Ever had part of your property seized for a road project?

Roybird, what you said...

I got everything mulched, the pumpkin bed ready and DH BT'd the cabbage worms. Then the rains came. Talk about timing. Not much water but sufficient considering I watered this a.m.. I'm paralyzed as this is the Reader's Digest version of the day. He's cooking great vittles (with direction) because he's starving. Looking forward to round two tomorrow. Sweet dreams all.

Laurel

BronxBoy - I think you should report these incidents to the police - not necessarily to take action NOW, but so they'll have a record, in case - heaven forbid - these guys actually DO anything that warrants police action. Having a trail of events is extremely helpful. I pray nothing bad happens, but it is SO much better to be prepared than not! Even if you think it's not worth reporting, it probably will be! Trespassing at 5:30am while obviously under the influence could turn dangerous - if he doesn't get what he wants. - Sorry to be so pessimistic - I'm sure you had hoped you left things like that behind in the Bronx! I would also make it perfectly clear to the lawnmower guy that you no longer require his services (in writing, & make copies!) Also, I would document everything - with dates & times. That kind of evidence can be very incriminating. Our prayers are with you & your elderly neighbor. Samantha

BB, I love how wonderful you all are down South. My Mom is from VA and I used to spend 2 weeks every summer there. People are so polite, and this Northerner HATES it when you get stepped on!!! We are pretty rude up here. It's against many Southerners' nature to go after trespassers or file a really obnoxious lawsuit, but you need to do it b/f they run all over you!!! It's time to get rude & kick butt!!! Tell lawnmower man that you'll sue him for trespassing if you see his sorry keister anywhere near your place.

Awh, Jax, I see you on N.E forum.. People there are very nice too. It's just a matter of methodology. Up there they use strong words to get the job done. We're polite down here. You're right. Very polite. "Yes Mam", "No Sir". Then the gun and the big dogs come out :). No bull in the South 'fo sure.

Laurel

P.S. Isn't VA in the North?

L

Well people in the South are very polite. But remember I'm from the Bronx and it doesn't take much for me to revert back to my upbringing. LOL

BB

Speak softly and carry a big stick! If more Northerners owned guns, we wouldn't shoot our mouths so quick!
VA if it isn't North, it is becoming more so. My Mom was brought up in a rural area outside of Richmond. The city has since grown to encompass her old house, and the farms around it were bought up and turned into housing projects. Very sad.

BB, we deal with that sort of craziness around here in the city too! I think your weird neighbor has been SNIFFING the gasoline fumes!

GGG

BB ... I agree with what Samantha said. You really do need a police report of any unusual going ons in your neighborhood.

Good luck to you and Mrs. BB. I also hope your neighbor will be okay.


This message was edited May 26, 2008 9:47 PM

'Scuse my nosiness here Bronx, but any word? We're still waiting on our adjuster whose supposed to be number crunching. Looks like he might be math challenged 'cause we've not heard a thing.

L

Hey Laurel

There is lots going on. Between my neighbor, the crazy neighbor up the street and the county, things are moving somewhat fast.

I will post when the dust settles down a bit

Tell your guy to get on the stick. Do not hesitate to go over his head.
BB

I'll tell DH to tell his guy to get on the stick. DH has been checked out for a few weeks with that trial while I was doing crisis control.

So, we came up to Maypop late today and I mowed (and mowed and mowed). Guess what he said as he pointed to the downed tree? "Looks great Hon. When 'ya going to get around to splitting all this wood?" I don't have time for that! I've got to tile the upstairs bathroom floor tomorrow and grout it by Saturday.

L

Well I'm still waiting to hear but a couple of things have transpired that I'd thought I'd share and get folks feedback on.

The bad news is that my neighbor passed away this weekend. He just never recovered after his fall and deteriorated over time. Besides his health issues, I think his loss of independence was a factor in his passing. He was faced with the potential loss of his legs and the fact that he probably wasn't going to come back home. Anyway, hopefully he is at peace now.

During his hospitalization, I did get to know his sons. All of them are nice guys. I have been picking up the mail and keeping an eye on the place so I have been in fairly regular communication with them.

One of the sons has a road building company and knows a lot of folks who generally are involved in this type of project. He pretty much told me that he has hired an attorney and he is going to make the county purchase his Dad's property. The county is butchering the property pretty badly so I don't doubt he can make this happen especially if he has connected resources.

