Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Subcommittee backs bill seeking compensation when conservation easements are partially taken
Summary
Senate Bill 1435 would require compensation back to the Commonwealth or locality when a taking (eminent domain) interferes with conservation or open-space easements; supporters say it protects long-term preservation value while utilities and developers expressed concern about ambiguity and proportional valuation.
The Senate Courts of Justice Civil Law Subcommittee debated Senate Bill 1435, a measure aimed at preventing what the sponsor described as the "targeting" of conservation easements through proportional takings for utilities and other projects.
Senator Perry, the bill’s patron, said the bill would require that if land preserved by a conservation easement is taken (in whole or in part), compensation should reflect the lost value created by preserving the land. "If you're gonna come take them, just understand that the benefits that came from them, the reduction in tax value, you're going to have to pay that back," Perry said. He said stakeholders including the Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC)…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
