The Ohio Senate passed a pair of measures yesterday that could severely limit the power of a city to take property for economic development. The first measure provides a definition for the term "blight," which is a prerequisite for a taking. The second measure would allow voters to pass a constitutional amendment to override the home rule provision of the Ohio Constitution to permit uniform state regulation of eminent domain instead of the piecemeal approach that has been used. The House will vote next week on its own eminent domain proposal. Click here for additional information from the Plain Dealer.