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H.B. 98

This document includes Senate 3rd Reading Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Fri, Feb 21, 2003 at 3:09 PM by rday. -->              1     

MUNICIPAL DISCONNECTION AMENDMENTS

             2     
2003 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Sponsor: Ann W. Hardy

             5      This act modifies the Utah Municipal Code and the procedure for disconnecting territory
             6      from a municipality. The act repeals provisions relating to the appointment of
             7      commissioners to make findings regarding the viability of disconnection. The act
             8      modifies the criteria for disconnection and modifies the procedure for disconnection. The
             9      act also makes technical changes.
             10      This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
             11      AMENDS:
             12          10-2-501, as last amended by Chapter 132, Laws of Utah 1996
             13          10-2-507, as last amended by Chapter 318, Laws of Utah 2000
             14          10-2-508, as last amended by Chapter 132, Laws of Utah 1996
             15      RENUMBERS AND AMENDS:
             16          10-2-502.5, (Renumbered from 10-2-504, as last amended by Chapter 132, Laws of
             17      Utah 1996)
             18          10-2-502.7, (Renumbered from 10-2-505, as last amended by Chapter 132, Laws of
             19      Utah 1996)
             20      REPEALS:
             21          10-2-502, as last amended by Chapter 132, Laws of Utah 1996
             22          10-2-503, as last amended by Chapter 132, Laws of Utah 1996
             23      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             24          Section 1. Section 10-2-501 is amended to read:
             25           10-2-501. Municipal disconnection -- Definitions -- Request to municipality --
             26      Petition to district court.
             27           (1) As used in this part[: (a) "County" means the county containing the municipality



             28      from which territory is proposed to be disconnected. (b) "Municipality" means the
             29      municipality containing the territory proposed for disconnection. (c) "Petitioners"]
             30      "petitioners" means persons [owning] who:
             31          (a) own title to real property within the [territory within a municipality who propose]
             32      area proposed for disconnection; and
             33          (b) have signed a request for disconnection proposing to disconnect that [territory] area
             34      from [a] the municipality.
             35          [(d) "Territory" means that property within a municipality that is proposed for
             36      disconnection.]
             37          (2) (a) Petitioners proposing to disconnect [any territory] an area within and lying on
             38      the borders of [any incorporated] a municipality shall file with that municipality's legislative
             39      body a ["Request for Disconnection." The Request for Disconnection] request for
             40      disconnection.
             41          (b) Each request for disconnection shall:
             42          [(a)] (i) contain the names, addresses, and signatures of the owners of more than 50%
             43      of the real property [owners] in the [territory] area proposed for disconnection;
             44          [(b)] (ii) give the reasons for the proposed disconnection;
             45          [(c)] (iii) include a map or plat of the territory proposed for disconnection; and
             46          [(d)] (iv) designate between one and five persons with authority to act on the
             47      petitioners' behalf in the proceedings.
             48          (3) Upon filing the request for disconnection, petitioners shall:
             49          (a) cause notice of the [petition] request to be published once a week for three
             50      consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipality[.]; S [ and ] s
             51          [(4) The municipal legislative body may respond to petitioners within 20 calendar days
             52      after the expiration of the notice period under Subsection (3).]
             53          [(5) (a) After the 20-day response period, petitioners may file a petition against the
             54      municipality in district court.]
             55          [(b) The petition shall include a copy of the Request for Disconnection.]
             55a      S (b) CAUSE NOTICE OF THE REQUEST TO BE MAILED TO EACH OWNER OF REAL PROPERTY
             55b      LOCATED WITHIN THE AREA PROPOSED TO BE DISCONNECTED; AND
             56           [ (b) ] (c) s deliver a copy of the request to the legislative body of the county in which the area


             57      proposed for disconnection is located.
             58          Section 2. Section 10-2-502.5 , which is renumbered from Section 10-2-504 is


             59      renumbered and amended to read:
             60           [10-2-504].     10-2-502.5. Hearing on request for disconnection -- Determination
             61      by municipal legislative body -- Petition in district court.
             62          (1) Within 30 calendar days [of their appointment] after the last publication of notice
             63      required under Subsection 10-2-501 (3)(a), the [commissioners] legislative body of the
             64      municipality in which the area proposed for disconnection is located shall hold a public
             65      hearing.
             66          (2) At least seven calendar days before the hearing date, the [commissioners]
             67      municipal legislative body shall [notify the parties and the public] provide notice of the public
             68      hearing:
             69          (a) in writing to the petitioners and to the legislative body of the county in which the
             70      area proposed for disconnection is located; and
             71          (b) by publishing a notice in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipality
             72      or, if there is none, then by posting notice of the hearing in at least three public places within
             73      the municipality.
             74          (3) In the public hearing, any person may speak and submit documents regarding the
             75      disconnection proposal.
             76          (4) Within 45 calendar days of the hearing, the [commissioners] municipal legislative
             77      body shall [report to the court their findings and reasons regarding]:
             78          [(a) the criteria and factors provided in Section 10-2-503 ;]
             79          [(b) the liabilities of the municipality and territory to be disconnected that have accrued
             80      during the time in which the territory was part of the municipality; and]
             81          [(c) the mutual property rights of the municipality and the territory to be disconnected.]
             82          (a) determine whether to grant the request for disconnection; and
             83          (b) if the municipality determines to grant the request, adopt an ordinance approving
             84      disconnection of the area from the municipality.
             85          (5) (a) A petition against the municipality challenging the municipal legislative body's
             86      determination under Subsection (4) may be filed in district court by:
             87          (i) petitioners; or
             88          (ii) the county in which the area proposed for disconnection is located.
             89          (b) Each petition under Subsection (5)(a) shall include a copy of the request for


