Find out the latest in Texas eminent domain news for August 2021:
High speed train still a ways off
Source: The Huntsville Item
The proposed high speed rail line from Dallas to Houston with a stop in between Huntsville and College Station made headlines last week as planners selected an operator — but people should not be planning their trips any time soon.
“This project is still no more ‘shovel ready’ than it was years ago when Texas Central Railroad announced construction would begin soon—and failed,” Congressman Kevin Brady said after the Supreme Court’s decision.
Successful state legislative session for TFB, ag
Source: Texas Farm Bureau
The passage of HB 2730 brings meaningful changes that benefit private property owners.
“The bill makes the process more fair and transparent by requiring the landowner to get an initial offer that is clear whether or not it includes damages to the remainder. The legislation also requires the landowner to receive an easement agreement up front with standard terms. The bill also improves the landowner bill of rights that landowners will now get with or before the initial offer,” Charlie Leal, Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) state legislative director, said. “It creates a penalty for land agents that act unethically and provide lowball offers to landowners.”
FM 756 expansion project will displace multiple Smith County residents
Source: KLTV
Plans to expand an East Texas road are moving forward, with environmental clearance expected this fall.
The plan is to expand FM 756 in Smith County from Jeff Davis Drive southward to FM 344. According to TxDOT’s Draft Environmental Assessment, the purpose of the project is to improve mobility and safety. But those efforts come at a price to the people who live on and near the road. As it stands, the proposed project will result in 30 residential and three commercial displacements, and two “other” displacements.
