§460aaa–3 Acquisition

Summary

The Secretary must acquire land, water, buildings, or interests inside the national recreation area by buying, accepting gifts, trading, or other means to help run and protect the area. The Secretary may also get property on the mainland if needed for access or offices. The Secretary must quickly consider any owner’s offer to sell. The Secretary cannot force the sale of privately owned property so long as the owner agrees to the building rules below and gives the Secretary a right of first refusal. Owners of undeveloped property inside the area may build recreational homes that match the park’s design rules. Before any private property, interest, or building is given, sold, or traded, it must first be offered to the Secretary at no more than fair market value. The Secretary has 120 days to accept. If accepted, the Secretary then has until 45 days after the end of the fiscal year following the fiscal year of acceptance to complete the purchase. No sale can be for less than the price offered to the Secretary, and if the property is offered again it must first be offered to the Secretary again, except for transfers within the immediate family of the owner of record on January 1, 1989. “Immediate family” means the owner’s spouse, siblings, children (natural or adopted), stepchildren, and direct descendants.