Bill Text: NJ A4342 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Concerns conveyance of certain State-owned lands.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-12-14 - Reported out of Assembly Comm. with Amendments, 2nd Reading [A4342 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-A4342-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman LINDA STENDER
District 22 (Middlesex, Somerset and Union)
SYNOPSIS
Concerns conveyances of certain State-owned lands.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning conveyances of certain State-owned lands, and amending and supplementing P.L.1993, c.38.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1993, c.38 (C.13:1D-51) is amended to read as follows:
1. As used in [sections 1 through 7 of this amendatory and supplementary act] P.L.1993, c.38 (C.13:1D-51 et seq.) :
"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection.
"Convey" means to sell, exchange, lease for a term of [25] five years or more, grant, or agree to sell, exchange, lease for a term of [25] five years or more, or grant, in an amount greater than one acre.
"Department" means the Department of Environmental Protection, or any agency, division, or office thereof.
"Green Acres funds" means any funds made available for the acquisition or development of lands by the State for recreation and conservation purposes pursuant to: P.L.1961, c.46; P.L.1971, c.165; P.L.1974, c.102; P.L.1978, c.118; P.L.1983, c.354; P.L.1987, c.265; [and] P.L.1989, c.183; P.L.1992, c.88; P.L.1995, c.204; P.L.2007, c.119; P.L.2009, c.117; or any similar act for such purposes that may be enacted, or any such funds administered pursuant to P.L.1961, c.45 (C.13:8A-1 et seq.), P.L.1971, c.419 (C.13:8A-19 et seq.), [and] P.L.1975, c.155 (C.13:8A-35 et seq.), and P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-1 et seq.), or any similar act for such purposes that may be enacted.
"Land" or "lands" means real property, including improvements thereof or thereon, rights-of-way, water, riparian and other rights, easements, and privileges, and all other rights or interests of any kind or description in, relating to, or connected with real property.
"Minor conveyance" means a conveyance or proposed conveyance of lands acquired or developed by the State with Green Acres funds, or acquired or developed by the State in any other manner and administered by the department, which lands shall be greater than one acre but less than five acres in size and valued at less than $50,000, and which conveyance or proposed conveyance under law requires the approval of the State House Commission established pursuant to R.S.52:20-1 et seq.
(cf: P.L.1993, c.38, s.1)
2. Section 6 of P.L.1993, c.38 (C.13:1D-56) is amended to read as follows:
6. a. [For] (1) Except as provided otherwise pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection, for the purpose of determining the amount of consideration to be paid or transferred to the State in exchange for conveying lands acquired or developed by the State with Green Acres funds, or acquired or developed by the State in any other manner and administered by the department, the value of such lands shall be based upon their intended use upon conveyance or upon their highest and best use, whichever shall provide to the State the greatest value in return. When determining the value of such lands based upon their intended use upon conveyance, the revenue generation potential of the land shall be taken into consideration and calculated as part of the value of the land, and this amount shall be the minimum value that may be accepted by the State in exchange for the conveyance of the lands.
(2) For any lands acquired or developed by the State with Green Acres funds or acquired or developed by the State in any other manner and administered by the department, which are to be conveyed by the State to a nonprofit organization whose purpose includes environmental protection or open space, farmland, or historic preservation, the value of the lands shall be based only upon fair market value or upon a value less than fair market value as may be determined by the State for good cause in furtherance of the public interest.
(3) A conveyance that is a lease of land from the State to a nonprofit organization, pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection, shall include a requirement that any sublease receive prior approval from the department.
b. If lands acquired or developed by the State with Green Acres funds, or acquired or developed by the State in any other manner and administered by the department, are conveyed, and within 25 years after the date of the conveyance the governing body of the municipality wherein the lands are located proposes to amend or revise for any reason the zoning ordinance as it pertains to those lands, or the zoning board of adjustment or planning board of the municipality receives an application for a variance from the zoning regulations or requirements pertaining to those lands, the governing body, zoning board of adjustment, or planning board, as the case may be, shall notify the commissioner in writing at least 30 days prior to taking action on the proposed amendment or revision to the zoning ordinance or variance application, as the case may be, according to procedures to be developed therefor by the department pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.).
c. (1) If the governing body of the municipality wherein the lands are located amends or revises for any reason the zoning ordinance as it pertains to those lands, or the zoning board of adjustment or planning board of the municipality grants a variance from the zoning regulations or requirements pertaining to those lands, as the case may be, within 25 years after the date of conveyance of the lands by the State, and that amendment or revision of the zoning ordinance or grant of a variance results in an increase in the value of the lands, an amount of money equal to that increase in value measured as of the effective date of the amendment or revision of the zoning ordinance or grant of a variance, as the case may be, shall be paid to the department by the then current owner of the lands within 60 days after the date of the last public hearing required pursuant to paragraph (3) of this subsection, or if a court determination of the value is required pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection, within 60 days after the date of the court's judgment, for deposit and use by the department pursuant to section 7 of [this amendatory and supplementary act] P.L.1993, c.38 (C.13:1D-57). In addition, the current owner of the lands on the effective date of the first amendment or revision of the zoning ordinance or first grant of a variance pertaining to those lands, as the case may be, shall dedicate 20% of the lands for use as public open space.
