WA appeals court judge says he can’t stop Bellevue eminent domain

By Jeff Rhodes | Freedom Foundation

Washington State’s Division 1 Court of Appeals issued a procedural ruling on Monday that probably won’t warrant much attention even in Bellevue, but it goes a long way towards explaining why ordinary folks and private-sector businesses too often feel powerless in taking on the faceless government when property rights are at stake.

The case in question involved the city of Bellevue’s desire to extend NE 4th Street by an additional four blocks from 116th Avenue NE to 120th. Unfortunately, that section of road is adjacent to an existing Best Buy store, whose owners were less than overjoyed by the prospect of demolishing a portion of their building to accommodate the new road.

No matter. What the government can’t buy, it confiscates by eminent domain. And in this case, the city announced plans for a five-lane road project and used its authority to condemn two needed parcels on the Best Buy property.

at Freedom Foundation.