Senior Right of Way Agent

Job Description

Job Description

Salary : $53-58 Depends on Experience (DOE)

Senior Right-of-Way Agent (SR / WA)

• Under guidance of the manager for land operations, the SR / WA performs complex professional technical and public relations activities associated with the acquisition, management, sale or disposition of rights of way and property for a utility company or public agency and related entities;
• as required may act in a lead capacity for large projects, overseeing the work of interns, contract agents or less experienced right of way staff;

and performs related duties as assigned.

Senior Right-of-Way Agents perform the more complex, specialized technical duties associated with acquisition of rights of way for construction, operation and maintenance of infrastructure related to electric, natural gas, water, wastewater, transportations and other infrastructure.

Incumbents are responsible for planning, organizing and coordinating completion of rights of way phases of large scale facilities design and construction projects to meet stringent project completion schedules.

This requires the application of seasoned, professional knowledge and experience in identifying and resolving complex title and appraisal issues and utilizing effective negotiations strategies and techniques to conclude acquisition by mutual agreement and in the best interests of our client without the need to resort to condemnation and eminent domain proceedings.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities :

• Plans right of way projects to meet acquisition timetables required for construction; conducts field observations, develops property profiles and evaluates acquisition challenges based on title search and property use / cost considerations;
• researches and develops acquisition cost estimates for alternate alignments of pipeline projects; recommends best alternative to designer engineers based on the estimated cost and time to acquire;

works with design engineers, contract appraisers and surveyors, property owners and construction staff to acquire the necessary rights-of-way or other property interests needed to construct, operate and maintain facilities.

Researches county assessor and other public records, both manually and by computer, to identify ownership of property potentially affected by proposed facilities and to determine property rights and descriptions;

orders title searches when required; reviews title searches for accuracy and any conflicting issues such as vesting of ownership, existing easements, judgments, covenants, conditions and restrictions, liens and encumbrances that might impact proposed facilities and potential acquisition costs.

Obtains and reviews property appraisals; coordinates resolution of title issues with manager and legal counsel; interprets (BPO) analyses based on other appropriate considerations regarding the value of property.

• Conducts negotiations with property owners for the acquisition of rights of way, easements, construction easements, and other interests in real property for O / H and U / G electric and gas utilities and appurtenances in accordance with good faith negotiation requirements and to serve the best interests of the structures, drafts and recommends offers and counter-offers to facilitate parcel takes, including facilities design changes;
• reviews legal descriptions, easement documents, deeds and other documents for acquisition of property and easements and the sale of excess property;

prepares agenda items for Board approval of land purchases, sales and right of way acquisitions; attends settlement conferences to convey settlement offers.

• Acquires "temporary rights of entry" for field studies and other purposes; acquires temporary easements by rental or lease to provide construction staging areas;
• acquires permits for the use of federal lands, coordinating compliance with all environmental requirements; coordinates "before and after" surveys to ensure that properties are left as required following temporary use;
• drafts and coordinates the development of inter-local agreements with other public agencies for acquisition and construction purposes;

coordinates right of way acquisition activities with other utilities.

• Recommends and initiates condemnation process where necessary; prepares legal documents for inclusion in condemnation packages submitted to court;
• confers with legal counsel on these matters to ensure that documents conform to legal requirements; may appear as witness for court hearings;

researches market values and determines if settlements are appropriate; attends settlement conferences to convey settlement offers.

• Opens and coordinates the close of escrows to acquire funds, clear adverse title encumbrances and acquire title insurance;
• directs the recordation of legal documents for property purchase or sale easement acquisitions; reviews escrow statements and closing costs;

prepares and maintains records of property purchase or sale and acquisition easements for rights of way.

• As a project coordinator, reviews and approves the work of interns, right of way contract agents and consultants during the title investigation, appraisal, and negotiation / acquisition process;
• attends all pre-design and design meetings to keep informed of progress and advise team members of any land issues and their impacts on property owners, businesses, neighborhoods and other construction along project alignment;

works directly with utility companies, County Public Works, the City and developers on issues that affect alignment and acquisition.

• Serves as liaison with property owners during project construction; provides information on construction status; meets with and monitors the work of contractors in the field to stay alert to potential for problems;
• receives and resolves property owner complaints and claims for damage by contractors during and after construction; works with public relations staff in responding to inquiries and issues;

negotiates the extension or relinquishment of temporary construction easements and drafts relinquishment documents.

• Performs a variety of property management functions; assists in maintaining an inventory of real property interests acquired;
• drafts and negotiates the terms of permits, licenses and leasehold interests for lateral crossings of District / Authority real property interests;

coordinates the property management and leasing of property acquired.

Attends community meetings regarding construction projects to address, respond to and resolve right of way acquisition questions, concerns and problems.

The SR / WA prepares reports for the weekly construction project status meetings and reports on the status of rights of way acquisition along with any other land issues.

Other Duties :

Reviews qualifications and recommends the selection of independent fee appraisers and professional land surveyors.

Maintains and updates acquisition project databases and parcel diaries; coordinates the development of GIS site and alignment maps.

Monitors rights of way to ensure any encroachments are consistent with the types of easements obtained and do not endanger distribution, transmission lines, fiber optic cable and the protection rights of way or telemetry and microwave paths.

Be responsible for the organization, safe-keeping and retrieval of records describing existing property and easements and facilities occupying such property and easements.

Coordinates activities with other governmental and utility property managers and right of way agents; serves on regional committees and work groups.

• Knowledge of : Concepts, methods and techniques for appraising property and establishing market value; current market conditions and land sales;
• methods and techniques for property recordation and property record search; federal, state and local laws and regulations applicable to land and easement acquisition by public agencies, including relocation assistance, condemnation and eminent domain proceedings and vacation and relinquishment law;
• Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation title search and right of way and land acquisition procedures; basic principles and practices of property and contract law, including preparation of detailed legal descriptions;
• basic terminology, methods and practices of infrastructure engineering design, land use planning, land economics, land surveying, mapping, construction processes and relocation;

principles and practices of sound business communications; principles and techniques of effective good faith negotiation and conflict resolutions.

• Ability to : Analyze technical data and legal requirements, evaluate alternatives and make sound, timely recommendations within established guidelines;
• plan, organize and coordinate right of way work to meet project and construction deadlines; understand, interpret, explain and apply federal, state and local laws and regulations applicable to right of way responsibilities;
• perform sound property appraisals which require the application of complex valuation considerations and develop acquisition cost estimates;
• read and interpret maps, engineering drawings and sketches; research and establish property ownership; prepare clear, concise, comprehensive and legally sound documents and reports;
• exercise sound independent judgment within general policy guidelines; communicate effectively orally and in writing; use a computer to perform technical research and to access Geographic Information Systems, Assessor’s Office interfaces on both the AS / 400 and the Internet and other business applications;
• negotiate effectively and persuasively to meet tight acquisition deadlines; use tact, discretion and diplomacy in dealing with sensitive situations and concerned property owners;

establish and maintain effective working relationships with managers, staff, engineers, contractors, consultants, independent appraisal and title search firms, attorneys, other governmental real estate personnel, property owners and others encountered in the course of work.