Source: http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_125th/billtexts/HP133403.asp
Timestamp: 2014-10-23 03:51:49
Document Index: 78606961

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 854', '§ 856', '§ 857', '§ 858', '§ 859', '§ 860', '§ 831', '§8', '§1', '§ 8', '§ 1101', '§18', '§10', '§2', '§8056', '§6', '§6']

HP1334, LD 1810, item 3, Document Text
Second Regular Session - 125th Maine LegislatureC "B", Filing Number H-922, Sponsored by LR 2684Item 3
Sec. A-1. 1 MRSA c. 22-A is enacted to read: CHAPTER 22-A
1. Affiliate. "Affiliate" means a legal person that is related to another corporation by one owning shares of the other, by common ownership or by other means of control.
2. Fact finder. "Fact finder" means a jury or, if the right to a jury is waived, the court.
3. Property owner. "Property owner" means the holder of legal or equitable title to an interest in real property. "Property owner" does not include a governmental entity.
4. Real property. "Real property" means land and any appurtenances or improvements to the land.
5. Regulation. "Regulation" means any law, rule, ordinance or other governmental limitation imposed by the State or a state agency on the use of real property.
8. Underlying governmental land use action. "Underlying governmental land use action" means a regulatory proceeding preceding mediation pursuant to section 831 in which a property owner seeks and fails to obtain governmental approval for a use of that property owner's real property and in which the property owner has a right to judicial review under Title 5, section 1101 due to either a final agency action or the failure or refusal of an agency to act.
2. Factors to be weighed. After a prima facie showing has been made under subsection 1, in determining whether a regulatory taking has in fact occurred, the fact finder shall weigh 3 factors: A. The extent of the diminution in fair market value of the real property caused by the regulation;
§ 854. Entire parcel For the purposes of this chapter, the diminution of fair market value of real property caused by a regulation must be measured by the diminution of the fair market value of the entire contiguous parcel owned in whole or in part by the property owner and its affiliates and not merely the portion of any such parcel to which the regulation directly applies. A property owner whose entire contiguous parcel, along with that of its affiliates, has not been diminished by at least 50% is not entitled to relief under this chapter.
4. Prospective application. Regulations enacted prior to August 1, 2013.
§ 856. Relief Damages or a takings variance is available as relief for a regulatory taking, at the option of the State.
1. Damages. If the State chooses to pay damages, the fact finder shall award the property owner an amount it determines comprises the diminution in fair market value caused by regulation, and title in the real property remains with the property owner. Payment of damages pursuant to this section operates to grant to and vest in the State the right to enforce the regulation as to the real property. Damages are limited to damages pursuant to Title 14, section 8105, subsection 1.
2. Takings variance. If the State chooses to grant a takings variance, the regulation causing the regulatory taking may not be applied to the real property upon which a regulatory taking would otherwise occur.
§ 857. Limitations 1. Time period to sue. An action or proceeding may not be brought or maintained under section 853 unless commenced within 3 years after the cause of action first accrues.
4. Tolling. The limitations period is tolled during the period of mandatory mediation under section 859 and during the period of any relevant underlying governmental land use action and appeal thereof pursuant to Title 5, section 11001. If a settlement does not result from mandatory mediation under section 859, the limitations period is tolled for the period ending on the March 15th first occurring after the Attorney General submits the report required under section 859, subsection 8.
§ 858. Municipal mandates 1. Municipal regulation required by State. If a state regulation requires a municipality to enact regulation, the municipality may not be held liable under this chapter for any regulation it enacts pursuant to that regulation. Such regulation must instead be deemed state regulation for which only the State may be held liable. If the municipality expressly provides in its enactment of the mandated regulation that it endorses the regulation, the regulation must be considered municipal regulation and not actionable as state regulation under this chapter.
2. Municipal immunity. A municipality is immune from any liability under this chapter for any application of a regulation, state mandated or otherwise, and may not be considered a necessary or proper party in any mediation or action under this chapter, although the municipality may participate in mediation or an action under section 853, if and only to the degree it chooses.
3. Appearance costs. Any party in an action under this chapter who for whatever reason calls a municipal officer, employee or representative as a witness or deponent, or otherwise seeks action from the municipality, such as the production of documents, shall compensate the municipality for its actual costs in responding, as determined by the court. § 859. Mandatory mediation 1. Commencement. Prior to filing an action pursuant to section 853, a property owner must pursue relief under the land use mediation program established under section 831, except as provided in this section.
