(a) Pursuant to West Virginia Code§ 31-18E-9, the Clarksburg LRA may acquire an interest in tax-delinquent property through the provisions of chapter 11A of the West Virginia Code. The Clarksburg LRA may exercise all of the authority granted by chapter 31, article 18E of West Virginia Code, including, but not limited to, obtaining lists of tax-delinquent properties, purchasing tax liens for unredeemed property, exercising the right of first refusal on eligible properties, and entering into similar arrangements to obtain property.
(b) In the event that the Clarksburg LRA uses its right of first refusal to obtain tax-delinquent property, the Clarksburg LRA shall notify adjacent property owners of the property acquisition pursuant to the requirements of West Virginia Code §31-18E-9. For the
purposes of this requirement, "adjacent" means that the property acquired shares a boundary
with the other property. There is no requirement to make notice to other property holders
nearby who do not share a boundary with the property so acquired. If more than one adjacent property owner responds with an interest in purchasing the property within the time period authorized by West Virginia Code §31-18E-9, the Clarksburg LRA shall provide an additional time period within which the owners may submit bids on the property and the property shall be sold to the highest bidder. The Clarksburg LRA may adopt a policy governing this process that conforms with West Virginia Code §31-18E-9 and this chapter. The Clarksburg LRA may refuse to sell the property to the adjacent property owner that expressed interest in the tax-delinquent property if that property owner or an entity owned by the property owner or its directors is delinquent on any state and local taxes or municipal fees on any of their property.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, any property obtained by the Clarksburg LRA through any means other than the right of first refusal on tax sales and any property obtained by right of first refusal where an adjacent land owner does not timely express the desire to purchase the property may still be conveyed to one or more adjacent land owners through the processes adopted by the Clarksburg Land Reuse Agency and
without the restrictions contained in West Virginia Code § 31-18E-9(g).
(Ord. 23-18. Passed 7-20-23.)