I have a meeting Monday morning with the county water folks. They are finally bringing county water out my way and are considering placing a water tower either directly on my place or on the neighbors. Either way, from looking at topography, access will be thru my property. I do not mind in the least because the wells are either sulpher tainted if deep enough for a good supply or very short flowing if in the good water.

Anybody have any experience negotiating with the utilities? In the past, Ga Power put high tension lines thru the old farm and we got road maintenance and some fantastic gates from them.

Any input appreciated.

Ed

 

Sky is the limit. When my ol' man was contacted by a local cable company to place a satellite dish on the old farm, he managed to get free cable for life for him and my grandmother as long as the dish was on the old farm.

I managed to wrangle a HUGE discount from the local utility in running new electical service on the farm here when they needed to come in and replace several utility poles.

 

You maybe limited on your freebies from the Water Company. The reason is that water is necessary for life therefore the right of “immanent domain” would apply. In other words it is necessary for the water tower to be placed on the highest point so if you do not allow them to do so they could condemn the land and do it anyway.
That being said I would say that you have a very good chance of selling the needed land to them and also getting free or least reduced rate water from them. Make the best deal that you can and still keep the cost to them at below the cost it would take to condemn your property and you should be OK.

 

Even if they condemn the land they would still have to give you fair market value. Point of reference, the company I work for had some land that the state needed to widen the freeway. The state grabbed it through imminant domain and the company took the state to court. The state ended up buying the land for 17 million dollars.
I have a friend that has some property out in West Texas. Companies have been drilling for oil and natural gas on his place but he doesn't have the mineral rights. What he gets out of the deal is some very nicely maintained roads and the bump gates replaced with cattle guards. They even installed a very nice tube type swinging gate with combination lock at the entrance to his place.

MikeyB

 

I work for a Sewer utility in my town. I don't aquire the easment's but I have seen how it works for every body involved. What I have seen work best for the private party is try and get a reasonable amount of money + a free tap fee or hook up fee. I have not seen any one get the use of the utility for free but that would be nice also. Don't push for to much or you could end up getting less than you really want. I am not saying don't ask for it just accept a reasonable offer.