Free Property Rights Workshop

A free legal workshop is being held in June to help property owners who are in the path of San Diego Gas & Electric’s eminent domain efforts to secure private land for the Sunrise Powerlink. The 500kv transmission line, which would significantly impact many east county communities, has not received final approval from the U.S. Forest Service, and is still the subject of various legal appeals and lawsuits. However, SDG&E has not waited to proceed with its pre-eminent domain procedures along the 123 mile “southern” route.

“What is even more concerning is that in the past month we have been receiving reports of SDG&E aggressively confronting property owners for access to property and to rush eminent domain procedures”, says Laura Cyphert, a founder of the community group, East County Community Action Coalition (ECCAC).

“We also have a confirmed report that SDG&E “special agents” threatened a senior citizen with arrest and a fine if the owner did not immediately allow SDG&E surveyors on the property,” she added.

Cyphert, along with other coalition members, are worried that SDG&E is taking advantage of landowners, especially those who lack the funds to consult with an attorney, and as a result property owners may be signing away their legal rights without even realizing it.

An estimated 3,000 property owners are directly impacted by proposed tower sites which would cross their property, and there are many more that could lose the use of their property due to new easements and access roads. In addition, some business owners along Alpine Boulevard are concerned about significant business income losses due to the closure of one lane of Alpine Boulevard, off an on, for the estimated 18 month construction period.

To address what they believe is an urgent community need, the ECCAC, in partnership with the Protect Our Communities Foundation and Backcountry Against Dumps, has organized this free property rights legal workshop, which will be conducted by experienced attorneys who understand the issues involved.

The workshop will be held on Thursday, June 11, 2009, at 6 pm, with the location to be provided upon registration. Impacted property owners can register for the workshop by contacting the ECCAC via email at info@eastcoutyaction.org or call 858-627-1426.