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SweetestOfPeas
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Not sure if this was posted yet... LIRR wants to seize up to 80 properties for third track
 holy moley!
your thoughts?
BY WILLIAM MURPHY
Newsday Staff Writer
The Long Island Rail Road plans to seize portions of up to 80 properties by eminent domain for its Third Track Project along the Main Line Corridor from Hicksville to New Hyde Park, the railroad confirmed Saturday night.
Susan McGowan, a spokeswoman for the railroad, said those areas would be acquired for right-of-way to allow siting of a third track, which is meant to ease congestion on the busy commuter rail line. Only "several feet" of property or easements is contemplated -- not seizure of entire lots -- for the right-of-way, she said.
In a telephone interview, McGowan confirmed that 27 properties in New Hyde Park, including some homes and businesses, could be seized either wholly or partially in order to eliminate three at-grade crossings in that village.
She would not say how many properties on the Third Track Project's route east of New Hyde Park might be taken by eminent domain for elimination of at-grade crossings in those jurisdictions.
McGowan's comments came hours after a crowded meeting in a community center next to New Hyde Park village hall, with people questioning the railroad's plans and angered by the lack of information about the project.
The total number of 80 properties was included in an LIRR "Project Briefing" plan that was given to village trustees by the LIRR in New Hyde Park last month and was distributed at Saturday's meeting.
The Third Track Project, affecting an 11.5-mile stretch from Hicksville to Queens Village, includes addition of a third track, elimination of at-grade crossings and renovation of stations. The railroad is supposed to submit a draft environmental impact statement to the Federal Transit Administration in April, with public review of that draft slated from September to December.
The railroad held public hearings in 2005 as it prepared the draft environmental impact statement, but local officials and residents along the project route have complained bitterly about the lack of information they have gotten from the railroad.
The possibility of the usage of eminent domain to seize homes and businesses became public only in recent weeks.
"Who knew?" one woman in the audience yelled out Saturday.
About 300 people crammed into the community center for the meeting Saturday morning. Robert Lofaro, a trustee of New Hyde Park and chairman of the village's Long Island Rail Road Task Force, said at least 50 people could not squeeze in. So he did a second presentation at noon after the first wave thinned out.
"We come in peace," he said at one point to the angry crowd. "We're just the messengers, so we don't want to get shot."
Word of which villages or other areas along the Main Line Corridor could face seizures through eminent domain has come largely through interviews with local government officials who have been notified about plans affecting their locales.
Officials with the villages of Bellerose and Floral Park have said that the LIRR has told them that no private property there will be taken. The Village of Garden City has said that it might lose a portion of one commercial property.
That leaves in question a number of communities east of Garden City, including Carle Place, Mineola and Hicksville.
Mineola Mayor Jack Martins said the LIRR briefed him on its plans for his village, and the agency did not rule out condemnations under eminent domain.
The LIRR has not briefed North Hempstead and Oyster Bay, town officials said Friday.
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Posted 1/28/07 9:22 PM  |
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SweetestOfPeas
J'taime Paris!
Member since 3/06 32345 total posts
Name:
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Re: Not sure if this was posted yet... LIRR wants to seize up to 80 properties for third track
bumping - really interested in opinions on eminent domain
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| Posted 1/29/07 7:52 AM |
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MsMBV
:P
Member since 5/05 28602 total posts
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Me
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Re: Not sure if this was posted yet... LIRR wants to seize up to 80 properties for third track
Seems like something out of an Old western movie.
I hope the owners are banning together to fight this....
Message edited 1/29/2007 7:54:57 AM.
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| Posted 1/29/07 7:54 AM |
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Lisa
I'm a PANK!!!
Member since 5/05 22334 total posts
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Professional Aunts No Kids
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Re: Not sure if this was posted yet... LIRR wants to seize up to 80 properties for third track
I think that its a much needed improvement for the LIRR. Anytime there is a problem on the Main line its always in the same place.
Do people actually think that if they have a house or businesses next to a railroad or a highway that there would never be a need to expand??
Didnt they do this on Sunrise highway years ago...from Oakdale out? What about the Northern State. They took houses down to expand the highway.
the more people that need a certain form of transportation, the more the need to expand it.
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| Posted 1/29/07 8:22 AM |
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SweetestOfPeas
J'taime Paris!
