Connecticut Planners Weigh in: Eminent Domain is Important Land Use Tool

Abstract

The day after the Kelo decision, the Hartford Courant, Connecticut's only statewide newspaper, ran a two-thirds page photo of a saddened Suzette Kelo on her front porch on its front page with the headline “5-4 for the Taking.” The imagery, and the lead paragraphs describing the Supreme Court's decision, contributed greatly to the emotional response by many people in Connecticut and around the country. Dozens of opinion letters and commentary by local residents, politicians, land use lawyers, and planners argued both sides of the case. The editorial commentary continues to this day.