N.Y. Highway Law Section 197
Damages for change of grade

In any town in which a town highway shall be repaired, graded and macadamized from curb to curb by the authorities of the town the owner or owners of the land adjacent to the said highway shall be entitled to recover from the town the damages resulting from any change of grade. A person claiming damages from such change of grade must present to the town board of such town a verified claim therefor within sixty days after such change of grade is effected. The board may agree with such owner upon the amount of damages to be allowed him. If no agreement be made within thirty days after the presentation of the claim, the person presenting it may apply to the supreme court to determine the compensation to which he is entitled. Notice of the application must be served upon the supervisor of the town at least ten days before the hearing thereof. All proceedings shall be taken in accordance with the provisions of the eminent domain procedure law so far as applicable. Such town board, shall, in determining the compensation, consider the fair value of the work done, or necessary to be done, in order to place the claimant’s lands, or buildings, or both, in the same relation to the changed grade as they stood to the former grade, and make awards accordingly, except that said board or said commissioners may make an allowance for benefits derived by the claimant from such improvement. The amount agreed upon for such damages, or the award therefor together with the costs, if any, allowed to the claimant, shall be a charge against such town and the supervisor shall pay the same out of funds made available therefor by the town.

Source: Section 197 — Damages for change of grade, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/HAY/197 (updated Sep. 22, 2014; accessed Feb. 8, 2025).

170
Survey for the laying out of a highway 171
Highways by dedication 172
Application 173
Petition for acquisition 177
Damages in certain cases 180
Limitations upon laying out highways 181
Laying out highways through burying-grounds 182
Costs 184
When officers of different towns disagree about highway 185
Difference about improvements 186
Highway in two or more towns 187
Laying out, dividing and maintaining highway upon town line, or wholly in one town but adjacent to another town 188
Final determination, how carried out 189
Highways by use 190
Fences to be removed 191
Highways or roads along division lines 192
Adjournments 193
Contracts for the construction of town highways 194
Construction or improvement of town highways by county and town 195
County aid for construction, improvement and maintenance of town highways 196
County aid for connecting highway through villages 197
Damages for change of grade 198
Interest on damages for change of grade 199
Widening highways 203
Widening, how constructed 204
Actions to compel widening 205
Highways abandoned 205‑A
Seasonal limited use highway 205‑B
Qualified abandonment of certain town highways 205‑C
Minimum maintenance roads 206
Highways in lands acquired by the United States for fortification purposes deemed abandoned 207
Discontinuance of highway 208
Description to be recorded 209
Damages caused by discontinuance 210
Papers, where filed 211
Costs of motion 211‑A
Abandonment of certain town highways 211‑B
Abandonment of certain town highways in school districts 212
Changing location of highways over certain lands owned and occupied by the state 212‑A
Abandoning of parts of town highways 213
Construction and repair of approaches to private lands 214
Depositing ashes, snow, ice, stones, sticks, et cetera upon the highway 216
When town not liable for damages 218
Storm water sewers in town highways
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Accessed:
Feb. 8, 2025

Last modified:
Sep. 22, 2014

§ 197’s source at nysenate​.gov

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