§72a. Acquisition of land by Commission subject to limited rights reserved to grantor; acquisition of limited permanent rights in land adjoining park property

The authority of the National Capital Planning Commission, established by section 71 of this title, is enlarged as follows:

Said Commission is authorized to acquire, for and in behalf of the United States of America, by gift, devise, purchase, or condemnation, in accordance with the provisions of sections 71 to 71i, 72, 73, and 74 of this title, (1) fee title to land subject to limited rights, but not for business purposes, reserved to the grantor: Provided, That such reservation of rights shall not continue beyond the life or lives of the grantor or grantors of the fee: Provided further, That in the opinion of said Commission the permanent public park purposes for which control over said land is needed are not essentially impaired by said reserved rights and that there is a substantial saving in cost by acquiring said land subject to said limited rights as compared with the cost of acquiring unencumbered title thereto; (2) permanent rights in land adjoining park property sufficient to prevent the use of said land in certain specified ways which would essentially impair the value of the park property for its purposes: Provided, That in the opinion of said Commission the protection and maintenance of the essential public values of said park can thus be secured more economically than by acquiring said land in fee or by other available means: Provided further, That all contracts for acquisition of land subject to such limited rights reserved to the grantor and for acquisition of such limited permanent rights in land shall be subject to the approval of the President of the United States.

(Dec. 22, 1928, ch. 48, §1, 45 Stat. 1070 ; June 6, 1924, ch. 279, §9, as added July 19, 1952, ch. 949, §1, 66 Stat. 790 .)

References in Text

Former provisions of section 71 of this title, referred to in text, established the National Capital Park and Planning Commission, to which such clause originally referred. For transfer of functions, powers, etc., of that Commission to the National Capital Planning Commission, see Transfer of Functions note set out below, and for creation of the latter Commission, see section 71a of this title.

Transfer of Functions

In opening clause, "National Capital Planning Commission" substituted for "National Capital Park and Planning Commission", on authority of act June 6, 1924, ch. 270, §9, as added July 19, 1952, which transferred functions of latter to former. See section 71h of this title and Transfer of Functions note thereunder.

Delegation of Functions

Authority of President under this section to approve contracts for acquisition of land subject to limited rights reserved to grantor and for acquisition of limited permanent rights in land adjoining park property delegated to Director of Office of Management and Budget, see section 9(5) of Ex. Ord. No. 11609, July 22, 1971, 36 F.R. 13747, set out as a note under section 301 of Title 3, The President.