Rhode Island General Laws 32-1-3. Acquisition of land – Riparian rights – Control of land use
To more effectually carry out the purposes of this chapter and chapter 2 of this title, the department of environmental management may acquire by purchase, gift, devise, or condemnation, lands, easements, rights, and interests in land for a park, recreation ground, or bathing beach in any part of the state, whether that property is situated in the cities or towns in which its powers may be exercised under the provisions of § 32-2-1, or is situate in any other city or town; provided, that all property other than tide-flowed lands acquired by condemnation shall remain subject to all rights of riparian proprietors on any waters bordering upon the property, that no riparian rights shall be taken, destroyed, impaired, or affected by the condemnation, that all riparian proprietors shall have the right to continue to maintain, repair, or reconstruct dams and their appurtenances now existing on the waters bordering upon that property and for this purpose to enter upon that property, restoring it after repair or reconstruction to its previous condition as nearly as may be, and shall continue to enjoy the same rights of flowage with respect to that property that the riparian proprietors have heretofore used and enjoyed. Subject to the foregoing provisions of this section, the department may use, or permit the use of, property, acquired by it under the provisions of this section and the waters bordering thereon, for bathing, boating, fishing, and skating, and shall have the same authority, supervision, and control over that property as it has over other property acquired by the department under other provisions of this chapter or any other law.
History of Section.
G.L., ch. 279, § 15; P.L. 1927, ch. 1031, § 1; G.L. 1938, ch. 220, § 14; impl. am. P.L. 1952, ch. 2973, § 2; G.L. 1956, § 32-1-3; P.L. 2016, ch. 511, art. 2, § 52.
Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 32-1-3
- Devise: To gift property by will.
- Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
- town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9