Title 7 — Conservation

§ 4501. Land warrants. All general warrants for locating vacant land without specification, which were not located by survey prior to January 23, 1843, are vacated and void; and all warrants for locating land issued by any recorder since January 11, 1798, are illegal and void.Cod…

§ 4502. Cessions of public land to United States. All cessions of public land, which have been made to the United States for public purposes, are recognized and ratified according to the terms thereof.Code 1852, § 14; Code 1915, § 14; Code 1935, § 14; 7 Del. C. 1953, § 4504;

§ 4503. Location and payment for grants of public lands. All grants of public land made shall be located and paid for within 1 year from the grant, or they shall be void.Code 1852, § 15; Code 1915, § 15; Code 1935, § 15; 7 Del. C. 1953, § 4505;

§ 4504. Supervision and control of public lands by Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control; public beaches; penalty. (a) The public lands of this State, as ascertained in regard to location, surveyed and plotted under the supervision and direction of the Public …

§ 4505. Survey of public lands. The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control may survey such of the public lands that have not been surveyed, plotted and recorded in the office of the recorder of deeds in the county in which any such lands may lie; and may survey…

§ 4506. Sale of public lands and products. (a) The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control may supervise the sale of any material, product or thing which grows or may be grown upon any public lands; divide the public lands into tracts of 50 acres, or less; and s…

§ 4507. Delivery of deeds; restrictions therein. The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, together with the Governor of this State, may execute and deliver a good and sufficient deed to any part of the public lands of this State, and may place upon the sale …

§ 4508. Forfeiture of public lands to State. Whoever purchases any of the public lands under any restriction or condition imposed by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and fails for a period of 5 years to comply with the restrictions or conditions ment…

§ 4509. Improvement of public lands. (a) The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control may make improvements to and on any public lands of this State and may expend any sums appropriated therefor on such lands. (b) The Department of Natural Resources and Environme…

§ 4510. Lease of public lands; forfeiture of lease. The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control together with the Governor of this State, may execute and deliver, in proper form, a lease of any part of the public lands of this State, which public lands are under…

§ 4511. Lease of mineral rights in public lands; utility rights. The power granted to the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to lease the public lands shall include the right of the Department, together with the Governor of this State, to execute and delive…

§ 4512. Rent from lease of public lands. All funds received as rent in connection with the leasing of public lands under §§ 4510 and 4511 of this title shall be payable to the State Treasurer and kept by him or her in a special account known as the “Department of Natural Resource…

§ 4513. Prohibitions against leasing of oyster beds. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as authorizing or empowering the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to lease any land which is used as an oyster plantation, oyster bed or oyster bottom, nor sha…

§ 4514. Highways through public lands. The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control may construct any roads leading to or through any public lands which are under the supervision and control of the Department; may make plans and specifications for the constructio…

§ 4515. Credit of moneys for Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. In order that the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control may carry out this chapter, all moneys, other than appropriated by the General Assembly, realized from the care and …

§ 4516. Public money expended for roads. No public money shall be expended under this chapter on any roads leading to or through any public lands of this State with privately owned lands abutting thereon unless and until the owners of the abutting lands have reached or entered in…

§ 4517. Power of Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. (a) Nothing contained in this chapter shall prohibit or limit in any way the power and authority granted unto the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to develop, establish and mainta…

§ 4518. Sale of public lands. (a) All lands to which this State directly or indirectly holds title, whether legal, equitable or both, shall be deemed public lands within the meaning of this chapter, except lands purchased or held by the State Housing Department for improvement an…

§ 4519. Title or interest in public lands obtainable only by deed, conveyance or written instrument. No title or other interest in real property belonging to the State shall be acquired by adverse possession, presumed grant or any means other than by a deed or conveyance or other…

§ 4520. Liability for costs and expenses incurred by State in defeating claims to public lands. (a) Any person who asserts a claim to any interest in any part of the public lands of the State for which a plot or description has been recorded with the Recorder of Deeds in and for …

§ 4521. Zoning and use. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, no state park, or any part thereof, open space as defined in § 7504 of this title, or other area acquired primarily for recreational use, shall be rezoned, neither shall there be a change in th…

§ 4522. Resident curatorship agreements The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, may execute and deliver an agreement that creates a nontransferrable life estate for individuals, or an agreement of up to 30 years in length for corporate or governmental entit…

§ 4523. Warner Grant Trust Lands. (a) For purposes of this section, “Warner Grant Trust Lands” means as established under Chapter 108 of Volume 62 of the Laws of Delaware, as amended by Chapter 99 of Volume 72 of the Laws of Delaware and 84 Del. Laws, c. 236. (b) The Department o…