2. Application. The application of the property owner for mediation must include a professional appraisal indicating a 50% or greater diminution in value of real property caused by a regulation or regulations enacted after the effective date of this chapter. By applying for mediation, the property owner consents to grant the mediator and the State reasonable access to the real property with advance notice at a time and in a manner acceptable to the property owner.
3. Ripeness. Unless the impact of a regulation on the real property clearly and unequivocally in its terms acts as a 50% diminution in value of the real property, a property owner must seek a formal denial of a written request for development or variance in an underlying governmental land use action before the property owner may commence mediation. The findings made in such an underlying governmental land use action are not admissible and have no estoppel effect in an action pursuant to section 853. The property owner may, but need not, appeal the underlying governmental action under Title 5, section 11001 in order to make either the application for mediation or an action pursuant to section 853 ripe, and mediation must be tolled during the period any such appeal is pending. A property owner may only seek to mediate and thereafter pursue a claim under section 853 when a regulation affects a use existing on the real property at the time the regulation is enacted or a reasonably foreseeable, nonspeculative use that is suitable for the subject real property and is compatible with adjacent land uses. A use is reasonably foreseeable if there is evidence that the property owner intended in fact to develop that use or a similar use of similar intensity.
4. Notice. All abutters to the property that the property owner claims has been taken, as well as any participant in any relevant underlying governmental land use action must be notified by the property owner of the commencement of mediation under section 831, subsection 8. Notice must be made by sending a copy of the mediation application by United States mail or hand delivery at the address on the latest property tax roll.
5. Identification of allowed uses; settlement offer. If the State has not previously identified in any preceding underlying governmental land use action what land uses, if any, it will permit the owner to carry out on the real property that the property owner claims has been taken, the State shall do so in the mediation. Additionally, the State may present a written settlement offer to: A. Adjust permit standards or other provisions controlling the development or use of the real property;
B. Increase or modify the density, intensity or uses of the real property;
C. Swap or exchange real property;
D. Accept mitigation, including payments in lieu of on-site mitigation;
E. Accept location of development on the least sensitive portion of the regulated real property;
F. Condition the amount of development or use permitted;
G. Issue a variance, special exception or other extraordinary relief; or
H. Purchase the real property, or an interest in the real property or a portion of the real property, or pay compensation.
If the State chooses, it may submit in an action under section 853 the list of identified allowed uses it previously provided the property owner and the content of any settlement offer previously proposed by the State, and it may ask the fact finder to determine whether a regulatory taking would be averted by the allowance of such previously identified uses or the terms of the settlement offer. If the jury so finds, the State may, if it chooses, allow the previously identified uses or terms of the settlement offer in lieu of damages or a takings variance as relief.
6. Timing. The schedule to be followed in the mediation must be set by the mediator, but mediation must be completed no later than one year after the property owner applies for mediation, unless the State and the property owner agree to an extension.
7. Execution of settlement. A settlement reached pursuant to mediation must be formalized in writing and self-executing, and sovereign immunity to enforce a settlement against the State is waived.
8. Failure to reach settlement. If a property owner and the State fail to agree to a settlement during the mandatory mediation process, the property owner shall notify the Office of the Attorney General. The Office of the Attorney General shall catalog this information and present it to the joint legislative committee created to review effectiveness and fairness of land use laws and rules under Title 3, chapter 39 by January 15th of each year. If mediation fails to produce a settlement, the property owner may file an action against the State under section 853 beginning on the March 15th after the Attorney General has reported the failure under this subsection. If during mediation the State makes a bona fide settlement offer and the owner rejects that offer and proceeds to file a claim under section 853, the property owner is liable for the costs and fees of the State from the point in time of rejection of the State's bona fide settlement offer until resolution of the claim under section 853 as long as the resolution of the claim under section 853 is either a finding of no taking or the damages awarded under the claim under section 853 are of a smaller dollar value than that contained in the State's bona fide settlement offer.
§ 860. Attorney's fees and costs In an action brought under section 853, the prevailing party is, at the discretion of the court, entitled to reasonable attorney's fees and costs. The court may at its discretion also award to either party attorney's fees and costs for the mediation if it concludes that the State did not make or the property owner did not accept a bona fide settlement offer in the mediation.
Sec. A-2. Judicial branch report on case load. The judicial branch shall compile information regarding the number of cases filed in state courts pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 1, section 853. This information must include whether the cases at issue involve only a cause of action under Title 1, section 853 or whether these cases involve multiple causes of action, including a cause of action under Title 1, section 853. The judicial branch shall submit this information to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over judiciary matters no later than February 1, 2014 and every 2 years thereafter.
