SECOND REGULAR SESSION
94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES PEARCE (Sponsor), FISHER, BAKER (123), WILSON (130), COOPER (120), SCAVUZZO, HUNTER, EMERY, RICHARD, BROWN (50), STEVENSON, MEINERS AND RUESTMAN (Co-sponsors).
Read 1st time January 31, 2008 and copies ordered printed.
D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To repeal sections 238.207 and 238.210, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof two new sections relating to transportation development districts.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 238.207 and 238.210, RSMo, are repealed and two new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 238.207 and 238.210, to read as follows:
238.207. 1. Whenever the creation of a district is desired, not less than fifty registered voters from each county partially or totally within the proposed district may file a petition requesting the creation of a district. However, if no persons eligible to be registered voters reside within the district, the owners of record of all of the real property, except public streets, located within the proposed district may file a petition requesting the creation of a district. The petition shall be filed in the circuit court of any county partially or totally within the proposed district.
2. Alternatively, the governing body of any local transportation authority within any county in which a proposed project may be located may file a petition in the circuit court of that county, requesting the creation of a district.
3. The proposed district area shall be contiguous and may contain all or any portion of one or more municipalities and counties; provided:
(1) Property separated only by public streets, easements or rights-of-way shall be considered contiguous;
(2) In the case of a district formed pursuant to a petition filed by the owners of record of all of the real property located within the proposed district, the proposed district area need not contain contiguous properties if:
(a) The petition provides that the only funding method for project costs will be a sales tax;
(b) The court finds that all of the real property located within the proposed district will benefit by the projects to be undertaken by the district; and
(c) Each parcel within the district is within five miles of every other parcel; and
(3) In the case of a district created pursuant to subsection 5 of this section, property separated only by public streets, easements, or rights-of-way or connected by a single public street, easement, or right-of-way shall be considered contiguous.
4. The petition shall set forth:
(1) The name, voting residence and county of residence of each individual petitioner, or, if no persons eligible to be registered voters reside within the proposed district, the name and address of each owner of record of real property located within the proposed district, or shall recite that the petitioner is the governing body of a local transportation authority acting in its official capacity;
(2) The name and address of each respondent. Respondents must include the commission and each affected local transportation authority within the proposed district, except a petitioning local transportation authority;
(3) A specific description of the proposed district boundaries including a map illustrating such boundaries;
(4) A general description of each project proposed to be undertaken by that district, including a description of the approximate location of each project;
(5) The estimated project costs and the anticipated revenues to be collected from the project;
(6) The name of the proposed district;
(7) The number of members of the board of directors of the proposed district, which shall be not less than five or more than fifteen;
(8) A statement that the terms of office of initial board members shall be staggered in approximately equal numbers to expire in one, two or three years;
(9) If the petition was filed by registered voters or by a governing body, a request that the question be submitted to the qualified voters within the limits of the proposed district whether they will establish a transportation development district to develop a specified project or projects;
(10) A proposal for funding the district initially, pursuant to the authority granted in sections 238.200 to 238.275, together with a request that the funding proposal be submitted to the qualified voters within the limits of the proposed district; provided, however, the funding method of special assessments may also be approved as provided in subsection 1 of section 238.230; and
(11) A statement that the proposed district shall not be an undue burden on any owner of property within the district and is not unjust or unreasonable.
5. (1) As an alternative to the methods described in subsections 1 and 2 of this section, if two or more local transportation authorities have adopted resolutions calling for the joint establishment of a district, the governing body of any one such local transportation authority may file a petition in the circuit court of any county in which the proposed project is located requesting the creation of a district; or, if not less than fifty registered voters from each of two or more counties sign a petition calling for the joint establishment of a district for the purpose of developing a project that lies in whole or in part within those same counties, the petition may be filed in the circuit court of any of those counties in which not less than fifty registered voters have signed the petition.
(2) The proposed district area shall be contiguous and may contain all or any portion of one or more municipalities and counties. Property separated only by public streets, easements, or rights-of-way or connected by a single public street, easement, or right-of-way shall be considered contiguous.
(3) The petition shall set forth:
(a) That the petitioner is the governing body of a local transportation authority acting in its official capacity; or, if the petition was filed by obtaining the signatures of not less than fifty registered voters in each of two or more counties, it shall set forth the name, voting residence, and county of residence of each individual petitioner;
(b) The name of each local transportation authority within the proposed district. The resolution of the governing body of each local transportation authority calling for the joint establishment of the district shall be attached to the petition;
(c) The name and address of each respondent. Respondents must include the commission and each affected local transportation authority within the proposed district, except a petitioning local transportation authority;
(d) A specific description of the proposed district boundaries including a map illustrating such boundaries;
(e) A general description of each project proposed to be undertaken by the district, including a description of the approximate location of each project;
(f) The name of the proposed district;
(g) The number of members of the board of directors of the proposed district;
(h) A request that the question be submitted to the qualified voters within the limits of the proposed district whether they will establish a transportation development district to develop the projects described in the petition;
(i) A proposal for funding the district initially, pursuant to the authority granted in sections 238.200 to 238.275, together with a request that the imposition of the funding proposal be submitted to the qualified voters residing within the limits of the proposed district; provided, however, the funding method of special assessments may also be approved as provided in subsection 1 of section 238.230; and
(j) A statement that the proposed district shall not be an undue burden on any owner of property within the district and is not unjust or unreasonable.
238.210. 1. Within thirty days after the petition is filed, the circuit court clerk shall serve a copy of the petition on the respondents who shall have thirty days after receipt of service to file an answer stating agreement with or opposition to the creation of the district. If any respondent files its answer opposing the creation of the district, it shall recite legal reasons why the petition is defective, why the proposed district is illegal or unconstitutional, or why the proposed method for funding the district is illegal or unconstitutional. The respondent shall ask the court for a declaratory judgment respecting these issues. The answer of each respondent shall be served on each petitioner and every other respondent named in the petition. Any resident, taxpayer, any other entity, or any local transportation authority within the proposed district may join in or file a petition supporting or answer opposing the creation of the district and seeking a declaratory judgment respecting these same issues within thirty days after the date notice is last published by the circuit clerk.
2. The court shall hear the case without a jury. If the court shall thereafter determine the petition is defective or the proposed district is illegal or unconstitutional, or shall be an undue burden on any owner of property within the district or is unjust and unreasonable, it shall enter its declaratory judgment to that effect and shall refuse to make the certifications requested in the pleadings. If the court determines that any proposed funding method is illegal or unconstitutional, it shall enter its judgment striking that funding method in whole or part. If the court determines the petition is not legally defective and the proposed district and method of funding are neither illegal nor unconstitutional, the court shall enter its judgment to that effect. If the petition was filed by registered voters or by a governing body, the court shall then certify the questions regarding district creation, project development, and proposed funding for voter approval. If the petition was filed by a governing body or by no less than fifty registered voters of two or more counties pursuant to subsection 5 of section 238.207, the court shall then certify the single question regarding district creation, project development, and proposed funding for voter approval. If the petition was filed by the owners of record of all of the real property located within the proposed district, the court shall declare the district organized and certify the funding methods stated in the petition for qualified voter approval; provided, however, the funding method of special assessments may also be approved as provided in subsection 1 of section 238.230. In either case, if no objections to the petition are timely filed, the court may make such certifications based upon the pleadings before it without any hearing.
3. Any party having filed an answer or petition may appeal the circuit court's order or declaratory judgment in the same manner provided for other appeals.
•