SPECIAL REPORT: LANDOWNERS TO FIGHT EMINENT DOMAIN
“hilip Beliveau opened a map of his planned 19-lot subdivision over a pile of books and outdoor magazines, and then slid his finger along a line indicating the location of a proposed natural gas pipeline through his 58-acre property in St. George.
“The gas line goes through here. It’s actually touching a couple of lots,” he said. “What does that say about the prospective buyers of the lots? Is it going to reduce the value?”
Beliveau, 57, works seasonally as a ski instructor and sells bikes and equipment from his home. After five years of careful planning — mapping out septic capacity and wetland boundaries on his property — he is now re-evaluating a planned $2.5 million subdivision that would help to fund his daughter’s college education and his own retirement.
Vermont Gas Systems’ proposed natural gas pipeline, Beliveau believes, will undermine the value of the property, and he wants the company to pay more for an easement on the land. But Vermont Gas has refused to increase its offer, and so like 60 other landowners who have refused to give up a portion of their properties to make way for the pipeline, Beliveau is now subject to condemnation proceedings.”
Herrick, John. VT Digger 9 November 2014.