[fastpat]

In Pleasanton, Ca a man bought land that included a mountain top to the west of downtown, but within the city's jurisdiction. Years after the man bought the land, the city decided that it liked the natural skyline of the mountains and decreed that no homes could be built on top of the mountain.

The man, having owned the property years before the anti-building regulation had been formulated, finally had the money to build his dream home on top of the mountain, applied for building permits (which are onerous enough) to begin construction and was turned down, seems the city had made the land use restrictions retroactive. The man went to court to either have his land grandfathered, or force the city to buy it from him at it's current value. The city did neither and was backed up by the courts. The mans land is worthless for a home, the city won't buy it, he must continue to pay taxes on it, and that's that.

Private property rights trump, or should trump, any land use regulations. Keep in mind that Corporate property is not private property.