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S.B. 80

             1     

ADJUSTMENTS OF COUNTY BOUNDARIES

             2     
2002 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Sponsor: Carlene M. Walker

             5      This act modifies the County Code by providing a procedure for adjacent counties to make
             6      minor adjustments to their shared boundary by joint resolution of the county legislative
             7      bodies. The act repeals the description of county boundaries and makes the Lieutenant
             8      Governor's office responsible for maintaining the official county boundaries. The act makes
             9      technical changes and provides an effective date.
             10      This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
             11      AMENDS:
             12          17-2-6, as last amended by Chapter 14, Laws of Utah 2000
             13      ENACTS:
             14          17-2-13, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             15          17-50-104, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             16      RENUMBERS AND AMENDS:
             17          17-50-105, (Renumbered from 17-50-204, as enacted by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000)
             18      REPEALS:
             19          17-50-201, as enacted by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             20          17-50-202, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             21          17-50-203, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             22          17-50-205, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             23          17-50-206, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             24          17-50-207, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             25          17-50-208, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             26          17-50-209, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             27          17-50-210, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000


             28          17-50-211, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             29          17-50-212, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             30          17-50-213, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             31          17-50-214, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             32          17-50-215, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             33          17-50-216, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             34          17-50-217, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             35          17-50-218, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             36          17-50-219, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             37          17-50-220, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             38          17-50-221, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             39          17-50-222, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             40          17-50-223, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             41          17-50-224, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             42          17-50-225, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             43          17-50-226, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             44          17-50-227, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             45          17-50-228, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             46          17-50-229, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             47          17-50-230, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             48          17-50-231, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             49          17-50-232, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             50          17-50-233, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 133, Laws of Utah 2000
             51      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             52          Section 1. Section 17-2-6 is amended to read:
             53           17-2-6. Annexation of portion of county to adjoining county -- Petition -- Alternate
             54      annexation procedure -- Election -- Ballots.
             55          (1) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (2) and in Section 17-2-13 , whenever a majority
             56      of the legal voters of any portion of any county, in number equal to a majority of the votes cast at
             57      the preceding general election within that portion of the county, desire to have the territory within
             58      which they reside included within the boundaries of an adjoining county they may petition the


             59      county legislative body of the county in which they reside, which is hereafter referred to as the
             60      county from which territory is to be taken, as well as the county legislative body of the county to
             61      which they desire to be annexed, which is referred to as the annexing county.
             62          (b) Such petition must be presented before the first Monday in June of a year during which
             63      a general election is held, and the county legislative body must cause such proposition to be
             64      submitted to the legal voters residing in the county from which territory is to be taken as well as
             65      to the legal voters of the annexing county at the ensuing general election.
             66          (2) (a) As an alternative to the procedure under Subsection (1), a portion of a county may
             67      be annexed to an adjoining county with which the area proposed to be annexed shares a common
             68      boundary if:
             69          (i) the area proposed to be annexed:
             70          (A) is located within a city or town whose boundaries extend into the proposed annexing
             71      county;
             72          (B) is contiguous to the portion of the city or town that is located within the proposed
             73      annexing county; and
             74          (C) includes all of the city or town that is within the county from which the area is
             75      proposed to be taken;
             76          (ii) by a two-thirds vote of each house, the Legislature passes a concurrent resolution:
             77          (A) describing the area proposed to be annexed;
             78          (B) identifying the county to which the area is proposed to be annexed; and
             79          (C) approving the annexation;
             80          (iii) the governor signs the concurrent resolution passed by the Legislature; and
             81          (iv) after the completion of an economic analysis under Subsection (2)(b) that meets the
             82      requirements of Subsection (2)(b)(iii)(C), the annexation is approved by:
             83          (A) a majority of the voters living in the area proposed to be annexed; and
             84          (B) a majority of the voters living in the proposed annexing county.
             85          (b) (i) (A) If the Legislature passes and the governor signs a concurrent resolution as
             86      provided in Subsection (2)(a), the legislative body of the county in which the area proposed to be
             87      annexed is located and the legislative body of the proposed annexing county shall, within 30 days
             88      after the governor signs the concurrent resolution, select and engage an independent consultant to
             89      perform an economic analysis of the proposed annexation.


