Pennsylvania Act 1925-248 — CITIES, RELATING TO ACQUIRING LAND FOR EXPOSITION

Act text

CITIES, RELATING TO ACQUIRING LAND FOR EXPOSITION
                 Act of Apr. 30, 1925, P.L. 414, No. 248              Cl. 11
                                  AN ACT

     Authorizing cities of the first class to acquire land for the
        purpose of holding public expositions celebrating sesqui-
        centennials; to lay out, open, and improve streets, avenues,
        or boulevards in connection therewith; and to pass
        ordinances, incur indebtedness, and make appropriations
        therefor; and providing procedure for the condemnation of
        such lands, the assessment of damages or benefits, and
        appeals therefrom.

        Section 1.  Be it enacted, &c., That cities of the first
     class may purchase, acquire through condemnation proceedings,
     enter upon, take, use, possess, improve, and appropriate all
     such lands, either for temporary or permanent use, as may be
     necessary in connection with the holding of any public
     exposition celebrating any sesqui-centennial in such city,
     including grounds for the site of such exposition and all lands
     necessary for the opening, laying out, widening, or altering of
     streets, avenues, or boulevards as approaches thereto, and for
     that purpose the councils of such cities may enact ordinances,
     rules, and regulations appropriate and necessary for the
     purchase, condemnation, taking over, entry, possession, use,
     improvement, regulation, management, and control of the same
     without any other or further acts or proceedings now required by
     law, and may incur indebtedness and make such appropriation as
     may be required for the payment of any property acquired or used
     under authority of this act.
        Section 2.  Whenever any such city of the first class shall
     hereafter enter upon, take, use, and appropriate private
     property for the aforesaid purposes by ordinance or resolution,
     and the compensation and damages arising therefrom cannot be
     agreed upon by the owners thereof and such city, any court of
     common pleas or any judge thereof in vacation on application
     thereto by petition by the city or any person interested shall
     either before or after the entering, taking, using, or
     appropriating of such private property appoint three viewers
     from the board of viewers of the county, and appoint a time, not
     less than twenty nor more than thirty days thereafter, when the
     viewers shall meet upon the property entered, taken, used, or
     appropriated, and view the same.
        The viewers shall give at least ten days' notice of the time
     of their first meeting by publication in one or more newspapers
     of the city and by handbills posted upon the premises or
     otherwise, as the court shall direct. The viewers having been
     sworn or affirmed faithfully, justly, and impartially to decide
     and a true report to make concerning all matters to be submitted
     to them and in relation to which they are authorized to inquire,
     and having viewed and examined the property shall hear all
     parties interested and their witnesses, and shall determine the
     damages or benefits for property entered, taken, used, or
     appropriated and to or by whom the same are payable, and having
     determined the same they shall prepare a schedule thereof and
     report the same to the court and file therewith a plan showing
     the property entered, taken, injured, benefited or destroyed.
        Section 3.  (3 repealed June 3, 1971, P.L.118, No.6)
        Section 4.  (4 repealed June 3, 1971, P.L.118, No.6)
        Section 5.  Whenever such city and the parties affected do
     not agree upon the amount of compensation or damages or benefits
     due for the entering, taking, using, and appropriating of such
     property under ordinances of council passed pursuant to the
     authority conferred by this act, or by reason of the absence or
     legal incapacity of the owner thereof no such agreement can be
     made, the city may enter upon, take, use, possess, improve, and
     appropriate such lands for any of the aforesaid purposes without
     any other or further acts or proceedings now required by law,
     and the property of the city shall be pledged for the payment of
     any damages that may thereafter be awarded.
        Section 6.  In selecting or appropriating any lands for
     purchase or acquisition for the purposes aforesaid the council
     of any such city shall in no way be bound or restricted in
     making such selection or appropriation for exposition grounds
     and for laying out, opening, widening, improving, or altering of
     streets, avenues, or boulevards as approaches thereto by any
     city plan heretofore adopted, nor shall it be necessary for it
     to have first obtained the consent or approval of any commission
     or other board or agency of such city.
        Section 7.  Any such city, after having purchased or acquired
     any such lands for the purposes aforesaid, may open, lay out,
     widen, or alter, grade, pave, and improve any streets, avenues,
     or boulevards thereon at such time and in such manner as it may
     determine without any other or further acts or proceedings now
     required by law.