Member since 3/06 32345 total posts
Name:
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Re: Not sure if this was posted yet... LIRR wants to seize up to 80 properties for third track
Posted by Lisa
I think that its a much needed improvement for the LIRR. Anytime there is a problem on the Main line its always in the same place.
Do people actually think that if they have a house or businesses next to a railroad or a highway that there would never be a need to expand??
Didnt they do this on Sunrise highway years ago...from Oakdale out? What about the Northern State. They took houses down to expand the highway.
the more people that need a certain form of transportation, the more the need to expand it.
how would you feel if the LIRR decided to seize your house? IMO, this is an abuse of eminent domain.
if you live on a main road and the town needs to widen it by taking some of your front property, that's 1 thing. but seizing 80 properties to build another train line is insane IMO!
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| Posted 1/29/07 8:37 AM |
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SweetTooth
I'm a tired mommy!
Member since 12/05 20105 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: Not sure if this was posted yet... LIRR wants to seize up to 80 properties for third track
eminent domain sucks if you are one of the properties that are affected by it, but the whole purpose of eminent domain is to make improvement/construction for the common good.
I think that LIRR has many problems with congestion on the main line and this contributes to delays. To add a thrid rail would cut back on these issues, and would also allow LIRR to do repairs without significant cuts in service. I do not think its an abuse of eminent domain, I think its using eminent domain for the exact purpose it was created.
Now to use eminent domain to build a sports stadium - now thats an issue.
Message edited 1/29/2007 8:42:00 AM.
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| Posted 1/29/07 8:41 AM |
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Lisa
I'm a PANK!!!
Member since 5/05 22334 total posts
Name:
Professional Aunts No Kids
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Re: Not sure if this was posted yet... LIRR wants to seize up to 80 properties for third track
Posted by SweetestOfPeas
Posted by Lisa
I think that its a much needed improvement for the LIRR. Anytime there is a problem on the Main line its always in the same place.
Do people actually think that if they have a house or businesses next to a railroad or a highway that there would never be a need to expand??
Didnt they do this on Sunrise highway years ago...from Oakdale out? What about the Northern State. They took houses down to expand the highway.
the more people that need a certain form of transportation, the more the need to expand it.
how would you feel if the LIRR decided to seize your house? IMO, this is an abuse of eminent domain.
if you live on a main road and the town needs to widen it by taking some of your front property, that's 1 thing. but seizing 80 properties to build another train line is insane IMO!
IF I lived on the railroad tracks, how could I not expect expandtion somewhere down the line?? Sorry but if you buy a house by a highway, dont b!tch about the noise....the road was there before you. same thing for the railroad. The rail line was there, then these houses were built, now its time to expand so to make the LIRR more efficient.
Message edited 1/29/2007 8:48:19 AM.
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| Posted 1/29/07 8:47 AM |
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SweetestOfPeas
J'taime Paris!
Member since 3/06 32345 total posts
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Re: Not sure if this was posted yet... LIRR wants to seize up to 80 properties for third track
Posted by SweetTooth
eminent domain sucks if you are one of the properties that are affected by it, but the whole purpose of eminent domain is to make improvement/construction for the common good.
I think that LIRR has many problems with congestion on the main line and this contributes to delays. To add a thrid rail would cut back on these issues, and would also allow LIRR to do repairs without significant cuts in service. I do not think its an abuse of eminent domain, I think its using eminent domain for the exact purpose it was created.
Now to use eminent domain to build a sports stadium - now thats an issue.
yes I saw that guy on the news who owns an apt building in Brooklyn. that is outrageous!
I understand that the LIRR has some infrastructure issues and building a 3rd line would help, I don't see this happening. It is extremely unfair to the property owners and I hope they fight this all the way!
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| Posted 1/29/07 8:49 AM |
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MsMBV
:P
Member since 5/05 28602 total posts
Name:
Me
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Re: Not sure if this was posted yet... LIRR wants to seize up to 80 properties for third track
I don't understand why it is "acceptable" to take someone's property because of their proximity to a public transportation system. I think that in MANY cities in the world, where they have a higher concentration of use of their public transportation systems, they improve the lines that exist rather than expand to compensate for the original poor planning.
It happens all over where large developers & such can take properties to make way for condos, etc, but does that make it right? No, it does not. Just because it is legal, does not make it moral. We pay more to live in the sh!tty areas of LI than most people pay to live in the rich areas of the rest of the country, and for what, to have it taken away? It's a load of crap.
