Property seizures in Oklahoma have limits, expert says

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An analyst says Oklahoma law protects private property owners from having their land taken by the government for private economic development.<br/><br/>Dan Batchelor with the Center

Thursday, August 25th 2005, 4:29 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An analyst says Oklahoma law protects private property owners from having their land taken by the government for private economic development.

Dan Batchelor with the Center for Economic Development law says eminent domain for economic development can be used in Oklahoma only in areas declared as blighted. And he says cities must hold public hearings and meet other requirements before the land is condemned.

Batchelor spoke to a task force that was formed after the US Supreme Court upheld a law in Connecticut that allows private property to be taken by the government and sold to private developers. He says Oklahoma's law could be fine-tuned, but doesn't need major changes.