Bill Text: PA HB1337 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Authorizing the turn back from the Commonwealth to Ward Township, Tioga County, of the road known as Old Possessions Road in Ward Township, Tioga County; and providing for the powers and duties of the Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 17-5)

Status: (Passed) 2011-12-22 - Act No. 117 [HB1337 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HB1337-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 1535
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1337 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY BAKER, PICKETT, CAUSER, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN, D. COSTA, CREIGHTON, EVERETT, FABRIZIO, FLECK, GILLEN, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GRELL, HESS, KNOWLES, KULA, MARSHALL, MILLARD, MILLER AND RAPP, APRIL 12, 2011
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, APRIL 12, 2011
AN ACT
Authorizing the turn back from the Commonwealth to Ward
Township, Tioga County, of the road known as Old Possessions
Road in Ward Township, Tioga County; and providing for the
powers and duties of the Secretary of Conservation and
Natural Resources.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Turn back of Old Possessions Road in Ward Township,
Tioga County.
(a) Authorization.--The road known as Old Possessions Road
in Ward Township, Tioga County, extending from Mountain Ridge
Road to River Road, and having a total length of 3.8 miles, is
hereby turned back from the Commonwealth to Ward Township, Tioga
County, provided that the conditions specified in subsection (b)
are satisfied.
(b) Conditions.–-In order for the turn back of the road
under subsection (a) to take effect, the following conditions
must be satisfied:
(1) The governing body of Ward Township, Tioga County
must, by ordinance or resolution, approve the turn back and
agree to assume the expense of maintenance and improvement of
the road.
(2) A copy of the ordinance or resolution must be
submitted to the Secretary of Conservation and Natural
Resources with a request for an order of turn back from the
secretary.
(3) If the Secretary of Conservation and Natural
Resources determines, after reviewing the request submitted
under paragraph (2), that the township:
(i) has complied with paragraphs (1) and (2), the
secretary shall give public notice of the request by
advertising three times, each publication on a different
day, in one newspaper of general circulation within the
township and by posting a copy of the request in a
conspicuous place along the road; or
(ii) has not complied with paragraphs (1) and (2),
the secretary shall notify the township in writing of the
basis for the noncompliance and provide the township with
an opportunity to take corrective action to comply with
paragraphs (1) and (2) and resubmit its request.
(4) The Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources
shall publish a statement of compliance with paragraphs (1),
(2) and (3)(i) as a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
(c) Ownership of real property.--The ownership of the real
property underlying the roadway shall continue to be retained by
the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in regard
to State forest land and by private property owners for those
portions of the road crossing privately owned property.
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(d) Vacation on roadway.--If the township vacates the
roadway, the status of the roadway shall be automatically
reinstated and the road shall be turned back from Ward Township,
Tioga County, to the Commonwealth. Upon the occurrence of a
reinstatement the secretary shall give notice in the
Pennsylvania Bulletin that the reversion has occurred.
(e) Effective date of turn back.--The date of publication of
the notice under subsection (b)(4) shall be the date on which
the turn back shall take effect.
Section 2. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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