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Author Archive | Michael Rikon

January 31, 2017

CAN GOVERNMENT DESIGNATE PROPERTY TO BE ACQUIRED AND RESTRICT FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS?

The North Carolina Supreme Court held that the filing of a map which designates property for future highway acquisition and prohibits development in the interim is a taking.  Kirby v North Carolina Dept. of Trans., 368 N.C. 847 (2016). The Court held, “upon NCDOT’s recording of the highway corridor maps at issue here, the Map Act restricted plaintiffs’ fundamental rights to improve, develop, and subdivide their property for an unlimited period of time.  These restraints, coupled with their indefinite nature, constitute a taking of plaintiffs’ elemental property rights by eminent… read more

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Posted in Highest and Best Use, Inverse Condemnation, Zoning
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January 24, 2017

TRUMP REVIVES KEYSTONE AND DAKOTA PIPELINES

President Trump signed an Executive Order on January 24, 2017 reviving the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipeline projects.  Former President Barack Obama rejected the Keystone 1,179 mile pipeline in 2015. When he signed the Order, Mr. Trump recited that the pipeline would bring 28,000 construction jobs.  But according to the New York Times, “studies showed that the pipeline would not have a momentous impact on jobs.”  New York Times, January 24, 2017.  The President also indicated that he would renegotiate the terms with the pipelines. The President also seemed… read more

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Posted in Pipeline Takings
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January 13, 2017

CAN A PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION INSIST ON CONFIDENTIALITY AS PART OF A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT?

Counsel for public benefit corporations often insist on the inclusion of a confidentiality provision in their settlement agreements.  Often claimants refuse to agree.  But many claimants are anxious to finally wind up their litigation and recover their award.  The issue is can a public benefit hide the payment of just compensation?  Isn’t the settlement something of great concern to the public, the press, legislative overseers and the bar in general?  An often overlooked consequence is that a claimant agreeing confidentiality may find unanticipated tax consequences.  See, for example, Amos v… read more

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Posted in Confidentiality, Settlement Agreements
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January 6, 2017

PIPELINE TAKINGS – TIME TO RECONSIDER THEIR POWER OF EMINENT DOMAIN

If you monitor eminent domain issues on a national level, you must be aware that by far the greatest controversy has focused on pipeline takings. The United States has the largest network of energy pipelines in the world, generally accepted to be 2.5 million miles, more recently, because of fracking, massive new pipeline building has been taking place.  Most of those lines are for oil.  Some states make a distinction between oil and gas pipelines.  Gas pipelines would not have the federal statutory priority and would be subject to state… read more

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Posted in Partial Takings, Pipeline Takings
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December 21, 2016

IF REAL PROPERTY WAS CONDEMNED FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE, MAY IT BE CONDEMNED AGAIN FOR ANOTHER USE?

Generally, a property presently used for a public purpose may not be condemned.  See New York, L. & W.R. Co. v Union Steam-Boat Co., 99 NY 12 (1885).  Nor may property owned by a higher sovereign be acquired without consent.  This is known as the prior public use doctrine.  As the New York State Court of Appeals has noted, “[t]o defeat the attainment of an important public purpose to which lands have already been subjected, the legislative intent must unequivocally appear.”  In re City of Buffalo, 68 NY 167, 175… read more

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Posted in Condemnation Procedures, Eminent Domain
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