Tag Archives: eminent domain

Amtrak pushes for Texas Central

Posted on April 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I like the sound of that. Booming demand, Texas’s rapidly expanding population and growing political will have converged to create the right environment to move high-speed rail ahead, Amtrak leadership said Tuesday. Andy Byford, Amtrak’s senior vice president of high-speed … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged Amtrak, Andy Byford, BRT, Dallas, downtown, eminent domain, Eric Johnson, Federal Railroad Administration, high speed rail, Houston, Inner Katy line, Joe Biden, John Whitmire, Pete Buttigieg, Southwestern Rail Conference, stimulus, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway | Leave a comment

State abandons effort to retake Fairfield Lake State Park

Posted on December 7, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has effectively thrown in the towel on a monthslong battle to buy or seize a 5,000-acre property that includes the now-closed Fairfield Lake State Park in Freestone County. Dallas-based developer Todd Interests … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged eminent domain, Fairfield Lake State Park, Freestone County, Luminant, Texas, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, The Lege, Todd Interests, TXU, Vistra | Comments Off

State goes eminent domain on Fairfield Lake

Posted on September 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We knew this was coming. In a new attempt to save Fairfield Lake State Park, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department filed a petition to condemn and seize the 5,000-acre property south of Dallas through eminent domain. The petition was … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, The great state of Texas | Tagged eminent domain, Fairfield Lake State Park, Freestone County, Luminant, Texas, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, The Lege, Todd Interests, TXU, Vistra | 1 Comment

Todd Interests rejects “final offer” by TPWD for Fairfield State Park

Posted on August 16, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Off to court next, I guess. The developer who purchased the site of a now-former state park has rejected the state’s final offer to purchase the property. Dallas-based Todd Interests became the owner of the Fairfield Lake State Park property, … Continue reading →

Amtrak seeks partnership with Texas Central

Posted on August 12, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Hey look, a sign of life! The largely stalled initiative to construct a high-speed railway between Houston and Dallas is up and running again. Amtrak and Texas Central, the Dallas-based company behind the long-planned project, announced Wednesday they are exploring … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged Amtrak, Dallas, eminent domain, Eric Johnson, high speed rail, Houston, lawsuit, stimulus, Supreme Court, Sylvester Turner, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway | Comments Off

Freestone County opposes use of eminent domain on Fairfield Lake State Park

Posted on June 22, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Plot twist. The Freestone County commissioners are decrying the state’s decision to move forward with eminent domain to seize the Fairfield Lake State Park property in their county. At a Wednesday morning meeting, the five commissioners voted unanimously to send … Continue reading →

State will use eminent domain to reclaim Fairfield State Park

Posted on June 12, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Game on. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department voted unanimously to use eminent domain to seize a 5,000-acre property south of Dallas that included Fairfield Lake State Park on Saturday, citing the need to preserve a state park enjoyed by … Continue reading →

Fairfield developers accuse state of lying about buying the park property

Posted on June 10, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Getting spicy out there. While state officials are planning to vote Saturday on whether to attempt to use eminent domain to claim Fairfield Lake State Park, the Dallas-based developer who now owns the land wants Texans to know that the … Continue reading →

Fairfield State Park closes again

Posted on June 7, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

What a rollercoaster. For the second time this year, the state has closed Fairfield Lake State Park after it was unable to negotiate the purchase of the property from a developer. After several attempts to save the 1,820-acre park, Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Army Corps of Engineers, eminent domain, Fairfield Lake State Park, Freestone County, Luminant, Texas, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, The Lege, Todd Interests, TXU, Vistra | Comments Off

Maybe giving a millionaire his own government wasn’t the best idea

Posted on June 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This story is absolutely bonkers. In 2019, the city of Dripping Springs was finalizing plans for a new pipeline to move wastewater from its busy north end to a regional treatment plant on the south. Half a decade in the … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Bruce Bolbock, Dripping Springs, eminent domain, Lance Gooden, lawsuit, Monty Bennett, MUDs, special purpose districts, Texas, The Lege | 3 Comments

Actually, we could have saved Fairfield State Park

Posted on February 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Well, well, well. State officials passed up an offer to save Fairfield Lake State Park this month, just days before the Texas parks department celebrated its centennial, according to newly uncovered text messages. The 1,821-acre park sits on land the … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Angelia Orr, Charles Perry, Charles Schwertner, eminent domain, Fairfield Lake State Park, Freestone County, Greg Abbott, Luminant, Texas, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, The Lege, Todd Interests, TXU, Vistra | 7 Comments

Fairfield Lake State Park is officially closing

Posted on February 16, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

At the end of the month. A popular state park southeast of Dallas is poised to become an exclusive community with multimillion-dollar homes and a private golf course. Fairfield Lake State Park will close Feb. 28 after months of negotiations … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Angelia Orr, Charles Perry, Charles Schwertner, eminent domain, Fairfield Lake State Park, Freestone County, Luminant, Texas, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, The Lege, Todd Interests, TXU | 2 Comments

