With the Union Pacific Railroad constructing a new High Speed Railway line between Chicago and St. Louis, a firm client with a liquid products pipeline located within the Railroad’s own right of way was forced to relocate. Because the company lacked eminent domain authority, its ability to acquire new rights was at the mercy of the owners of each individual parcel along the pipeline’s new path. Fortunately, the company was in good hands.
Spesia & Taylor Partner Christian Spesia took the lead in negotiating new permanent easements with the adjacent property owners. Opportunely, Spesia already knew one of the owners from prior dealings and had an existing relationship with the other owner’s attorney. With the help of Attorney Michael Santschi, Spesia drafted amendments to the company’s historic easements that allowed the company to relocate its pipeline. On tracts where the company had not previously enjoyed any rights, Spesia and Santschi drafted new, all-inclusive, easement agreements that secured all the construction, maintenance, and access rights the company needed without requiring it to pay for temporary access. Spesia and Santschi also prepared the remaining acquisition documents necessary to secure all needed rights and to memorialize all payments. Over the course of just several months, the company was able to secure the rights it needed and begin construction.
