H*3522 Session 109 (1991-1992)
H*3522(Rat #0155, Act #0092 of 1991) General Bill, By H.H. Keyserling,
R.A. Barber, J.M. Baxley, D.W. Beatty, K.S. Corbett, T.L. Farr, H.M. Hallman,
J.L. Harris, B.H. Harwell, T.E. Huff, M.F. Jaskwhich, Keegan, K.G. Kempe,
Littlejohn, Meacham, Phillips, Quinn, T.F. Rogers, C.L. Sturkie, C.Y. Waites,
Wilkes, Wilkins and D.A. Wright
A Bill to amend Title 27, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to
property and conveyances, by adding Chapter 8 so as to enact the South
Carolina Conservation Easement Act of 1991 and to repeal Chapter 9, Title 27
relating to conservation restrictions and easements.
02/14/91 House Introduced and read first time HJ-3
02/14/91 House Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural
Resources and Environmental Affairs HJ-3
04/17/91 House Committee report: Favorable with amendment
Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental
Affairs HJ-5
04/23/91 House Amended HJ-251
04/23/91 House Read second time HJ-252
04/24/91 House Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-14
04/25/91 Senate Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar
without reference SJ-25
05/07/91 Senate Read second time SJ-27
05/07/91 Senate Ordered to third reading with notice of
amendments SJ-27
05/09/91 Senate Amended SJ-18
05/09/91 Senate Read third time and returned to House with
amendments SJ-18
05/14/91 House Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled HJ-3
05/21/91 Ratified R 155
05/27/91 Signed By Governor
05/27/91 Effective date 05/27/91
05/27/91 Act No. 92
06/20/91 Copies available
(A92, R155, H3522)
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 27, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH
CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO PROPERTY AND CONVEYANCES,
BY ADDING CHAPTER 8 SO AS TO ENACT THE SOUTH
CAROLINA CONSERVATION EASEMENT ACT OF 1991 AND TO
REPEAL CHAPTER 9, TITLE 27 RELATING TO CONSERVATION
RESTRICTIONS AND EASEMENTS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
S. C. Conservation Easement Act of 1991
SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"CHAPTER 8
Conservation Easements
Section 27-8-10. This chapter may be cited as the South Carolina
Conservation Easement Act of 1991.
Section 27-8-20. As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise
requires:
(1) `Conservation easement' means a nonpossessory interest of a
holder in real property imposing limitations or affirmative obligations, the
purposes of which include one or more of the following:
(a) retaining or protecting natural, scenic, or open-space aspects of
real property;
(b) ensuring the availability of real property for agricultural,
forest, recreational, educational, or open-space use;
(c) protecting natural resources;
(d) maintaining or enhancing air or water quality;
(e) preserving the historical, architectural, archaeological, or cultural
aspects of real property.
(2) `Holder' means:
(a) a governmental body empowered to hold an interest in real
property under the laws of this State or the United States; or
(b) a charitable, not-for-profit or educational corporation,
association, or trust the purposes or powers of which include one or more
of the purposes listed in subsection (1).
(3) `Real property' includes surface waters.
(4) `Third-party right of enforcement' means a right provided by the
grantor of the conservation easement to enforce selected terms of the
conservation easement which is granted to a governmental body, a
charitable, not-for-profit, or educational corporation, association, or trust,
which though not the holder of the easement, is eligible to be the holder of
such easement.
Section 27-8-30. (A) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a
conservation easement may be created, conveyed, recorded, assigned,
released, modified, terminated, or otherwise altered or affected in the same
manner as other easements and must be recorded in the same manner as
other easements.
(B) No right or duty in favor of or against a holder and no right in
favor of a person having a third-party right of enforcement arises under a
conservation easement before its acceptance by the holder and a
recordation of the acceptance in the office of the register of mesne
conveyances for each county where the land burdened by the conservation
easement lies.