Texas Central insists they’re still alive

Posted on October 30, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

It’s something, I guess. A lawyer for nearly 100 property owners who are living with the threat of their land being seized said he will seek legal action against Texas Central, the company that for a decade has promised to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged construction, Dallas, eminent domain, Federal Railroad Administration, high speed rail, Houston, lawsuit, Supreme Court, Surface Transportation Board, Sylvester Turner, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway | Comments Off

Another depressing story about the existential future of Texas Central

Posted on October 9, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

It’s sad, y’all. People in the path of a proposed but floundering high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas last week filed a letter that in many ways labels Texas Central Railroad the little engine that will never be. They … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged construction, Dallas, eminent domain, Federal Railroad Administration, high speed rail, Houston, lawsuit, Supreme Court, Surface Transportation Board, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway | 2 Comments

Still wondering about the existential future of Texas Central

Posted on September 9, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I really hoped this would be a thing. If it isn’t, it’s a great wasted opportunity. Ten years ago, a company calling itself Texas Central High-Speed Railway announced plans for a trailblazing bullet train that would whisk passengers between Dallas … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged construction, Dallas, eminent domain, Federal Railroad Administration, high speed rail, Houston, lawsuit, Supreme Court, Surface Transportation Board, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway | Comments Off

Supreme Court confirms that Texas Central is a railroad

Posted on June 26, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Hope it’s not too little, too late. The Texas Supreme Court on Friday gave the go-ahead to beleaguered plan to build a bullet train connecting Houston and Dallas, ruling that companies behind the project have the power to acquire private … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged 13th Court of Appeals, eminent domain, Freestone County, high speed rail, lawsuit, Leon County, Limestone County, Supreme Court, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway | Comments Off

Is Texas Central in trouble?

Posted on June 20, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This story sure questions its stability. The departure of Texas Central Railway’s CEO has critics of the proposed bullet train between Houston and Dallas optimistic the controversial project has reached its last stop, far short of ever starting construction. “Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged construction, eminent domain, Federal Railroad Administration, high speed rail, Kevin Brady, lawsuit, Supreme Court, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway | 5 Comments

Apparently, we’re still litigating whether Texas Central is a railroad

Posted on December 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I admit, I’m a bit confused by this. The Texas attorney general’s office has put its weight behind a landowner’s case against the companies developing a controversial Dallas-Houston bullet train, arguing they can’t force people to sell parcels needed for … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged 13th Court of Appeals, Attorney General, eminent domain, Freestone County, high speed rail, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Leon County, Limestone County, Supreme Court, Texans Against High Speed Rail, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway | 4 Comments

Supreme Court agrees that Texas Central is a railroad

Posted on June 20, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Or at least, they declined the opportunity to say otherwise. Texas Central Railroad, according to the Texas Supreme Court, is a railroad, ending a five-year legal battle over the controversial high-speed rail company’s right to use state eminent domain laws. … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged 13th Court of Appeals, eminent domain, Freestone County, high speed rail, lawsuit, Leon County, Limestone County, Supreme Court, Texans Against High Speed Rail, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway | 12 Comments

Is Greg Abbott now an obstacle for Texas Central?

Posted on December 15, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This Texas Monthly story suggests that maybe the answer to that question is Yes. Earlier this year, after six years of legal battles brought by property owners and local governments, the rail project finally looked to be chugging along. Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged Ben Leman, Dallas, eminent domain, Federal Railroad Administration, Greg Abbott, high speed rail, Houston, lawsuit, Surface Transportation Board, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway, The Lege | 19 Comments

Appeals court rules that Texas Central is in fact a railroad

Posted on May 9, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Seems obvious, but these things are more complicated than you’d think. Planners of a Houston-to-Dallas bullet train scored a victory in Corpus Christi Thursday when a state appeals court said the company — despite not operating yet — is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged 13th Court of Appeals, Congress, eminent domain, Freestone County, high speed rail, Kevin Brady, lawsuit, Leon County, Limestone County, Supreme Court, Texans Against High Speed Rail, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway, The Lege | 4 Comments

Bullet train dodges more bullets

Posted on May 20, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

More good news for Texas Central. The Dallas-Houston high-speed rail project dodged a bullet this week when lawmakers hashing out the state budget released their decision to strike a provision that could have delayed the project. A committee of Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, That's our Lege | Tagged Armando Walle, budget, eminent domain, high speed rail, Senate, Texans Against High Speed Rail, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway, The Lege, TxDOT | 15 Comments

