Eminent Domain in Huntington Beach

The article on eminent domain proceedings in Huntington Beach (“Eminent Domain OKd for 2 Ellis Lots,” May 2) is interesting because it reflects the influence of special interests on Huntington Beach city officials and offers curious insight into their motivations behind eminent domain proceedings.

For example, why would the city of Huntington Beach offer these landowners only $10,000 for land that the city taxes at $13,000? No doubt the city’s new and restrictive zoning laws the city passed after these owners purchased their land had an unfortunate effect on this figure. I guess that way, the city doesn’t have to take notice of the similar lots selling in the area for $65,000.

Has the city of Huntington Beach forgotten that the due process clause of the U.S. Constitution prohibits the taking of property by a government for the public good without just compensation? Apparently so.

And what is a landowner to do when the city zones his/her property in such a way so as to make the amount of “just compensation” just enough compensation so that the landowner can pay the attorney he hired to keep the city from taking it in the first place?

It is unfortunate that the city of Huntington Beach has defined the public good to mean widening a road that will give better access to $800,000 custom homes through the taking of land whose owners had hopes to build on themselves.

Thanks to the city of Huntington Beach, Ms. Lindsay and Mr. Olson won’t get to make much, if any, profit on their properties, but the city has sure helped Dahl Construction clean up.

JAIMIE BAKER, Garden Grove