So if that happens, my situation changes somewhat as I will no longer have a buffer between my property and the parkway. While I am still awaiting word on what the county is going to offer us, the whole game changes if the county takes the property next to mine. Moving isn't an option right now so I have to give this some thought.

The project is moving fairly fast. All of the property owners affected by the project on my street are just waiting to hear officially from the county so we can take action.

BB

Good luck BB,, hope everything works out best for you, Sorry about your neighbor.
Elaine

Very sorry to hear about your neighbor. It sounds like you have had an eventful last few months as well.

Best regards,
Laurel

It has begun

House next to my neighbors is gone

House down the hill being demolished

This swimming pool exists no more

We wondered why the started with the houses on our side of the street instead of the large mansion across the street. But I found out they are going to move that house, not demolish it.

No of us remaining homeowners have heard anything even though the appraisals were done over 3 months ago.

BB

Look at all the wasted material! It would seem to me a better way would be to allow a Habitat for Humanity crew to come in and dismantle what could be used for less fortunate folks' homes. That's a crying shame as well as y'all losing your home & property for a road project.

Amen, Deb! All that re-usable material will end up in the landfill!
Brennan - I know it would be depressing to me to see my neighbors' homes being demolished right before my eyes. I feel so badly for you & Gwendolyn - we're all praying that you both come out of this trying situation with some kind of blessing! If there is anything tangible I can do - let me know!
BTW - David & I had a rough start on tomato season, battling stink bugs & hornworms, but are finally getting some yummy toms from the plants you gave us at the Roundup! Thanks! Samantha

Yes Ladies:

I couldn't get why the country wouldn't try to recycle what they could from the homes. They are all less than 10 years old. The demolition company took the doors, appliances and ac and stuff.

I asked some folks at work and they said for most demo companies, it's not worth their time to salvage more than they do.

Our tomato season was rough too Samantha but I still got a ton. My second crop is coming now.

BB

Hi Bronx,

I really feel bad about your situtation. Please let us know how it all works out. I like the MA idea of looking for another property seeing how your will be devaluated so much. Instead of having the county pay for fair market value (which you know they have decreased about 5-10% with foreclosures), would just see if they will buy you like for what was like (including relocation expenses). It is too bad you are not zoned commercial so the county would be forced to pay you more....
Robert

Read this awhile back when ya first had problems and was hoping that maybe it wouldn't get bad.

I have a friend that folks came through and demolished all the homes and buildign a wider road so that they can build a complex of some sort.

She didn't like their offer. It was way below what their home was worth and out in the country and such plus she had gardens and oodles of plants and a business there.

Not to be cheated out of what her and her husband worked for, she fought. She the only house there. LOL They building company and road people are having to go all aroudn her place.

She put up with the noise and ust and stuff for months. DShe had them folks put up barriers to keep the workmess somewhat contained and away from her place. She got them so where they could only work certain hours, so she wouldn't have to deal with the noise 24/7 . She made a alot of demands and got them. She one tough cookie and refused to be pushed around.

Her place looks so funny, you see all this big new and highrise and her farm area and litle brick house.

On the bright side, when it all gets done, there will be more people to buy from her garden business and with her personality I know it won't be long before she has folks popping up gardens and flowers all over the place where all these construction folks never figured on them.

They came through and offered folks money and folks took it and moved and as more people moved those folks left sorta panicked and took less than what the orginal offer was , not her and her family, they stuck to their guns and refused to give up what they worked so hard for.

Now that the months of mess of work and noise is done and things settling down, things back to normal for her and going good.

Sure hope it all works out for you and Mrs. B too. Fight for what ya want and your dreams. Sometimes the little guys can win too.

Well:

After 7 months of waiting, the county finally came out and made their offer.

For half of our front yard, destroying the quality of life in our neighborhood and devaluing our home value they want to give us the grand sum of...................................................................................$2500

Can you believe that? It's going to cost us more than that to replace or remove things already in the yard like our electronic dog fence and our brick mailbox. My wife and I were just stunned.

This has to be a a low ball offer. As it stands, we will probably loose money on the deal.

Color me shocked!

BB

I would fight it tooth and nail. That unreal and totally ridiculous offer. You a small agricultural business. You need your land. Land is your main commidty. You tell them that eventually as your busines s increases you wil not only need that land to grow on but if your operation shifts to where folks are coming for hand fresh produce you need that area for your own customer parking.

