Source: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/fullchapter/24/085
Timestamp: 2018-02-23 20:13:14
Document Index: 427913788

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 3202', '§ 2', '§ 3204', '§ 3', '§ 3205', '§ 3206', '§ 3208', '§ 5', '§ 3210', '§ 3', '§ 1', '§ 3211', '§ 2', '§ 201', '§ 3', '§ 3', '§ 3213', '§ 7', '§ 3214', '§ 9', '§ 10', '§ 3215', '§ 3216', '§ 1', '§ 108', '§ 3218', '§ 3219', '§ 10', '§ 3221']

Chapter 085: URBAN RENEWAL
§ 3202. Repealed. 1963, No. 2, § 2, eff. Feb. 14, 1963.
§ 3204. Encouragement of private enterprise
A municipality, to the greatest extent it determines to be feasible in carrying out the provisions of this chapter, shall afford maximum opportunity, consistent with the sound needs of the municipality as a whole, to the rehabilitation or redevelopment of the urban renewal area by private enterprise. A municipality shall give consideration to this objective in exercising its powers under this chapter, including the formulation of a workable program, the approval of urban renewal plans and community-wide plans or programs for urban renewal and general neighborhood renewal plans consistent with the general plan of the municipality, the exercise of its zoning powers, the enforcement of other laws, codes, and regulations relating to the use of land and the use and occupancy of buildings and improvements, the disposition of any property acquired, and the provision of necessary public improvements. (Amended 1966, No. 69 (Sp. Sess.), § 3, eff. March 14, 1966.)
§ 3205. Workable program
A municipality for the purposes of this chapter may formulate for the municipality a workable program for utilizing appropriate private and public resources to eliminate and prevent the development or spread of slums and urban blight, to encourage needed urban rehabilitation, to provide for the redevelopment of slum and blighted areas, or to undertake such of the aforesaid activities or other feasible municipal activities as may be suitably employed to achieve the objectives of such workable program. Such workable program may include provision for: the prevention of the spread of blight into areas of the municipality which are free from blight through diligent enforcement of housing, zoning, and occupancy controls and standards; the rehabilitation or conservation of slum and blighted areas or portions thereof by re-planning, removing congestion, providing parks, playgrounds, and other public improvements, by encouraging voluntary rehabilitation and by compelling the repair and rehabilitation of deteriorated or deteriorating structures; and the clearance and redevelopment of slum and blighted areas or portions thereof.
§ 3206. Finding of necessity by local governing body
No municipality shall exercise the authority hereafter conferred upon municipalities by this chapter until after it has voted by a majority of the voters present and voting on the question at a regular or special meeting duly warned for such purpose to adopt a resolution finding that: (1) one or more slum or blighted areas exist in such municipality; and (2) the rehabilitation, conservation, redevelopment, or a combination thereof, of such area or areas is necessary in the interest of the public health, safety, morals, or welfare of the residents of such municipality.
§ 3208. Neighborhood and community-wide plans
(a) A municipality or a planning commission may prepare a general neighborhood renewal plan for an urban renewal area, together with any adjoining areas having specially related problems, which may be of such scope that urban renewal activities may have to be carried out in stages. The plan may include a preliminary plan which:
(1) outlines the urban renewal activities, proposed for the areas involved;
(2) provides a framework for the preparation of urban renewal plans; and
(3) indicates generally the land uses, population density, building coverage, prospective requirements for rehabilitation, and improvement of property and portions of the area contemplated for clearance and redevelopment.
A general neighborhood renewal plan shall, in the determination of the local governing body, conform to the general plan of the locality as a whole and the workable program of the municipality.
(b) A municipality or planning commission may prepare or complete a community-wide plan or program for urban renewal which shall conform to the general plan for the development of the municipality as a whole and may include identification of slum or blighted areas, measurement of blight, determination of resources needed and available to renew those areas, identification of potential project areas and types of action contemplated, and scheduling of urban renewal activities. (Added 1966, No. 69 (Sp. Sess.), § 5, eff. March 14, 1966.)
