---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 459c–5"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "459c–5"
heading: "Owner’s reservation of right of use and occupancy for fixed term of years or life"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/459c-5"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — National Parks, Military Parks, Monuments, and Seashores"
  - "Subchapter LXIII — National Seashore Recreational Areas"
---

# §459c–5. Owner’s reservation of right of use and occupancy for fixed term of years or life

- (a) **Election of term; fair market value; termination; notification; lease of Federal lands: restrictive covenants, offer to prior owner or leaseholder—** Except for property which the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) specifically determines is needed for interpretive or resources management purposes of the seashore, the [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) of [improved property](/usc/16/251h.md?p=2) or of agricultural property on the date of its [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) under sections [459c](/usc/16/459c.md) to [459c–7](/usc/16/459c–7.md) of this title may, as a condition of such [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1), retain for himself and his or her heirs and assigns a right of use and occupancy for a definite term of not more than twenty-five years, or, in lieu thereof, for a term ending at the death of the [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) or the death of his or her spouse, whichever is later. The [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) shall elect the term to be reserved. Unless the property is wholly or partly donated to the United States, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) shall pay to the [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) the fair market value of the property on the date of [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) minus the fair market value on that date of the right retained by the [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4). A right retained pursuant to this section shall be subject to termination by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) upon his or her determination that it is being exercised in a manner inconsistent with the purposes of sections [459c](/usc/16/459c.md) to [459c–7](/usc/16/459c–7.md) of this title, and it shall terminate by operation of law upon the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1)’s notifying the holder of the right of such determination and tendering to him or her an amount equal to the fair market value of that portion of the right which remains unexpired. Where appropriate in the discretion of the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1), he or she may lease federally owned land (or any interest therein) which has been acquired by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) under sections [459c](/usc/16/459c.md) to [459c–7](/usc/16/459c–7.md) of this title, and which was agricultural land prior to its [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1). Such lease shall be subject to such restrictive covenants as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of sections [459c](/usc/16/459c.md) to [459c–7](/usc/16/459c–7.md) of this title. Any land to be leased by the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) under this section shall be offered first for such lease to the [person](/usc/16/450rr–1.md?p=b) who owned such land or was a leaseholder thereon immediately before its [acquisition](/usc/16/620e.md?p=1) by the United States.
- (b) **“Improved and agricultural property” defined—** As used in sections [459c](/usc/16/459c.md) to [459c–7](/usc/16/459c–7.md) of this title, the term “[improved property](/usc/16/251h.md?p=2)” shall mean a private noncommercial dwelling, including the land on which it is situated, whose construction was begun before September 1, 1959, or, in the case of [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) added by action of the Ninety-fifth Congress, May 1, 1978 or, in the case of [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) added by action of the Ninety-sixth Congress, May 1, 1979, and structures accessory thereto (hereinafter in this subsection referred to as “dwelling”), together with such amount and locus of the property adjoining and in the same ownership as such dwelling as the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) designates to be reasonably necessary for the enjoyment of such dwelling for the sole purpose of noncommercial residential use and occupancy. In making such designation the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) shall [take](/usc/16/3102.md?p=18) into account the manner of noncommercial residential use and occupancy in which the dwelling and such adjoining property has usually been enjoyed by its [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) or occupant. The term “agricultural property” as used in sections [459c](/usc/16/459c.md) to [459c–7](/usc/16/459c–7.md) of this title means lands which were in regular use for, or were being converted to agricultural, ranching, or dairying purposes as of May 1, 1978 or, in the case of [areas](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) added by action of the Ninety-sixth Congress, May 1, 1979, together with residential and other structures related to the above uses of the property that were in existence or under construction as of May 1, 1978.
- (c) **Payment deferral; scheduling; interest rate—** In acquiring those lands authorized by the Ninety-fifth Congress for the purposes of sections [459c](/usc/16/459c.md) to [459c–7](/usc/16/459c–7.md) of this title, the [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) may, when agreed upon by the landowner involved, defer payment or schedule payments over a period of ten years and pay interest on the unpaid balance at a rate not exceeding that paid by the Treasury of the United States for borrowing purposes.
- (d) **Lands donated by State of California—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-1) is authorized to accept and manage in accordance with sections [459c](/usc/16/459c.md) to [459c–7](/usc/16/459c–7.md) of this title, any lands and improvements within or adjacent to the seashore which are donated by the [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) of California or its political [subdivisions](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=15). He is directed to accept any such lands offered for donation which comprise the Tomales Bay [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a) [Park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3), or lie between said [park](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-3) and Fish Hatchery Creek. The boundaries of the seashore shall be changed to include any such donated lands.
- (e) **Fee or admission charge prohibited—** Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no fee or admission charge may be levied for admission of the general public to the seashore.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 87–657, § 5, formerly § 6, Sept. 13, 1962, 76 Stat. 541; renumbered § 5, Pub. L. 91–223, § 2(c), Apr. 3, 1970, 84 Stat. 90; amended Pub. L. 95–625, title III, § 318(b)–(d), Nov. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 3487; Pub. L. 96–199, title I, § 101(a)(2)–(4), Mar. 5, 1980, 94 Stat. 67.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1980—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–199, § 101(a)(2), substituted “Except for property which the Secretary specifically determines is needed for interpretive or resources management purposes of the seashore, the” for “The” in first sentence.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–199, § 101(a)(3), inserted “or, in the case of areas inserted by action of the Ninety-sixth Congress, May 1, 1979,” after “May 1, 1978” and “that were in existence or under construction as of May 1, 1978” after “related to the above uses of the property”.

Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 96–199, § 101(a)(4), added subsecs. (d) and (e).

1978—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95–625, § 318(b), extended provision to agricultural property; provided for: retention rights of heirs and assigns, retention rights for term of twenty-five years or for term ending with death of owner or spouse, whichever was later, as elected by owner, which provision previously authorized retention for term of fifty years, termination of right of retention and notice thereof, and for lease of federally owned lands, subject to restrictive covenants, with first offer to prior owner or leaseholder; and included clause relating to donation of property to the United States.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 95–625, § 318(c), defined “improved property” to include private dwelling, the construction of which was begun, in the case of areas added by action of the Ninety-fifth Congress, October 1, 1978, and included definition of “agricultural property”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 95–625, § 318(d), added subsec. (c).