(a) (1) The Department, in the name of the State, is authorized by law to acquire property and property rights, including rights to access, air, view, and light, for the purposes set forth in this section and within its jurisdiction. The Department may only acquire private or public property and property rights needed for the purposes listed in paragraph (a)(1)a. of this section and through the means listed in paragraph (a)(1)b. of this section. Property rights so acquired must be in fee simple absolute or such lesser interest as the Department may deem appropriate. Except as provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, no acquisition of real property or property rights may be made without Department approved final right-of-way plans by parcel depicting the proposed acquisitions and that approval coming only after the project has been developed and plans prepared in accordance with all applicable governing laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the development of transportation projects.
a. The Department, in the name of the State, may only acquire private or public property and property rights needed for the following purposes:
1. To provide public throughfares such as pathways, roads, streets, or highways.
2. To preserve the traffic capacity in existing thoroughfares in accordance with § 145(d) of this title.
3. For sidewalks, bus shelters, parking areas in support of public transit, maintenance yards, and similar public transportation related facilities.
b. The Department, in the name of the State, may acquire private or public property rights through any of the following means:
1. By gift.
2. By devise.
3. By purchase.
4. By the exercise of the power of eminent domain where the private or public property and property rights may be acquired by condemnation by proceeding in the manner prescribed in Chapter 61 of Title 10.
5. Be authorized by law to acquire such property or property rights for the purposes set forth in this section and within its jurisdiction.
(2) The acquisition of real property by the Department in advance of final right-of-way plan approval, shall be reviewed by a committee consisting of the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, the Director of the Division of Small Business, the Governor’s Chief of Staff, a member of the Senate designated by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, a member of the House of Representatives designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, a member of the public designated by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and a member of the public designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives to determine the consistency of such action with the State’s overall goals for land use planning. If it determines that the acquisition will be inconsistent with State planning goals, the committee may disapprove the acquisition.
(3) The Department shall provide to the Governor and General Assembly, on or before December 31 of each year, a report identifying all properties acquired in the preceding 12 month period in connection with acquisitions made pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of this section.
(4) For the purposes of acquiring real property for pathways that go through dedicated open space in a recorded residential subdivision, where the proposed pathway is not adjacent to the existing right of way, the Department is not authorized to exercise its eminent domain power to acquire land for such pathway, unless a majority of the residents of the recorded residential subdivision vote to approve within 90 days of notice of its intent to exercise its eminent domain power by the Department. There will be 1 ballot per residence and the ballot may be cast by paper ballot, by proxy, by signing a petition, or electronically from a confirmed valid email address for a resident.
(b) When any property heretofore or hereafter acquired by the Department by gift, devise, purchase or condemnation is no longer needed for transportation purposes the Department shall attempt to dispose of the property as follows:
(1) If at the time of the Department’s determination to dispose of the property, the property is subject to a revenue producing lease agreement which has been in force for a period of at least 5 years, the Department shall, in writing, notify the tenant that the property is no longer needed for transportation purposes. Such notice shall inform the tenant of the Department’s desire to sell the property, and include a copy of the Department’s approved appraisal and a purchase agreement containing the terms and conditions for sale to the tenant. The sale price shall not be less than the approved appraised value. If the tenant elects to purchase the property, the tenant shall execute and return the purchase agreement to the Department within 30 days of such notice. Such notice is not required if the tenant has, in writing, waived any desire to purchase the property, or if the property is subject to multiple leases. Failure of the tenant to respond to the notice within 30 days shall constitute a waiver of the tenant’s rights hereunder.
(2) If the provisions of paragraph (b)(1) of this section do not apply, or were forfeited through lack of response, or were waived by the tenant, or the tenant fails to comply with the terms and conditions of the purchase agreement, the Department shall, in writing, notify the owner from whom the property was acquired, if the property had been acquired within the immediately preceding 5 years, that the property is no longer needed for transportation purposes. In the event that the previous owner is deceased, the Department may proceed with the provisions for sale identified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section. Such notice shall inform the prior owner of the Department’s desire to sell the property at the approved appraised value, and shall include a copy of the Department’s approved appraisal and a purchase agreement containing the terms and conditions for the sale to the prior owner. The sale price shall not be less than the approved appraised value. If the prior owner elects to purchase the property, the prior owner shall execute and return the purchase agreement to the Department within 30 days of such notice. Such notice is not required if the prior owner has, in writing, waived his/her right to repurchase the property. Failure of the prior owner to respond to the notice within 30 days shall constitute a waiver of their rights hereunder.
