In January, Dentist Homer Tourkakis took his eminent domain abuse case to court. The City of Arnold and the developers of Arnold Commons are trying to condemn his dental practice at 1506 Big Bill Road to replace it with a shopping center…and he is fighting it. In his case, Tourkakis is challenging:
- Whether a 3rd class city has the legal right to use eminent domain to take private property for commercial development
- Whether the property is blighted
Also, no offer to purchase the property was made before condemnation proceedings were initiated. When an offer was made it was “too little too late”. The presiding judge, Judge Williams, commented that the price of $343,750 seemed “inadequate” for relocating and replacing a dental office.
This happens all over the world and it seems residential or business if the councils or local goverments decide you are going you are going, it is wrong but compulsory purchase of land has always been a way to control areas.
Posted by: Polaris World | April 09, 2008 at 01:59 AM