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Landowners must yield to ballpark
The Washington Times ^ | 10-6-05 | Tim Lemke

Posted on 10/06/2005 11:17:56 AM PDT by JZelle

The District will begin using eminent domain to acquire parcels of land at the site of the Washington Nationals' ballpark by the end of this month, after unsuccessful negotiations with nearly half of the landowners. City officials said they expect to file court documents to take over at least some of the 21-acre site in the coming weeks and have $97 million set aside to buy the properties and help landowners relocate. The city made offers to all 23 landowners on the site last month but received no response from 10. "We think there are some that we'll have good-faith negotiations with," said Steve Green, director of development in the office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. "There are some we haven't heard from at all."

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: americaspasttime; awc; baseball; eminentdomain; fedexfield; majorleaguebaseball; mlb; scotus; supremecourt; washingtondc; washingtonnationals
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To: Hatteras

So would I.


41 posted on 10/06/2005 1:13:45 PM PDT by calrighty (`Nobody)
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To: gridlock; Carry_Okie; hellinahandcart

Yeppers.


42 posted on 10/06/2005 1:15:31 PM PDT by sauropod (Polite political action is about as useful as a miniskirt in a convent -- Claire Wolfe)
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To: Hatteras; calrighty; AmishDude

Here you go:

Here's some info from the Washington Post. The first link is a story, and the second link in a nice graphic that shows info on each lot as you roll your pointer over it. If it asks to register, try "annoying" and "annoying".

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/24/AR2005092401373.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/daily/graphics/stadium_081505/


43 posted on 10/06/2005 1:15:34 PM PDT by JZelle
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To: Protagoras
This decision is probably the tipping point

I doubt it. Human beings have lived under despotism for ages. Billions do so today.

There would have to be something different about Americans for them to not behave similarly. Once there was a difference, and we sent England packing. Now there is no difference.

It is a mistake to assume the character of independence Americans once held is somehow hereditary. It isn't. It has to be taught. It has to be part of the culture. That's gone now. I think for good.

The Great Experiment is over.

44 posted on 10/06/2005 1:20:52 PM PDT by freeeee ("Owning" property in the US just means you have one less landlord.)
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To: AmishDude; freeeee
The article implies they got 13 out of 23 agreements to sell. The other 10 didn't respond. They could just be holding out. Sounds like they were offering reasonable deals.

Maybe a better idea, since DC is already so congested one can hardly move around the place, would be to confiscate some of that Amish Farmland just north of the city and build the Ballpark there! It wouldn't be too far to commute for a game of ball. Hell, you guys have had possession of all that rich farmland as long as I can remember and it could be put to far better revenue use anyways. I'm sure you'll get a good deal. Reap what you sow kinda thing. A true believer wouldn't argue! Or does your rule only apply to others? Blackbird.

45 posted on 10/06/2005 2:20:46 PM PDT by BlackbirdSST
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To: JZelle
"We think there are some that we'll have good-faith negotiations with,"

Will they be sending in the team that Wesley Clark used in his 'heated' negotiations with the Davidians?

46 posted on 10/06/2005 2:27:39 PM PDT by editor-surveyor (Atheist and Fool are synonyms; Evolution is where fools hide from the sunrise)
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To: BlackbirdSST

he he


47 posted on 10/06/2005 2:32:41 PM PDT by freeeee ("Owning" property in the US just means you have one less landlord.)
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To: freeeee

My guess is, he's one those NIMBY Amish dudes. Blackbird.


48 posted on 10/06/2005 2:50:47 PM PDT by BlackbirdSST
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To: BlackbirdSST

Maybe he doesn't like baseball?


49 posted on 10/06/2005 2:54:34 PM PDT by freeeee ("Owning" property in the US just means you have one less landlord.)
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To: freeeee

Hadn't considered that, but doesn't matter, it's a revenue thing. He doesn't have to go to the game. Blackbird.


50 posted on 10/06/2005 3:01:51 PM PDT by BlackbirdSST
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To: freeeee

Hadn't considered that, but doesn't matter, it's a revenue thing. He doesn't have to go to the game. Blackbird.


51 posted on 10/06/2005 3:04:33 PM PDT by BlackbirdSST
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To: JZelle

In the end, they will get what the city offers them.


