In North Carolina, a legislative action known as the Map Act allowed the state Department of Transportation to impose heavy usage restrictions on privately owned land close to the proposed routes of new state highways. An article on the problematic nature of the Map Act appears here. First passed in 1987 and later repealed, the…
Read More
On Wednesday, May 23, 2018; members of the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WMPO) board and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) discussed a current proposal to label the Hampstead Bypass and Military Cutoff Road Extension as “N.C. 417” rather than the “U.S. 17 Bypass.” The highway number will avoid confusion in several…
Read More
Issues surrounding property easements—legal rights granted to a corporation or agency to use another’s land for a specific limited purpose—are not just a North Carolina issue. The concerns that remain when an organization has legal use of property owned by others are national in scope. Recently, homeowners in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania have expressed…
Read More
On Tuesday, June 5th, attorneys from Henson Fuerst will host a seminar to educate property owners on their rights and answer questions from the community regarding the Allen Road Widening project. The event is free and open to the public. Concerned parties should mark their calendars: Date: Tuesday, June 5th, 2018 Time: 6:00 pm Location: Hilton…
Read More
On Thursday, May 31st, attorneys from Henson Fuerst will host a seminar to educate property owners on their rights and answer questions from the community regarding the North Carolina Department of Transportation U.S. 17 Highway Improvements Project. The event is free and open to the public. Concerned parties should mark their calendars: Date: Thursday, May…
Read More
A recent ruling by the NC Court of Appeals in the matter of N.C. Department of Transportation v. Laxmi Hotels of Spring Lake, Inc, et al has a number of important reminders to land owners who are losing property through the condemnation process. First, and foremost, this case is a prime example of what can…
Read More
On May 16th, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit—ruling in a suit brought by the Southern Environmental Law Center—invalidated the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s permit for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. They ruled the permit inadequately assessed potential impact on both endangered and sensitive species. A forthcoming order will soon set…
Read More
The NC 540 Southeast Extension project is a project intended to meet the growing population and traffic in southeastern Wake County. Recently, a public meeting was held which served as an opportunity for property owners to learn how their property may be affected and for them to express any concerns they had. If you missed…
Read More
The U.S. 74 Shelby Bypass project in Cleveland County is broken up into six sections, some of which are already completed. Of the sections that have already been built and graded, three are going to receive upgrades. Recently, the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) awarded a $16 million contract to improve three sections of the…
Read More
The North Carolina Department of Transportation is planning to make Improvements to U.S. 70 in New Bern/James City. The intended project is a 2.5 mile long stretch between Garner Road to the Neuse Rive Bridge with the overall goal of improving traffic flow in this area. While this may be seen as a positive improvement…
Read More