§544e Administration of Scenic Area

Summary

The Commission must run the non‑Federal lands inside the scenic area under the management plan and the listed laws. Each county must tell the Commission within 60 days that it plans to adopt a land‑use ordinance that matches the plan. Each county must adopt that ordinance within 270 days and send it to the Commission. The Commission has 90 days to approve it by a majority vote that includes at least three members from each State. If the Commission finds the ordinance inconsistent, it must explain why and give suggested changes. The county then has 90 days to fix and resubmit the ordinance. The Commission then has 60 days to act. If the Commission does not act in the given time periods, the ordinance is treated as approved. If a county fails to follow these steps, the Commission must make and publish its own land‑use ordinance for that county within 90 days, except for urban areas identified in section 544b(e). The Commission’s rules can vary by parcel and can be changed later. A county that later adopts an ordinance can have it replace the Commission’s rules once approved, but existing legal rights remain. The Secretary may design, build, operate, and maintain the facilities listed in the recreation assessment.