“yes, why does govt always go to legal, instead of some common sense negotiation.”
Probably because there is no one in government empowered to make a deal. They always go to the court because the judge can make a deal and then there’s no one to blame if the voters don’t like the deal. We’ve been a litigious society since before the Revolutionary War.
I read most of the article and didn’t see immanent domain or seizure for public use. Those are the go-to’s in cases like this. Also, at least where I live, if you maintain property for a certain period then you own it. If I get caught mowing the county’s property adjacent to mine, I’d get a cease-and-desist letter pronto.
ADVERSE POSSESSION