(3) If the provisions of paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section have been satisfied without sale, the Department shall determine if the property has independent utility and in such cases shall offer the property for sale to the general public at a public auction sale. The Department shall notify the public of the sale by posting a “Notice of Sale” on the property at least 2 weeks before the sale and by publishing a “Notice of Sale” for at least 1 day a week for 2 consecutive weeks in a newspaper having general circulation in the county where the property is located. The “Notice of Sale” shall describe the property to be sold, state the date, time, location of the sale, terms and conditions, and amount of the minimum acceptable bid. The public sale may be conducted by Department personnel or the Department may retain an outside contractor to handle the sale. At the conclusion of the sale, the Department’s representative shall announce the name of the highest bidder and the amount of the bid. The Department’s representative shall record the results of the sale including the name and amount of the next highest bid. The Department shall have the authority to accept or reject the highest bid as long as such bid is equal to or greater than 85 percent of the approved appraised value. The Department shall offer the property for sale at a price not less than 85 percent of the approved appraised value and shall reject any bid of a lesser amount. The Department may reject any bid for due cause. If the sale is confirmed and the highest bidder defaults, the Department may proceed to the next highest acceptable bidder. In the event that the Department does not receive an acceptable bid, the public sale shall be deemed concluded. The Department may proceed to dispose of the property through absolute auction for whatever price can be obtained, subject, however, to unanimous written approval of the selling price from the Controller General and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
(4) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the Department may determine that the property has minimal independent utility for reasons such as, but not limited to, lack of access, irregular shape, poor topography or hydrology, small size and nominal value (less than $3,000 in the opinion of the Department’s Chief Review Appraiser). In such event the Department may, without having to perform an appraisal of the property, sell or otherwise convey such property to an adjoining property owner or an organized community civic association or maintenance association for use as community open space at a price to be negotiated by the parties. The Department shall notify all adjoining property owners in writing of the property availability and provide 2 weeks for adjoining property owners to express interest in purchasing the property. In cases where more than 1 adjoining property owner indicates an interest in purchasing the property, the Department may elect to offer the property for sale via sealed bid to the highest bidder, or to divide the property to accommodate the interests of all interested owners.
(5) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the Department may convey property by direct sale or trade to an owner of other property which is being acquired for transportation purposes. Such sale shall not abridge the provisions of paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section. The Department shall receive in return a price and/or compensatory property valued at not less than the approved appraised value.
(6) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the Department may convey property by direct sale to a public utility company when such property is needed for public utility purposes, provided the Department receives in return a price not less than the approved appraised value.
(7) a. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the Department may convey property to other governmental entities for public purposes, on terms acceptable to the Department and other agency.
b. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section or Chapter 9 of Title 3, the Department may convey property to the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation on terms acceptable to the Department and the Foundation.
c. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section or Chapter 75 of Title 7, the Department may convey property to the Delaware Open Space Council on terms acceptable to the Department and the Council.
(8) As used in this subsection, “approved appraised value” shall mean:
a. When the estimated value of the property is not more than $10,000, an appraisal performed by a qualified Department employee or qualified independent appraiser, reviewed and approved by a qualified Department review appraiser; or
b. When the estimated value of the property exceeds $10,000, an appraisal performed by a qualified independent appraiser, reviewed and approved by a qualified Department review appraiser.
(9) Property rights disposed of pursuant to this section may be in fee simple absolute or such lesser interest as the Department may deem appropriate.
(10) “Notice,” as required in paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section, shall be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the tenant or previous owner at the last known postal address obtained after diligent inquiry. If after diligent inquiry a postal address cannot be found, the Department shall publish a notice for at least 1 day a week for 2 consecutive weeks in a newspaper having general circulation in the county in which the property is located. Such published notice shall set forth the name or names of the tenant or previous owner to whom it is directed, that the Department desires to sell the property, a brief description of the property to be sold and the date by which the Department must receive a response. The return receipt of the notice, whether signed, refused or unclaimed, or a copy of the published newspaper notice shall be held and considered to be prima facie evidence of the service of the notice.
(11) The Department shall provide to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before December 31 of each year, a report identifying by size and location all properties being held for projects, properties deemed surplus or excess properties, dates of acquisition, purchase price, previous owner, date the property was determined to be excess or surplus, dates and nature of actions undertaken to dispose of such surplus or excess properties, and approximate fair market value of each. If properties are deemed nonmarketable they must be identified as such. The report must further identify all properties disposed of during the previous year by size and location, date of disposition, appraised value if appraised, amount received from disposition and name of the purchaser, purchasers or owners, including equitable owners.