Pennsylvania Senate Bill SB236

Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/4/25
• Refer: 2/4/25

Caption

Authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Governor, to grant and convey to the White Birch Golf Course and Restaurant, certain lands situate in Rush Township, Schuylkill County.

Summary

SB236 authorizes the Department of General Services, with approval from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Governor, to sell and convey a specific parcel of state park land in Tuscarora State Park, Rush Township, Schuylkill County, to the White Birch Golf Course and Restaurant for $1. The parcel is described as land historically used as a customer parking lot under a 1989 land use agreement, and the conveyance would include the improvements on the property. The bill requires the deed to include restrictions and conditions. The property must remain subject to existing encumbrances and easements, and the Secretary of General Services may retain or grant easements as needed. Most notably, the deed must prohibit the property from being used as a licensed facility or any similar facility authorized under state law, and that restriction would run with the land. If the restriction is violated, title would automatically revert to the Commonwealth. The grantee would also be responsible for all costs and fees associated with the transfer, and if the conveyance is not completed within two years, the property may be disposed of under the Administrative Code of 1929. The bill’s impact on state law is narrow but direct: it creates a specific statutory authorization for the Commonwealth to dispose of a defined piece of state park land and sets the legal terms for that transfer. It affects the Department of General Services, DCNR, and the Governor by requiring their approval, and it changes the status of the parcel from state-owned park land to privately conveyed property, while preserving public protections through deed restrictions and reversion language. Proceeds from the sale must be deposited into a fund under DCNR’s jurisdiction. The available context shows no recorded committee debate, votes, or formal opposition, so the general sentiment appears neutral to favorable, or at least procedural. The bill reads as a targeted land conveyance measure rather than a broad policy change, suggesting it is likely intended to formalize an existing use and resolve property ownership issues for the adjacent business. The main point of potential contention is the transfer of state park land for nominal consideration, especially because it involves public land and a private commercial entity, though the bill’s restrictions on use and reversion clause appear designed to address concerns about future misuse. Overall, SB236 is a site-specific property disposition bill that regularizes a long-standing parking lot arrangement for the White Birch Golf Course and Restaurant while protecting the Commonwealth’s interests through deed conditions, easement protections, and a reversion remedy.

Impact

SB236 would amend the Commonwealth’s handling of a specific parcel of land in Tuscarora State Park by authorizing its conveyance from state ownership to a private entity. It affects the Department of General Services, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Governor by requiring their approval for the transfer, and it directs that sale proceeds be deposited into a DCNR-controlled fund. The bill also imposes binding deed restrictions, including a prohibition on use as a licensed facility, and provides for reversion of title if those restrictions are violated.

Sentiment

The available record shows no committee transcript, no recorded votes, and no stated opposition or support, so the sentiment around the bill appears largely neutral and administrative. The measure seems to be treated as a routine land conveyance tied to an existing use, with the statutory conditions suggesting an effort to balance private property needs with public land protections.

Contention

The main potential point of contention is the conveyance of state park land to a private business for $1, which could raise concerns about the disposition of public assets and whether the public receives adequate value. Any concern would likely focus on the precedent of transferring park land and the commercial nature of the recipient. The bill addresses these issues by limiting the property’s use, preserving existing easements, and including a reversion clause if the deed restrictions are violated.