Doing it the Right (of) Way: Recommended Steps for the Acquisition of Real Property by Eminent Domain
A resolution of necessity carries powerful presumptions. But, those presumptions do not apply to right to take objections when an agency seeks to condemn a privately owned public utility. In Town of Apple Valley v. Apple Valley Ranchos Water, the…
The resolution of necessity must contain a general statement of the public use for which the property is to be taken. Code of Civil Procedure § 1245.230(a) requires only a general description. For example, a general description of a project might…
Read More Don’t Forget to Include a Fair Description of the Public Use
California Government Code § 37353 is a state law that sets limits on how local governments in California can acquire property—including when it comes to golf courses. While broadly authorizing certain types of municipal property acquisition, the statute contains an…
Staff or public agency counsel should confirm the proposed property acquisition complies with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This should be done before the agency adopts a resolution of necessity authorizing the property’s condemnation. Reason. The right to take…
As many of you know, an offer based on an appraisal must be made to the property owner before the condemnation process may be pursued. This requires the retention of what is often referred to as a “precondemnation” appraiser. A…
Read More Considerations in the Selection of a Real Estate Appraiser
Any time after an eminent domain complaint is filed, including after a final judgment, a public agency may voluntarily abandon the condemnation. This means that the property is no longer being taken, and as a result the owner receives no…
A partial taking often necessitates that alterations be made to the remaining property so that it may best adapt to the changed circumstances caused by the taking. In an earlier post from November 19, 2020, I questioned whether a temporary…
Often times, deeds of trust or other security interests arising from contract, statute, common law, or equity, include a penalty for paying off the lien before it is due. There are a number rules that apply to whether and how…
Read More Liens, Part 2: No Penalty for Prepayment of Liens Not Yet Due
Most precondemnation deposits of probable compensation are sent to the State Treasury as provided in Section 1255.010 of the Code of Civil Procedure. (See Code Civ. Proc. § 1255.070) That money is held, invested, deposited and disbursed in the manner…
It is a common perception that lienholders like to be paid first when a property owner is compensated following the acquisition of property. However, California’s Eminent Domain Law thinks differently when only a partial taking occurs. Section 1265.225(a) of the…
In my last post, I discussed how contingent future interests are valued, where it is shown the contingent future interest holders are entitled to compensation under Section 1265.410(a)(1). But what if they are not? What are the rules for valuing…
Where there are contingent future interests in property acquired by eminent domain, the future interest holders may be entitled to compensation. This is because the value of the fee owner’s interest in the property is diminished to the extent of…
