Section 34: Procedure for the disposition of real property by sale, rental or otherwise
Section 34. (a) When authorized by the general court to sell, rent or otherwise dispose of real property, the commissioner shall proceed in accordance with this section, provided that any action or determination required hereunder which the commissioner has undertaken within 18 months prior to enactment of the authorization to dispose of the property need not be repeated if the commissioner (1) files, as provided in subsection (b), a report fully describing such action or determination, a copy of which shall be sent to the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives, and the joint committee on state administration, and (2) certifies under penalties of perjury that such report is accurate and that the action or determination described therein was undertaken within 18 months prior to the date of enactment of the authorization to dispose of the property.
The commissioner shall, after notification to and with the advice of the executive heads of state agencies and secretaries of the executive offices, determine whether such property is surplus to both current and foreseeable needs of state agencies. If the commissioner determines that the property is not surplus to either current or foreseeable needs of state agencies, the commissioner shall make no disposition that is inconsistent with such determination.
If the commissioner determines that such property is surplus to both the current and foreseeable needs of state agencies, the commissioner shall provide written notice, for each city or town in which the property is located, to the city manager in the case of a city under Plan E form of government, the mayor and city council in the case of all other cities, the chairman of the board of selectmen in the case of a town, the county commissioners, the regional planning agency and the members of the general court. The commissioner shall set forth in such notice a description of the property; a declaration that the property is surplus to the needs of state agencies and that subject to the approval of the commissioner the property is available to any other public agency for a direct public use; and a statement that, if so requested by any public official or body entitled under this section to receive such notice, a public hearing will be conducted in the city or town where such property is located, to assist the commissioner in determining whether any other public agency has a current or foreseeable direct public use for the property. Following such hearing, if any, but in no event earlier than 30 days following the notice, the commissioner shall determine whether any other public agency has a current or foreseeable direct public use for the property. If the commissioner determines that the property is not surplus to either current or foreseeable direct public uses of public agencies, the commissioner shall make no disposition that is inconsistent with such determination.
When the property is determined to be surplus to either current state or current direct public uses, but not to foreseeable state or foreseeable direct public uses, the commissioner shall take such action as is necessary to ensure that any disposition of the property is temporary and maintains the commissioner's ability to make such property available to a state agency or other public agency at such time as it is needed.
If the commissioner determines that the property is surplus to both current and foreseeable direct public uses of public agencies, the commissioner may dispose of the property to a public agency for other than direct public use, or to an individual or entity, provided that any such disposition shall be subject to section 36.
If the commissioner determines that the property is not needed for current or foreseeable state or direct public use and that the property should be disposed of, either temporarily or permanently, the commissioner shall declare that the property is available for disposition and shall determine appropriate reuse restrictions. The commissioner shall ensure that any rental agreement, and in the case of a conveyance a deed or separate disposition agreement as deemed appropriate by the commissioner, shall set forth all such reuse restrictions; shall provide for effective remedies on behalf of the commonwealth, including if deemed appropriate by the commissioner that title to the property, or such lesser interest as is the subject of the disposition agreement, shall revert to the commonwealth in the event of a violation of any such reuse restriction; and shall provide, in the case of a disposition to a public agency for a direct public use, that the title to the property, or such lesser interest as is the subject of the disposition agreement, shall revert to the commonwealth in the event the property is no longer utilized for such direct public use.
In determining reuse restrictions, the commissioner shall conform to all such restrictions pertaining to the property which may have been mandated by the general court, and may adopt additional restrictions, taking account of established state and local plans and policies. The commissioner shall conduct a public hearing to consider reuse restrictions if the property exceeds 2 acres or if the gross square footage of all structures on the property is greater than or equal to 150,000 square feet or if the commissioner determines that a hearing should be held for a smaller parcel. Notice of the public hearing shall be placed at least once each week for 4 consecutive weeks preceding the hearing, in newspapers with sufficient circulation to inform the people of the affected locality. The hearing shall be held in the locality in which the property is located no sooner than 30 days and no later than 35 days after notice thereof is published in the central register. After the hearing is conducted, the commissioner shall make a draft of any reuse restrictions available to the public and shall accept written comments for a period of 21 days. If after the hearing is conducted the commissioner determines that no reuse restrictions are necessary, the commissioner shall make that decision available to the public and accept written comments on that decision for a period of 21 days.
The commissioner shall establish the value of the property, through procedures customarily accepted by the appraising profession as valid for determining property value, for both the highest and best use of the property as currently encumbered and under the reuse restrictions as determined pursuant to this section.
No agreement for the rental or other disposition of state-owned real property, and no deed, executed by or on behalf of the commonwealth, shall be valid unless such agreement or deed contains the following declaration, signed by the commissioner:
The undersigned certifies under penalties of perjury that I have fully complied with sections 34 and 36 of chapter 7C of the General Laws in connection with the property described herein.
It shall be the policy of the commonwealth that the commissioner shall not sell, rent, or dispose of any real property including but not limited to granting the right to lay, construct, maintain, or operate pipelines through, over, across, or under land, water, park, reservation or highway of the commonwealth, its agencies or its political subdivisions, to any person doing business in or with Burma (Myanmar). The commissioner may sell, rent, or dispose of said property or grant said rights to said person only after certifying in writing to the speaker of the house of representatives and president of the senate that such action is essential to protect the health and safety of the public.
(b) The commissioner shall maintain, for a period of at least 6 years next following enactment of an authorization by the general court to dispose of real property, a file containing a copy of each document necessary to establish fulfillment of the requirements of subsection (a). Such file shall be open to public inspection.