Section 803. Alterations or replacements of structures by person having estate for life or years  


Latest version.
  • 1. When a person having an estate for life  or
      for years in land proposes to make an alteration in, or a replacement of
      a  structure  or  structures located thereon, then the owner of a future
      interest in such land can neither recover damages for,  nor  enjoin  the
      alteration  or  replacement,  if  the  person  proposing  to  make  such
      alteration or replacement complies  with  the  requirements  hereinafter
      stated as to the giving of security and establishes the following facts:
        a.  That the proposed alteration or replacement is one which a prudent
      owner of an estate in fee simple absolute in the affected land would  be
      likely  to  make  in  view  of  the  conditions  existing  on  or in the
      neighborhood of the affected land; and
        b. That the proposed alteration or replacement, when  completed,  will
      not  reduce the market value of the interests in such land subsequent to
      the estate for life or for years; and
        c. That the proposed alteration or replacement is not in violation  of
      the terms of any agreement or other instrument regulating the conduct of
      the owner of the estate for life or for years or restricting the land in
      question; and
        d. That the life expectancy of the owner of the estate for life or the
      unexpired term of the estate for years is not less than five years; and
        e.  That  the person proposing to make such alteration or replacement,
      not less than thirty days prior to  commencement  thereof,  served  upon
      each  owner  of  a  future  interest, who is in being and ascertained, a
      written notice of his intention to make such alteration or  replacement,
      specifying  the nature thereof, which notice was served personally or by
      registered mail sent to the last known address of each such owner  of  a
      future interest.
        2.  When  the  owner of a future interest in the affected land demands
      security that the proposed alteration or replacement, if begun, will  be
      completed   and   that   he  be  protected  against  responsibility  for
      expenditures incident to  the  making  of  the  proposed  alteration  or
      replacement,  the  court  in  which  the action to recover damages or to
      enjoin the alteration or replacement is pending, or if no such action is
      pending, the supreme court, on application thereto, on  such  notice  to
      the interested parties as the court may direct, shall fix the amount and
      terms  of  the security reasonably necessary to satisfy such demand. The
      furnishing of the security so fixed shall be a  condition  precedent  to
      the making of the proposed alteration or replacement.
        3.  This section applies only to estates for life or for years created
      on or after September 1, 1937.