Sec. B-1. 1 MRSA c. 22 is enacted to read: CHAPTER 22
§ 831. Land use mediation program 1. Program established. The land use mediation program is established to provide eligible private landowners with a prompt, independent, inexpensive and local forum for mediation of governmental land use actions as an alternative to court action. State agencies with responsibilities for land use laws shall assist in promoting awareness of the program.
2. Provision of mediation services; forms, filing and fees. The Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Service created in Title 4, section 18-B shall provide mediation services under this chapter. The Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Service shall: A. Assign mediators under this chapter who are knowledgeable in land use regulatory issues and environmental law;
B. Establish a simple and expedient application process. Not later than January 10th of each year, the Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Service shall send a copy of each completed application received and each agreement signed during the previous calendar year to the chairs of the joint legislative committee created to review effectiveness and fairness of land use laws and rules under Title 3, chapter 39; and
3. Application; eligibility. A landowner may apply for mediation under this chapter if that landowner: A. Has suffered significant harm as a result of a governmental action regulating land use;
(2) For mediation of state governmental land use action, sought and failed to obtain governmental approval for a land use of that landowner's land and has a right to judicial review under Title 5, section 11001 either due to a final agency action or the failure or refusal of an agency to act; and
8. Schedule; notice; participants. The mediator is responsible for scheduling all mediation sessions. The mediator shall provide a list of the names and addresses and a copy of the notice of the mediation schedule to the Superior Court clerk, who shall mail the notices. The mediator shall include on the list persons identified in the following ways. A. The landowner and the governmental entity shall provide to the mediator the names and addresses of the parties, intervenors and other persons who significantly participated in the underlying governmental land use action proceedings.
B. Any other person who believes that person's participation in the mediation is necessary may file a request with the mediator to be included in the mediation.
C. The mediator shall determine if any other person's participation is necessary for effective mediation.
9. Parties to mediation. A mediator shall include in the mediation process any person the mediator determines is necessary for effective mediation, including persons representing municipal, county or state agencies and abutters, parties, intervenors or other persons significantly involved in the underlying governmental land use action. A mediator may exclude or limit a person's participation in mediation when the mediator determines that exclusion or limitation necessary for effective mediation. This subsection does not require a municipality to participate in mediation under this chapter.
10. Sharing of costs. Participants in the mediation may share the cost of mediation after the initial 4 hours of mediation services have been provided.
11. Admissibility. The admissibility in court of conduct or statements made during mediation, including offers of settlement, is governed by the Maine Rules of Evidence, Rule 408(a) for matters subsequently heard in a state court and Federal Rules of Evidence, Rule 408 for matters subsequently heard in a federal court.
12. Agreements. A mediated agreement must be in writing. The landowner, the governmental entity and all other participants who agree must sign the agreement as participants and the mediator must sign as the mediator. A. An agreement that requires any additional governmental action is not self-executing. If any additional governmental action is required, the landowner is responsible for initiating that action and providing any additional information reasonably required by the governmental entity to implement the agreement. The landowner must notify the governmental entity in writing within 30 days, after the mediator files the mediator's report under subsection 13, that the landowner will be taking action in accordance with the agreement.
13. Mediator's report. Within 90 days after the landowner files an application for mediation, the mediator shall file a report with the Superior Court clerk. The mediator shall file the report as soon as possible if the mediator determines that a mediated agreement is not possible. The report must contain: A. The names of the mediation participants, including the landowner, the governmental entity and any other persons;
Sec. B-2. 2 MRSA §8, as amended by PL 2001, c. 184, §1, is further amended to read:§ 8. Land use mediation; obligation to participate Agencies within the executive branch shall participate in mediation under Title 5, chapter 314, subchapter II 1, chapter 22, when requested to participate by the Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Service.
Sec. B-3. 3 MRSA c. 39 is enacted to read: CHAPTER 39
REGULATORY FAIRNESS REVIEW
§ 1101. Committee on regulatory fairness 1. Committee defined. "Committee" means a joint legislative committee established by joint rule of the Legislature to provide a forum for ongoing legislative review of the effectiveness and fairness of land use laws and rules.
2. Membership. The membership of the committee and the selection of chairs are established by joint rule of the Legislature. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House may use the following as guidance for appointing members to the committee: A. The Senate chair, the House chair, the ranking minority Senate member and the ranking minority House member of the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over environment and natural resources matters;
B. The Senate chair, the House chair, the ranking minority Senate member and the ranking minority House member of the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over agriculture, conservation and forestry matters;
C. The Senate chair, the House chair, the ranking minority Senate member and the ranking minority House member of the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over judiciary matters;
D. One additional member of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate; and
E. One additional member of the House, appointed by the Speaker of the House.
3. Meetings. The committee shall meet at least 2 times a year and as needed to fulfill its responsibilities. A meeting may be called by the chairs or by any 4 members.
