Committee moves bill to raise DelDOT appraisal threshold to $25,000

Chair Lachman told the committee she would switch the day's order to take House Bill 457 first. The measure would amend Title 17, section 137 to increase the qualified independent appraisal threshold from $10,000 to $25,000 to align state practice with Federal Highway Administration limits and speed smaller property dispositions by DelDOT.

The chair said appraisal and associated costs can run between $5,000 and $10,000 and take four to six months, making small dispositions costly and time consuming. She identified Brianna Kovach, DelDOT chief of right of way, as the department contact available to answer questions; no DelDOT representative spoke at length during the hearing.

Clerk reported no registered public commenters for HB457, and the committee concluded virtual public comment for the bill. Chair Lachman said the committee would circulate HB457 for signatures so backers could sign the measure; the committee did not record a roll‑call vote on the bill during this meeting.

The chair said the change is intended to provide consistency between acquisition and disposition thresholds and to allow DelDOT to more quickly complete smaller dispositions as property values rise.