Time for another Texas Central legislative update

Posted on April 11, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I keep thinking that Texas Central has reached a point where there’s not much that can be done in the Lege to stop them, and events continue to prove otherwise. Dallas-Houston bullet train developer Texas Central Partners LLC said its … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, That's our Lege | Tagged Brian Birdwell, budget, eminent domain, high speed rail, lawsuit, Leon County, Senate, Texans Against High Speed Rail, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway, TxDOT | 4 Comments

The next eminent domain fight

Posted on December 18, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Coming to a Lege near you. Holly Reed, Texas Central’s managing director of external affairs, said the company prefers not to use eminent domain “at all” and would rather work out amicable sales agreements for the thousands of parcels needed … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, That's our Lege | Tagged Ben Leman, eminent domain, high speed rail, Texans Against High Speed Rail, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway, Texas High-Speed Rail Authority, The Lege | 3 Comments

The state of the high speed rail line

Posted on November 12, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

A good long read from the Trib. Private developer Texas Central Partners LLC plans to build a train that will shuttle people between Dallas and Houston in 90 minutes along a 240-mile route roughly parallel to a highway corridor that … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged construction, eminent domain, high speed rail, Texans Against High Speed Rail, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway, The Lege | 2 Comments

People who oppose the high speed rail line continue to oppose the high speed rail line

Posted on February 2, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The DEIS hearings go as you’d expect them to. Meetings to discuss a proposed high-speed train between Houston and Dallas pulled into some of the areas most opposed to the project on Tuesday night, as federal environmental meetings continue to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged eminent domain, high speed rail, Leon County, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway | 5 Comments

Texas Central picks builders

Posted on August 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Noted for the record. Backers of a Texas bullet train are moving to the next stop, selecting a team to build the Houston-to-Dallas line, despite not having a clear shot – yet – at construction. Texas Central on Monday morning … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged eminent domain, Federal Railroad Administration, high speed rail, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway, The Lege | 1 Comment

Texas Central survives the session

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It looked bad for awhile there. but in the end no significant bill that would have obstructed the high speed rail line was passed. In the recent Legislature, over 20 bills were filed that took aim at a high-speed rail … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, That's our Lege | Tagged eminent domain, high speed rail, lawsuit, Texans Against High Speed Rail, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway, The Lege | Comments Off

Where do we stand with the anti-Texas Central bills?

Posted on May 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

They’re in the House, and we’ll see what happens from there. The four bills before the House Transportation Committee represented some of opponents’ latest efforts to stop the project in its track. But project supporters and Texas Central Partners executives … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, That's our Lege | Tagged eminent domain, high speed rail, John Wray, Leighton Schubert, Senate, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway, Texas Rail Advocates, The Lege | Comments Off

The Trib and the DMN on the train

Posted on February 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Tribune and the Dallas Morning News are teaming up on a deep dive into the Texas Central Railway’s high-speed rail proposal. This story, the third in their set, explains where the money to build this thing may come … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged Dallas, eminent domain, high speed rail, Houston, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway | Comments Off

Here come the anti-Texas Central bills

Posted on February 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: [Tuesday], a group of key state lawmakers filed a slate of legislation to push back against Texas Central Railway’s controversial proposal to construct a high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston. Senators Birdwell (R-Granbury), Creighton (R-Conroe), Kolkhorst … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, That's our Lege | Tagged Brandon Creighton, Brian Birdwell, Byron Cook, Cecil Bell, Charles Perry, Charles Schwertner, eminent domain, high speed rail, John Wray, Leighton Schubert, Lois Kolkhorst, Senate, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway, The Lege, Trent Ashby, TxDOT | 2 Comments

Texas Central withdraws its land access lawsuits

Posted on February 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. The private developer of a planned bullet train between Dallas and Houston has withdrawn more than a dozen lawsuits against Texas landowners that sought court orders allowing the company access to private property to survey land for the 240-mile … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged Ben Leman, eminent domain, Grimes County, Harris County, high speed rail, lawsuit, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway, The Lege, Waller County | 1 Comment

Texas Central land survey case will go to trial

Posted on December 24, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This is a little complicated. A major decision standing in the way of a proposed high-speed rail project connecting Houston to Dallas has been scheduled for trial. District Judge Joseph “Tad” Halbach denied Texas Central Railroad summary judgment in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged eminent domain, Harris County, high speed rail, lawsuit, Texans Against High Speed Rail, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway | 1 Comment

Early eminent domain dispute for Texas Central

Posted on September 29, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It was over before it started. Lawyers for a proposed high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas withdrew their request for entry to a local landowner’s property, after opponents and the landowner opposed it in front of a Harris County … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged Attorney General, eminent domain, Harris County, high speed rail, lawsuit, Ron Simmons, Texans Against High Speed Rail, Texas, Texas Central High-Speed Railway, The Lege | 8 Comments

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