An Act Regarding the Sale of Surplus Land Owned by the Department of Transportation
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 23 MRSA §61, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 13, is amended to read:
2. Land acquired may be sold. The Governor, on recommendation of the department, may sell and convey on behalf of the State the interests of the State in property taken or acquired by purchase for transportation purposes and deemed determined no longer necessary for those purposes. When the Governor accepts the recommendation of the department to sell and convey property that is in a residential area, the department shall:
A. Determine and document the use and value of the property with respect to abutters and the municipality at large, including but not limited to the integrity of the neighborhood, homeowner property values, traffic and public safety, zoning, pollution, noise and environmental impacts;
B. Notify abutters by mail and the residents of the municipality at large by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the area at least 60 days prior to the proposed date of sale;
C. Receive public comment from residents of the municipality in accordance with the public participation process under section 73, subsection 3, paragraph G regarding approval or disapproval of the proposed sale; and
D. Offer the land for sale to the municipality before offering it for public sale.
summary
This bill provides guidelines for the sale of land in a residential area that is owned by the Department of Transportation and being sold by the Governor including provisions for the notification of the affected municipalities and abutting landowners.