§ 3210. Eminent domain; authority; survey
(a) A municipality shall have the right to acquire by condemnation a fee simple title or any other interest in real property which it may determine necessary for or in connection with an urban renewal project under this chapter. The powers conferred upon municipalities under this section shall be considered "urban renewal project powers" as defined in subsection 3219(b) of this title and the term "municipality,", as used in this section, shall mean the agency, board, commissioner or officers having such powers under subsection 3219(a) of this title. The municipality shall set out the necessary lands and cause them to be surveyed. An urban renewal plan approved under subsection 3207(d) of this title may be considered to constitute such a survey.
(b) Unless two-thirds of the voters present and voting thereon at an annual or special meeting duly warned for that purpose vote otherwise, nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize the taking, by condemnation proceedings, of property of any religious, charitable, or educational society, institution, or organization, unless held or used by it for commercial purposes, without the written consent of the trustees or the governing body of such society, institution, or organization. Property already devoted to a public use may be acquired hereunder but no real property belonging to the State or any political subdivision thereof shall be acquired without its consent. (Amended 1963, No. 2, § 3, eff. Feb. 14, 1963; 1964, No. 9 (Sp. Sess.), § 1, eff. March 5, 1964.)
§ 3211. Determination of necessity
(a) After completion of such survey, the municipality shall petition a Superior Court judge, setting forth therein that it proposes to take certain land or rights therein and describing such lands or rights, and the survey shall be annexed to the petition and made a part thereof. The petition shall set forth the purposes for which the land or rights are desired, and shall contain a request that the judge fix a time and place when the judge, or some other Superior Court judge, will hear all parties concerned and determine whether such taking is necessary.
(b) The Superior Court judge to whom the petition is presented shall fix the time for hearing, which shall not be more than 60 nor less than 40 days from the date the judge signs such order. Likewise, the judge shall fix the place for hearing, which shall be the county courthouse or any other place within the county in which the land in question is located. If the Superior Court judge to whom the petition is presented cannot hear the petition at the time set therefor, the judge shall call upon the administrative judge to assign another Superior Court judge to hear the cause at the time and place assigned in the order.
(c) Notice of hearing on the petition, which shall include the name of the city, town, or village in which the lands to be taken or affected are located, the names of the persons having an interest in the lands, a brief statement identifying the urban renewal projects contemplated including its location, and the date, time, and place of hearing shall be published in a newspaper having general circulation in the city, town, or village in which the lands lie, once a week for three consecutive weeks on the same day of the week, the last publication to be not less than five days before the hearing date, and a complete copy of the original petition, together with a copy of the court's order fixing the time and place of hearing, and a copy of the survey shall be placed on file in the clerk's office of the city, town, or village in which the land included in the survey lies. A copy of the petition, together with the court's order fixing the time and place of hearing, shall be served upon each person owning or having an interest in land to be purchased or condemned like a summons by an officer authorized to make service of process under Vermont statutes and residing in the county in which the petition is to be served, or, on absent defendants in such manner as the Supreme Court may by rule provide for service of process in civil actions. If the service on any defendant is impossible, upon affidavit of the sheriff, deputy sheriff, or constable attempting service, stating that the location of the defendant within or without the State is unknown and that he or she has no known agent or attorney in the State of Vermont upon which service may be made, and upon affidavit of an officer of the municipality that diligent inquiry has been made to find the location of the defendant, the publication herein provided shall be considered sufficient service on the defendant. Petitions shall be returnable to the court on the tenth day next preceding the date set for hearing thereon. Compliance with the provisions hereof shall constitute sufficient service upon and notice to any persons owning or having any interest in the land proposed to be taken or affected.
(d) At the time and place appointed for the hearing, the court consisting of the Superior Court judge signing the order or such other Superior Court judge as may be assigned and the two assistant judges of the county in which the hearing is held shall hear all persons interested and wishing to be heard. If any person owning or having an interest in the land to be taken or affected appears and objects to the necessity of taking the land included within the survey or any part thereof, then the court shall require the municipality to proceed with the introduction of evidence of the necessity of such taking. The court may cite in additional parties in its discretion, shall make findings of fact, and shall file the same. The court shall, by its order, determine whether the taking of such land and rights is necessary and may modify the proposed taking in such respects as the court may consider proper.