             90      disconnection.
             91          Section 3. Section 10-2-502.7 , which is renumbered from Section 10-2-505 is
             92      renumbered and amended to read:
             93           [10-2-505].     10-2-502.7. Court action.
             94           (1) [Upon receiving the commissioners' report] After the filing of a petition under
             95      Section 10-2-502.5 and a response to the petition , the court [may] shall, upon request of a party
             96      or upon its own motion, conduct a court hearing.
             97          (2) At the hearing, the court shall hear evidence [presented by petitioners and the
             98      municipality] regarding the viability of the disconnection proposal.
             99          (3) The burden of proof is on petitioners who must prove, by a preponderance of the
             100      evidence:
             101          (a) the viability of the disconnection [and];
             102          (b) that justice and equity require that the territory be disconnected from the
             103      municipality [by a preponderance of the evidence.];
             104          [(4) Considering all the evidence and the commissioners' report, the court shall order
             105      disconnection if]
             106          (c) that the proposed disconnection [satisfies the criteria in Section 10-2-503 .] will not:
             107          (i) leave the municipality with an area within its boundaries for which the cost,
             108      requirements, or other burdens of providing municipal services would materially increase over
             109      previous years;
             110          (ii) make it economically or practically unfeasible for the municipality to continue to
             111      function as a municipality; or
             112          (iii) leave or create one or more islands or peninsulas of unincorporated territory; and
             113          (d) that the county in which the area proposed for disconnection is located is capable h , IN A
             113a      COST-EFFECTIVE MANNER AND WITHOUT MATERIALLY INCREASING THE COUNTY'S COSTS OF
             113b      PROVIDING MUNICIPAL SERVICES, h of
             114      providing to the area h [ , in a cost-effective manner, ] h the services that the municipality will no
             115      longer provide to the area due to the disconnection.
             116          (4) In determining whether petitioners have met their burden of proof with respect to
             117      Subsections (3)(c)(i) and (ii), the court shall consider all relevant factors, including the effect of
             118      the proposed disconnection on:
             119          (a) the municipality or community as a whole;
             120          (b) adjoining property owners;



             121          (c) existing or projected streets or public ways;
             122          (d) water mains and water services;
             123          (e) sewer mains and sewer services;
             124          (f) law enforcement;
             125          (g) zoning; and
             126          (h) other municipal services.
             127          (5) The court's order either ordering or rejecting disconnection shall be in writing with
             128      findings and reasons.
             129          Section 4. Section 10-2-507 is amended to read:
             130           10-2-507. Decree -- Filing of documents -- Notice requirements.
             131          (1) Upon entering a disconnection order, the court shall file a certified copy of the
             132      order and a transparent reproducible copy of the map or plat in the county recorder's office.
             133          (2) [Within 30 calendar days of the court's disconnection order, the] The municipality
             134      shall file amended articles of incorporation in the lieutenant governor's office, as provided in
             135      Section 10-1-117 , and the county recorder's office[.] within 30 days after, as the case may be:
             136          (a) adoption of an ordinance approving disconnection under Subsection
             137      10-2-502.5 (4)(b); or
             138          (b) entry of a court order under Section 10-2-502.7 ordering disconnection.
             139          (3) The amended articles of incorporation shall:
             140          (a) describe the postdisconnection geography of the municipality; and
             141          (b) specify the postdisconnection population of the municipality.
             142          (4) The lieutenant governor shall comply with the requirements of Subsection
             143      10-1-117 (3).
             144          [(4)] (5) Any cost incurred by the municipality in complying with this section may be
             145      charged against the disconnected territory.
             146          [(5)] (6) The legislative body of each municipality that has had territory disconnected
             147      shall comply with the notice requirements of Section 10-1-116 .
             148          Section 5. Section 10-2-508 is amended to read:
             149           10-2-508. Disconnection completed.
             150          Disconnection is complete when the [municipality files an amendment to its articles of
             151      incorporation] lieutenant governor certifies the amended articles of incorporation as required


             152      by Section [ 10-2-507 ] 10-1-117 .
             153          Section 6. Repealer.
             154          This act repeals:
             155          Section 10-2-502, Court appointment of commissioners.
             156          Section 10-2-503, Criteria for disconnection.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-16-03 4:40 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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