4. Duties and powers. The committee: A. Shall conduct public meetings to obtain information concerning the effectiveness and efficiency of rules affecting land use, including specific information on laws and rules that may have resulted in more than a minor reduction in the economically beneficial or productive uses of land. The primary focus of such review must be on laws and rules that have been adopted within the previous 3 years;
B. Shall request from relevant state agencies the purpose and background surrounding any law or rule alleged to have resulted in more than a minor reduction in the economically beneficial or productive uses of land, including but not limited to any major substantive rule to be submitted to the Legislature pursuant to Title 5, section 8072, and any information the agency has about the specific application of the law or rule in question, including any benefit-cost analysis conducted by the agency pursuant to Title 5, section 8063-A, and any other data that would assist the committee in reviewing the benefits and costs of the law or rule;
C. Shall receive and review information from the Office of the Attorney General regarding activities of the Attorney General, pursuant to Title 5, section 8056, subsection 6, to review proposed rules to determine whether they may reasonably be expected to result in a taking of private property under the Constitution of Maine, including whether the rules provide sufficient variance provisions to avoid such a taking;
D. Shall review information about the land use mediation program pursuant to Title 1, chapter 22, including information about completed applications received and each agreement signed during the previous calendar year;
E. Shall solicit input from organizations that may be interested in providing input to the committee, including but not limited to organizations that represent small farmers and woodlot owners;
F. May develop recommendations for changes in land use laws and rules and refer such recommendations, with supporting documentation, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature with appropriate jurisdiction, including any recommendations that further analysis of benefits and costs, pursuant to Title 5, section 8063-A, be conducted by the relevant state agency. A joint standing committee of the Legislature that receives a recommendation from the committee may submit a bill for subsequent reference and public hearing;
G. May make recommendations to the joint standing committee of the Legislature with appropriate jurisdiction regarding major substantive rules, pursuant to Title 5, section 8072, as appropriate;
H. Shall receive and review information from the Office of the Attorney General regarding claims in the past year that were not successfully resolved pursuant to Title 1, section 859 and whose claimants are allowed to proceed to litigation pursuant to Title 1, section 859, subsection 8. Upon receipt of this information, the committee may report out legislation to amend the underlying law or to direct the relevant agency to amend the underlying rule in such a way that the complaining property owner no longer suffers a 50% diminution in real property value. If a new law or resolve takes effect that ensures that the complaining property owner no longer suffers a 50% diminution in real property value, that property owner no longer has a valid claim under Title 1, section 853;
I. Shall undertake a review of Title 1, chapter 22 by February 15, 2017 and every 5 years thereafter. The review must include an assessment of the number of mediations entered into by the State, the number of claims filed in court, the number of variances granted to property owners and the costs of the land use mediation program under Title 1, chapter 22 to the State in terms of both administration and damages awarded to property owners. Based upon this review, the committee may recommend legislation that amends or repeals Title 1, chapter 22 to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over judiciary matters, which may report out legislation based on the committee’s recommendations; and
J. May undertake other activities consistent with its listed responsibilities under this subsection.
5. Information protocol. The committee shall develop a user-friendly form that may be used by members of the public to assist the committee in understanding the history, land use issues, regulatory impacts and agency interactions associated with cases presented to the committee. Completed forms and associated documents submitted to the committee are public records.
6. Staffing. Based on available resources, the Legislative Council shall provide staff support for the committee.
Sec. B-4. 4 MRSA §18-B, sub-§10, as amended by PL 2001, c. 184, §2, is further amended to read:10. Land use mediation. The land use mediation program is a program within the Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Service.A. The Director of the Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Service shall administer the land use mediation program established in Title 5, chapter 314, subchapter II 1, chapter 22.
Sec. B-5. 5 MRSA c. 314, sub-c. 2, as amended, is repealed.
Sec. B-6. 5 MRSA §8056, sub-§6, as amended by PL 1995, c. 537, §6, is further amended to read:6. Attorney General review and approval. The review required in subsection 1 may not be performed by any person involved in the formulation or drafting of the proposed rule. The Attorney General may not approve a rule if it is reasonably expected to result in a taking of private property under the Constitution of Maine unless such a result is directed by law or sufficient procedures exist in law or in the proposed rule to allow for a variance designed to avoid such a taking. By December 15th of each year, the Attorney General shall provide to the joint legislative committee created to review effectiveness and fairness of land use laws and rules under Title 3, chapter 39 a copy of each proposed rule reviewed under this subsection that was the subject of public comment suggesting either that the rule might result in a potential taking of real property under the Constitution of Maine or that a variance was necessary to avoid such a taking.
