La. R.S. § 48:2031 - Acquisition of lands and property

• Cite as: La. R.S. § 48:2031

A. For the purposes of this Chapter, an authority may acquire private or public property and property rights, including rights of access, air, view, and light, by gift, devise, purchase, or condemnation by eminent domain proceedings, as the authority may deem necessary for any of the purposes of this Chapter, including but not limited to any lands reasonably necessary for securing applicable permits, areas necessary for management of access, borrow pits, drainage ditches, water retention areas, rest areas, placement access for landowners whose access is impaired due to the construction of a project, and replacement rights-of-way for relocated rail and utility facilities for existing, proposed, or anticipated transportation facilities in the transportation corridor designated by the authority.

B. In the acquisition of land and property, an authority may acquire an entire lot, block, or tract of land, if, by so doing, the acquisition costs to the authority will be equal to or less than the cost of acquiring only that portion of the property thereof necessary for the project. This Subsection is a specific recognition that this means of limiting the rising costs of such property acquisition is a public purpose and that, without this limitation, the viability of many public projects will be threatened. To that end, the provisions of R.S. 48:2029(20) regarding reconveyance of such excess portion shall not apply except in the case of the exercise of an authority of its right of eminent domain.