No action or proceeding shall be brought or maintained to recover damages caused by the taking of any land, rights or other property to be used for a public purpose when such taking has been authorized by the Legislature, unless the same is commenced within 3 years after the cause first accrued for which the same or like proceedings might have been commenced, nor shall any compensation be awarded for damages sustained for more than 3 years before the commencement of proceedings to recover the same.
14 M.R.S. § 868