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| Posted 1/29/07 9:15 AM |
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DandN
Twins are here!
Member since 3/06 3597 total posts
Name:
Deirdre
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Re: Not sure if this was posted yet... LIRR wants to seize up to 80 properties for third track
My parents live in Floral Park - no one in FP believes the LIRR when they say that no properties in FP will be taken by eminent domain.
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| Posted 1/29/07 9:29 AM |
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MsMBV
:P
Member since 5/05 28602 total posts
Name:
Me
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Re: Not sure if this was posted yet... LIRR wants to seize up to 80 properties for third track
Posted by DandN
My parents live in Floral Park - no one in FP believes the LIRR when they say that no properties in FP will be taken by eminent domain.
My grandmother rents in Floral Park, only blocks from the LIRR. It worries us too.
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| Posted 1/29/07 9:31 AM |
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DandN
Twins are here!
Member since 3/06 3597 total posts
Name:
Deirdre
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Re: Not sure if this was posted yet... LIRR wants to seize up to 80 properties for third track
Posted by MsMBV
Posted by DandN
My parents live in Floral Park - no one in FP believes the LIRR when they say that no properties in FP will be taken by eminent domain.
My grandmother rents in Floral Park, only blocks from the LIRR. It worries us too.
My dad was at the NHP meeting. FP politicans and residents have been fighting this legislation for years. My parents are liberal democrats - and are voting for Maureen O'Connell - a conservative republican, for state senator - solely because she is against the 3rd rail extension.
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| Posted 1/29/07 9:34 AM |
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dpli
Daylight savings :)
Member since 5/05 13973 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: Not sure if this was posted yet... LIRR wants to seize up to 80 properties for third track
Posted by SweetestOfPeas
if you live on a main road and the town needs to widen it by taking some of your front property, that's 1 thing. but seizing 80 properties to build another train line is insane IMO!
Actually, I see this as a similar issue. The property is being seized to improve transportation, whether it is railway or roadway.
I am not sure yet how I feel about this, because it isn't clear which properties they want and how much of them they need. I am thinking in particular of the New Hyde Park, Merillon, and Carle Place areas. They may be able to reconfigure the tracks, so they may only need 5 feet of a property to relocate the road next to it. It does stink that these people will suffer for it, but I don't compare it to that case in CT where they took over an entire area to build a shopping mall.
I do think the elimination of at-grade crossings is a great idea, but I imagine it would be $$$$ to actually implement it.
Message edited 1/29/2007 9:36:40 AM.
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| Posted 1/29/07 9:35 AM |
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MsMBV
:P
Member since 5/05 28602 total posts
Name:
Me
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Re: Not sure if this was posted yet... LIRR wants to seize up to 80 properties for third track
Posted by DandN
Posted by MsMBV
Posted by DandN
My parents live in Floral Park - no one in FP believes the LIRR when they say that no properties in FP will be taken by eminent domain.
My grandmother rents in Floral Park, only blocks from the LIRR. It worries us too.
My dad was at the NHP meeting. FP politicans and residents have been fighting this legislation for years. My parents are liberal democrats - and are voting for Maureen O'Connell - a conservative republican, for state senator - solely because she is against the 3rd rail extension.
This is good info. I worked on other projects with Maureen O'Connel, but I did not know her stand on this project, thanks!
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| Posted 1/29/07 9:44 AM |
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MsG
Should be working
Member since 5/05 2824 total posts
Name:
G
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Re: Not sure if this was posted yet... LIRR wants to seize up to 80 properties for third track
I don't see what other options they have. 
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| Posted 1/29/07 9:49 AM |
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LSP2005
Bunny kisses are so cute!
Member since 5/05 19460 total posts
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L
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Re: Not sure if this was posted yet... LIRR wants to seize up to 80 properties for third track
The one thing that is missing from this discussion is that property owners are compensated for the loss of their property. Unfortunatley, the government and LIRR can and does use blight laws to depreciate the value of the property and the amount the property owner is compensated.
As many have stated above, if your property backs up against the RR tracks or a highway unfortunately, you may be required to move if either is expanded.
Interestingly, eminent domain was not used in Oyster Bay when they built the Northern State Parkway. They diverted the NSP arround the estates on Chicken Valley Rd.
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| Posted 1/29/07 7:42 PM |
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