Sec. C-1. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.ATTORNEY GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF THE
Initiative: Provides funds for one full-time Assistant Attorney General position and related costs to address an anticipated increase in workload as a result of regulatory takings.
Initiative: Provides funding to increase one Legislative Analyst position from part-time to full-time to provide staff assistance to the committee on regulatory fairness.
Summary This amendment is the minority report of the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary.
This amendment replaces the bill, making changes by:
1. Adding a definition of "affiliate," which is used to prevent the dividing of property to circumvent the provision in the bill regarding measuring diminution of value against the entire parcel;
2. Adding a definition of "underlying governmental land use action," which is used to help determine ripeness of a claim;
3. Clarifying that a property owner must obtain a professional appraisal, and not simply an appraisal, as part of making a claim;
4. Clarifying the description of "reasonable investment-backed expectations" by adding a temporal reference found in Florida statute;
5. Clarifying that property cannot be divided to circumvent the provision in the bill regarding measuring diminution of value against the entire parcel and clarifying that an entire contiguous parcel's failure to meet the diminution threshold of 50% precludes recovery under this legislation;
6. Limiting recovery to either damages, capped at $400,000, as established in the Maine Tort Claims Act, or a takings variance. Compensation for the entire fair market value of a parcel as an option for relief is eliminated; it is always an available avenue for the State to exercise if it chooses under the Constitution of Maine;
7. Adjusting tolling provisions to account for the inclusion of a mandatory mediation program and the opportunity for the Legislature to direct changes in the land use laws and rules that cause the diminution of property values;
8. Clarifying that municipalities are exempt from this legislation and are not subject to costs as a result of this legislation;
9. Rewriting the alternative dispute resolution section proposed in the bill in order to create a mandatory mediation program, which:
A. Requires that before a takings claim can be filed in court, a property owner must pursue relief under the land use mediation program, subject to enhanced requirements;
B. Requires that a property owner applying for relief under mandatory mediation must also include a professional appraisal indicating 50% or greater diminution in property value with the application. By applying for mediation, the property owner consents to grant the mediator and the State access to the property owner's land for purposes of resolving a dispute;
C. Describes ripeness for purposes of seeking mandatory mediation, requiring the property owner, before mediation, to apply for and be denied a land use unless a regulation on its face would clearly cause a 50% diminution in property value;
D. Limits recovery from speculative uses of the property; E. Requires that abutting property owners be notified when a property owner initiates mandatory mediation;
F. Provides that as part of mediation the State must identify what land uses are permitted on the property in question. The State may also present a written settlement offer as part of mediation that may include various proposals in order to reach a settlement agreement. This settlement offer may then later be used as a defense in the event a claim is filed in court;
G. Provides that the property owner and the State have up to one year to complete the mediation process;
H. Provides that any settlement agreement reached in mediation must be formalized in writing and be self-executing;
I. Specifies that only after a failed mediation is a property owner allowed to proceed to court and creates financial incentives for a property owner to accept a bona fide offer from the State during mediation;
J. Provides that, when mediation fails to produce a settlement, the property owner shall report the failure to produce a settlement to the Office of the Attorney General, who is required to report that information to the joint legislative committee created to review effectiveness and fairness of land use laws and rules. In order to give the committee time and opportunity to address the underlying land use laws and rules, the property owner must delay filing a claim in court until March 15th after the failed mediation is reported by the Attorney General to the committee; and
K. Provides flexibility to the courts in determining administrative fees for mandatory mediation;
10. Expanding the provisions about attorney's fees to include that either the State or a property owner could be liable for attorney's fees in the event that either party does not make a bona fide attempt at settlement during the mediation process;
11. Requiring that the judicial branch provide regular reports to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over judiciary matters on the number of cases pursued in court under this legislation so that future Legislatures can assess the impact of this legislation on court dockets;
12. Enabling the establishment by the Legislature of a joint legislative committee created to review effectiveness and fairness of land use laws and rules. The committee must be established by joint rule of the Legislature. Its duties include hearing and investigating complaints of property owners about land use laws and rules, receiving information collected and cataloged by the Attorney General regarding land use mediations in which settlement was not reached and recommending legislation to adjust land use laws and rules;
13. Delaying the implementation of the new regulatory takings program by excluding land use regulations enacted prior to August 1, 2013; and
14. Adding an appropriations and allocations section.