Purple Line
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Purple Line Update: What Property Owners Need to Know

Posted April 24, 2014 at 8:02 PM

Eminent Domain and Condemnation, Litigation, Purple Line Project, Real Estate

The Federal Transit Administration issued its Record of Decision approving the Purple Line on March 19, 2014.  Now, with federal approval in hand, the Maryland Transit Administration is moving ahead to acquire title to property from hundreds of people whose homes and businesses are located in the right-of-way of the planned project. View proposed Purple Line in your neighborhood.

If all or part of your property will be required for the Purple Line, you will be contacted in the very near future by an appraiser who will seek to inspect your property as part of the appraisal process.  Some property owners will be asked to give permission to the State to conduct physical inspections, including core drillings, to investigate the nature of the subsurface along the right-of-way, especially on potentially contaminated properties.

A couple of very important points owners should remember about the process are as follows:  anything a property owner says to the appraiser or State representatives about his or her property may impact the valuation of the property and the State’s offer and, most importantly, owners should know that they do not have to accept the offer presented by the State.  Often the State’s appraisal and, consequently, the State’s offer of compensation for the taking fails to consider important factors impacting a fair valuation of the property taken and damages caused to the remainder of property which is not taken.

Miller, Miller & Canby attorneys have more than 60 years of condemnation experience—protecting our clients’ rights throughout the condemnation process. The litigation skills of our attorneys, combined with their knowledge of real estate and the unique procedures and rules applicable to Maryland condemnation cases, permit them to provide the highest quality legal representation in this unique area of the law.  U.S. News – Best Lawyers® awarded Miller, Miller & Canby a First Tier ranking in the Washington, DC metropolitan area for Eminent Domain and Condemnation for 2014. Our team includes Jim Thompson, who was named 2013 Lawyer of the Year in the Eminent Domain category by Best Lawyers; and Joe Suntum, the Maryland representative member of the Owners’ Counsel of America—a respected national organization of eminent domain attorneys dedicated to protecting clients’ rights in condemnation.

The eminent domain attorneys at Miller, Miller & Canby will review any offer made by the State without charge to determine whether we believe a property owner may be entitled to greater compensation than has been offered.  If you are interested in a no obligation review of your case, or if you have any questions about your rights or the condemnation process, please contact our offices at 301-762-5212 and ask to speak with one of our eminent domain attorneys:  Jim Thompson or Joe Suntum. For more information on the Eminent Domain practice at Miller, Miller & Canby, click here.

For more information on the Land Use & Zoning practice at Miller, Miller & Canby, click here. – See more at: https://www.millermillercanby.com/blog/index.cfm/2014/4/25#sthash.aNHuQ5r6.dpuf
For more information on the Land Use & Zoning practice at Miller, Miller & Canby, click here. – See more at: https://www.millermillercanby.com/blog/index.cfm/2014/4/25#sthash.aNHuQ5r6.dpuf

View Related MM&C Purple Line Articles:
The Purple Line and You; Part I
The Purple Line and You; Part II: Eminent Domain
The Purple Line and You; Part III: Acquisition of Property

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