§11-80-1. Condemnation of lands for public building sites, roads, streets, construction materials, etc.

(a) Counties and municipal corporations may condemn lands for public building sites or additions thereto, or for enlargements of sites already owned, or for public roads or streets or alleys, or for material for the construction of public roads or streets or for any other public use.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a municipality or county may not condemn property for the purposes of private retail, office, commercial, industrial, or residential development; or primarily for enhancement of tax revenue; or for transfer to a person, nongovernmental entity, public-private partnership, corporation, or other business entity. Provided, however, the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to the use of eminent domain by any municipality, housing authority, or other public entity based upon a finding of blight in an area covered by any redevelopment plan or urban renewal plan pursuant to Chapters 2 and 3 of Title 24, but just compensation, in all cases, shall continue to be first made to the owner. Nothing in this article shall limit the exercise of eminent domain by or for the benefit of public utilities or other entities engaged in the generation, transmission, or distribution of telephone, gas, electricity, water, sewer, or other utility products or services. Nothing in this article shall be interpreted to prohibit a municipal or county governing body from exercising the power of eminent domain for the purpose of constructing, maintaining, or operating streets and roadways, government buildings, or park and recreation facilities.

(c) Property condemned pursuant to the authorizations as described in subsections (a) and (b), if not ever used for the purpose or purposes for which it was condemned or for some other public use, that is subsequently determined to be sold first, shall be offered for sale to the person or persons from whom the property was condemned, or his or her known or ascertainable heirs or assigns, at the price which was paid for the property, less such amount, if any, as the person or persons from whom the property was condemned shall show by good and sufficient documentation to be the amount of income and transaction taxes, if any, actually paid in connection therewith, and if the offer shall not be accepted within 90 days from the date it is made, the property may be sold to any other person but only at public sale after legal notice is given.

(Code 1907, §145; Code 1923, §223; Code 1940, T. 12, §197; Act 2005-313, 1st Sp. Sess., §2.)