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H.B. 447

             1     

GOVERNMENT ENTITY CHANGES

             2     
2008 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Kory M. Holdaway

             5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies provisions relating to the processes and requirements when a
             10      boundary or name of a local governmental entity is changed.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    modifies the processes and requirements for notifying certain entities when a
             14      governmental entity boundary is changed in a county, municipality, special service
             15      district, local district, community development and renewal agency, local school
             16      district, or an entity created by interlocal agreement;
             17          .    changes the flow of information for an entity boundary change to be through the
             18      county recorder and then the lieutenant governor, with the lieutenant governor
             19      notifying entities needing boundary change information;
             20          .    establishes two standards for accuracy of boundary change information;
             21          .    requires the accuracy of boundary information for a notice and petition for a
             22      boundary change to meet the standard of a preliminary map;
             23          .    requires the accuracy of boundary information when recorded with the county
             24      recorder to meet the standard of a retraceable plat;
             25          .    prohibits a governmental entity boundary splitting a parcel;
             26          .    prohibits the county recorder from recording a boundary change unless the county
             27      surveyor has reviewed the accuracy of the plat;


             28          .    prohibits the lieutenant governor from certifying a boundary change unless the
             29      county surveyor has reviewed the accuracy of the plat;
             30          .    requires the county recorder to forward to the lieutenant governor a recorded copy
             31      of a boundary change or name change;
             32          .    modifies the process of an entity changing its name;
             33          .    removes the requirement to file articles of incorporation;
             34          .    requires the lieutenant governor to evaluate if a change in municipal or county
             35      classification is needed after a boundary change;
             36          .    modifies the number of days in which documents relating to a boundary change
             37      must be recorded;
             38          .    changes the arbitrator in a county boundary dispute from the state engineer to an
             39      independent county surveyor;
             40          .    allows the county recorder to establish an earlier deadline for submitting boundary
             41      changes in order to receive next year's property tax proceeds resulting from the
             42      boundary change;
             43          .    modifies the duties of the surveyor position within the Automated Geographic
             44      Reference Center, Division of Information Technology Services to include
             45      providing technical support to county surveyors, as requested, in evaluating
             46      boundary changes;
             47          .    requires the lieutenant governor to make available to the public on the Internet
             48      documents related to a governmental entity boundary change;
             49          .    requires the Automated Geographic Reference Center to provide boundaries of
             50      political subdivisions to the United States Bureau of the Census in meeting the
             51      needs of the bureau; and
             52          .    makes technical corrections.
             53      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             54          None
             55      Other Special Clauses:
             56          None
             57      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             58      AMENDS:


             59          10-1-118, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2000, Chapter 318
             60          10-2-103, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2000, Chapter 184
             61          10-2-119, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 233
             62          10-2-120, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 233
             63          10-2-121, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, First Special Session, Chapter 9
             64          10-2-125, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 212
             65          10-2-302, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2001, Second Special Session, Chapter 4
             66          10-2-418, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapters 329 and 378
             67          10-2-419, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 329
             68          10-2-425, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapters 329 and 378
             69          10-2-507, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 233
             70          10-2-610, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1997, Chapter 389
             71          10-2-712, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 233
             72          10-6-111, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 146
             73          11-13-204, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 233
             74          11-13-205, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapters 105 and 233
             75          17-2-1, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1993, Chapter 227
             76          17-2-2, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1984, Chapter 68
             77          17-2-3, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1984, Chapter 68
             78          17-2-4, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 233
             79          17-2-5, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             80          17-2-9, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 233
             81          17-2-13, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 233
             82          17-3-3, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 233
             83          17-50-104, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 233
             84          17-50-105, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 233
             85          17-50-502, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2000, Chapter 318
             86          17A-2-1311, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 233
             87          17A-2-1327, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 233
             88          17A-2-1329, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 233
             89          17A-3-802, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 1990, Chapter 186


