NC 119 Relocation in Alamance County Delayed Again - Former NCDOT Attorney Describes How This Keeps Property Owners in Limbo.

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Nov 27, 2013, 10:00 ET

DURHAM, N.C., Nov. 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- After decades of planning, the NC 119 Relocation Project has been delayed again, leaving many Alamance County residents in limbo. Former NCDOT attorney, Jason Campbell, recently published material that describes how this delay can hurt property owners.

"When, in 1990, local officials placed this project on the Alamance County Urban Area Thoroughfare Plan, those lines on a map had consequences for the people whose property lay under the proposed new road. They, and the world, were told that their land is reserved for a new road and not for homes, businesses, farms, etc."

That's an excerpt from North Carolina land condemnation attorney, Jason Campbell's recent in-depth blog about the development of the NC 119 Relocation Project and how the continuous delays are putting some property owners in limbo.

Prior to his work at the NC Eminent Domain Law Firm, Campbell worked for the North Carolina Department of Transportation for 13 years, overseeing projects across the state.

According to Campbell, when the DOT officially files a map with the county, the properties affected are essentially "frozen" and cannot be developed without the express permission of the DOT, not to mention how it can affect the properties' resale value.

He said that the DOT has "successfully contended to date that its planning does not hurt property owners enough to justify paying them any compensation until their property is taken for the new road. But, it is an open secret that property owners can be hurt by the years of planning."

In a prior article, Campbell discusses some strategies home and business owners may be able to take if they're stuck in limbo, such as asking the DOT to buy their property early or applying for a building permit that requires the DOT to buy the property or "unfreeze" it within three years.

Campbell said that property owners who want to try to execute one of these strategies should contact an experienced eminent domain attorney for guidance.

The NC 119 Relocation project plans to help address the growing traffic problem in Mebane by relocating NC 119 from its current location near Mrs. White Lane (SR 1918) in Alamance County and creating a wider, straighter path to I-85 in Mebane.

Originally the DOT had planned to begin buying properties to make way for the project in September 2013. However, at the October 2013 Board of Transportation meeting, the DOT decided to delay buying the land until 2014.

ABOUT THE NC EMINENT DOMAIN LAW FIRM:
A division of the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, the NC Eminent Domain Law Firm is dedicated solely to representing property owners throughout North Carolina, who may be impacted by eminent domain law. The NC Eminent Domain Law Firm is led by attorneys Stan Abrams and Jason Campbell, both of whom previously worked as Assistant Attorney Generals for the North Carolina Department of Justice in the Transportation Section, where they litigated condemnation cases for the NCDOT. They have over 20 years of combined experience working exclusively on eminent domain cases. The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin has the legal resources of 32 attorneys and is based in Durham, North Carolina, with offices throughout the state to serve its clients.

Contact Information:
Stan Abrams
1-877-393-4990
NC Eminent Domain Law Firm
280 South Mangum Street, Suite 400
Durham, North Carolina 27701

SOURCE NC Eminent Domain Law Firm