Pennsylvania Act 1895-257 — CITIES, ALLOWED TO TAKE LAND FOR PUBLIC PARKS

Act text

CITIES, ALLOWED TO TAKE LAND FOR PUBLIC PARKS
                 Act of Jun. 26, 1895, P.L. 349, No. 257              Cl. 11
                                  AN ACT

     Authorizing the cities of this Commonwealth to purchase,
        acquire, take, use and appropriate private property for
        public park purposes.

        Section 1.  Powers of cities; annexation of land outside
     city; taking site of poorhouse
        It shall be lawful for, and the right is hereby conferred
     upon, the cities of this Commonwealth to purchase, acquire,
     enter upon, take, use, and appropriate private property, for the
     purpose of making, enlarging, extending, and maintaining public
     parks, parkways, and playgrounds, within or without the
     corporate limits of such cities, and to enter upon, take, use,
     and appropriate any poorhouse properties, held for the
     accommodation of the poor of any districts, wards, or townships,
     within or without the corporate limits of such cities, for the
     purpose of making, enlarging, extending, and maintaining such
     public parks, parkways, and playgrounds whenever the councils
     thereof shall, by ordinance or joint resolution, determine
     thereon: Provided, That where said private property is outside
     of the city it may be annexed thereto by ordinance of such city:
     And provided, That where any poorhouse properties shall be so
     taken, and such cities shall have made adequate provisions for
     thereafter accommodating and supporting the poor of the
     districts, wards, or townships within such cities, wherein such
     poorhouses are located, nominal damages only shall be awarded
     for such taking, and the lands shall be held on condition that
     such cities shall continue to make such adequate provisions for
     the poor of such district, wards, or townships.  1895, June 26,
     P.L. 349, Sec. 1; 1901, May 11, P.L. 187, Sec. 1; 1903, April
     25, P.L. 3162, Sec. 1; 1909, May 6, P.L. 459, No. 258, Sec. 1;
     1927, May 13, P.L. 997, Sec. 1.
        Section 3.  Annexation of property outside city limits
     confirmed
        Whenever any city shall have purchased, acquired, entered
     upon, taken, used, or appropriated any private property, without
     the limits of such city, for the purpose of making, enlarging,
     extending, or maintaining public parks, parkways, or
     playgrounds, and shall have annexed such public park, parkway,
     or playgrounds to such city by proper ordinance or resolution
     under the provisions of section one of this act, such annexation
     shall be valid and binding and is hereby ratified and confirmed.
     1895, June 26, P.L. 349, Sec. 3, added 1927, May 13, P.L. 997,
     Sec. 2.