I’ve seen them do this in California for years. A city will require that 50 acres (worth millions) be set aside as a wetland before a developer can develop the rest of his property. That wetland is now worth $0. And it costs the government nothing.
Supreme Court Deals Blow to Property Rights
When governments issue regulations that undermine the value of property, bureaucrats don’t necessarily have to compensate property holders, the Supreme Court ruled Friday. The court voted 5-3, in Murr V. Wisconsin, a closely watched Fifth Amendment property rights case. The case arose from a dispute over two tiny parcels of land along the St.