Elderly couple fights Caltrans in eminent domain dispute over Auburn roundabout project
An elderly Auburn couple is fighting Caltrans in an eminent domain dispute over a piece of property along historic Highway 49 that the family has owned for more than 40 years.
The dispute centers on an 18,000-square-foot parcel of land along Highway 49 at Borland Avenue and Lincoln Way in Auburn. Caltrans said the property is needed for the American Canyon Roundabout improvement project, but Kay and Shannon Woodland said Caltrans is offering them a small fraction of what the land is worth.
“I think they’re a bunch of thieves taking my stuff,” Shannon Woodland said in a YouTube video created by the family. “I worked too hard for it.”
The Woodlands said Caltrans has offered them $20,000 for the property, which amounts to about two-fifths of an acre. The Woodlands, who purchased the land in the 1970s, believe the property is worth more than $250,000. Caltrans describes the property as a “vacant” lot, but the Woodlands said they have a billboard there that brings in $12,000 per year, money they depend on in retirement.
Caltrans said the American Canyon Roundabout project proposes to realign two reversing curves to increase curve radii and improve sight distance, and to install a roundabout to improve traffic flow. Major construction on the project is expected to begin in spring 2022, Caltrans said.
“Caltrans is committed to paying just compensation for the acquisition of the property,” the California Department of Transportation said in a written statement provided to The Sacramento Bee. “Caltrans will continue to work with the property owners’ legal counsel. Since this matter is in active litigation, Caltrans has no further comment.”
The Woodland family has started a GoFundMe campaign to help with legal expenses.
Auburn Mayor Daniel Berlant expressed his concern over the issue during Monday’s City Council meeting. He moved to put the item on the agenda for further discussion at the next council meeting in November.
“Caltrans is essentially telling the property owner that because the City of Auburn has no record of the billboard being permitted … they can’t take into consideration the loss of revenue,” Berlant said, noting he wanted to determine if the Woodlands had a permit or if one was required.
“… I just thought it was critical enough to bring up here because, obviously, we have an elderly property owner, residents of Auburn, who are essentially losing their valuable land and potentially for reasons that I’m not sure we would all agree with. So I think the city and the council need to step up and push back on Caltrans and make sure our voices are heard, whatever that voice may be.”
