Meghan S. Largent Featured in the Tillamook Headlight Herald on Recent Victory for Oregon Landowners
May 27, 2020Lewis Rice member Meghan S. Largent was quoted in the Tillamook Headlight Herald regarding Lewis Rice's recent victory representing five Oregon landowners who brought takings claims against the federal government over the conversion of the abandoned Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad into the Salmonberry Trail, a public recreation hiking and biking trail, which crossed the landowners’ property. In May 2020, Judge Nancy B. Firestone of the United States Court of Federal Claims ruled in the landowners’ favor. The landowners will now proceed before Judge Firestone to determine the amount of compensation they are owed from the government for the taking of their land. In the Herald, Meghan emphasized that the case was not against the trail, and no matter the outcome, nothing would affect the trail itself.
To read the full article in the Tillamook Headlight Herald, click under "Resources" below.
Meghan represents landowners nationwide pursuing takings claims against the federal government for the taking of their property without just compensation. She litigates cases in the United States Court of Federal Claims on behalf of those whose property was taken by the federal government pursuant to the National Trails System Act, which authorizes abandoned railroad lines to be converted to public parks. In these rails to trails takings, Meghan focuses on both proving the taking has occurred as well as establishing the value of the property that was taken. Her goal is to obtain compensation from the government for land taken for the public recreational trail.
