City officials considering eminent domain to secure land for portion of southwest Atlanta trail
“Dmitry Gitman built a deck in the back of his property at 2049 Rector Drive in Beecher Hills last month. His yard is calm and quiet, overlooking a stretch of trees with a creek running through it.
“One of the reasons I bought this house and one of the reasons people like to rent this house is because it has a nice backyard and it’s very peaceful,” says Gitman, who currently has a tenant living in the property.
But he fears that serene setting might change as city officials want to carve out part of Gitman’s yard using eminent domain, a legal process that allows the government to seize private property for public use. Property owners are compensated.
Nearly 3,500 square feet of Gitman’s backyard is in the way of the Southwest Beltline Connector Trail, a multi-use path that would connect parks located along the Atlanta Beltline.”
Shortell, Davis. Creative Loafing Atlanta 22 July 2013.