2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 16. Public Health › Article 18. Slum Clearance › §16-18-7. Disposal of Property in Redevelopment Project

(a) An authority may sell, lease, exchange or otherwise transfer real property or any interest therein in a redevelopment project area to any redeveloper for residential, recreational, commercial, industrial or other uses or for public use in accordance with the redevelopment plan, subject to such covenants, conditions and restrictions as it may deem to be in the public interest or to carry out the purposes of this article: Provided, That such sale, lease, exchange or other transfer, and any agreement relating thereto, may be made only after, or subject to, the approval of the redevelopment plan by the governing body of the community. Such real property shall be sold, leased or transferred at its fair value for uses in accordance with the redevelopment plan notwithstanding such value may be less than the cost of acquiring and preparing such property for redevelopment. In determining the fair value of real property for uses in accordance with the redevelopment plan, an authority shall take into account and give consideration to the uses and purposes required by such plan; the restrictions upon, and the covenants, conditions and obligations assumed by the redeveloper of, such property; the objectives of the redevelopment plan for the prevention of the recurrence of slum or blighted areas; and such other matters as the authority shall specify as being appropriate. In fixing rentals and selling prices, an authority shall give consideration to appraisals of the property for such uses made by land experts employed by the authority.
(b) An authority shall publish the following notice as a Class II legal advertisement in compliance with the provisions of article three, chapter fifty-nine of this code, and the publication area for such publication shall be the community. The notice shall be published prior to the consideration of any redevelopment contract proposal, and shall invite proposals from, and make available all pertinent information to private redevelopers or any persons interested in undertaking the redevelopment of an area, or any part thereof, which the governing body has declared to be in need of redevelopment. Such notice shall identify the area, and shall state that such further information as is available may be obtained at the office of the authority. The authority shall consider all redevelopment proposals and the financial and legal ability of the prospective redevelopers to carry out their proposals and may negotiate with any redevelopers for proposals for the purchase or lease of any real property in the redevelopment project area. The authority may accept such redevelopment contract proposal as it deems to be in the public interest and in furtherance of the purposes of this article: Provided, That the authority has, not less than thirty days prior thereto, notified the governing body in writing of its intention to accept such redevelopment contract proposal. Thereafter, the authority may execute such redevelopment contract in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) and deliver deeds, leases and other instruments and take all steps necessary to effectuate such redevelopment contract. In its discretion, the authority may, without regard to the foregoing provisions of this subsection, dispose of real property in a redevelopment project area to private redevelopers for redevelopment under such reasonable competitive bidding procedures as it shall prescribe, subject to the provisions of subsection (a).
(c) In carrying out a redevelopment project, an authority may:
(1) Convey to the community in which the project is located, such real property as, in accordance with the redevelopment plan, is to be laid out into streets, alleys, and public ways;
(2) Grant servitudes, easements and rights-of-way, for public utilities, sewers, streets and other similar facilities, in accordance with the redevelopment plan; and
(3) Convey to the municipality, county or other appropriate public body, such real property as, in accordance with the redevelopment plan, is to be used for parks, schools, public buildings, facilities or other public purposes.
(d) An authority may temporarily operate and maintain real property in a redevelopment project area pending the disposition of the property for redevelopment, without regard to the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) above, for such uses and purposes as may be deemed desirable even though not in conformity with the redevelopment plan.