[RP TownTalk] Interesting Use of Eminent Domain

[Maureen E. Farrington]

While I'm not entirely sure how I feel about condos near the town center,
I found this article to be an interesting case of how a community handled
unwanted development.

-Maureen
4605 Queensbury

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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/05/23/state/n220735D26.DTL&type=politics

Hercules uses eminent domain to keep out Wal-Mart

By JUSTIN M. NORTON, Associated Press Writer

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

(05-23) 23:28 PDT HERCULES, Calif. (AP) --
A San Francisco suburb voted Tuesday night to use the power of eminent
domain to keep Wal-Mart Stores Inc. off a piece of city land after hearing
from dozens of residents who accused the big-box retailer of engaging in
scare tactics to force its way into the bedroom community.

The overflow crowd that packed into the tiny Hercules City Hall cheered
after the five-person City Council voted unanimously to use the unusual
tactic to seize the 17 acres where Wal-Mart intended to build a shopping
complex.