             90          17A-3-803, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 1990, Chapter 186
             91          17B-1-215, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 329
             92          17B-1-216, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 329
             93          17B-1-217, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 329
             94          17B-1-412, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 329
             95          17B-1-414, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 329
             96          17B-1-415, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 329
             97          17B-1-416, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 329
             98          17B-1-417, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 329
             99          17B-1-512, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 329
             100          17B-1-1308, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 329
             101          17C-1-201, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2006, Chapter 359
             102          17C-1-701, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2006, Chapter 359
             103          53A-2-101.5, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 233
             104          53A-2-118, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, First Special Session, Chapter 1
             105          59-2-1304, as repealed and reenacted by Laws of Utah 1988, Chapter 3
             106          59-2-1325, as repealed and reenacted by Laws of Utah 1988, Chapter 3
             107          63-30d-401, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 329
             108          63F-1-506, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 233 and renumbered and
             109      amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 169
             110          63F-1-507, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 329
             111          67-1a-6.5, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapters 212 and 329
             112      ENACTS:
             113          17-21-26, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             114          17-23-20, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             115          59-2-924.5, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             116      REPEALS:
             117          10-1-116, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 233
             118          10-1-117, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 329
             119          10-2-122, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2000, Chapter 38
             120          10-2-508, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2003, Chapter 279


             121          10-2-611, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 233
             122     
             123      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             124          Section 1. Section 10-1-118 is amended to read:
             125           10-1-118. Changing the name of a municipality.
             126          (1) (a) A municipality may change its name by [filing amended articles of
             127      incorporation as provided in Section 10-1-117 .] recording with the county recorder a notice of
             128      name change.
             129          (b) The notice in Subsection (1)(a) shall have been:
             130          (i) approved by the municipal legislative body; and
             131          (ii) signed and verified by the mayor of the municipality.
             132          (2) The name change becomes effective upon the lieutenant governor's certification of
             133      the [amended articles as provided in Subsection 10-1-117 (3)] name change under Section
             134      67-1a-6.5 .
             135          Section 2. Section 10-2-103 is amended to read:
             136           10-2-103. Request for feasibility study -- Requirements -- Limitations.
             137          (1) The process to incorporate a contiguous area of a county as a city is initiated by a
             138      request for a feasibility study filed with the clerk of the county in which the area is located.
             139          (2) Each request under Subsection (1) shall:
             140          (a) be signed by the owners of private real property that:
             141          (i) is located within the area proposed to be incorporated;
             142          (ii) covers at least 10% of the total private land area within the area; and
             143          (iii) is equal in value to at least 7% of the value of all private real property within the
             144      area;
             145          (b) indicate the typed or printed name and current residence address of each owner
             146      signing the request;
             147          [(c) describe the contiguous area proposed to be incorporated as a city;]
             148          [(d)] (c) designate up to five signers of the request as sponsors, one of whom shall be
             149      designated as the contact sponsor, with the mailing address and telephone number of each;
             150          [(e)] (d) be accompanied by and circulated with [an accurate map or plat] a preliminary
             151      map as defined in Section 17-23-20 , prepared by a licensed surveyor, showing the boundaries


             152      of the proposed city; and
             153          [(f)] (e) request the county legislative body to commission a study to determine the
             154      feasibility of incorporating the area as a city.
             155          (3) A request for a feasibility study under this section may not propose for
             156      incorporation an area that includes some or all of an area that is the subject of a completed
             157      feasibility study or supplemental feasibility study whose results comply with Subsection
             158      10-2-109 (3) unless:
             159          (a) the proposed incorporation that is the subject of the completed feasibility study or
             160      supplemental feasibility study has been defeated by the voters at an election under Section
             161      10-2-111 ; or
             162          (b) the time provided under Subsection 10-2-109 (1) for filing an incorporation petition
             163      based on the completed feasibility study or supplemental feasibility study has elapsed without
             164      the filing of a petition.
             165          (4) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (4)(b), a request under this section may not
             166      propose for incorporation an area that includes some or all of an area proposed for annexation
             167      in an annexation petition under Section 10-2-403 that:
             168          (i) was filed before the filing of the request; and
             169          (ii) is still pending on the date the request is filed.
             170          (b) Notwithstanding Subsection (4)(a), a request may propose for incorporation an area
             171      that includes some or all of an area proposed for annexation in an annexation petition described
             172      in Subsection (4)(a) if:
             173          (i) the proposed annexation area that is part of the area proposed for incorporation does
             174      not exceed 20% of the area proposed for incorporation;
             175          (ii) the request complies with Subsections (2) and (3) with respect to the area proposed
             176      for incorporation excluding the proposed annexation area; and
             177          (iii) excluding the area proposed for annexation from the area proposed for
             178      incorporation would not cause the area proposed for incorporation to lose its contiguousness.
             179          (c) Except as provided in Section 10-2-107 , each request to which Subsection (4)(b)
             180      applies shall be considered as not proposing the incorporation of the area proposed for
             181      annexation.
             182          (5) At the time of filing the request for a feasibility study with the county clerk, the


