70-30-111. Facts necessary to be found before condemnation. (1) Before property can be taken, the condemnor shall show by a preponderance of the evidence that the public interest requires the taking based on the following findings:
(a) the use to which the property is to be applied is a public use pursuant to 70-30-102;
(b) the taking is necessary to the public use;
(c) if already being used for a public use, that the public use for which the property is proposed to be used is a more necessary public use;
(d) an effort to obtain the property interest sought to be taken was made by submission of a final written offer prior to initiating condemnation proceedings and the final written offer was rejected.
(2) Subsection (1)(d) does not prohibit the condemnor from making further offers in an effort to obtain the property interest sought to be taken, but offers made after the final written offer is submitted pursuant to subsection (1)(d) may not be used to determine whether the condemnee prevails pursuant to 70-30-305. The condemnor shall disclose to a property owner that further offers made in accordance with this subsection (2) are not considered the final written offer.
History: En. Sec. 583, p. 191, L. 1877; re-en. Sec. 583, 1st Div. Rev. Stat. 1879; re-en. Sec. 601, 1st Div. Comp. Stat. 1887; amd. Sec. 2214, C. Civ. Proc. 1895; re-en. Sec. 7334, Rev. C. 1907; re-en. Sec. 9937, R.C.M. 1921; Cal. C. Civ. Proc. Sec. 1241; re-en. Sec. 9937, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sup. Ct. Ord. 11020, eff. January 1, 1966; R.C.M. 1947, 93-9905(part); amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 622, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 61, Ch. 125, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 512, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 371, L. 2013.
Structure Montana Code Annotated
Part 1. General and Substantive Provisions
70-30-101. Eminent domain defined
70-30-102. Public uses enumerated
70-30-103. What property may be taken
70-30-104. What estates and rights in land may be taken
70-30-105. Taking of underground natural gas storage reservoir -- effect on owner's right to drill
70-30-106. Eminent domain not to be used for coal mining in certain cases -- policy
70-30-108. No abrogation of provisions relating to city or county roads