Sec. 12. (a) If no appeal is taken, or if an appeal is taken but is unsuccessful, the commission shall proceed with the proposed project, to the extent that money is available for that purpose.

     (b) The commission shall first approve and adopt a list of the real property and interests in real property to be acquired, and the price to be offered to the owner of each parcel or interests. The prices to be offered may not exceed the average of two (2) independent appraisals of fair market value procured by the commission, except that appraisals are not required in transactions with other governmental agencies. However, if the real property is less than five (5) acres in size and the fair market value of the real property or interest has been appraised by one (1) independent appraiser at less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), the second appraisal may be made by a qualified employee of the department. The prices indicated on the list may not be exceeded unless specifically authorized by the commission under section 7 of this chapter or ordered by a court in condemnation proceedings. The commission may except from acquisition any real property in the area if it finds that such an acquisition is not necessary under the redevelopment plan. Appraisals made under this section are for the information of the commission and are not open for public inspection.

     (c) Negotiations for the purchase of property may be carried on directly by the commission, by its employees, or by expert negotiators employed for that purpose. The commission shall adopt a standard form of option for use in negotiations, but no option, contract, or understanding relative to the purchase of real property is binding on the commission until approved and accepted by the commission in writing. The commission may authorize the payment of a nominal fee to bind an option, and as a part of the consideration for conveyance may agree to pay the expense incident to the conveyance and determination of the title of the property. Payment for the property purchased shall be made when and as directed by the commission, but only on delivery of proper instruments conveying the title or interest of the owner to “City of __________ for the use and benefit of its Department of Metropolitan Development”. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this subsection, any agreement by the commission to make payments for the property purchased over a term exceeding five (5) years is subject to the prior approval of the legislative body of the unit.

     (d) Notwithstanding subsections (a) through (c), the commission may, before the time referred to in this section, accept gifts of property needed for the redevelopment of redevelopment project areas. The commission may, before the time referred to in this section, take options on or contract for the acquisition of property needed for the redevelopment of redevelopment project areas if the options and contracts are not binding on the commission or the redevelopment district until the time referred to in this section and until money is available to pay the consideration set out in the options or contracts.

     (e) Section 15(a) through 15(h) of this chapter does not apply to exchanges of real property (or interests in real property) in connection with the acquisition of real property (or interests in real property) under this section. In acquiring real property (or interests in real property) under this section the commission may, as an alternative to offering payment of money as specified in subsection (b), offer for the real property (or interest in real property) that the commission desires to acquire:

(1) exchange of real property or interests in real property owned by the redevelopment district;

(2) exchange of real property or interests in real property owned by the redevelopment district, along with the payment of money by the commission; or

(3) exchange of real property or interests in real property owned by the redevelopment district along with the payment of money by the owner of the real property or interests in real property that the commission desires to acquire.

The commission shall have the fair market value of the real property or interests in real property owned by the redevelopment district appraised as specified in section 15(b) of this chapter. The appraisers may not also appraise the value of the real property or interests in real property to be acquired by the redevelopment district. The commission shall establish the nature of the offer to the owner based on the difference between the average of the two (2) appraisals of the fair market value of the real property or interests in real property to be acquired by the commission and the average of the appraisals of fair market value of the real property or interests in real property to be exchanged by the commission.

As added by Acts 1982, P.L.77, SEC.8. Amended by P.L.358-1983, SEC.3; P.L.222-1986, SEC.1; P.L.193-1988, SEC.3; P.L.14-1991, SEC.17; P.L.185-2005, SEC.32; P.L.149-2014, SEC.35.