Section 22-2-109. Factors to be considered in determining or estimating just and adequate compensation; determination of date of taking; inclusion of date of approval of original location of highway in petition for condemnation; newspaper advertisement

   (a) In determining or estimating just and adequate compensation to be paid to the owner of any property or interest condemned for public road and street purposes, neither the special master nor the special master panel, in the event such a panel exists, nor the jury, in the event of an appeal to a jury, shall be restricted to the agricultural or productive qualities of the land; but inquiry shall be made as to all other legitimate purposes to which the land could be appropriated. The date of taking as contemplated in this Code section shall be the date of the filing of the condemnation proceedings for the acquisition of the property or interest.

(b) The condemning authority shall cause the petition for condemnation to set forth the date of the approval of the original location of the highway. It shall be the further duty of the condemning authority, within 30 days from the date of the original approval and designation of said location as a highway, to cause the location of said highway in said county to be advertised once each week for four consecutive weeks in the newspaper of the county in which the sheriff's advertisements are carried; and said advertisement shall designate the land lots or land districts of said county through which such highway will be located. Said advertisement shall further show the date of the said original location of such highway as hereinbefore provided for in this subsection. Said advertisement shall further state that a plat or map of the project showing the exact date of original location is on file at the office of the Department of Transportation, and that any interested party may obtain a copy of same by writing to the Department of Transportation (One Georgia Center, 600 West Peachtree NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30308) and paying a nominal cost therefor.

(c) In determining just and adequate compensation for property or interests taken or condemned for public road and street purposes, the award of the special master or the special master panel, in the event such a panel exists, or the verdict of the jury, in the event of an appeal, shall, in addition to fixing the value of the land actually taken and used for such purposes, take into consideration the prospective and consequential damages to the remaining property or interest from which the property or interest actually taken was cut off, which consequential damages result to such remaining property or interest because of the location of such public road or street upon the portion actually taken. In addition, the increase of the value of such remaining property or interest from the location of such public road or street shall be considered. Such consequential benefits, if any, may be offset against such consequential damages, if any; but in no event shall consequential benefits be offset against the value of the property or interest taken for such public improvement.

Ga. L. 1966, p. 320, § 2; Ga. L. 1998, p. 1539, § 4; Ga. L. 2011, p. 752, § 22/HB 142.