(e) An appeal may be taken to the Supreme Court by any party aggrieved in such manner as the Supreme Court may by rule provide for appeals from Superior Courts. If an appeal is taken, all proceedings shall be stayed until final disposition of the appeal. If no appeal is taken within the time provided for or, if appeal is taken, upon final disposition thereof, a copy of the order of the court shall be placed on file in the office of the clerk of the city, town, or village where the urban renewal project is located and within a period of two years from the final order the municipality may institute proceedings for the condemnation of the land included in the survey as finally approved by the court without further hearing or consideration of the question of the necessity of such taking.
(f) In considering the issue of necessity, the Superior Court and assistant judges shall, to the extent constitutionally permitted, give effect to the legislative determinations made in this chapter and to the determinations made by the voters and appropriate municipal authorities under this chapter. The court shall not give weight to a projected increase in economic value of the subject property solely or primarily because its condition and value for tax purposes are less than the condition and value projected as the result of the implementation of any State, municipal, or private redevelopment plan. (Added 1964, No. 9 (Sp. Sess.), § 2, eff. March 5, 1964; amended 1971, No. 185 (Adj. Sess.), § 201, eff. March 29, 1972; 1973, No. 193 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. April 9, 1974; 2005, No. 111 (Adj. Sess.), § 3.)
§ 3213. Disposal of property in urban renewal area
(a)(1) A municipality may sell, lease, or otherwise transfer real property or any interest therein acquired by it, and may enter into contracts with respect thereto, in an urban renewal area for residential, recreational, commercial, industrial, or other uses or for public use, or may retain such property or interest for public use, in accordance with the urban renewal plan, subject to such covenants, conditions, and restrictions, including covenants running with the land, as it may deem to be necessary or desirable to assist in preventing the development or spread of future slums or blighted areas or to otherwise carry out the purposes of this chapter; provided, that such sale, lease, other transfer, or retention, and any agreement relating thereto, may be made only after the approval of the urban renewal plan by vote of the municipality as provided in subsection 3207(f) of this title.
(2) The purchasers or lessees and their successors and assigns shall be obligated to devote such real property only to the uses specified in the urban renewal plan, and may be obligated to comply with such other requirements as the municipality may determine to be in the public interest, including the obligation to begin within a reasonable time any improvements on such real property required by the urban renewal plan.
(3) Such real property or interest shall be sold, leased, otherwise transferred, or retained at not less than its fair value for uses in accordance with the urban renewal plan. In determining the fair value of real property for uses in accordance with the urban renewal plan, a municipality shall take into account and give consideration to the uses provided in such plan; the restrictions upon, and the covenants, conditions, and obligations assumed by the purchaser or lessee or by the municipality retaining the property; and the objectives of such plan for the prevention of the recurrence of slum or blighted areas.
(4) The municipality in any instrument of conveyance to a private purchaser or lessee may provide that such purchaser or lessee shall be without power to sell, lease, or otherwise transfer the real property without the prior written consent of the municipality until he or she has completed the construction of any or all improvements which he or she has obligated himself or herself to construct thereon.
(5) Real property acquired by a municipality which, in accordance with the provisions of the urban renewal plan, is to be transferred, shall be transferred as rapidly as feasible in the public interest consistent with the carrying out of the provisions of the urban renewal plan.
(6) Any contract for such transfer and the urban renewal plan, or such part or parts of such contract or plan as the municipality may determine, may be recorded in the land records of the municipality in such manner as to afford actual or constructive notice thereof.
(b) A municipality may dispose of real property in an urban renewal area to private persons only under such reasonable competitive bidding procedures as it shall prescribe or as hereinafter provided in this subsection. A municipality may, by public notice by publication in a newspaper having a general circulation in the community, 30 days prior to the execution of any contract to sell, lease, or otherwise transfer real property and prior to the delivery of any instrument of conveyance with respect thereto under the provisions of this section, invite proposals from and make available all pertinent information to private redevelopers or any persons interested in undertaking to redevelop or rehabilitate an urban renewal area, or any part thereof. Such notice shall identify the area, or portion thereof, and shall state that proposals shall be made by those interested within 30 days after the date of publication of said notice, and that such further information as is available may be obtained at such office as shall be designated in said notice. The municipality shall consider all such redevelopment or rehabilitation proposals and the financial and legal ability of the persons making such proposals to carry them out, and may negotiate with any persons for proposals for the purchase, lease, or other transfer of any real property acquired by the municipality in the urban renewal area. The municipality may accept such proposal as it deems to be in the public interest and in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter; provided, that notification of intention to accept such proposal shall be filed with the governing body not less than 30 days prior to any such acceptance. Thereafter, the municipality may execute such contract in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section and deliver deeds, leases, and other instruments and take all steps necessary to effectuate such contract.
