Protecting Private Property Rights from Regulatory Takings

cato.org ^ | February 10, 1995 | Testimony of Roger Pilon

[jackbob]

Originally, zoning had a direct relationship to public health and safety - not having a slaughter house in the middle of a residential neighborhood; not having a livery stable next to hotels; not having brick making or industrial businesses in a residential area. So, under the legitimate police powers, certain commercial businesses were relegated to areas away from houses. (Nuisance per se and nuisance in law.)

Yet large cities were built with exactly such integration. I grew up in one, a neighborhood in, Cleveland, Ohio, where heavy industry and residential were intermixed. Years later I enjoyed eating a meal at a Kentucky Fried chicken right in the heart of the city of Dallas Texas as I watched cattle grazing right across the street. Admittedly, some may be turned off by such diversity, but that should not be cause to deny others the authority to control their own property.

I agree with you that:

Private property has always been held subject to the "police powers" of government...

That does not make it right.

[The Libertarian Dude]

Might check out the Institute for Justice... they've been getting involved with these scary eminent-domain-abuse cases.

www.ij.org

There's also an organization called Forfeiture Endangers American Rights - www.fear.org