             90          (B) If the county legislative bodies are unable to agree upon an independent consultant
             91      within the required time under Subsection (2)(b)(i)(A), the Utah Association of Counties shall,
             92      within ten days, select an independent consultant and the county legislative bodies shall, within
             93      ten days after notification of the selection, engage the consultant selected by the Utah Association
             94      of Counties.
             95          (C) The county in which the area proposed for annexation is located and the proposed
             96      annexing county shall equally share the fees and expenses of the independent consultant.
             97          (ii) The legislative body of the county in which the area proposed to be annexed is located
             98      and the legislative body of the proposed annexing county shall require the consultant selected and
             99      engaged under Subsection (2)(b)(i) to:
             100          (A) conduct an economic analysis of the proposed annexation that shall consider:
             101          (I) the fiscal impact of the proposed annexation on the county from which the annexation
             102      area is proposed to be taken;
             103          (II) the present and five-year projections of the cost of county services in the area proposed
             104      to be annexed;
             105          (III) the present and five-year projected revenues to the proposed annexing county from
             106      the area proposed to be annexed;
             107          (IV) the projected impact the annexation will have during the five years after annexation
             108      on the amount of taxes that will be paid by property owners within the area proposed to be
             109      annexed, the proposed annexing county, and the remaining portion of the county from which the
             110      annexation area is proposed to be taken; and
             111          (V) the effect on each school district whose boundaries include part or all of the area
             112      proposed to be annexed or the proposed annexing county;
             113          (B) provide a written report setting forth the economic analysis; and
             114          (C) complete the economic analysis and written report and provide a copy of the written
             115      report to the county legislative bodies no later than 60 days after being engaged to perform the
             116      economic analysis.
             117          (iii) (A) If the results of the economic analysis show that the average annual amount of
             118      revenues under Subsection (2)(b)(ii)(A)(III) exceeds the average annual amount of costs under
             119      Subsection (2)(b)(ii)(A)(II) by more than 5%, an election on the annexation issue may not be held
             120      under Subsection (2)(c) and the proposed annexation may not occur.


             121          (B) (I) If the results of the economic analysis show that the average annual amount of costs
             122      under Subsection (2)(b)(ii)(A)(II) exceeds the average annual amount of revenues under
             123      Subsection (2)(b)(ii)(A)(III) by more than 5%, the legislative body of the proposed annexing
             124      county may terminate the annexation proceedings by adopting a resolution to that effect and
             125      delivering a copy of the resolution to the legislative body of the county in which the area proposed
             126      to be annexed is located.
             127          (II) A resolution terminating annexation proceedings under Subsection (2)(b)(iii)(B)(I)
             128      may not be adopted more than 30 days after the consultant submits a written report of the
             129      economic analysis under Subsection (2)(b)(ii)(C).
             130          (C) (I) If the results of the economic analysis show that the average annual amount of
             131      revenues under Subsection (2)(b)(ii)(A)(III) does not exceed the average annual amount of costs
             132      under Subsection (2)(b)(ii)(A)(II) by more than 5% and a resolution terminating the annexation
             133      proceedings under Subsection (2)(b)(iii)(B) has not been adopted, the legislative body of the
             134      county in which the area proposed for annexation is located and the legislative body of the
             135      annexing county shall submit the question of annexation to the voters of the area proposed for
             136      annexation and the voters of the annexing county, respectively, at the next regular general election
             137      that is more than 210 days after the governor signs the concurrent resolution.
             138          (II) Before an election is held under Subsection (2)(b)(iii)(C)(I), the legislative body of the
             139      county in which the area proposed to be annexed is located and the legislative body of the
             140      proposed annexing county shall publicly distribute in their respective counties the results of the
             141      economic analysis.
             142          (c) If annexation occurs:
             143          (i) the annexing county shall:
             144          (A) pay all costs of the annexation election;
             145          (B) with the cooperation and assistance of the legislative body and recorder's office of the
             146      county in which the annexed area was located before annexation, establish and implement a
             147      procedure for establishing in the recorder's office of the annexing county an appropriate record of
             148      the real property located in the annexed area; and
             149          (C) pay all costs associated with the establishment and implementation of the procedure
             150      provided in Subsection (2)(c)(i)(B), including the reasonable costs incurred by the county in which
             151      the annexed area was located before annexation in fulfilling its duties under Subsection


