Pierce Law Firm | List of Real Property Law Project Successes and Case History

Attorney Representation Project Success

Brad has handled a number of issues for owners and agencies involving public improvement projects. A few of his larger or interesting projects are listed here.

Commerce Telegraph Corridor Improvement Project - Represented the Commerce Community Development Commission in a redevelopment project involving the acquisition of 15 industrial properties over approximately 35 acres along with the relocation of substantial business interests for Commerce’s Telegraph Corridor Improvement Project. This project has direct visibility from the 5 freeway which is played a significant role in the litigation and negotiations.
CLWA Pipeline and Reservoir Projects - Represented the Castaic Lake Water Agency in a number of acquisitions for various pipeline projects including full fee, easement and temporary construction easement takings. These pipelines and reservoirs are necessary to serve potable water within the CLWA service area.

Perchlorate Pipeline Project
Sand Canyon Reservoir Project
Sand Canyon Pipeline Project
Honby Pipeline Project Phase II

Replacement of Chevy Chase 968 Reservoir - Represented the City of Glendale in the acquisition of 5.7 acres of a golf course for the demolition and reconstruction of Glendale Water & Power’s Chevy Chase 968 Reservoir. This case presented a unique business goodwill valuation issue because the project required redesign of the golf course.
Interstate 5 Western Avenue Access Program - Represented the City of Glendale in the acquisition of a number of properties to widen Flower Street as part of the Interstate 5/Western Avenue Interchange Project. This right-of-way project requires the relocation of a number of businesses involved in the movie industry with unique space needs and goodwill claims, as well as the defense of a related inverse condemnation action.
BNSF Railway Third Main Track Project – Represented the Lakeside Homeowners association in litigation over the value of property acquired for this project. After the exchange of trial exhibits and pre-trial motions, this case settled for $1.2 million, ten times the BNSF offer.
GWP Utilities Operation Center - Represented the City of Glendale in the acquisition of railroad properties to be used for the expansion of Glendale Water & Power’s main facility on Air Way. This project involved the acquisition of property from an entity that has the power of eminent domain. The settlement negotiated allowed the project to be completed under budget and on time.
Alameda Corridor East Gateway to America – These grade separation projects involved the acquisition of a variety of types of properties, including gas stations impacted by adverse environmental conditions, as well as properties involving a variety of business types.
- Nogales Grade Separation Project – Jury verdict below ACE’s final offer of compensation
- Reservoir Grade Separation Project
- Brea Canyon Road Grade Separation Project
Los Jardines Shopping Center Project - Represented the City of Bell Gardens Community Development Commission in the implementation of the City’s Redevelopment Plan, involving the acquisition of a 12 properties with 9 business and 44 residential units. This project impacted a variety of businesses, including an adult bookstore, a major fast food chain, retail operations and others, as well as multi-family residential properties.
Village Square Project – Represented the Bell Gardens Community Development Commission completing site assemblage, cost recovery, eminent domain trials and clearing title to properties previously acquired by predecessor counsel. This involved the acquisition of a bank property which needed to relocate customer safety deposit boxes and a gas station with ongoing groundwater monitoring.
Metro Orange Line Dedicated Bus Way - Represented the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority concerning a number of issues related to its Metro Orange Line dedicated bus way. These matters involved the acquisition of a number of properties and the coordination of the work efforts of three associates for direct condemnation actions, as well as a number of inverse condemnation actions brought by displaced tenants on land owned by MTA.
Sierra View Medical Plaza Associates Medical Office Building
Successfully prosecuted an appeal reinstating a multimillion-dollar jury verdict on behalf of the owner of a medical office building. The resulting published opinion established the principle that the prohibition on valuing a property for the purpose for which it is taken does not apply when the use predates the acquisition.
Sierra View Local Health Care Dist. v. Sierra Medical Plaza Assoc.
(2005) 126 Cal.App.4th 478.
Inland Feeder Project - Represented the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California in connection with numerous subterranean easements for its Inland Feeder Project which involved the coordination of the acquisition of 17 parcels in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
Sunshine Canyon Landfill Off-Site Project - Represented the County of Los Angeles in its acquisition of 457 acres of environmentally sensitive land in the Bee Canyon portion of the Santa Susanna Mountains. The vacant land was comprised of 12 parcels and a number of different owners with extensive plans for development. These claims were defeated by effectively working with experts to disprove the developability claims.
Tulare Irrigation District Main Intake Canal Lining and Re-alignment Project - Represented a major irrigation district in Central California with its acquisition of land and water rights for their main intake canal expansion project through agricultural farmland.
Del Amo Grade Separation Project – Represented the County of Los Angeles in the acquisition of rights necessary to construct a bridge over railroad tracks. The defendant corporation sought compensation in excess of $12 million. The jury verdict was only 2 million, which was less than the County’s deposit for prejudgment possession.
Los Angeles Unified School District Phase I - Obtained favorable settlements and verdicts for clients with industrial properties and businesses condemned by LAUSD for its development of new schools.
Diamond Valley Reservoir Project - Represented the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California with the acquisition of residential and agricultural property for the Diamond Valley Lake Reservoir Project, which also included defending MWD against inverse condemnation claims brought by neighboring property owners related to construction impacts including the loss and degradation of groundwater.
Represented the City of Barstow and the Southern California Water Company in an action involving hundreds of water producers, other municipalities and the Mojave Water Agency, to assure a reliable supply of water throughout the region for a groundwater basin in state of overdraft.
City of Barstow v. Mojave Water Agency (2000) 23 Cal.4th 1224.