TITLE 52 WATERS OF THE STATE, PORTS, AND WATERCRAFT

Section 1. General Provisions, 52-1-1 through 52-1-39.

ARTICLE 1 PROTECTION OF TIDEWATERS

52-1-7. Seizure and removal of structures; notice; sale or disposal.

Whenever any order issued by the commissioner pursuant to Code Section 52-1-5 becomes final or whenever any order adverse to the owner or possessor of a structure issued by the administrative law judge pursuant to Code Section 52-1-6 becomes final by being unappealed or affirmed upon appeal, the structure shall be deemed contraband.Upon the structure's becoming contraband, the commissioner or his duly authorized agents shall seize and remove said structure and may sell or dispose of such structure in such manner as the commissioner may direct; provided, however, that prior to such seizure the commissioner shall securely post a notice in a conspicuous place on the structure and, if the address of any person or persons claiming ownership of or any person or persons in possession of the structure is known, the commissioner shall mail a copy of such notice to such person or persons by certified mail or statutory overnight delivery informing such person or persons claiming ownership of or in possession of the structure that such structure is considered contraband as a matter of law and that unless the structure is removed within 30 days of the date of the notice, the commissioner, through his duly appointed agents, shall seize and remove said structure and may sell or dispose of such structure in such manner as the commissioner may direct.Any such notice so posted must be protected from the weather by encasing same in a weatherproof, transparent material.In the event the commissioner sells the structure or the materials of such structure, he may credit and retain the proceeds of such sale against the cost of the removal and disposal of the structure and any remaining balance shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the general fund.

(Code 1981, §52-1-7, enacted by Ga. L. 1992, p. 2317, § 1; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1589, § 3.)