VDOT Lawsuit - wtvr

The Virginia Department of Transportation has told a Richmond woman it's taking her land, but she says the department refuses to pay her what it's worth.

[Barry Wells]

Seems VDOT is wasting our taxpayer money,and in this fragile economy makes no common sense at all !!!!

[Fred B]

sounds about right....spend 113,000 to save 30,000!!! sounds like government spending!

[Doughboy in Petersburg]

They have money for this, but no money for road repair and rest areas!!!!

[Concerned CItizen]

And this is why our country is in the shape its in.
Do the right thing and Stop wasting MONEY!!!

[john]

vdot should be fined on top of the award/sale.Dont they have roads to repair or something else to do,as I slam a 1 foot deep pothole??

[mon]

Vdot is wasting our tax dollars to appeal this when they can just pay the money. As hard as it is out here they are willing to waste our tax dollar on something this minor. When they can't even fix the high way roads and they are debating with this woman about her property. Were is the priority!

[Bruce]

Oh great, our "savvy" government officials in action. What the heck is the matter with these people? Can't they do simple math? They waste our taxpayer money, then complain they don't have enough money.

Ridiculous!

[Larrry G]

this is not the first time for VDOT. Interesting how they act like a predator in bringing up the willingness of the owner to publically donate where She decides if the cause she wants to donate to is worth it in her mind - and VDOT see's this as an opportunity to use the power of the State to victimize her.

Ya'll who hew to the Conservative side of the aisle should be up in arms over this.

People dislike VDOT and refuse to give in to increases in the gas tax - in part - because they know this is how VDOT does business.

Why give them more money to carry out more abusive behaviors against those that become their targets?

[irritated with the system]

Read what this article says.... The lawyers have received double of what the landowner asked for the land. Now, if approved, our tax dollars are being spent, without our consent, on a case that should have been handled without a lawsuit. This is simply outragous!!!!!!!!!!

[Citizen of Virginia]

I'm sure VDOT appraises at fair market value. If this property were being sold, I'm certain no bank would give a loan if it was over the value. I'm sure VDOT appraises fairly. They are only authorized to pay so much. Virginian's want the roads built.

It's not VDOT's fault that potholes, etc. are not being filled. With cutbacks at VDOT, there is no money to fix the roads.

Leave VDOT alone.

[Small Business]

This is clearly a waste of taxpayer dollars. Any good business person would weigh the cost of litigation versus the settlement to determine if the loss could be contained. Making a decision to spend more on lawyers and appraisers than the actual settlement is fiscally irresponsible in the current economic times.
Not only will VDOT inconvenience this business owner during construction but her center is already located near a busy intersection I don't think you can put a price on what this will cost owner and the children at the center.

[tired1]

It is a pretty sad state of affairs when, because of "principal" there is such a waste of our already scarce taxpayer dollars. In the meantime, the road isn't fixed, the children are impacted and the lawyers keep making more money-maybe I chose the wrong field!

[paul]

Citizen of Virginia wrote:

I'm sure VDOT appraises at fair market value. If this property were being sold, I'm certain no bank would give a loan if it was over the value. I'm sure VDOT appraises fairly. They are only authorized to pay so much. Virginian's want the roads built.
It's not VDOT's fault that potholes, etc. are not being filled. With cutbacks at VDOT, there is no money to fix the roads.
Leave VDOT alone.

Cutbacks?what was vdot doing when they had money?not fixing roads.And the only people who want new roads and not the old ones fixed is builders who build a house and have vdot put a new road to it.

[Look at the forest]

>> This is clearly a waste of taxpayer dollars.
Clearly people don't have a very deep understanding of the long term implications around the state if land that was previously dedicated to public use can at the whim of a later grantee be yanked back and the current owner demand a ransom for what a previous grantor conveyed to public use. You may criticize VDOT for spending more than the original asking price, but what most people don't understand are the implications STATEWIDE if the recent court decision isn't overturned. The implications are that VDOT will be spending much, much more to acquire land that was previously put into public use on all similar road projects. When private developers submit plans for new subdivisions, they often have to dedicate land for public use. Typically this land fronts the individual land parcels that are adjacent to roadway. This conveyance to public use is conveyed from grantor to grantee. The grantee does not have the right to revoke a previous dedication, or to dictate a price should the public (in this case VDOT) need the land for road improvements. To allow grantees to revoke previously dedicated land and to sue for 10 times over a fair appraisal opens the door for others down the road (pardon the pun) to do likewise, increasing the cost to you the complaining taxpayers as more land owners revoke previously publicly dedicated frontages and demand whatever they feel this publicly dedicated land is worth. So by spending what most readers here find unacceptable in lawyers' fee for this one case, VDOT can save thousands of times more in the future if the verdict is overturned. So in short, look at the forest, not the tree, otherwise you will be missing the bigger picture. Whoever wrote the original WTVR news article is responsible for not providing sufficient background regarding the issue. The key part of this article is the fact that "where a landowner has agreed to previously dedicate it for public use."

[Concerned Tax Payer]

I think it should be clear as mud to VDOT as to how much they are costing a taxpayer rather than paying the woman a fair share for her property. I hope state learns how to save money.

[in the loop]

How sad is this? No wonder their employees are getting laid off. This has always been the states way of doing things. Reading some of the other comments I can see that people are upset with VDOT but its not all their fault VDOT is governed by Mr. Kaine he has called for these cut backs to state forces but yet allows contracts to be awarded to outside contractors to repair and maintain the highways with little or not supervision from VDOT always using the excuse that the private sector can do the work cheaper than keeping state employees, how dumb is that logic in most instances the contractor does such a screwed up job that VDOT has to go behind them and fix the mess that they have created. With all the layoffs within VDOT the I can guarantee that the traveling public is going to see alot more potholes and alot more SNOW covered highways this winter. So yea they should have went ahead and paid this lady for her land.

[Ray]

Talk about state waste.....this is one good example!

[Proud to Be a Virginian]

Wow, makes me proud to be a Virginian. Let's pay way more than the property is worth in fees alone! Way to go VDOT, particularly during a recession, when everyone claims there's no money for road work. I guess it all goes to administrative expenses and legal fees. Maybe we can fix all the pot holes in the road by stuffing them with copies of the court transcripts and legal briefings.

[Anonymous]

A couple of things to keep in mind. This report doesn't have the facts straight regarding the acquisition. The entire property owned by the Day Care is less than the 3/4 acre they mention. VDOT is only buying less than 1/10 acre. They originally offered fair value if you base it on assessed value by the City of Richmond.

[Tere]

Regardless of how much land was appraised...fact is the property, business owner and children will be affected by this VDOT project. The business owner will have to renovate the property and rightfully so, she should be paid to accomodate the interruption of her business to provide a safe haven for those children while in her care. VDOT personnel, wouldn't you want the same quality of care and safety, if it was your child attended there? By the time the road is widen, it will come within several feet of her front door. That would be a major safety concern! Just stop wasting taxpayers money fighting this, and man up on the court's decision. So, VDOT focus on the potholes on I-64 between Staples Mill Rd. exit and Parham...another safety issue, and stop wasting taxpayers money!