Jaxport prevails in land use case

Jaxport prevails in land use case A state Circuit Court Judge in Jacksonville has ruled that the Jacksonville Port Authority has the right to condemn land adjacent to the port and later lease it to future port tenants.
   The land use case ended up in court when Fort Meyers-based Keystone Coal Company challenged the port's right to condemn a 100-acre site that included 65 acres Keystone had purchased at the end of 2005 to develop as a private-sector coal terminal.
   Judge Jean Johnson ruled in the non-jury trial that the port had followed acceptable practices in the overall eminent domain process and could purchase the property through a condemnation proceeding.
   There will be legal proceedings in March to determine the value of the land the port intends to purchase.