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H.B. 29

             1     

TOWNSHIP AMENDMENTS

             2     
2006 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: LaVar Christensen

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Carlene M. Walker

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies provisions relating to townships.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    modifies the criteria that an unincorporated area is required to meet in order to be
             13      designated as a township so that an area declared to be a census designated place by
             14      the United States Census Bureau meets township requirements as an alternative to
             15      meeting other requirements relating to population or land area and value; and
             16          .    makes technical changes.
             17      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             18          None
             19      Other Special Clauses:
             20          None
             21      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             22      AMENDS:
             23          17-27a-306, as renumbered and amended by Chapter 254, Laws of Utah 2005
             24     
             25      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             26          Section 1. Section 17-27a-306 is amended to read:
             27           17-27a-306. Townships.


             28          (1) (a) (i) Subject to Subsection (1)(a)(ii), a county legislative body may, without
             29      having received a petition under Subsection (1)(b), enact an ordinance establishing a township
             30      within the unincorporated county or dividing the unincorporated county into townships.
             31          (ii) Before enacting an ordinance under Subsection (1)(a)(i), the county legislative
             32      body shall, after providing reasonable advance notice, hold a public hearing on the proposal to
             33      establish a township or to divide the unincorporated county into townships.
             34          (b) If 25% of the private real property owners in a contiguous area of the
             35      unincorporated county petition the county legislative body to establish a township for that area,
             36      the county legislative body shall:
             37          (i) hold a public hearing to discuss the petition;
             38          (ii) at least one week before the public hearing, publish notice of the petition and the
             39      time, date, and place of the public hearing at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in
             40      the county; and
             41          (iii) at the public hearing, consider oral and written testimony from the public and vote
             42      on the question of whether or not to establish a township.
             43          (c) If the county legislative body establishes a township pursuant to a petition, the
             44      members of the township planning commission shall be appointed as provided in Subsection
             45      17-27a-301 (3)(b) to perform the duties established in this part for the township.
             46          (d) Except as provided in Subsection (1)(e), each township shall:
             47          (i) contain:
             48          [(i) in a county of the first, second, or third class:]
             49          (A) at least 20% but not more than 80% of:
             50          (I) the total private land area in the unincorporated county; or
             51          (II) the total value of locally assessed taxable property in the unincorporated county; or
             52          (B) (I) in a county of the first, second, or third class, at least 5% of the total population
             53      of the unincorporated county; or
             54          [(ii)] (II) in a county of the fourth, fifth, or sixth class[: (A) at least 20% but not more
             55      than 80% of: (I) the total private land area in the unincorporated county; or (II) the total value
             56      of locally assessed taxable property in the unincorporated county; and (B)], at least 25% of the
             57      total population of the unincorporated county[.]; or
             58          (ii) have been declared by the United States Census Bureau as a census designated


             59      place.
             60          (e) (i) (A) A township that was dissolved under Chapter 389, Laws of Utah 1997, is
             61      reinstated as a township under this part with the same boundaries and name as before the
             62      dissolution, if the former township consisted of a single, contiguous land area.
             63          (B) Notwithstanding Subsection (1)(e)(i)(A), a county legislative body may enact an
             64      ordinance establishing as a township under this part a former township that was dissolved
             65      under Chapter 389, Laws of Utah 1997, even though the former township does not qualify to be
             66      reinstated under Subsection (1)(e)(i)(A).
             67          (C) A township reinstated under Subsection (1)(e)(i)(A) or established under
             68      Subsection (1)(e)(i)(B) shall be subject to the provisions of this part.
             69          (ii) Each planning district established under Chapter 225, Laws of Utah 1995, and each
             70      township planning district established under Chapter 389, Laws of Utah 1997, shall continue in
             71      existence as a township, subject to the provisions of this part.
             72          (f) (i) After May 1, 2002, the legislative body of each county in which a township that
             73      has been reconstituted under Chapter 389, Laws of Utah 1997, or reinstated under Subsection
             74      (1)(e)(i) is located shall review the township and determine whether its continued existence is
             75      advisable.
             76          (ii) In conducting the review required under Subsection (1)(f)(i), the county legislative
             77      body shall hold a public hearing with reasonable, advance, published notice of the hearing and
             78      the purpose of the hearing.
             79          (iii) Each township that has been reconstituted under Chapter 389, Laws of Utah 1997,
             80      or reinstated or established under Subsection (1)(e)(i) and its planning commission shall
             81      continue in effect, unless, within 90 days after conducting the review and public hearing
             82      required under Subsections (1)(f)(i) and (ii), the county legislative body by ordinance dissolves
             83      the township and its planning commission.
             84          (g) A township established under this section on or after May 5, 1997, may use the
             85      word "township" in its name.
             86          (2) (a) If the county legislative body establishes a township without having received a
             87      petition, the county legislative body may:
             88          (i) assign to the countywide planning commission the duties established in this part that
             89      would have been assumed by a township planning commission designated under Subsection


             90      (2)(a)(ii); or
             91          (ii) designate a planning commission for the township.
             92          (b) (i) If the county legislative body fails to designate a planning commission for a
             93      township, 40% of the private real property owners in the area proposed to be included in the
             94      township, as shown by the last county assessment roll, may petition the county legislative body
             95      to designate and appoint a planning commission for the township.
             96          (ii) If the county legislative body determines that the petition is validly signed by 40%
             97      of the private real property owners in the township, as shown by the last county assessment
             98      roll, it shall designate and appoint a planning commission for the township.
             99          (3) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (1)(f)(iii), a county legislative body may
             100      dissolve township planning commissions created under the authority of this section only by
             101      following the procedures and requirements of this Subsection (3).
             102          (b) If 20% of the private real property owners in the county petition the county
             103      legislative body to dissolve township planning commissions and to appoint a countywide
             104      planning commission, the county legislative body shall:
             105          (i) hold a public hearing to discuss the petition;
             106          (ii) at least one week before the public hearing, publish notice of the petition and the
             107      time, date, and place of the public hearing at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in
             108      the county; and
             109          (iii) at the public hearing, consider oral and written testimony from the public and vote
             110      on the question of whether or not to dissolve township planning commissions and to appoint a
             111      countywide planning commission.
             112          (c) (i) If the county legislative body fails to dissolve township planning commissions
             113      and to appoint a countywide planning commission when petitioned to do so by private real
             114      property owners under this subsection, 40% of private real property owners in the county, as
             115      shown by the last county assessment roll, may petition the county legislative body to dissolve
             116      the township planning commissions and to appoint a countywide planning commission.
             117          (ii) If the county legislative body determines that the petition is validly signed by 40%
             118      of private real property owners in the township, as shown by the last county assessment roll, it
             119      shall dissolve the township planning commissions and appoint a countywide planning
             120      commission.






Legislative Review Note
    as of 10-14-05 7:53 AM


Based on a limited legal review, this legislation has not been determined to have a high
probability of being held unconstitutional.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


Interim Committee Note
    as of 12-21-05 9:05 AM


The Political Subdivisions Interim Committee recommended this bill.


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