California Code, Government Code - GOV § 62204

(a) If an authority has adopted a plan but has not commenced an eminent domain proceeding to acquire any particular parcel of property subject to eminent domain thereunder within three years after the date of adoption of the plan, the owner or owners of the entire fee at any time thereafter may offer in writing to sell the property to the authority for its fair market value. If the authority does not, within 18 months from the date of receipt of the original offer, acquire or institute eminent domain proceedings to acquire the property, the property owner or owners may file an action against the authority in inverse condemnation to recover damages from the authority for any interference with the possession and use of the real property resulting from the plan, provided that this section shall not be construed as establishing or creating a presumption to any right to damages or relief solely by reason of the failure of the authority to acquire the property within the time set forth in this section.

(b) No claim need be presented against an authority under Part 3 (commencing with Section 900) of Division 3.6 of Title 1 as a prerequisite to commencement or maintenance of an action under subdivision (a), but any action shall be commenced within one year and six months after the expiration of the 18 months period.

(c) An authority may commence an eminent domain proceeding or designate the property to be exempt from eminent domain under the plan at any time before the property owner commences an action under this section. If the authority commences an eminent domain proceeding or designates the property to be exempt from acquisition by eminent domain before the property owner commences an action under this section, the property owner may not thereafter bring an action under this section.

(d) After a property owner has commenced an action under this section, the authority may declare the property to be exempt from acquisition by eminent domain and abandon the taking of the property only under the same circumstances and subject to the same conditions and consequences as abandonment of an eminent domain proceeding.

(e) Commencement of an action under this section does not affect any authority an authority may have to commence an eminent domain proceeding, take possession of the property pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 1255.410) of Chapter 6 of Title 7 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or abandon the eminent domain proceeding.

(f) In lieu of bringing an action under subdivision (a) or if the limitations period provided in subdivision (b) has run, the property owner may obtain a writ of mandate to compel the authority, within that time as the court deems appropriate, to declare the property acquisition exempt or to commence an eminent domain proceeding to acquire the property.

(g) A declaration that the property is exempt from acquisition by eminent domain shall be by resolution and shall be recordable. It shall exempt the property from eminent domain under the plan, and the authority shall have no power of eminent domain as to the property.