WRAL: Small towns concerned about high speed rail plans

From WRAL.com: Franklinton, N.C. — The construction of a high speed rail between Washington, D.C. and Charlotte has some city officials in North Carolina concerned about the effect it will have on small towns. more...

N.C. Lawmakers Eye Regulating Well Users

FROM WRAL.com: Lawmakers Eye Regulating Well Users

WRAL: Big Changes to Municipal Annexation Unlikely in '08

From WRAL.com: Municipal governments say North Carolina's involuntary annexation law has helped towns and cities thrive and doesn't need too many new wrinkles as it nears its 50th birthday. more...

Americans for Prosperity video on the forced annexation of Pinewild

NCPRC signs onto statement of principles regarding NC's annexation laws

The N.C. Property Rights Coalition has signed onto the following statement of principles regarding North Carolina's annexation laws. This statement of principles was developed by the John Locke Foundation.

Statement of Principles Regarding North Carolina’s Annexation Laws

Whereas North Carolina’s annexation laws are not achieving the goal of providing urban services to communities that truly need services;

Whereas North Carolina’s annexation laws encourage the duplication of services to communities that do not need urban services;

Whereas North Carolina’s annexation laws are inherently flawed because municipalities have a disincentive to help communities most in need and have an incentive to annex communities for financial gain;

Whereas North Carolina’s annexation laws should reflect the reality that sound urban services can be provided through private sources equally as well as government sources;

Whereas North Carolina’s annexation laws should provide property owners subject to possible annexation a direct and meaningful representative process to challenge the annexation;

Whereas North Carolina’s annexation laws should ensure that annexations, both involuntary and voluntary, are applied in an equal manner to all individuals and communities:

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the undersigned organizations, North Carolina’s annexation laws should be significantly reformed to protect the citizens of North Carolina.

Adopted January 2008 by:
Americans for Prosperity—North Carolina
Biltmore Lake Community Action Committee
Blue Springs-Hoke County Community Development Corporation
Cedar Grove Institute for Sustainable Communities
Cumberland County Citizens United
Fair Annexation Coalition
Good Neighbors United (Wayne County)
John Locke Foundation
Johnston County Citizens for Justice
North Carolina FreedomWorks/CSE
North Carolina Property Rights Coalition
North Carolina State Grange
StopNCAnnexation
Stop the Taking of Pinewild
Voices for Justice

Quote from today's NCPRC luncheon

Wake County Commissioner Paul Coble shared the following quote at today's NCPRC luncheon:

"Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the Government's purposes are beneficent. Men born to freedom are naturally alert to repel invasion of their liberty by evil-minded rulers. The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding."
- Justice Louis Brandeis

This quote is certainly applicable to the ongoing fight to preserve our private property rights.

Wilmington Looks South for Annexation

From WHQR: WILMINGTON, NC (2008-01-15) The City of Wilmington is looking to grow southward, by annexing a wedge of land in the Monkey Junction area.

The area being considered between Carolina Beach and College roads is currently home to 1534 county residents, according to figures used in a city presentation Monday. During that informational meeting with City Council, staff argued for annexation, saying it would increase the city's tax base to pay for services, such as roads and parks, that county residents also use.

Councilman Jason Thompson, who first ran for council to oppose the annexation of his own neighborhood, had some advice for residents unhappy about joining the city.

Start the emails, start the phone calls and start getting vocal. But I believe there's a super-majority of votes to pass it. I'm going to do my piece, but I don't expect to win.

Deal reached in years-long eminent domain case

From SignOnSanDiego.com: "A vacant lot that once housed a thriving downtown San Diego cigar shop – and stands as a reminder of some of the evils of government taking people's land – looks set to finally become a four-star hotel. The dispute reaches back to 2004 when the city used eminent domain to take Ahmad Mesdaq's Gran Havana Cigar & Coffee Lounge in order to assemble land for a Gaslamp hotel developer."

A few things jump out of this article:

1. This was a classic example of a small business being confronted with the specter of "taking on city hall."

2. The dispute wasn't solved overnight -- it took nearly four years.

3. The land wasn't taken from the property owner to build a bridge, school, road or for some other legitimate public use. From the article: "The city condemned the corner parcel in 2004 to make way for a Marriott Renaissance hotel."

Eminent Domain: Land grab or tool to rebuild?

From the California Eminent Domain Law blog:

Taxpayer groups are battling elected officials over the government’s right to seize property in a campaign that could impact thousands of homes and businesses in California.

Each side is pushing a measure for the June ballot that would reform eminent domain, — which allows local governments to seize privately owned homes and businesses and turn them over to developers for shopping malls and office parks.

Rezoning Could Limit Thousands of Raleigh Homeowners

From WRAL: Raleigh — A rezoning – mandated by the state and intended to protect a water supply – would limit the ways in which thousands of owners in north Raleigh could develop their property.Letters will be sent to about 7,300 property owners, and city planners met with a citizens' advisory group Thursday to explain the regulations. Those will make it more difficult to construct additions – even decks – to existing homes. more...