9/05/2006

Commissioners consider eminent domain ordinance: KVBC-TV3 Las Vegas NV, 9/5/06

Proposed ordinance would prevent county from using eminent domain

Eminent domain is a hot button issue close to the heart of many homeowners. The law allows government, at any time, to force a homeowner to sell his or her home if it needs land for a public project such as construction of a new highway.

But that's not all. The government can also take your property, in some instances, if a business wants to build on your land. Now, one Clark County commissioner is proposing to keep this from happening.

This proposed ordinance would not prevent the county from using eminent domain for public works projects. However, it would ensure that Clark County could not take your land and sell it to a private developer.

Clark County commissioner Bruce Woodbury says the county has never used eminent domain for redevelopment purposes and he wants to make sure it never happens.

County commissioners will vote on the issue Tuesday. Woodbury says he knows at least one other commissioner will vote with him to approve this new ordinance. At least four of the seven commissioners need to vote in favor of the ordinance for it to become law.

If this proposed ordinance passes, it will only affect the county's ability to take a homeowner's land for redevelopment. It would not prevent individual cities within Clark County from using eminent domain for that purpose.
Note: Clark County commissioners unanimously approved the proposal. They noted that the current law gives the government too much power to force homeowners to sell their homes in order to boost redevelopment.


KVBC-TV3 Las Vegas NV: http://www.kvbc.com

No comments:

Post a Comment

New comment on Eminent Domain Watch