             183      sponsors of the request shall mail or deliver a copy of the request to the chair of the planning
             184      commission of each township in which any part of the area proposed for incorporation is
             185      located.
             186          Section 3. Section 10-2-119 is amended to read:
             187           10-2-119. Recording notice of incorporation -- When incorporation complete --
             188      Incorporation presumed conclusive.
             189          (1) (a) Within [seven] 30 days after the canvass of the final election of city officers
             190      under Section 10-2-116 , the mayor-elect of the new city shall [file at least three copies of the
             191      articles] record with the county recorder a notice of incorporation [with the lieutenant
             192      governor].
             193          [(2) The articles of incorporation shall:]
             194          (b) The notice in Subsection (1)(a) shall:
             195          [(a)] (i) contain the name of the city;
             196          [(b) contain an accurate map or plat, prepared by a licensed surveyor, approved by the
             197      legislative body, and filed with the county surveyor in accordance with Section 17-23-17 ]
             198          (ii) contain a retraceable plat, as defined in Section 17-23-20 , showing the boundaries
             199      of the city;
             200          [(c) contain the city's class according to population as defined in Section 10-2-301 ;
             201      and]
             202          (iii) include the results of the election;
             203          (iv) include a statement signed by an attorney attesting that all legal requirements for
             204      the incorporation have been met; and
             205          [(d)] (v) be signed and verified by the mayor-elect of the city.
             206          [(3) The legislative body of the new city shall comply with the notice requirements of
             207      Section 10-1-116 .]
             208          (c) In addition to the deadline in Subsection (1)(a), the tax deadlines in Section
             209      59-2-924.5 apply.
             210          (2) The county recorder shall comply with the requirements of Section 17-21-26 .
             211          (3) The lieutenant governor shall comply with the requirements of Sections 10-2-302
             212      and 67-1a-6.5 .
             213          (4) The incorporation is effective upon the lieutenant governor certifying the


             214      incorporation under Section 67-1a-6.5 .
             215          (5) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a city shall be conclusively presumed
             216      to be lawfully incorporated and existing if for two years following the city's incorporation:
             217          (a) (i) the city has levied and collected a property tax; or
             218          (ii) for a city incorporated on or after July 1, 1998, the city has imposed a sales and use
             219      tax; and
             220          (b) no challenge to the existence or incorporation of the city has been filed in the
             221      district court for the county in which the city is located.
             222          Section 4. Section 10-2-120 is amended to read:
             223           10-2-120. Powers of officers-elect.
             224          [(1) (a) Before filing articles of incorporation, the mayor-elect of the future city may
             225      file with the lieutenant governor a verified notice of intention to file the articles of
             226      incorporation.]
             227          [(b) The notice under Subsection (1)(a) shall contain:]
             228          [(i) the name of the future city;]
             229          [(ii) an accurate map or plat, prepared by a licensed surveyor, approved by the
             230      legislative body, and filed with the county surveyor in accordance with Section 17-23-17 ,
             231      showing the boundaries of the future city;]
             232          [(iii) the city's class according to population as defined in Section 10-2-301 ; and]
             233          [(iv) the proposed date for filing the articles of incorporation.]
             234          [(2)] (1) Upon the [lieutenant governor's certification of the notice under Section
             235      67-1a-6.5 ] canvass of the final election of city officers under Section 10-2-116 and until the
             236      future city becomes legally incorporated, the officers of the future city may:
             237          (a) prepare and adopt, under Chapter 6, Uniform Fiscal Procedures Act For Utah
             238      Cities, a proposed budget and compilation of ordinances;
             239          (b) negotiate and make personnel contracts and hirings;
             240          (c) negotiate and make service contracts;
             241          [(d) file the notification required by Subsection 10-1-116 (1);]
             242          [(e)] (d) negotiate and make contracts to purchase equipment, materials, and supplies;
             243          [(f)] (e) borrow funds from the county in which the future city is located under
             244      Subsection 10-2-121 (3);


