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CALDWELL PACETTI <br />EDWARDS SCHOECH & VIATOR LLP <br />OF COUNSEL TELEPHONE: (561) 655-0620 <br />BETSY S. BURDEN TELECOPIER: (561) 655-3775 <br />RUTH P. CLEMENTS <br />MEMORANDUM <br />TO: William Debraal, Deputy County Attorney <br />FROM: William P. Doney, Esq. <br />DATE: December 1, 2020 <br />RE: Proposed Agreed Order of Taking <br />Parcel 105 <br />Owners: Deepti and Harish Sadhwani <br />This Memorandum is written to address some of the potential issues and risks <br />involved in proceeding to a contested Order of Taking hearing in the above -referenced <br />matter and to recommend Board of County Commission approval of an Agreed Order of <br />Taking. As a bit of background, this eminent domain proceeding was filed on October 1. <br />2020 and involves only one parcel (Parcel 105 owned by Deepti and Harish Sadhwani). <br />The case was filed as a "quick take" proceeding in accordance with Chapter 74, Florida <br />Statutes. Under this statutory procedure, an Order of Taking hearing is initially scheduled <br />before the Court (no jury). At such a hearing, the condemning authority is required to prove <br />its legal entitlement to condemn the property, i.e., is there a public purpose and necessity <br />for the acquisition. The government must also present evidence that it has obtained a good <br />faith estimate of value (appraisal) of the subject property. Additionally, there are numerous <br />conditions precedent that a governmental entity must satisfy in order to be entitled to entry <br />of an Order of Taking. Assuming the government meets this burden, the Court will enter <br />an Order of Taking requiring the government to deposit in the Court Registry the amount <br />of its appraised value of the property taken. Title to the property then vests in the <br />government and it can immediately proceed with its project. The property owner may <br />withdraw the deposited funds from the Court Registry. The issue of the amount of full <br />compensation to be paid to the property owner (if the case is not settled) is ultimately <br />determined at a jury trial before 12 jurors. <br />In the subject case, the property in question is a vacant agricultural land located at <br />the northwest corner of 66th Avenue and 65`h Street comprising 19.59 acres. The Sadhwanis <br />133 <br />ATTORNEYS AT LAW <br />MANLEY P. CALDWELL, JR. <br />PARALEGAL <br />KENNETH W. EDWARDS <br />EMILIE PEARSON, CP <br />CHARLES F. SCHOECH <br />1555 PALM BEACH LAKE BOULEVARD <br />MARY M. VIATOR <br />SUITE 1200 <br />WILLIAM P. DONEY <br />WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA 33401 <br />FRANK S. PALEN <br />www.caldwellpacetti.com <br />JOHN A. WEIG <br />OF COUNSEL TELEPHONE: (561) 655-0620 <br />BETSY S. BURDEN TELECOPIER: (561) 655-3775 <br />RUTH P. CLEMENTS <br />MEMORANDUM <br />TO: William Debraal, Deputy County Attorney <br />FROM: William P. Doney, Esq. <br />DATE: December 1, 2020 <br />RE: Proposed Agreed Order of Taking <br />Parcel 105 <br />Owners: Deepti and Harish Sadhwani <br />This Memorandum is written to address some of the potential issues and risks <br />involved in proceeding to a contested Order of Taking hearing in the above -referenced <br />matter and to recommend Board of County Commission approval of an Agreed Order of <br />Taking. As a bit of background, this eminent domain proceeding was filed on October 1. <br />2020 and involves only one parcel (Parcel 105 owned by Deepti and Harish Sadhwani). <br />The case was filed as a "quick take" proceeding in accordance with Chapter 74, Florida <br />Statutes. Under this statutory procedure, an Order of Taking hearing is initially scheduled <br />before the Court (no jury). At such a hearing, the condemning authority is required to prove <br />its legal entitlement to condemn the property, i.e., is there a public purpose and necessity <br />for the acquisition. The government must also present evidence that it has obtained a good <br />faith estimate of value (appraisal) of the subject property. Additionally, there are numerous <br />conditions precedent that a governmental entity must satisfy in order to be entitled to entry <br />of an Order of Taking. Assuming the government meets this burden, the Court will enter <br />an Order of Taking requiring the government to deposit in the Court Registry the amount <br />of its appraised value of the property taken. Title to the property then vests in the <br />government and it can immediately proceed with its project. The property owner may <br />withdraw the deposited funds from the Court Registry. The issue of the amount of full <br />compensation to be paid to the property owner (if the case is not settled) is ultimately <br />determined at a jury trial before 12 jurors. <br />In the subject case, the property in question is a vacant agricultural land located at <br />the northwest corner of 66th Avenue and 65`h Street comprising 19.59 acres. The Sadhwanis <br />133 <br />