SANDERSVILLE, Ga. — A state hearing officer says a proposed railroad line through private property in Hancock County can move forward.
Hancock County families opposed the railroad plan and appealed to a state commission.
Last May, they told the Public Service Commission that the line cut through land their families owned for decades. With it, they argued, the project would also cut away at generational wealth and seeds they've planted in the community.
The Sandersville Railroad company was asking the state for permission to take the land by eminent domain.
But opponents say the four-mile line would serve just one business, a quarry, and wouldn't benefit anyone else.
The hearing officer wrote on Monday that the commission has no legal grounds to reject the rail line and that the project would serve a public need.
Opponents can appeal the ruling to the five-member state commission within 30 days.
Betsy Sanz, an attorney with the Institute for Justice, previously told 13WMAZ that what the railroad company is doing isn't right.
"What you have here is a private railroad attempting to use the power of eminent domain to service one private company," Sanz said.
Sanz says this is abuse. Eminent domain means the government wants to take private property and use it for public use and give compensation, but the families affected say no amount of money will convince them to give up more than 70 years of family history.
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