Opinion ID: 1782545
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: whether mtc exceeded it statutory authority to condemn land under the power of eminent domain.

Text: ¶ 9. St. Andrew's argues that MTC cannot acquire the piece of its property that is located at the northwest quadrant of the intersection of two city streets because it is not contiguous to the property currently within the right of way of MTC. The lower court denied St. Andrew's motion based on its finding that MTC's purpose for acquiring St. Andrew's property was reasonable and necessary to relieve congestion from the intersection. However, the lower court also opined: Defendant also argues that MTC has exceeded its statutory authority to regulate, design and construct the interstate highway system in Mississippi by authorizing condemnation of land for an intersection of a city-county parkway and a city street. The intersection of Highland Colony Parkway and Old Agency Road lies approximately 350 feet from the western right of way of Interstate 55 where it intersects with Jackson Avenue/ Old Agency Road in Ridgeland. This issue is more problematic for the court to resolve. Statutes and case law refer to the authority of MTC to regulate, design and construct in terms of jurisdiction, the power to act. MTC asserts that it has the power to take control as far west on Old Agency Road as it wishes, even if Old Agency Road is a city street inside of Ridgeland City limits and a county road outside the city limits. Case law and statutes would seem to refute plaintiffs argument. See Quin v. Mississippi State Highway Comm'n, 194 Miss. 411, 11 So.2d 810 (1945 [1943]); State Highway Comm'n v. McGowen, 198 Miss. 853, 23 S[o].2d 893 (1945); Stigall v. Sharkey County, 207 Miss. 188, 42 So.2d 116 (1949); and Hamilton v. Mississippi State Highway Comm'n, 220 Miss. 340, 70 So.2d 856 (1959 [1954]). See also Miss Code Ann. 65-1-61, 65-1-75(1) and (3), 65-1-147 and 65-7-1. ¶ 10. The power of eminent domain is the power of the sovereign to take private property for its own use. The government's exercise of this power is limited by procedural due process, which requires that the property be taken for a public use and that the owner be paid just compensation. U.S. Const. amend. V. This constitutional right to condemn property may be granted to designated public agencies by statute. Culley v. Pearl River Industrial Com'n, 234 Miss. 788, 814-15, 108 So.2d 390, 399-400 (1959). ¶ 11. Miss.Code Ann. § 65-1-8(2)(a) provides: (2) In addition to the general powers, duties and responsibilities listed in subsection (1) of this section, the Mississippi Transportation Commission shall have the following specific powers: (a) To make rules and regulations whereby the transportation department shall change or relocate any and all highways herein or hereafter fixed as constituting a part of the state highway system, as may be deemed necessary or economical in the construction or maintenance thereof; to acquire by gift, purchase, condemnation, or otherwise, land or other property whatsoever that may be necessary for a state highway system as herein provided, with full consideration to be given to the stimulation of local public and private investment when acquiring such property in the vicinity of Mississippi towns, cities and population centers. (emphasis added). Miss.Code Ann. § 65-1-47 provides: The State Highway Commission shall have complete authority to issue rules, regulations and orders under which the State Highway Department shall have control and supervision, with full power and authority under rules, regulations and orders issued by the commission, to locate, relocate, widen, alter, change, straighten, construct or reconstruct any and all roads on the state highway system heretofore or hereafter taken over by it for maintenance as a part of such system, and shall have full and complete authority for regulating the making of all contracts, surveys, plans, specifications and estimates for the location, laying out, widening, straightening, altering, changing, constructing, reconstructing and maintaining of and the securing of rights-of-way for any and all such highways, and to authorize the employees of the State Highway Department to enter upon private property for such purposes. The State Highway Department, under the rules, regulations and orders spread upon the minutes of the State Highway Commission, is authorized and empowered to obtain and pay for the rights-of-way of such width as it may determine to be necessary for such highway or for any alteration or change therein or relocation thereof by agreement with the owners of such lands. Rights-of-way of not less than sixty (60) feet wide shall be acquired except within the boundaries of towns and cities where unusual conditions exist, in which case the commission is authorized and empowered to have obtained and paid for such rights-of-way of such width as it may determine to be necessary. Said commission may have condemned any and all land or other property needed for such purposes or either of them; may have condemned or acquired by gift or purchase lands containing road building materials and develop and operate pits, mines or other properties for the purpose of obtaining road material; and have condemned or acquired by gift or purchase lands necessary for the safety and convenience of traffic. Said commission, in case an agreement cannot be reached with the owners of land containing road building materials or of any additional land necessary for widening any existing public highways, for laying out a new public highway, or for changing the route of an existing public highway, as provided in the foregoing part of this section, shall be authorized to have condemned any land needed for either of said purposes, as is fully set forth in this section. (emphasis added). ¶ 12. St. Andrew's argues that MTC exceeded its statutory authority and in so doing, violated St. Andrew's constitutional rights under the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution and under Article 3, Section 17 of the Mississippi Constitution. Under common law, an agency's decision may be set aside if it (1) is not supported by substantial evidence, (2) is arbitrary or capricious, (3) is in excess of the statutory authority or jurisdiction of that agency, or (4) violates any vested constitutional right of any party involved. See McDerment v. Mississippi Real Estate Comm'n, 748 So.2d 114, 118 (Miss.1999); St. Dominic-Jackson Mem'l Hosp. v. Mississippi State Dep't of Health, 728 So.2d 81, 83 (Miss.1999); Mississippi State Dep't of Health v. Mississippi Baptist Med. Ctr., 663 So.2d 563, 573 (Miss. 1995). ¶ 13. St. Andrew's and the lower court interpret these statutes to provide that MTC's authority only extends to the state highway system, portions of the interstate highway system maintained by it, the state aid road system and areas covered by cooperative agreements with various counties and municipalities under Miss.Code Ann. § 65-1-27. We disagree. ¶ 14. To widen or relocate a state highway, MTC would necessarily have to infringe on other land not already included in the state highway system. Therefore, the issue in this case is not whether MTC is authorized to take land not in the state highway system, but whether the taking was necessary. We find that MTC did not exceed its statutory authority to exercise the power of eminent domain over the subject property and, as will be discussed below in Issue III, the taking was necessary.