(c) A municipality may temporarily operate and maintain real property acquired in an urban renewal area pending the disposition of the property as authorized in this chapter, without regard to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, for such uses and purposes as may be deemed desirable even though not in conformity with the urban renewal plan.
(d) Any real property acquired under subdivision 3209(4) of this title may be disposed of without regard to other provisions of this section if the local governing body consents to the disposal.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, where the municipality is situated in an area designated as a redevelopment area or economic development center under the federal Area Redevelopment Act or other federal law enacted to assist in the economic development of areas suffering substantial and persistent unemployment or underemployment, land in an urban renewal project area designated under the urban renewal plan for industrial or commercial use may be disposed of to any public body or nonprofit corporation for later disposition as promptly as practicable by the public body or corporation, for redevelopment in accordance with the urban renewal plan, and only the purchaser from or lessee of the public body or corporation and their assignees shall be required to assume the obligation of beginning the building of improvements within a reasonable time. Any disposition of land to a public body or corporation under this subsection shall be made at its fair value for uses in accordance with the urban renewal plan.
(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this chapter, a municipality may sell, lease, or otherwise transfer real property or any interest therein acquired by it for urban renewal purposes:
(1) To any person designated by the municipality and approved by the local governing body as a qualified eligible sponsor, if:
(A) The municipality publishes, in at least one newspaper of general circulation in the municipality at least ten days before the sale, lease, or other disposition, a notice which includes a statement of the identity of the proposed sponsor and his or her proposed use or re-use of the urban renewal area or of the applicable portion thereof. That notice shall be in such form and manner as may be prescribed by the municipality.
(B) The proposed sponsor agrees to pay not less than the minimum price or rental fixed by the municipality for the real property.
(C) The proposed sponsor matches any bid higher than that minimum price or rental.
(D) And the sale, lease, or other disposition requires effectuation of the purpose thereof within a definite and reasonable time.
(E) If that sponsor does not agree to pay the minimum price or rental fixed by the municipality or fails to match any higher bid than that minimum price or rental, municipality may, in its sole discretion and only if consistent with the urban renewal plan, sell or lease any such real property or any interest therein to any other person bidding under provisions of subsection (b) of this section.
(2) To any person designated by the municipality and approved by the local governing body as a qualified sponsor, without bids or other requirements of subsection (b) of this section, if:
(A) the price or rental to be paid by the sponsor for the property and all other essential terms and conditions of the sale, lease, or other disposition are included in the notice published by the municipality under paragraph (A) of subdivision (1) of this section;
(B) the sale, lease, or other disposition is approved by the local governing body after a public hearing held not less than ten days after publication of the notice.
(g) Sponsors under subsection (f) of this section shall be designated by following the procedure set forth in subsection (b) of this section, except that the public notice therein required need not be made 30 days before the execution of any contract to sell, lease, or otherwise transfer real property, as set forth in subsection (b) of this section.
(h) For the effectuation of any of the purposes of an urban renewal project and in accordance with the urban renewal plan, a municipality may grant, sell, convey, or lease, without public hearing or public letting and without following the requirements of subsection (b) of this section, to a public utility subject to the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Service, for such length of time as it may deem advisable, franchises, easements, or rights-of-way, in, over, below, along, or across any lands acquired by the municipality under this chapter, upon such terms and conditions, for such consideration, and subject to such restrictions as in the judgment of its local governing body seem proper if the local governing body first determines that the use and enjoyment for those purposes of those lands is not inconsistent with the purposes and provisions of the urban renewal plan. (Amended 1966, No. 69 (Sp. Sess.),§§ 7, 8, eff. March 14, 1966.)