52 posted on 10/06/2005 3:07:38 PM PDT by calrighty (`Nobody)
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To: Protagoras

Please do not tell me what I am for or what I am against. Ballparks (presumably because they are publicly owned) are considered public use and have been since before Kelo. You don't have to like it, but it's true.


53 posted on 10/06/2005 3:44:03 PM PDT by AmishDude (Join the AmishDude fan club: "Great point." -- AliVertias; ":-) Very clever" -- MJY1288)
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To: sandbar

You may not like it, but long before Kelo, stadia were listed as public use.


54 posted on 10/06/2005 3:49:02 PM PDT by AmishDude (Join the AmishDude fan club: "Great point." -- AliVertias; ":-) Very clever" -- MJY1288)
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To: sandbar

You may not like it, but long before Kelo, stadia were listed as public use.


55 posted on 10/06/2005 3:49:07 PM PDT by AmishDude (Join the AmishDude fan club: "Great point." -- AliVertias; ":-) Very clever" -- MJY1288)
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To: BlackbirdSST
For the record, I would adore it if somebody would pay me almost three times market value for my home. (See my next post.) I would flip out. Send the check RIGHT NOW!

Now, you are making an ass out of yourself on this, as I am not actually an Amish person posting using a computer. To address your implied point, however, the Amish readily sell farmland, although the stadium in Lancaster was recently built in the city on some old warehouse land.

56 posted on 10/06/2005 3:54:45 PM PDT by AmishDude (Join the AmishDude fan club: "Great point." -- AliVertias; ":-) Very clever" -- MJY1288)
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To: JZelle
"We think there are some that we'll have good-faith negotiations with. . .

Not possible to have "good faith negotiations" when, if they refuse to sell, you will just take their land.

57 posted on 10/06/2005 3:54:56 PM PDT by William Terrell (Individuals can exist without government but government can't exist without individuals.)
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To: BlackbirdSST; freee; Admin Moderator

If you are going to make snarky remarks about me, please do ping me to them. I know you fear my intelligence and wit, but you are going to have to deal with it anyway.


58 posted on 10/06/2005 3:55:58 PM PDT by AmishDude (Join the AmishDude fan club: "Great point." -- AliVertias; ":-) Very clever" -- MJY1288)
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To: JZelle
Thank you. Only in WaPo would they find the owner of an art studio as a typical resident. Here's the relevent info.

A year ago, Patricia Ghiglino's two-story, yellow-brick art studio in a drab, largely industrial neighborhood in Southeast Washington was worth $654,000 to the District government, which collected taxes based on that assessment.

This month, the city, ... offered Ghiglino nearly $1.8 million for the property. Her response? "We're not accepting this offer. No way," she said. "We're definitely going to court."

...

"We want enough money to buy back in the same stadium district," Ghiglino said. The city is offering her about $188 per square foot, she said, but "north of my property, things are selling for $350 to $400 per square foot. The city's offer is not fair compensation."

Bottom line: She's holding out for more money. Well, that's her right. But the city can also say, "Fine, your property is now assessed at 1.8 million dollars and we expect the tax payment at the end of the quarter."

59 posted on 10/06/2005 3:59:58 PM PDT by AmishDude (Join the AmishDude fan club: "Great point." -- AliVertias; ":-) Very clever" -- MJY1288)
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To: Hatteras; SunkenCiv; freepatriot32
RE: ""...$97 million set aside to buy the properties and help landowners relocate. The city made offers to all 23 landowners on the site last month but received no response from 10."
$97 million divided by 23? What's that? About $4.2 mil per landowner? Heck, just give me my $4.2 million and I'll relocate myself! Not that it actually will work out that way, but I would be real curious to see the properties and see what the offers amounted to."

Let's see... That's... $97 Million = $7 million to 'buy the properties' ...plus $90 million to pay the city's lawyers and ...'other necessary administrative costs'... relating to the 'purchases'...?
...So...  $7,000,000/23= $304K...isn't it?

"The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out...without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos.   Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable."
--H. L. Mencken


60 posted on 10/06/2005 6:38:44 PM PDT by Seadog Bytes ("Inside every cynical person, there is a disappointed idealist". George Carlin)
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