Air Force threatening to take Area 51 by condemnation

[vaskidmark]

First of all, I'm surprised to learn that Area 51 is privately owner.

Second of all, I'm surprised they have not gone this route before now.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/09/07/air-force-wants-owners-to-give-up-property-near-secret-area-51/

OK, it's not actually Area 51, it's the land that has been surrounded by Area 51 over the years.  400 acres kinda/sorta in the middle of the Nevada Test and Training Range.  http://www.stripes.com/news/us/air-force-gives-last-best-offer-for-land-near-area-51-testing-site-1.366808

To give you an idea of where the land is: "But Manning, 59, remembers the tales handed down during decades on the porch of a rustic home overlooking Groom Lake." 
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/bb6d6848bf2d4bd3a50b89e85116628c/air-force-wants-owners-give-nevada-bombing-range-site

But to hear the Air Force discuss  it would be nice,  Instead: "Today, Groom Mine overlooks Groom Lake, a site so secret that Col. Thomas Dempsey, a Nellis Air Force Base commander, would only refer to it on Friday as "one of many remote locations within the Nevada Test and Training Range."

Just another thing that makes you go "Hmmmm."

stay safe.

[230RN]

Manning said her father, Daniel "Bob" Sheahan and an uncle, H. Patrick Sheahan, put the value of the property at some $13.6 million in a May 1986 letter sent to the Air Force as part of an environmental study.

Aw, just have the Federal Reserve Bank print up an extra $13.6 mil next year and give it to them.

"The payment cannot result in a windfall to the owners," she added.

I'm trying to figure out why not.  If the "highest and best use" of the land is as a bombing range, and if bombing ranges are hard to come by....

Terry <scratches head>

[Firethorn]

I'm trying to figure out why not.  If the "highest and best use" of the land is as a bombing range, and if bombing ranges are hard to come by....

Same reason you don't settle frivolous lawsuits, it means that the next time the feds want to buy land they'd have to pay even higher prices.

That being said, they're not condemning the land, they'd be taking it by eminent domain.  Personally, I'm not up on it enough to say what the real value would be.  Sounds like it's not land good for farming or mining, and it's out in the 'middle' of nowhere.  Other than the feds wanting a bombing range, not much value.

[230RN]

Other than the feds wanting a bombing range, not much value.

Well, see? There you go.  

What was the highest and best use of the Bikini Atoll?

If I owned a square foot of Manhattan Island, I'd be darned if I'd let anyone claim it was only good for growing a watermelon, and is therefore only worth $43.64 as ag ground, figuring $2000/acre for unirrigated farmland.

 

Looking at it another way, I think their property has been devalued only because of the encroachment by the government property.  I mean, apparently, they've got water and a nice view and a lake nearby.  Wouldn't that have made a great high-end housing development, if it weren't for that damned bombing range moving in?  

 

Terry,  





^ Pithy, pointy sarcasm.  Where's the pithy, pointy sarcasm emoticon?

[lupinus]

What was the highest and best use of the Bikini Atoll?

Production of glow sticks?

[TommyGunn]

From what I understand, area 51  has been expanding  its borders in order to keep inquiring minds with video recorders and the phone## to Coast-to-CoastAM on speed dial from getting close enough to tape their  UFOs.