DNR Forms Land And Property Management Team
To Coordinate All Real Estate Transactions
ANNAPOLIS, MD —The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Land and Water Conservation Service announced a new team to coordinate all real estate transactions for the Department.As the largest landowner in Maryland, DNR has recognized the need to establish a management unit to administer, negotiate, and process all real property transactions (conveyances).
The Land and Property Management (“LPM”) team will coordinate transactions including leases (long term, dwelling, outbuilding, agricultural), deeds of easement (rights of way and utilities), rights of entry, use agreements, license agreements, life licenses, intra/inter agency agreements, and related documents.
The creation of this new team will allow DNR to increase efficiency and provide consolidated support to park and area managers, the public, and other units. The team will be staffed by existing DNR employees.
Currently, DNR annually processes and manages the following types of real property conveyances which produce approximately $2.1 million in annual revenue:
Long Term Lease Agreements - 200
Resident Curatorships - 37
Dwelling Leases - 200
Outbuilding Leases - 40
Cropland and Grazing Leases - 150
Total Leases Managed - 627
Rights of Entry - 100
The Land and Property Management (“LPM”) section will serve DNR by providing the following functions:
Deeds of Easement (utility, rights of way) - 25
Use Agreements - 20
License Agreements (utility) - 10
Other Types of Agreements (MOUs, Life Estates, etc.) - 20
Total Projects Annually - 175
- Consolidation of all real property conveyances into one cohesive unit;
- Efficient service and support to park and area managers for all land management units;
- Increased revenue/attainment from real property transactions;
- Development of standardized documents to streamline processes and project timelines;
- Negotiating, drafting, processing, and administration of all types of real property transactions to include lease agreements, deeds of easement, rights of entry, licenses, use agreements, memoranda of understanding; deeds for land exchanges, agency agreements, as well as license agreements, razings, sludge contracts, inventory, etc.
- Development of revised policies and procedures;
- Modern database system to track and manage all projects;
- Clear direction and continuity of LPM functions;
- Central location of all real property records and functions; and
- Central unit for all real property inquiries and questions (public, tenants, grantees, users as well as DNR field and headquarters personnel);
Posted January 16, 2004