Dig in and dig deep and don't let them uproot ya. If ya force them too they wil have to change the road plans and reroute. Your yard is not the onyl ay to go, just an easier one for them.

What a ridiculous offer. Hopefully they are open to negotiations. You might want to get estimates for the mailbox and any other work you will need done and present that to them.

I started working on it as soon as I got to work. I'm lucky in that I work for a prominent builder and have access to their resources. I can only imagine what a person who doesn't have access to those resources would face.

Becky:

Check your dmail later. Sending you a message about the RU

BB

We're all pulling for you, Bronxie & Gwendolyn! Hang tough! Samantha

Bronx, . So sorry you are having to go through this.

Well Bronxboy, I am sadly NOT surprised at all. If they can seize your land, then they've got the ball in their court. If you have the right to refuse sale based on the fact that they aren't even covering costs, then do it.

Our friends finally had a sidewalk put in front of their city property. They were so pleased to have been offered $3,000 for it. Then DOT when ahead and took more property then they were sold, tore down a dog fence WHILE THE DOGS WHERE IN THE YARD and removed all shrubbery and trees in the area. None of that was in the agreement. Thankfully dogs were recovered.
What did they end up getting...nada. Not even the fencing back so they could errect it in their back yard. They were out probably $8,000 in all.



This message was edited Oct 3, 2008 11:28 PM

Very sad news indeed, but as GGG said, I am not surprised either. I would request an explanation, in full, of the assessment so you can fully understand the laws that they are operating under vs. your rights. If you just go in swinging, they'll start pulling rabbits out of hats.. Be very methodical and have an email trail of every person you communicate with as well as a date and time. If it's a phone conversation, take notes. Good luck.
Laurel

Bronx.. I don't know if this is feasibel or not, but since you an agricultutrial grower, and they want totake so much of your property, is the option on the table for them to compeltely buy you out what it would cost you to relocate to another area plus all the expense and labor of what you have done already.


Google some of the goverment ag sites and the national Ga growers associations and stuff and see what they have to say as to whether they cna leagal take it and for ways to fight them. Ag folks stick togethre and land is precious and they may know things that haven't been looked at yet.

Also, I would call the the National soil adn water quality control people and see what if anythign they can do. I know that they wil come out for free and help you set up how to save yoru soil and planting and stuff.

Thanks Starlight:

I don't think they know what they are doing. I talked with the guy handling the negotiations and told him the offer was too low especially since it would cost me twice their offer just to move or replace stuff like our brick mailbox.

He said they weren't touching it or our driveway which I find hard to believe if they are coming in 10 to 15 feet.


BB

Ha. Ya know them folks give them an inch nd they wil take yards and more yards. They gonan have heavy equipment and all kinds of stuff making a big mess, plus the compaction of yoru soil wont be good for anythign to grow.

If ya want to dmail me your email addy. I wil pass it on to my friend who just went all through this with the construction people. She also ended up getting them to work onl;y so many hours and putting up barries to protect her plants and stuff. You may be the little guy, but you hold the water hose to spray at em. ; )

give them an inch and they will take a mile. very scary the times in which we live. Not even what we have paid for is safe. I am praying that you get what is rightfully yours.

Elaine

Thanks for all of your kind words.

I spoke with the son of my late neighbor. They only got offered $1500.

We discussed how much they were taking and the county saying that they will not affect certain structures on our property. We can't see how they can take the land they want and not affect things like our driveways and our mailboxes.

I have requested that someone come out and walk the property with me but we haven't gotten an answer yet.

This project is huge. I will try to post some pics of the existing work they have done so far.

BB

They did this on Austell Road many, many years ago (two lane to four lane with a median) and most houses were sold and converted into small businesses due to the increased traffic and the road noise.

Right of way easements are on everyone's property (front, sides, and back) but typically in a subdivision nothing is ever done but if they want it they can take it.

What's real troubling is the state's or county's eminent domain policy - they can condemn property (if they cannot come to an agreement with the owner) under the guise of making it better for the public but sometimes it's a land grab for the wealthy - the builder ($$$), the city (higher taxes), and the new owner (a view they couldn't get any other way). This has happened in a few states so far and the Supreme Court has upheld these inane laws.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelo_v._City_of_New_London

Thanks hdole:

In this case, I understand the need for the project. But I just need to know what they are taking and to be compensated fairly.

I work for a builder and the land development folks basically told me "If they want it, they'll get it".

BB