             245          [(g)] (f) borrow funds for startup expenses of the future municipality; and
             246          [(h)] (g) issue tax anticipation notes in the name of the future municipality.
             247          [(3)] (2) The city's legislative body shall review and ratify each contract made by the
             248      officers-elect under Subsection [(2)] (1) within 30 days of the effective date of incorporation
             249      under Section [ 10-2-122 ] 10-2-119 .
             250          Section 5. Section 10-2-121 is amended to read:
             251           10-2-121. Division of municipal-type services revenues -- County may provide
             252      startup funds -- Notice requirements.
             253          (1) The county in which an area incorporating under this part is located shall, until the
             254      date of the city's incorporation under Section [ 10-2-122 ] 10-2-119 , continue:
             255          (a) to levy and collect ad valorem property tax and other revenues from or pertaining to
             256      the future city; and
             257          (b) except as otherwise agreed by the county and the officers-elect of the city [after the
             258      filing of the notice under Subsection 10-2-120 (1)], to provide the same services to the future
             259      city as the county provided before the commencement of the incorporation proceedings.
             260          (2) (a) The legislative body of the county in which a newly incorporated city is located
             261      shall share pro rata with the new city, based on the date of incorporation, the taxes and service
             262      charges or fees levied and collected by the county under Section 17-34-3 during the year of the
             263      new city's incorporation if and to the extent that the new city provides, by itself or by contract,
             264      the same services for which the county levied and collected the taxes and service charges or
             265      fees.
             266          (b) (i) The legislative body of a county in which a city incorporated after January 1,
             267      2004, is located may share with the new city taxes and service charges or fees that were levied
             268      and collected by the county under Section 17-34-3 :
             269          (A) before the year of the new city's incorporation;
             270          (B) from the previously unincorporated area that, because of the city's incorporation, is
             271      located within the boundaries of the newly incorporated city; and
             272          (C) for the purpose of providing services to the area that before the new city's
             273      incorporation was unincorporated.
             274          (ii) A county legislative body may share taxes and service charges or fees under
             275      Subsection (2)(b)(i) by a direct appropriation of funds or by a credit or offset against amounts


             276      due under a contract for municipal-type services provided by the county to the new city.
             277          (3) (a) The legislative body of a county in which an area incorporating under this part is
             278      located may appropriate county funds to:
             279          (i) before incorporation but after [a notice under Subsection 10-2-120 (1) is filed] the
             280      canvass of the final election of city officers under Section 10-2-116 , the officers-elect of the
             281      future city to pay startup expenses of the future city; or
             282          (ii) after incorporation, the new city.
             283          (b) Funds appropriated under Subsection (3)(a) may be distributed in the form of a
             284      grant, a loan, or as an advance against future distributions under Subsection (2).
             285          [(4) (a) Within 30 days of incorporation, the legislative body of the new city shall
             286      record with the recorder of the county in which the new city is located a plat or map, prepared
             287      by a licensed surveyor and approved by the legislative body of the new city, the county
             288      recorder, and county surveyor, showing the boundaries of the new city.]
             289          [(b) The legislative body of the new city shall comply with the notice requirements of
             290      Section 10-1-116 .]
             291          Section 6. Section 10-2-125 is amended to read:
             292           10-2-125. Incorporation of a town.
             293          (1) As used in this section:
             294          (a) "Base petition" means a petition under this section proposing the incorporation of a
             295      town and signed by the owners of private real property that:
             296          (i) is located within the area proposed to be incorporated;
             297          (ii) covers at least a majority of the total private land area within the area proposed to
             298      be incorporated; and
             299          (iii) is equal in value to at least 1/3 but not more than 1/2 of the value of all private real
             300      property within the area proposed to be incorporated.
             301          (b) "Qualifying petition" means a petition under this section proposing the
             302      incorporation of a town and signed by the owners of private real property that:
             303          (i) is located within the area proposed to be incorporated;
             304          (ii) covers at least a majority of the total private land area within the area proposed to
             305      be incorporated; and
             306          (iii) is equal in value to more than 1/2 of the value of all private real property within


