TITLE 42

IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE — WATER RIGHTS AND RECLAMATION

CHAPTER 32

WATER AND SEWER DISTRICTS

42-3240.  annexation or withdrawal of area in a city. Any area embraced within the limits of any city may be annexed into or withdrawn from a water and/or sewer district organized under this chapter in accordance with the following:

(1)  The city council of the city and the board of directors of the water and/or sewer district approve the terms and conditions of the annexation or withdrawal by ordinance or resolution.

(a)  In the event any of the area within any city, subject to annexation to or withdrawal from a water and/or sewer district is being served by an existing city or district water or sewer system, the following conditions must exist, which conditions must be stated in the city’s and the district’s ordinance or resolution:

(i)  The annexing district or, upon a withdrawal, the city is capable of providing all the essential functions of the existing system;

(ii)  The annexing district or, upon a withdrawal, the city has agreed to assume and perform the essential existing system functions;

(iii)  The annexing district or, upon a withdrawal, the city either has or is acquiring sufficient assets, infrastructure and other resources to perform the essential operations of the existing system;

(iv)  Provisions have been made for the retirement, payment or assumption of any debt, bonds or other liabilities and obligations of the existing system;

(v)  Provisions have been made for the liquidation and disbursement of the existing system assets and infrastructure not intended to be transferred;

(vi)  Provisions have set forth requirements for post-annexation or withdrawal operations and may also provide that the annexed area be designated as a district subdistrict and provide for director zones;

(vii)  That notice of the proposed annexation or withdrawal and transfer has been published once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks preceding the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the city and the district, including information on filing a petition for an election on the proposed transfer; and

(viii)  That an election has been held, if required pursuant to paragraph (d) of this subsection, and the transfer has been approved by a majority of the qualified electors of the district and city voting on the issue.

(b)  Prior to passage of a resolution making the required determination, the city council and the district board of directors shall hold a joint hearing to receive public testimony on the proposed transfer. The joint public hearing shall be preceded by a joint notice published once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks preceding the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the city and the district. The notice shall state the date, time and location of the joint public hearing and that the purpose of the hearing is to receive public testimony on the proposed annexation or withdrawal, transfer and agreement of operations and the method for a petition of qualified electors of the city and the district to be submitted requesting an election to approve the proposed annexation or withdrawal, transfer and agreement of operations.

(c)  After the joint public hearing, the city council and the district board of directors, by majority vote of both governing bodies, may jointly submit the proposed transfer to the qualified electors of the city and the district or shall take the matter under advisement for a period of thirty (30) days after the hearing. An election shall be held if, prior to the expiration of the thirty (30) day period, a petition signed by at least ten percent (10%) of the qualified electors of the city and/or the district is submitted requesting an election on the proposed annexation or withdrawal, transfer and agreement of operations. If at the end of the thirty (30) day period no petition has been submitted with the required number of signatures, the city council and the district board of directors may proceed to adopt a resolution or ordinance finding the above conditions exist and approving the annexation or withdrawal, transfer and agreement of operations.

(d)  An election held pursuant to the provisions of this subsection shall be conducted according to the provisions of section 34-106, Idaho Code, and the proposed annexation or withdrawal, transfer and agreement of operations shall be approved by a majority of the qualified electors of the city and a majority of the qualified electors of the district voting on the issue in order for the city council and the district board of directors to proceed to adopt a resolution or ordinance approving the annexation or withdrawal, transfer and agreement of operations.

(2)  In the event the city council and district board of directors approve the terms and conditions of the annexation or withdrawal, transfer and agreement of operations by ordinance or resolution, the city and district shall jointly file with the district court in which the majority of the area of the district and city are located a certified copy of the city’s ordinance or resolution and the district’s ordinance or resolution; certified results of the election approving the annexation or withdrawal, transfer and agreement of operations, if applicable; and all other necessary documentation requested by the district court. Upon satisfying itself that the required conditions of this section exist, the district court shall enter an order approving the annexation or withdrawal, transfer and agreement of operations and establish the date on which the annexation or withdrawal and transfer of assets shall occur and the effective date of the agreement of operations; provided however, upon good cause shown, the court may extend the annexation or withdrawal and transfer of assets date and the effective date of the agreement of operations. Such orders shall be recorded with the county recorder and filed with the county assessor in the counties within which the district and the city are located and filed with the state tax commission within thirty (30) days following the effective date of such annexation or withdrawal, transfer and agreement of operations.

(3)  If the ordinance or resolution approved by the city and the district includes an agreement of operations setting forth the requirements for post-annexation or withdrawal system operations, the district in an annexation and the city in a withdrawal shall operate the sewer and/or water system(s) in accordance with the agreement.

(4)  The provisions of this section do not apply to any petition filed with the board for the annexation of real property by landowners pursuant to section 42-3218, Idaho Code.

History:

[42-3240, added 2016, ch. 278, sec. 4, p. 767.]