California High Speed Rail Project: Relocation Considerations for Displaced Businesses, Farms and Non-Profits
The California High Speed Rail project has been slowly, but surely, picking up its pace of property acquisition in the Central Valley. So far, the State Public Works Board has adopted 192 resolutions of necessity declaring the CHSRA’s intent to file eminent domain actions in court to acquire properties. Last month alone, CHSRA approved resolutions… Read more »
California Eminent Domain Project News: CHSRA Updates State Legislature on the Bullet Train Project
This week, the California High Speed Rail Authority issued its biannual Project Update Report to the State Legislature. The report provides a synopsis of the Authority’s funding, environmental review, land acquisition (eminent domain), and construction activities for the California High Speed Rail Project. Of note, the Authority advises that the Project’s first operating segment… Read more »
California Eminent Domain Project News: Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project, Updates and Current Issues
Construction of the Crenshaw/LAX green line has been underway for many months now. The project is planned to connect the north-south Crenshaw Line and the east-west Green Line into a monorail system that extends towards the LAX. This 8.5 mile light-rail line will include 8 stations between the Expo Line on Exposition Boulevard and the… Read more »
California Eminent Domain Project News: California High Speed Rail Settles Lawsuit with Bakersfield
Last month, the U.S. Surface Transportation Board held that the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, is pre-empted by federal environmental law relative to the Fresno-Bakersfield route of the proposed high speed rail. STB stated in their opinion that CEQA could delay or eliminate a rail project even after a federal board, such as the… Read more »
Redevelopment Is Back in California
Back in 2011, Governor Jerry Brown abolished redevelopment agencies in California successfully gaining $1.5 billion of the redevelopment funding to close California’s budget gap. Recently, three bills have reached the Governor’s office in an attempt to revive redevelopment in California. Gov. Brown has signed two of those bills, Senate Bill 628 and Assembly Bill 229,… Read more »
Studio City Residents and Community Groups Seek to Stop Property Owner’s Redevelopment Plains: Open Space vs. Condos
Open Space vs. Condos Proposed development of a portion of the privately-owned 17 acre Weddington Golf and Tennis, located on the banks of the Los Angeles River in Studio City, is a hot topic of debate between Studio City residents and the Weddington owners. The public golf and tennis facilities have been a neighborhood gem for… Read more »
Tug-of-War for Martins Beach Access: Possible Eminent Domain Case
Conflict between Simi Valley billionaire Vinod Khosla and those seeking public access to Martins Beach will make its way to Gov. Jerry Brown. Last week the state Senate approved Senate Bill 968 which, in essence, requires the State Land Commission to negotiate with Khosla to acquire public access to his private property. Khosla purchased the… Read more »
California Eminent Domain Project News: California High Speed Rail Construction Slowed Down by Lack of Land
The recent approval of 160 parcels between Fresno and Kings County for segment two of the high speed rail track has stirred up some excitement for rail backers. As the California High Speed Rail Authority (“CHSRA”) wastes no time in preparing for construction of the second segment, questions about the first segment construction arise. So… Read more »
Proposition 13: Property Tax Roll-Over in Eminent Domain Cases, 8/20/14
In 1978, California’s Proposition 13 created security for home owners by limiting property taxes to one percent of the property’s value with a maximum two percent increase for inflation of the property value in a year. The property tax is reassessed when the property is being sold or if certain improvements on the property increase… Read more »
California Eminent Domain Project News: More Condemnation Approvals: California High Speel Rail Gears Up for More Acquisitions
On Wednesday, the State Public Works Board approved approximately 160 parcels between Fresno and Kings Counties for acquisition for the high-speed rail project. The California High Speed Rail Authority (“CHSRA”) requested acquisition of the 160 parcels which, in addition to several hundred other parcels, they believe are necessary for the construction of the rail project…. Read more »