Eminent Domain Process Mulled For Murrieta Hot Springs Road Widening

MURRIETA, CA — Plans to widen Murrieta Hot Springs Road are well underway, and now the city will decide whether to acquire some easements needed for the project through the eminent domain process.

During Tuesday night's Murrieta City Council meeting, councilmembers will focus on a stretch of Murrieta Hot Springs Road road between Via Princesa East and Winchester Road — an area earmarked for widening from four lanes to six at an estimated cost of $8 million. Other improvements on the route include installing raised medians, sidewalks, street lighting and a traffic signal at Calle Del Lago. Retaining walls are also necessary along parts of the construction area, as well as a realignment of Via Frontera within the Ridgegate Community, according to city documents.

The planned work is part of the Murrieta Hot Springs Road Improvement Project, which consists of numerous upgrades between Margarita and Winchester roads.

Several property owners are affected by the project. Permanent right-of-way and utility easements, as well as temporary construction easements, on private property are needed, according to the city.

"The project has been planned in a manner that is most compatible with the greatest public good, and it is in the public interest and necessary to acquire the easements for the purpose of constructing the Murrieta Hot Springs Road Widening Project," according to city documents. "Without the easements, the project cannot be constructed."

Local residents who sit in Murrieta Hot Springs Road traffic jams may welcome the widening, but not everyone is on board.

Eleven property owners along the project route were contacted in Nov. 2020 by the city about acquiring easements from them. Purchase offer letters were sent to all 11, with prices based on Oct. 2021 appraisals, according to the city.

The city entered into agreements with eight owners but three have held out.

Due to "the prolonged nature and history of negotiations with these three property owners, and the need to move forward with this project," city staff is recommending that council members consider approval to acquire the easements via the eminent domain process, city documents show.

Eminent domain refers to the power of the government to take private property and convert it into public use.

The map above shows the stretch of Murrieta Hot Springs Road set for improvements (see red outline), with the widening project planned between Via Princesa East and Winchester Road. The parcels under threat of eminent domain proceedings are shown in pink, green and purple.

The pink area on the map above shows the Rhonda Association of condominium owners. On October 20, 2021, the city made an initial offer to purchase easements on the properties, and in Sept. 2022 the offer was increased to $360,000. That amount still stands, according to city documents.

The map's green area shows a parcel owned by a husband and wife. The final offer by the city to the couple was also increased in Sept. 2022. It stands at $100,100 for easements, according to city documents.

The purple area on the map shows two parcels owned by a company with apartment complexes, including the Lakeridge community that is affected by the Murrieta Hot Springs Road widening project. The final offer to purchase easements on the properties stands at a total of $50,921, city documents show.

Tuesday's 6 p.m. Murrieta City Council meeting takes place at City Hall, 1 Town Square. See the full meeting agenda here.