Opinion ID: 1288993
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: power to convey properties

Text: The substantive issue before this Court is whether the Commission had the power to convey the properties in dispute. The Commission was created by Act No. 69, 1963 S.C. Acts 63. This Act enumerates the powers of the Commission, declaring that the Commission has the power to acquire, own, hold in trust, preserve, restore, maintain, suitably mark, develop, advertise, and operate buildings and structures of historic significance, and the land upon which the same may be situate, in Richland County, and to receive funds, grants, donations and appropriations for the accomplishment of these purposes. 1963 S.C. Acts at 64, § 4(5). Moreover, The Commission shall have power and authority to borrow money and to mortgage or pledge its real and personal property . . . . 1963 S.C. Acts at 65, § 8. [1] Conspicuously absent from the above list of powers is the power to convey property. When a statute expressly enumerates the requirements on which it is to operate, additional requirements are not to be implied. Byrd v. Irmo High School, ___ S.C. ___, 468 S.E.2d 861 (1996). The statute specifically sets forth the powers of the Commission; the power to convey property may not be implied from the statute. This would be consistent with the role of the Commission as a Historic Preservation Commission. Nor would the power to convey be implied by S.C. Const. Art. VIII, § 17 (The provisions of this Constitution and all laws concerning local government shall be liberally construed in their favor. Powers, duties, and responsibilities granted local government subdivisions by this Constitution and by law shall include those fairly implied and not prohibited by this Constitution.). S.C.Code Ann. § 4-9-80 (rev. 1986) states that the provisions of this chapter shall not be construed to devolve any additional powers upon county councils with regard to public service districts, special purpose districts, water and sewer authorities, or other political subdivisions by whatever name designated, (which are in existence on the date one of the forms of government provided for in this chapter becomes effective in a particular county) and such political subdivisions shall continue to perform their statutory functions prescribed in laws creating such districts or authorities except as they may be modified by act of the General Assembly.... In Thomas v. Cooper River Park & Playground Commission, ___ S.C. ___, 471 S.E2d 170 (1996), my brothers on this Court held that under section 4-9-80, Home Rule legislation cannot be construed to give county government more power over a pre-Home Rule district than it is given in the original act creating such a district. As a special purpose district, the Commission, did not acquire any additional powers by virtue of Rule legislation. Accordingly, the Commission did not have the power to convey the disputed properties. This case should be affirmed.