             152      (2)(c)(ii)(A);
             153          (ii) the legislative body and recorder's office of the county in which the annexed area was
             154      located before annexation:
             155          (A) shall cooperate with and assist the annexing county in establishing and implementing
             156      the procedure as provided in Subsection (2)(c)(i)(B); and
             157          (B) may not charge the annexing county, for documents or services the recorder's office
             158      provides the annexing county in implementing the procedure provided in Subsection (2)(c)(i)(B),
             159      more than the regular fee the recorder's office ordinarily charges the general public for similar
             160      documents or services;
             161          (iii) as tax revenues are collected from the annexed area, the annexing county shall pay to
             162      the county in which the annexed area was located before annexation the amounts the latter would
             163      have received without annexation from tax revenues from the annexed area for the area's
             164      proportionate share of the liability for general obligation and revenue bonds issued before
             165      annexation by the county in which the annexed area was located before annexation; and
             166          (iv) the annexed area may not be annexed to the county in which the area was located
             167      before annexation for a period of 20 years after annexation.
             168          (3) (a) Except as otherwise provided, the election provided in either Subsection (1) or (2)
             169      shall be held, the results canvassed, and returns made under the provisions of the general election
             170      laws of the state.
             171          (b) The ballot to be used shall be:
             172          For annexing a portion of ____ county to ____ county.
             173          Against annexing a portion of ____ county to ____ county.
             174          Section 2. Section 17-2-13 is enacted to read:
             175          17-2-13. Minor adjustments to county boundaries authorized -- Public hearing --
             176      Joint resolution of county legislative bodies.
             177          (1) Counties sharing a common boundary may, in accordance with the provisions of
             178      Subsection (2) and Article XI, Section 3, of the Utah Constitution, adjust all or part of the common
             179      boundary to move it up to 1,000 feet from its location before the adjustment.
             180          (2) The legislative bodies of both counties desiring to adjust a common boundary in
             181      accordance with Subsection (1) shall:
             182          (a) hold a joint public hearing on the proposed boundary adjustment;


             183          (b) in addition to the regular notice required for public meetings of the county legislative
             184      bodies, mail written notice to all real property owners of record whose property may change
             185      counties as the result of the proposed adjustment; and
             186          (c) adopt a joint resolution approved by both county legislative bodies which:
             187          (i) approves the proposed boundary adjustment;
             188          (ii) sets forth the legal description of the county boundary after the adjustment; and
             189          (iii) provides an effective date for the boundary adjustment.
             190          (3) Upon the effective date of the joint resolution under Subsection (2)(c), all territory
             191      designated to be annexed into another county shall become the territory of the annexing county and
             192      the provisions of Sections 17-2-11 and 17-2-12 shall apply in the same manner as with any other
             193      annexations under this chapter.
             194          Section 3. Section 17-50-104 is enacted to read:
             195          17-50-104. Counties of the state -- County boundaries maintained by lieutenant
             196      governor -- Notice of county boundary changes.
             197          (1) The counties of the state are those whose geographic boundaries are described in the
             198      official county boundary records maintained by the office of the lieutenant governor and may be
             199      changed only in accordance with the provisions of this title.
             200          (2) The office of the lieutenant governor shall maintain the official county boundaries for
             201      the counties of the state and update those boundaries when notified of a change in county
             202      boundaries in accordance with Subsection (3).
             203          (3) Whenever any change is made to county boundaries under this title, the affected
             204      counties shall provide notice to the office of the lieutenant governor of the change, including a
             205      description of the changed county boundaries.
             206          Section 4. Section 17-50-105 , which is renumbered from Section 17-50-204 is renumbered
             207      and amended to read:
             208           [17-50-204].     17-50-105. Disputed boundaries.
             209          (1) If a dispute or uncertainty arises as to the true location of a county boundary [described
             210      in this part] as described in the official records maintained by the office of the lieutenant governor,
             211      the surveyors of each county whose boundary is the subject of the dispute or uncertainty may
             212      determine the true location.
             213          (2) (a) If the county surveyors fail to agree on or otherwise fail to establish the true