(2) If the department and the then current owner are unable to agree on the amount of the increased value resulting from an amendment or revision of the zoning ordinance or grant of a variance pertaining to the lands, as the case may be, the value shall be decided in a summary proceeding before the Superior Court.
(3) The department shall not agree to any determination of the amount of money equal to an increased value unless it has first conducted two additional public hearings and given appropriate notice of its intentions according to the procedures set forth in sections 2, 3, and 4 of [this amendatory and supplementary act] P.L.1993, c.38 (C.13:1D-52 through C.13:1D-54).
(4) If the current owner of the lands on the effective date of any amendment or revision of the zoning ordinance or grant of a variance pertaining to those lands, as the case may be, is unable to pay an amount of money equal to the increase in value required pursuant to this subsection, the lands shall revert to the State and shall be managed by the department for the same purposes as they were immediately prior to the original conveyance by the State.
d. The department may accept land of equivalent or greater value in lieu of any payment required pursuant to subsection c. of this section, but prior to doing so, the department shall comply with the requirements of paragraph (3) of that subsection.
e. The terms of subsections b., c., and d. of this section shall be incorporated into any contract of sale, lease, or other similar instrument, as well as any deed or other instrument of conveyance, involving the lands, and shall run with the land.
(cf: P.L.1993, c.38, s.6)
3. (New section) a. No lands acquired or developed by the State with Green Acres funds, or acquired or developed by the State in any other manner and administered by the Department of Environmental Protection, may be conveyed in fee simple unless the intended use upon conveyance is a public use.
b. Any lands 20 acres or more in size acquired or developed by the State with Green Acres funds, or acquired or developed by the State in any other manner and administered by the Department of Environmental Protection, that the State intends to convey in fee simple for a public use may only be approved for conveyance by a unanimous vote of the full membership of the State House Commission.
c. The sublease of any lands that are leased by the State to a lessee, which were acquired or developed by the State with Green Acres Funds or developed by the State in any other manner and administered by the Department of Environmental Protection, shall be subject to approval by the State House Commission.
The terms of this subsection shall be incorporated into any lease or other similar instrument involving the lands, and shall run with the land.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would revise the procedures, requirements, and other provisions established by P.L.1993, c.38 (C.13:1D-51 et seq.) (commonly referred to as the "Ogden-Rooney process") that must be followed before lands, including structures thereon, acquired or developed by the State with Green Acres funds, or acquired or developed by the State in any other manner and administered by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), or any agency of the department, may be conveyed.
Under current law, the Ogden-Rooney process is required to be followed for leases for terms of 25 years or more, in addition to all types of sales and exchanges. This bill would reduce this timeframe for leases subject to the Ogden-Rooney process from 25 years to five years.
The Ogden-Rooney process involves, among other things, the preparation and submission of a report identifying the reasons for, and all advantages and disadvantages and benefits and detriments of, the proposed conveyance, assessing the environmental and recreational impact of that proposed conveyance, and assessing the environmental and economic value of the lands proposed to be conveyed under both their current and proposed uses. In addition, the law requires, for the purpose of determining the amount of consideration to be paid or transferred to the State in exchange for conveying lands acquired or developed by the State with Green Acres funds, or acquired or developed by the State in any other manner and administered by the DEP, the value of the lands be based upon their intended use upon conveyance or upon their highest and best use, whichever would provide to the State the greatest value in return.
This bill would provide that, when determining the value of lands based upon their intended use upon conveyance, the revenue generation potential of the land, i.e., how much revenue would be generated from the land if the sale, exchange, lease, easement, right-of-way, or other similar property interest is granted, would be required to be taken into consideration and calculated as part of the value of the land, and this amount would be the minimum value that may be accepted by the State in exchange for the conveyance of the lands, with one exception. The exception would be for when recreation and conservation lands are to be conveyed by the State to a nonprofit organization whose purpose includes environmental protection or open space, farmland, or historic preservation, the value of the lands would be based only upon fair market value or upon a value less than fair market value as may be determined by the State for good cause in furtherance of the public interest. A conveyance that is a lease of land from the State to a nonprofit organization would also include a requirement that any sublease receive prior approval from the DEP.
The bill would prohibit the sale in fee simple of lands acquired or developed by the State with Green Acres funds, or acquired or developed by the State in any other manner and administered by the DEP, unless the intended use upon conveyance is a public use. Moreover, the bill would require that for sales of such lands in fee simple 20 acres or more in size, the sale may only be approved by unanimous vote of the full membership of the State House Commission.
The bill would also provide that the sublease of any lands that are leased by the State to a lessee, which were acquired or developed by the State with Green Acres Funds or developed by the State in any other manner and administered by the Department of Environmental Protection, is subject to approval by the State House Commission, and that this requirement must be incorporated into any lease or other similar instrument involving the lands.