§ 3214. Issuance of bonds
(a) A municipality shall have power to issue bonds from time to time in its discretion to finance the undertaking of any urban renewal project under this chapter, including, without limiting the generality thereof, the payment of principal and interest upon any advances for surveys and plans, or preliminary loans and shall also have power to issue refunding bonds for the payment or retirement of such bonds previously issued by it. Such bonds shall be made payable, as to both principal and interest, solely from the income proceeds, revenues, and funds of the municipality derived from or held in connection with its undertaking and carrying out of urban renewal projects under this chapter; provided, however, that payment of such bonds, both as to principal and interest, may be further secured by a pledge of any loan, grant, or contribution from the federal government or other source, in aid of any urban renewal projects of the municipality under this chapter, and by a mortgage of any such urban renewal projects, or any part thereof, title to which is in the municipality.
(b) Bonds issued under this section shall not constitute an indebtedness within the meaning of any constitutional or statutory debt limitation or restriction, and shall not be subject to the provisions of any other law or charter relating to the authorization, issuance, or sale of bonds. Bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter are declared to be issued for an essential public and governmental purpose and, together with interest thereon and income therefrom, shall be exempted from all taxes.
(c) Bonds issued under this section shall be authorized by resolution or ordinance of the local governing body and may be payable upon demand or mature at such time or times, bear interest at such rate or rates, be in such denomination or denominations, be in such form, either coupon or registered, carry such conversion or registration privileges, have such rank or priority, be executed in such manner, be payable in such medium of payment, at such place or places, and be subject to such terms of redemption, such other characteristics, as may be provided by such resolution or trust indenture or mortgage issued pursuant thereto.
(d) Such bonds may be sold at not less than par at public sales held after notice published prior to such sale in a newspaper having a general circulation in the area of operation and in such other medium of publication as the municipality may determine or may be exchanged for other bonds on the basis of par; provided, that such bonds may be sold to the federal government at private sale at not less than par, and, in the event less than all of the authorized principal amount of such bonds is sold to the federal government, the balance may be sold at private sale at not less than par at an interest cost to the municipality of not to exceed the interest cost to the municipality of the portion of the bonds sold to the federal government.
(e) In case any of the public officials of the municipality whose signatures appear on any bonds or coupons issued under this chapter shall cease to be such officials before the delivery of such bonds, such signatures shall, nevertheless, be valid and sufficient for all purposes, the same as if such officials had remained in office until such delivery. Any provisions of any law to the contrary notwithstanding, any bonds issued pursuant to this chapter shall be fully negotiable.
(f) In any suit, action, or proceeding involving the validity or enforceability of any bond issued under this chapter or the security therefore, any such bond reciting in substance that it has been issued by the municipality in connection with an urban renewal project, as herein defined, shall be conclusively deemed to have been issued for such purpose and such project shall be conclusively deemed to have been planned, located, and carried out in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. (Amended 1966, No. 69 (Sp. Sess.), § 9, eff. March 14, 1966; 1969, No. 285 (Adj. Sess.), § 10, eff. April 9, 1970.)
§ 3215. Bonds as legal investments
All banks, trust companies, bankers, savings banks and institutions, building and loan associations, savings and loan associations, investment companies, and other persons carrying on a banking or investment business; all insurance companies, insurance associations, and other persons carrying on an insurance business; and all executors, administrators, curators, trustees, and other fiduciaries, may legally invest any sinking funds, monies, or other funds belonging to them or within their control in any bonds or other obligations issued by a municipality pursuant to this chapter or by any urban renewal agency or housing authority vested with urban renewal project powers under section 3219 of this chapter; provided, that such bonds and other obligations shall be secured by an agreement between the issuer and the federal government in which the issuer agrees to borrow from the federal government and the federal government agrees to lend to the issuer, prior to the maturity of such bonds or other obligations, monies in an amount which, together with any other monies irrevocably committed to the payment of interest on such bonds or other obligations, will suffice to pay the principal of such bonds or other obligations with interest to maturity thereon, which monies under the terms of said agreement are required to be used for the purpose of paying the principal of and the interest on such bonds or other obligations at their maturity. Such bonds and other obligations shall be authorized security for all public deposits. It is the purpose of this section to authorize any persons, political subdivisions, and officers, public or private, to use any funds owned or controlled by them for the purchase of any such bonds or other obligations. Nothing contained in this section with regard to legal investments shall be construed as relieving any person of any duty of exercising reasonable care in selecting securities.
