest Bailes op-ed in the Houston Chronicle makes these points about a need to review eminent domain laws:

  • Growth and development lead to eminnt domain challenges for land owners
  • Need to ensure fairness in eminent domain statutes
  • Fair compensation for land owners is very improtant to his district

Houston Chronicle Op-Ed | Bailes: Eminent domain statutes need review to ensure fairness

TEXAS INTERIM CHARGES. 8. Property Rights + Eminent Domain + Land Use + Land Privacy + Blight

House Committee on County Affairs

#7 Land Development & Floods.  Evaluate whether counties have the necessary ordinance-making and enforcement authority to deal with flood risk in unincorporated rural and suburban areas of Texas. Additionally, examine whether counties have adequate resources and authority to ensure that new development in unincorporated areas is not susceptible to flooding. 

House Committee on Energy Resources 

#5 Wind Decommissioning & Property Rights. Examine how…

Private Property Rights. Anatomy of a Short Term Rental Ordinance in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Minneapolis, MN recently adopted short term rental ordinances which will:

  • Require hosts & services to be licensed by the city
    • No license fee will be imposed if the owner is present during the rental period
    • Host license fee will be $5,000 for the big actors & $630 for less than 150 rental options
    • Home owner license fee will range from $46 to $350 depending on the property’s tier

What’s the rush on the ordinances? The 2018 Super Bowl will be in the Twin Cities

Fox 9…

Texas Attorney General Opinion. Land Use. MUD Fees. New Legislative Fix for MUD fees?

No, a MUD cannot use its funds to replace vandalized mailboxes in its jurisdiction. 

The Attorney General Opinion KP-0169 lays out which code sections that could be amended to include a MUD’s use of funds to repair or replace mailboxes:

  • TEX. WATER CODE§ 54.012. 

    TEX. WATER CODE§ 54.201(b), §54.236 and §54.242 add to the laundry list of specific revenues uses for MUDs

TX Senator Huffman. 2 Points on Just Compensation.

In an op-ed focusing on the willfull flooding of homes by the Army Corps of Engineers, Texas Seantor Joan Huffman makes these points about just compensation:

  • homeowners should be spared years of emotional and costly litigation, and Congress should secure just compensation for home owners
  • the Army Corps of engineers actions constitute a taking that requires just compensation

Houston Chronicle | Huffman: Homeowners deserve ‘just compensation’

City Buys Land. City Using Eminent Domain for Billboard on Same Land. Billboard relocation laws? Yes, see the proposal.

The City: Sandy Springs, GA

How does this work in Georgia, where there is a separate eminent domain for the billboard? Georgia’s laws allow for billboard relocatation somewhere within 250 feet in lieu of an eminent domain reimbursement, if the city has a billboard relocation ordinance. 

What has the city offered?  A city ordinance that allows for billboard relocation if:

  • eminent domain is used or there is a threat of eminent domain
  • relocation within 250 feet, with up to 3 alternative…