2023 Delaware Code › Title 7 - Conservation › Chapter 41. DRAINAGE OF LANDS AND MANAGEMENT OF WATERS; TAX DITCHES › Subchapter VI. General Provisions › § 4189. Alteration of tax ditches; amendments to ditch orders.

§ 4189. Alteration of tax ditches; amendments to ditch orders.
If it becomes necessary to change any part of a tax ditch, such changes may be made in one of the following ways:
(1) The desired or required changes, justified in writing and including any necessary maps or drawings, shall be presented by the tax ditch managers to the taxables at a regularly called tax ditch meeting. If a majority vote of the taxables present favors the changes, and providing that such changes do not include any relocations of works of improvement, or of the construction area, or of the maintenance right-of-way on the lands of any owner without the owner's consent, the tax ditch managers shall present 3 copies of their request for the changes, including the written justification and any necessary maps or drawings, and also including the results of the referendum, to the Division of Watershed Stewardship for its approval. Should that approval be given, the change shall be effective at once, and the Division of Watershed Stewardship shall file the original request with supporting papers in the office of the prothonotary of the proper county, and return 1 copy to the tax ditch. Whenever changes are made which affect the tax ditch assessment list, the Division of Watershed Stewardship shall notify the board of assessment of the proper county of such changes.
(2) a. When all landowners affected consent to changes of any part of a tax ditch, including the assessment list, they shall enter into a written agreement to make such changes and present 3 copies of such agreement, together with any necessary maps or drawings, to the Division of Watershed Stewardship for its approval. Should that approval be given, the change shall be effective at once, and the Division of Watershed Stewardship shall file the original request with supporting papers in the office of the prothonotary of the proper county, and return 1 copy to the tax ditch. Whenever changes are made which affect the tax ditch assessment list, the Division of Watershed Stewardship shall notify the board of assessment of the proper county of such changes.
b. The Division of Watershed Stewardship shall be responsible for assuring that any change to a court order to a tax ditch or right-of-way pursuant to this chapter shall be recorded in the prothonotary's office. The landowner of any property upon which a change to a court order has been made to any tax ditch or right-of-way pursuant to this chapter shall be responsible for assuring that such change is filed with the recorder of deeds in the county or counties where the parcel subject to the right-of-way is located.
(3) Any landowner within the boundaries of a tax ditch, or the tax ditch managers in the name of said tax ditch, may, at any time, petition for the amendments of the ditch order that created the tax ditch. Such petition shall list the changes that are desired and shall be presented to the Superior Court that issued the tax ditch order through the board of supervisors of the soil conservation district of the same county. That board of supervisors shall require and handle a deposit from the petitioners in accordance with § 4120 of this title, so far as that section is applicable. As soon as the deposit is received, the board of supervisors shall file the petition in the office of the prothonotary of the proper county without further investigation. Upon the filing of a petition for amendments to a ditch order in the office of the prothonotary of a county, the board of ditch commissioners of such county, shall, at the direction of the resident judge thereof, go upon the lands of the tax ditch watershed, if necessary, review the existing ditch order, consider the changes requested and make determinations regarding these. The board of ditch commissioners shall obtain from the county soil conservation district such assistance and information as may be required. The board of ditch commissioners, with the assistance of the Division of Watershed Stewardship, shall prepare a special proposed report in the nature of 1 or more proposed amendments to the existing ditch order, together with any maps or drawings deemed necessary. Upon completion of that report, they shall give notice, and hold a hearing and referendum in accordance with §§ 4131 and 4132 of this title so far as these are applicable. After holding the hearing and supervising the referendum, the board of ditch commissioners shall file the original and 2 copies of its report in the office of the prothonotary of the county in which all the major portion of the tax ditch is located and shall attach to the report a certificate showing the results of the referendum and the place where, and the time when, it was held. The board of ditch commissioners shall also prepare and attach to the report a statement showing:
a. The board of ditch commissioners has fully discharged the duties assigned to it as prescribed by law.
b. Any objections made to the report of the board of ditch commissioners which did not warrant further changes in the report and the reasons therefor.
c. Any other recommendations or information which the board of ditch commissioners deems advisable including their determination as to whether the petitioners or the tax ditch are liable for the costs of this action.
Action by the Superior Court shall follow §§ 4136, 4137, 4138, 4139, 4140, 4141 of this title so far as these sections are applicable.
48 Del. Laws, c. 151, §  65;  7 Del. C. 1953, §  4189;  50 Del. Laws, c. 276, §  35;  57 Del. Laws, c. 739, §  189;  59 Del. Laws, c. 560, §  2;  70 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  1;  70 Del. Laws, c. 246, §§  46-50;  76 Del. Laws, c. 389, §  3;  77 Del. Laws, c. 430, §  28;