§ 3216. Property exempt from taxes and from levy and sale by virtue of an execution
(a) All property of a municipality, including funds, owned or held by it for the purposes of this chapter shall be exempt from levy and sale by virtue of an execution, and no execution or other judicial process shall issue against the same nor shall judgment against a municipality be a charge or lien upon such property; provided, however, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to or limit the right of obligees to pursue any remedies for the enforcement of any pledge or lien given pursuant to this act by a municipality on its rents, fees, grants, or revenues from urban renewal projects.
(b) The property of a municipality, acquired or held for the purposes of this chapter, is declared to be public property used for essential public and governmental purposes and such property shall be exempt from all taxes of the municipality, the county, the State, or any political subdivision thereof; provided, that such tax exemption shall terminate when the municipality sells, leases, or otherwise disposes of such property in an urban renewal area to a purchaser or lessee which is not a public body entitled to tax exemption with respect to such property.
(a)(1) For the purpose of aiding in the planning, undertaking, or carrying out of an urban renewal project located within the area in which it is authorized to act, any public body may, upon such terms, with or without consideration, as it may determine:
(A) dedicate, sell, convey, or lease any of its interest in any property or grant easements, licenses, or other rights or privileges therein to a municipality;
(B) incur the entire expense of any public improvements made by such public body in exercising the powers granted in this section;
(C) do any and all things necessary to aid or cooperate in the planning or carrying out of an urban renewal plan;
(D) lend, grant, or contribute funds to a municipality;
(E) enter into agreements that may extend over any period, notwithstanding any provisions or rule of law to the contrary, with a municipality or other public body respecting action to be taken pursuant to any of the powers granted by this chapter, including the furnishing of funds or other assistance in connection with an urban renewal project; and
(F) cause public buildings and public facilities, including parks, playgrounds, recreational, community, educational, water, sewer or drainage facilities, or any other works that it is otherwise empowered to undertake to be furnished; furnish, dedicate, close, vacate, pave, install, grade, regrade, plan or replan streets, roads, sidewalks, ways, or other places; plan, replan, zone, or rezone any part of the public body or make exceptions from building regulations; and cause administrative and other services to be furnished to the municipality.
(2) If at any time title to or possession of any urban renewal project is held by any public body or governmental agency, other than the municipality, that is authorized by law to engage in the undertaking, carrying out, or administration of urban renewal projects, including any agency or instrumentality of the United States of America, the provisions of the agreements referred to in this section shall inure to the benefit of and may be enforced by such public body or governmental agency.
(3) As used in this subsection, the term "municipality" shall also include an urban renewal agency or a housing authority vested with all of the urban renewal project powers pursuant to the provisions of section 3219 of this title.
(d)(1) For the purposes of this section, or for the purpose of aiding in the planning, undertaking, or carrying out of an urban renewal project of a municipality, that municipality may, in addition to any authority to issue bonds pursuant to section 3214 of this title, issue and sell its general obligation bonds.
(2) Any bonds issued by a municipality pursuant to this section shall be issued in the manner and within the limitations prescribed by the laws of this state for the issuance and authorization of bonds by that municipality for public purposes generally. However, bonds so issued:
(A) shall not be considered as indebtedness of the municipality limited by the provisions of section 1762 of this title or any other general or special law; and
(B) may be authorized by a majority of all the voters present and voting on the question at a meeting of such municipality held for the purpose pursuant to subchapter 1 of chapter 53 of this title or pursuant to the provisions of any special law that governs the authorization of indebtedness by the municipality.
(3)(A) So long as any such bonds of the municipality are outstanding the local governing body may deduct, in any one or more years from any net increase in the aggregate taxable valuation of land and improvements in all areas covered by urban renewal plans the amount necessary to produce tax revenues equal to the current debt service on such bonds, assuming the previous year's total tax rate and full collection.
(B) Only the balance, if any, of such net increase shall be taken into account in computing the sums that may be appropriated for other purposes under applicable tax rate limits.
