FIRST REGULAR SESSION
94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE PARSON.
Read 1st time February 6, 2007 and copies ordered printed.
D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To repeal sections 238.202, 238.207, 238.208, 238.225, and 238.275, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof five new sections relating to transportation development districts.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 238.202, 238.207, 238.208, 238.225, and 238.275, RSMo, are repealed and five new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 238.202, 238.207, 238.208, 238.225, and 238.275, to read as follows:
238.202. 1. As used in sections 238.200 to 238.275, the following terms mean:
(1) "Board", the board of directors of a district;
(2) "Commission", the Missouri highways and transportation commission;
(3) "District", a transportation development district organized under sections 238.200 to 238.275;
(4) "Local transportation authority", a county, city, town, village, county highway commission, special road district, interstate compact agency, or any local public authority or political subdivision having jurisdiction over any bridge, street, highway, dock, wharf, ferry, lake or river port, airport, railroad, light rail or other transit improvement or service;
(5) "Project" includes any bridge, street, road, highway, access road, interchange, intersection, signing, signalization, parking lot, bus stop, station, garage, terminal, hangar, shelter, rest area, dock, wharf, lake or river port, airport, railroad, light rail, or other mass transit and any similar or related improvement or infrastructure.
2. For the purposes of sections 11(c), 16 and 22 of article X of the Constitution of Missouri, section 137.073, RSMo, and as used in sections 238.200 to 238.275, the following terms shall have the meanings given:
(1) "Approval of the required majority" or "direct voter approval", a simple majority;
(2) "Qualified electors", "qualified voters" or "voters", [if] within the proposed or established district, any persons [eligible to be registered voters reside within the proposed district, such persons] residing therein who have registered to vote pursuant to chapter 115, RSMo, [or if no persons eligible to be registered voters reside within the proposed district,] and the owners of real property [located within the proposed district] , who shall receive one vote per acre, provided that any registered voter who also owns property shall elect whether to vote as an owner or a registered voter;
(3) "Registered voters", persons qualified and registered to vote pursuant to chapter 115, RSMo.
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 name of the proposed district;
(6) The number of members of the board of directors of the proposed district, which shall be not less than five or more than fifteen;
(7) 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;
(8) 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;
(9) 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 [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
(10) 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.
(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;
(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.
238.208. 1. The owners of property adjacent to a transportation district formed under the Missouri transportation development district act may petition the court by unanimous petition to add their property to the district. If the property owners within the transportation development district unanimously approve of the addition of property, the adjacent properties in the petition shall be added to the district. Any property added under this section shall be subject to all projects, taxes, and special assessments in effect as of the date of the court order adding the property to the district. The owners of the added property shall be allowed to vote at the next election scheduled for the district to fill vacancies on the board and on any other question submitted to them by the board under this chapter. The owners of property added under this section shall have one vote per acre in the same manner as provided in subdivision (2) of subsection 2 of section 238.220.
2. The owners of all of the property located in a transportation development district formed under this chapter may, by unanimous petition filed with the board of directors of the district, remove any property from the district, so long as such removal will not materially affect any obligations of the district.
238.225. 1. Before construction or funding of any project, the district shall submit the proposed project[, together with the proposed plans and specifications,] to the commission for its prior approval [of the project]. If the commission by minute finds that the project will improve or is a necessary or desirable extension of the state highways and transportation system, the commission may preliminarily approve the project subject to the district providing plans and specifications for the proposed project and making any revisions in the plans and specifications required by the commission and the district and commission entering into a mutually satisfactory agreement regarding development and future maintenance of the project. After such preliminary approval, the district may impose and collect such taxes and assessments as may be included in the commission's preliminary approval. After the commission approves the final construction plans and specifications, the district shall obtain prior commission approval of any modification of such plans or specifications.
2. If the proposed project is not intended to be merged into the state highways and transportation system under the commission's jurisdiction, the district shall also submit the proposed project and proposed plans and specifications to the local transportation authority that will become the owner of the project for its prior approval.
3. In those instances where a local transportation authority is required to approve a project and the commission determines that it has no direct interest in that project, the commission may decline to consider the project. Approval of the project shall then vest exclusively with the local transportation authority subject to the district making any revisions in the plans and specifications required by the local transportation authority and the district and the local transportation authority entering into a mutually satisfactory agreement regarding development and future maintenance of the project. After the local transportation authority approves the final construction plans and specifications, the district shall obtain prior approval of the local transportation authority before modifying such plans or specifications.
238.275. 1. Within six months after development and initial maintenance costs of its completed project have been paid, the district shall pursuant to contract transfer ownership and control of the project to the commission or a local transportation authority which shall be responsible for all future maintenance costs pursuant to contract. Such transfer may be made sooner with the consent of the recipient.
2. At such time as a district has completed its project and has transferred ownership of the project to the commission or other local transportation authority for maintenance, or at such time as the board determines that it is unable to complete its project due to lack of funding or for any other reason, the board shall submit for a vote in an election held throughout the district the question of whether the district should be abolished. The question shall be submitted in substantially the following form:
Shall the ............... Transportation Development District be abolished?
3. The district board shall not propose the question to abolish the district while there are outstanding claims or causes of action pending against the district, while the district liabilities exceed its assets, or while the district is insolvent, in receivership or under the jurisdiction of the bankruptcy court. Prior to submitting the question to abolish the district to a vote, the state auditor shall audit the district to determine the financial status of the district, and whether the district may be abolished pursuant to law.
4. While the district still exists, it shall continue to accrue all revenues to which it is entitled at law.
5. Upon receipt of certification by the appropriate election authorities that the majority of those voting within the district have voted to abolish the district, and if the state auditor has determined that the district's financial condition is such that it may be abolished pursuant to law, then the board shall:
(1) Sell any remaining district real or personal property it wishes, and then transfer the proceeds and any other real or personal property owned by the district, including revenues due and owing the district, to the commission or any appropriate local transportation authority assuming maintenance and control of the project, for its further use and disposition;
(2) Terminate the employment of any remaining district employees, and otherwise conclude its affairs;
(3) At a public meeting of the district, declare by a majority vote that the district has been abolished effective that date; and
(4) Cause copies of that resolution under seal to be filed with the secretary of state, the director of revenue, the commission, and with each local transportation authority affected by the district. Upon the completion of the final act specified in this subsection, the legal existence of the district shall cease.
•