After Ruling, New Property Laws? Lawmakers Expect Measures to Limit Government's Ability to Seize Private Land

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Byline: TERRY DICKSON

State lawmakers predicted Thursday's U.S. Supreme Court decision on eminent domain will prompt legislation curbing municipalities' abilities to take private property.

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that local governments can legally condemn property over owners' objections and pay market value for it. The case before the court came from New London, Conn., where a few homeowners were holding out against city efforts to move them off property the city wants for a waterfront development.

There already are bills in committee in the Georgia General Assembly that would limit local government's rights to condemn property, the most prominent of …