Dallas Area Rapid Transit plans to acquire land in Plano as work on the agency’s 26-mile Silver Line passenger rail project is underway. The DART board of directors signaled early approval to allow the agency to acquire the parcels using eminent domain, if necessary. The vote was taken in committee Oct. 8, so the resolution will still need final board approval at a future meeting. The Plano Pawn Shop at 1202 K Ave. sits on the two parcels DART is seeking to acquire. The pawn company declined to comment for this story. Those parcels are just two of 65 the agency is working to acquire for the Silver Line project, said Tim McKay, DART's executive vice president of growth and regional development. The agency would first make an offer to the property owner after appraising the parcels. If the owner chooses not to sell, DART could then secure the parcels through eminent domain, McKay said. Eminent domain is a legal process of requiring property owners to sell their land at a fair-market value for public projects, such as constructing new roadways or oil and gas pipelines. DART would need approval from the respective city council to exercise eminent domain, McKay said. The agency would then need to clear a second round of approval from the county commissioners court. If the cities turn down the eminent domain request, DART could attempt to design the Silver Line around the property, he said. The agency ceremoniously broke ground on the Silver Line on Sept. 19.