No later than five days after the day on which a petition is filed, the responsible clerk shall mail a copy of the petition to the clerk of each other county and the clerk or recorder of each municipality in which any part of the proposed special district is located.
the municipality in which the proposed special district is located, if the petition or resolution proposes the creation of a special district located entirely within a single municipality;
(b)
the county in which the proposed special district is located, if the petition or resolution proposes the creation of a special district located entirely within a single county and all or part of the proposed special district is located within:
(i)
the unincorporated part of the county; or
(ii)
more than one municipality within the county;
(c)
if the petition or resolution proposes the creation of a special district located within more than one county, the county whose boundaries include more of the area of the proposed special district than is included within the boundaries of any other county; or
(d)
the initiating special district, if a resolution proposing the creation of a special district is adopted under Subsection 17B-1-203(1)(e). See Utah Code 17B-1-201
Responsible clerk: means the clerk of the county or the clerk or recorder of the municipality whose legislative body is the responsible body. See Utah Code 17B-1-201
Signature: includes a name, mark, or sign written with the intent to authenticate an instrument or writing. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
Special district: means a limited purpose local government entity, as described in Section 17B-1-103, that operates under, is subject to, and has the powers described in:
No later than 35 days after the day on which a petition is filed, the clerk of each county whose unincorporated area includes and the clerk or recorder of each municipality whose boundaries include part of the proposed special district shall:
(i)
with the assistance of other county or municipal officers from whom the county clerk or municipal clerk or recorder requests assistance, determine, for the clerk or recorder’s respective county or municipality, whether the petition complies with the requirements of Subsection 17B-1-203(1)(a), (b), or (c), as the case may be, and Subsections 17B-1-208(2), (3), and (4); and
(ii)
notify the responsible clerk in writing of the clerk or recorder’s determination under Subsection (2)(a)(i).
(b)
The responsible clerk may rely on the determinations of other county clerks or municipal clerks or recorders under Subsection (2)(a) in making the responsible clerk’s determinations and certification or rejection under Subsection (3).
(3)
(a)
Within 45 days after the filing of a petition, the responsible clerk shall:
if the responsible clerk determines that the petition complies with the applicable requirements:
(I)
(Aa)
certify the petition and deliver the certified petition to the responsible body; and
(Bb)
mail or deliver written notification of the certification to the contact sponsor; or
(II)
for each petition described in Subsection (3)(b)(i), deliver a copy of the petition to the legislative body of each county whose unincorporated area includes and each municipality whose boundaries include any of the proposed basic special district, with a notice indicating that the clerk has determined that the petition complies with applicable requirements; or
(B)
if the responsible clerk determines that the petition fails to comply with any of the applicable requirements, reject the petition and notify the contact sponsor in writing of the rejection and the reasons for the rejection.
(b)
(i)
A petition for which an election is not required under Subsection 17B-1-214(3) and that proposes the creation of a basic special district that has within its boundaries fewer than one residential dwelling unit per 10 acres of land may not be certified without the approval, by resolution, of the legislative body of each county whose unincorporated area includes and each municipality whose boundaries include any of the proposed special district.
(ii)
Before adopting a resolution giving its approval under Subsection (3)(b)(i), a county or municipal legislative body may hold one or more public hearings on the petition.
(iii)
If a petition described in Subsection (3)(b)(i) is approved as provided in that subsection, the responsible clerk shall, within 10 days after its approval:
(A)
certify the petition and deliver the certified petition to the responsible body; and
(B)
mail or deliver written notification of the certification to the contact sponsor.
(4)
Except for a petition described in Subsection (3)(b)(i), if the responsible clerk fails to certify or reject a petition within 45 days after its filing, the petition shall be considered to be certified.
(5)
The responsible clerk shall certify or reject petitions in the order in which they are filed.
(6)
(a)
If the responsible clerk rejects a petition under Subsection (3)(a)(ii)(B), the petition may be amended to correct the deficiencies for which it was rejected and then refiled.
(b)
A valid signature on a petition that was rejected under Subsection (3)(a)(ii)(B) may be used toward fulfilling the applicable signature requirement of the petition as amended under Subsection (6)(a).
(c)
If a petition is amended and refiled under Subsection (6)(a) after having been rejected by the responsible clerk under Subsection (3)(a)(ii)(B), the amended petition shall be considered as newly filed, and its processing priority shall be determined by the date on which it is refiled.
(7)
The responsible clerk and each county clerk and municipal clerk or recorder shall: and
(a)
act in good faith in making the determinations under this section; and
(b)
with the assistance of the county clerk if necessary, and as applicable, use the procedures described in Section 20A-1-1002 to determine whether a signer is a registered voter.
Amended by Chapter 15, 2023 General Session Amended by Chapter 116, 2023 General Session