             214      location of the county boundary, the county executive of either or both of the affected counties
             215      shall engage the services of the state engineer.
             216          (b) After being engaged under Subsection (2)(a), the state engineer shall notify the
             217      surveyor of each county whose boundary is the subject of the dispute or uncertainty of the
             218      procedure the state engineer will use to determine the true location of the boundary.
             219          (c) With the assistance of each surveyor who chooses to participate, the state engineer shall
             220      determine permanently the true location of the boundary by marking surveys and erecting suitable
             221      monuments to designate the boundary.
             222          (d) Each boundary established under this Subsection (2) shall be considered permanent
             223      until superseded by legislative enactment.
             224          (3) Nothing in this section may be construed to give the county surveyors or state engineer
             225      any authority other than to erect suitable monuments to designate county boundaries as they are
             226      described in [this part] the official records maintained by the office of the lieutenant governor.
             227          Section 5. Repealer.
             228          This act repeals:
             229          Section 17-50-201, Definitions.
             230          Section 17-50-202, True courses employed.
             231          Section 17-50-203, Existing counties.
             232          Section 17-50-205, Beaver County -- Description.
             233          Section 17-50-206, Box Elder County -- Description.
             234          Section 17-50-207, Cache County -- Description.
             235          Section 17-50-208, Carbon County -- Description.
             236          Section 17-50-209, Daggett County -- Description.
             237          Section 17-50-210, Davis County -- Description.
             238          Section 17-50-211, Duchesne County -- Description.
             239          Section 17-50-212, Emery County -- Description.
             240          Section 17-50-213, Garfield County -- Description.
             241          Section 17-50-214, Grand County -- Description.
             242          Section 17-50-215, Iron County -- Description.
             243          Section 17-50-216, Juab County -- Description.
             244          Section 17-50-217, Kane County -- Description.


             245          Section 17-50-218, Millard County -- Description.
             246          Section 17-50-219, Morgan County -- Description.
             247          Section 17-50-220, Piute County -- Description.
             248          Section 17-50-221, Rich County -- Description.
             249          Section 17-50-222, Salt Lake County -- Description.
             250          Section 17-50-223, San Juan County -- Description.
             251          Section 17-50-224, Sanpete County -- Description.
             252          Section 17-50-225, Sevier County -- Description.
             253          Section 17-50-226, Summit County -- Description.
             254          Section 17-50-227, Tooele County -- Description.
             255          Section 17-50-228, Uintah County -- Description.
             256          Section 17-50-229, Utah County -- Description.
             257          Section 17-50-230, Wasatch County -- Description.
             258          Section 17-50-231, Washington County -- Description.
             259          Section 17-50-232, Wayne County -- Description.
             260          Section 17-50-233, Weber County -- Description.
             261          Section 6. Effective date.
             262          If the constitutional amendment proposed by S.J.R. 4, 2002 General Session is approved
             263      by a majority of those voting on it at the next regular general election, this act takes effect on
             264      January 1, 2003.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-11-02 2:18 PM


A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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