(A) Any municipal corporation, county, or township may elect to adopt and implement the procedures set forth in sections 5722.02 to 5722.15 of the Revised Code to facilitate the effective reutilization of nonproductive land situated within its boundaries. Such election shall be made by ordinance in the case of a municipal corporation, and by resolution in the case of a county or township. The ordinance or resolution shall state that the existence of nonproductive land within its boundaries is such as to necessitate the implementation of a land reutilization program to foster either the return of such nonproductive land to tax revenue generating status or the devotion thereof to public use.

(B) Any county adopting a resolution under division (A) of this section may direct in the resolution that a county land reutilization corporation be organized under Chapter 1724. of the Revised Code to act on behalf of and cooperate with the county in exercising the powers and performing the duties of the county under this chapter. The powers extended to a county land reutilization corporation shall not be construed as a limitation on the powers granted to a county land reutilization corporation under Chapter 1724. of the Revised Code, but shall be construed as additional powers .

(C) An electing subdivision shall promptly deliver certified copies of such ordinance or resolution to the auditor, treasurer, and the prosecutor of each county in which the electing subdivision is situated. On and after the effective date of such ordinance or resolution, the foreclosure, sale, management, and disposition of all nonproductive land situated within the electing subdivision's boundaries shall be governed by the procedures set forth in sections 5722.02 to 5722.15 of the Revised Code, and, in the case of a county land reutilization corporation, as authorized under Chapter 1724. of the Revised Code. When a county adopts a resolution organizing a county land reutilization corporation pursuant to this chapter, the county shall deliver a copy of the resolution to the county auditor, county treasurer, and county prosecuting attorney.

(D) A county, a county land reutilization corporation, and a municipal corporation or township may enter into an agreement to implement the procedures in sections 5722.02 to 5722.15 of the Revised Code within the boundaries of the municipal corporation or township if the county and the township or municipal corporation are electing subdivisions and the county has, by resolution, designated a county land reutilization corporation to act on its behalf under this chapter.

Any property acquired by a county land reutilization corporation in a transaction other than the tax foreclosure procedures in Chapter 323., 5721., or 5723. of the Revised Code shall be subject to a priority right of acquisition by a municipal corporation or township in which the property is located for a period of thirty days after the county land reutilization corporation first records the deed evidencing acquisition of such property with the county recorder. A municipal corporation or township claiming a priority right of acquisition shall file, and the county recorder shall record, an instrument evidencing such right within the thirty-day period. The instrument shall include the name and address of the applicable municipal corporation or township, the parcel or other identifying number and an affirmative statement by the municipal corporation or township that it intends to acquire the property. If the municipal corporation or township records such an instrument within the thirty-day period, then the priority right of acquisition shall be effective for a period of ninety days after the instrument is recorded. If the municipal corporation or township does not record the instrument expressing its intent to acquire the property or, if having timely recorded such instrument does not thereafter acquire and record a deed within the ninety-day period following the recording of its intent to acquire the property, then the county land reutilization corporation may dispose of such property free and clear of any claim or interest of such municipal corporation or township. If a municipal corporation or township does not record an instrument of intent to acquire property within the thirty-day period, or if a municipal corporation or township, after timely recording an instrument of intent to acquire a parcel, does not thereafter acquire the parcel within ninety days and record a deed thereto with the county recorder, the municipal corporation or township has no statutory, legal, or equitable claim or estate in property acquired by the county land reutilization corporation. This section shall not be construed to constitute an exception to free and clear title to the property held by a county land reutilization corporation or any of its subsequent transferees, or to preclude a county land reutilization corporation and any municipal corporation or township from entering into an agreement that disposes of property on terms to which they may thereafter mutually agree.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §101.01, eff. 10/16/2009.

Effective Date: 03-11-2004; 2008 SB353 04-07-2009