             307      the area proposed to be incorporated.
             308          (2) (a) A contiguous area of a county not within a municipality, with a population of at
             309      least 100 but less than 1,000, may incorporate as a town as provided in this section.
             310          (b) (i) The population figure under Subsection (2)(a) shall be derived from the most
             311      recent official census or census estimate of the United States Bureau of the Census.
             312          (ii) If the population figure is not available from the United States Bureau of the
             313      Census, the population figure shall be derived from the estimate from the Utah Population
             314      Estimates Committee.
             315          (3) (a) The process to incorporate an area as a town is initiated by filing a petition with
             316      the clerk of the county in which the area is located.
             317          (b) Each petition under Subsection (3)(a) shall:
             318          (i) be signed by the owners of private real property that:
             319          (A) is located within the area proposed to be incorporated;
             320          (B) covers a majority of the total private land area within the area; and
             321          (C) is equal in value to at least 1/3 of the value of all private real property within the
             322      area;
             323          [(ii) state the legal description of the boundaries of the area proposed to be
             324      incorporated as a town;]
             325          [(iii)] (ii) designate up to five signers of the petition as sponsors, one of whom shall be
             326      designated as the contact sponsor, with the mailing address of each owner signing as a sponsor;
             327          [(iv)] (iii) be accompanied by and circulated with [an accurate map or plat] a
             328      preliminary map as defined in Section 17-23-20 , prepared by a licensed surveyor, showing the
             329      [boundaries] boundary of the proposed town; and
             330          [(v)] (iv) substantially comply with and be circulated in the following form:
             331          PETITION FOR INCORPORATION OF (insert the proposed name of the proposed
             332      town)
             333          To the Honorable County Legislative Body of (insert the name of the county in which
             334      the proposed town is located) County, Utah:
             335          We, the undersigned owners of real property within the area described in this petition,
             336      respectfully petition the county legislative body for the area described in this petition to be
             337      incorporated as a town. Each of the undersigned affirms that each has personally signed this


             338      petition and is an owner of real property within the described area, and that the current
             339      residence address of each is correctly written after the signer's name. The area proposed to be
             340      incorporated as a town is described as follows: (insert an accurate description of the area
             341      proposed to be incorporated).
             342          (c) A petition under this section may not describe an area that includes some or all of
             343      an area proposed for annexation in an annexation petition under Section 10-2-403 that:
             344          (i) was filed before the filing of the petition; and
             345          (ii) is still pending on the date the petition is filed.
             346          (4) Section 10-2-104 applies to a petition for incorporation as a town in any county,
             347      except that the notice under Subsection 10-2-104 (1) shall be sent within seven calendar days
             348      after the filing of a petition under Subsection (3).
             349          (5) (a) (i) The legislative body of each county with which a base petition is filed under
             350      this section shall commission and pay for a feasibility study as provided in Section 10-2-103 .
             351          (ii) If the results of the feasibility study under Subsection (5)(a)(i) meet the
             352      requirements of Subsection 10-2-109 (3), the county legislative body shall grant the petition.
             353          (iii) If the results of the feasibility study under Subsection (5)(a)(i) do not meet the
             354      requirements of Subsection 10-2-109 (3), the county legislative body may:
             355          (A) deny the petition;
             356          (B) grant the petition; or
             357          (C) with the consent of the petition sponsors, grant the petition, after:
             358          (I) imposing conditions to mitigate the fiscal inequities identified in the feasibility
             359      study; or
             360          (II) altering the boundaries of the area proposed to be incorporated as a town to
             361      approximate the boundaries necessary to meet the requirements of Subsection 10-2-109 (3).
             362          (iv) Each town that incorporates pursuant to a petition granted after the county
             363      legislative body imposes conditions under Subsection (5)(a)(iii)(C)(I) shall comply with those
             364      conditions.
             365          (b) The legislative body of each county of the second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth class
             366      with which a qualifying petition is filed shall grant the petition.
             367          (6) (a) Upon the granting of a petition filed under this section, the legislative body of
             368      the county in which the proposed town is located shall appoint a mayor and members of the


             369      town council from a list of qualified individuals approved by the petition sponsors.
             370          (b) The officers appointed under Subsection (6)(a) shall hold office until the next