§ 12-6-9 - Acquisition of land; gifts of land for use as lookout tower sites; abandoned tower sites; improvements on land subject to reversionary clause
O.C.G.A. 12-6-9 (2010)
12-6-9. Acquisition of land; gifts of land for use as lookout tower sites; abandoned tower sites; improvements on land subject to reversionary clause
(a) The commission shall have the right to acquire, in the name of the state, by purchase, lease, agreement, or condemnation, such land within the state as may be deemed necessary and proper. Condemnation proceedings shall be subject to the applicable provisions of law relating to the condemnation of property by the State of Georgia. The acquisition by the commission of any land, either by purchase or by condemnation, shall be construed as transferring a fee simple interest, unless the instrument conveying such interest, or the condemnation petition, clearly indicates otherwise.
(b) The director, provided for in Code Section 12-6-11, is authorized to acquire in the name of the state, where the grantor makes a gift thereof to the state, small tracts of land not in excess of five acres, to be used as forest fire lookout tower sites. Title to such land may be conveyed by deeds containing reversionary clauses. Upon abandonment by the commission of such site after the site is no longer of use to it, the director is authorized to reconvey title by quitclaim deed to the grantor, his successors, or assigns, and the director is authorized to reconvey all tower sites subject to reversionary clauses which sites were acquired by the commission as gifts prior to March 3, 1955. However, in case of any abandonment or reconveyance under this subsection, the commission shall have the unqualified right to remove any improvements or fixtures, either temporary or permanent, placed on such property without regard to whether same would have, under general principles of law, become part of the realty, which right may be exercised any time before or a reasonable time after abandonment.
(c) The director is authorized to improve with funds appropriated to the commission any real estate under its control or management which may be held under a deed containing a reversionary clause conditioned on the discontinuation of use for the purpose for which conveyed.