Eminent domain puts land owner on the skids
“One of the most interesting points about eminent domain is that the burden lies on the property owner to prove that he’s seeking fair compensation for the land. In Huebner’s case, he had gotten $17,500 per acre for land surrounding the school within a year of the county taking his property for the stadium. But those tracts were zoned for commercial or industrial use and the other was zoned for residential use, which allows agriculture as well. It was part of a sod farm when the county acquired it in 1999, and the county argued its best use was residential.
Huebner bought the land as part of a 151-acre farm in 1988, hoping it would be a great investment some day. So far, pieces of it have been condemned eight times, by the county, TDOT and utilities.”
Stockard, Sam. DNJ.com 10 June 2013.