(C) Except as provided in Section 27-8-40(B), a conservation easement
is unlimited in duration unless the instrument creating it provides
otherwise.
(D) An interest in real property in existence at the time a conservation
easement is created is not impaired by the easement unless the owner of the
interest is a party to the conservation easement or consents to it.
(E) (1) A conservation easement may be conveyed to a holder
without consideration by any local governmental body, including a county,
municipality, and other political subdivision, if the conveyance is
authorized by the elected members of the governmental body that owns the
property to be burdened by the easement.
(2) For the purposes of this subsection an elected member of a
governmental body includes a member serving on the governmental body
ex officio, provided that the member has been elected to another office. A
governmental body consisting of appointed members may make a
conveyance only with the approval of the elected members of the
governmental body that appointed the members.
(3) A governmental body proposing to convey an easement shall
submit a proposal to the Advisory Board of the Heritage Trust Program and
the advisory board shall conduct a public hearing on the proposal within
sixty days of receiving the proposal. Within thirty days after the hearing
the advisory board shall approve or disapprove the proposal based on the
testimony, public comment, and other information presented at the hearing.
If the proposal is approved, the governmental body shall conduct a public
hearing not less than thirty nor more than sixty days after the approval, at
which the easement must be explained and public comment received.
(4) For a governmental body to convey an easement under this
subsection, at least two-thirds of the elected members of the governmental
body shall approve the conveyance. No member of a governmental body
that conveys an easement in accordance with this subsection is personally
liable for the actions of the governmental body.
(5) Items (2), (3), and (4) of this subsection do not apply to an
easement burdening land that is adjacent to a river or river segment whose
designation as a scenic river under the State Scenic Rivers Program has
been ratified by the General Assembly under Section 49-29-90.
Section 27-8-40. (A) An action affecting a conservation easement
may be brought by:
(1) an owner of an interest in the real property burdened by the
easement;
(2) a holder of the easement;
(3) a person having a third-party right of enforcement; or
(4) a person otherwise authorized by law.
(B) This chapter does not affect the power of a court to modify or
terminate a conservation easement in accordance with principles of law and
equity.
Section 27-8-50. A conservation easement is valid even though one or
more of the following exist:
(1) It is not appurtenant to or does not run with an interest in real
property.
(2) It may be or has been assigned to another holder.
(3) It is not of a character recognized traditionally at common law.
(4) It imposes a negative burden.
(5) It imposes affirmative obligations upon the owner of an interest in
the burdened property or upon the holder.
(6) The benefit does not touch or concern real property.
(7) There is no privity of estate or of contract.
(8) It does not run to the successors and assigns of the holder.
Section 27-8-60. (A) This chapter applies to interests that meet the
definition of conservation easement under Section 27-8-20(1) whether
designated as a conservation easement or a covenant, an equitable
servitude, a restriction, an easement, or otherwise.
(B) This chapter does not invalidate an interest designated as a
conservation or preservation easement or a covenant, an equitable
servitude, a restriction, an easement, or otherwise, that is enforceable under
other laws of this State.
Section 27-8-70. For ad valorem tax purposes real property that is
burdened by a conservation easement must be assessed and taxed on a basis
that reflects the existence of the easement.
Section 27-8-80. A person or entity empowered to condemn may
condemn a conservation easement for other public purposes pursuant to
applicable provisions of the 1976 Code or federal law. Holders of the
conservation easement must be parties to the proceedings along with the
owner of the land."
Application to existing interests
SECTION 2. Chapter 8, Title 27 of the 1976 Code, added in this act,
applies to interests created after the effective date of this act pursuant to
Section 27-8-60, except it applies to an interest created on or before the
effective date if it would have been enforceable if created after the effective
date unless retroactive application contravenes the Constitution or law of
South Carolina or the United States.
Repeal
SECTION 3. Chapter 9, Title 27 of the 1976 Code is repealed.
Time effective
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Approved the 27th day of May, 1991. |