The county may sell or lease abandoned seawall or highway right-of-way property only in the listed priority order, and certain valuation, reporting, approval, and cost-payment steps apply.
Sec. 263.002. ABANDONED SEAWALL OR HIGHWAY PROPERTY. (a) If abandoned seawall or highway right-of-way property is no longer needed for such a purpose, the county may sell or lease the property only according to the following priorities: (1) to an abutting or adjoining landowner; (2) to the person who originally granted the right-of-way to the county or the grantor's heirs or assigns; (3) exclusively for public use to the United States, this state, or a municipality within the municipal boundaries of which the property is located; or (4) at public auction in accordance with Section 263.001. (b) A sale or lease to the public under this section is subject to any restrictions and prohibitions contained in the deed of conveyance under which the county originally acquired title to the property. (c) Before the commissioners court of the county sells or leases the property to an abutting or adjoining landowner or to the original grantor or the grantor's heirs or assigns, the commissioners court, in addition to notice published in accordance with Section 263.001, shall appoint an appraiser to determine the fair market value and fair lease value of the property to be sold or leased. The appraiser shall report those values to the commissioner appointed to sell or lease the property under Section 263.001. The appointed commissioner may not sell or lease the property for an amount that is less than the reported fair market value or fair lease value, as the case may be. (d) Before the commissioner sells or leases the property, the commissioner shall report to the commissioners court the amount of the proposed purchase or lease price. The commissioners court shall determine whether an offer of sale, purchase, or lease is reasonable and shall accept or reject the offer. The commissioners court may reject any offer it determines to be unreasonable. (e) In addition to the sale price, a purchaser of abandoned seawall or highway right-of-way property must pay all costs of conducting the sale, including the appraisal fee. Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.