(C) All the taxable property in all areas covered by urban renewal plans, including the whole of such net increase, shall be subject to the same total tax rate as other taxable property, except as may be otherwise provided by law.
(D) The net increase shall be computed each year by subtracting, from the current aggregate valuation of the land and improvements in all the areas covered by urban renewal plans, the sum of the aggregate valuations of land and improvements in each such area on the date the urban plan for such area was approved under subsection 3207(f) of this title. An area shall be deemed to be covered by an urban renewal plan until the date shown in the plan as its expiration date or until the date all the indebtedness incurred by the municipality to finance the applicable project has been paid, whichever date is later.
(4) All the provisions of this subsection shall apply to all municipalities, notwithstanding any provision of general or special law to the contrary that specifies a different debt limit, that requires a greater vote to authorize bonds, that prescribes a different computation of appropriations under tax rate limits, or that is otherwise inconsistent with this subsection. (Amended 1963, No. 2, § 1, eff. Feb. 14, 1963; 2017, No. 74, § 108.)
§ 3218. Title of purchaser
Any instrument executed by a municipality and purporting to convey any right, title, or interest in any property under this chapter shall be conclusively presumed to have been executed in compliance with the provisions of this chapter insofar as title or other interest of any bona fide purchasers, lessees, or transferees of such property is concerned.
§ 3219. Exercise of powers in carrying out urban renewal project
(a) A municipality may itself exercise its urban renewal project powers, as herein defined, or may, if the local governing body by resolution determines such action to be in the public interest, elect to have such powers exercised by the urban renewal agency created by section 3220 of this title or by the housing authority, if one exists or is subsequently established in the community. In the event the local governing body makes such determination, the urban renewal agency or the housing authority, as the case may be, shall be vested with all of the urban renewal project powers in the same manner as though all such powers were conferred on such agency or authority instead of the municipality. If the local governing body does not elect to make such determination, the municipality in its discretion may exercise its urban renewal project powers through a board or commissioner or through such officers of the municipality as the local governing body may by resolution determine.
(b) As used in this section, the term "urban renewal project powers" shall include the rights, powers, functions, and duties of a municipality under this chapter, except the following: the power to determine an area to be a slum or blighted area or combination thereof and to designate such area as appropriate for an urban renewal project and to hold any public hearing required with respect thereto; the power to approve urban renewal plans and modifications thereof; the power to approve general neighborhood renewal plans and community-wide plans or programs for urban renewal; the power to acquire, demolish, remove, or dispose of property as provided in subdivision 3209(4)(A); the power to establish as general plan for the locality as a whole; the power to formulate a workable program under section 3205 of this title; the power to make the determinations and findings provided for in sections 3204, 3206, and 3207(d) of this title; the power to issue general obligation bonds under subsection 3217(d); the power to assume the responsibility to bear loss as provided in subdivision 3209(4); and the power to appropriate funds, to levy taxes and assessments, and to exercise other powers provided for in subdivision 3209(9) of this title. (Amended 1966, No. 69 (Sp. Sess.), § 10, eff. March 14, 1966.)
§ 3221. Interested public officials, commissioners, or employees
No public official or employee of a municipality, or board or commission thereof, and no commissioner or employee of a housing authority or urban renewal agency which has been vested by a municipality with urban renewal project powers under section 3219 of this title shall voluntarily acquire any personal interest, direct or indirect, in any urban renewal project, or in any property included or planned to be included in any urban renewal project of such municipality or in any contract or proposed contract in connection with such urban renewal project. Where such acquisition is not voluntary, the interest acquired shall be immediately disclosed in writing to the local governing body and such disclosure shall be entered upon the minutes of the governing body. If any such official, commissioner, or employee presently owns or controls, or owned or controlled within the preceding two years, any interest, direct or indirect, in any property which he or she knows is included or planned to be included in an urban renewal project, he or she shall immediately disclose this fact in writing to the local governing body, and such disclosure shall be entered upon the minutes of the governing body, and any such official, commissioner, or employee shall not participate in any action by the municipality, or board or commission thereof, housing authority, or urban renewal agency affecting such property. Any disclosure required to be made by this section to the local governing body shall concurrently be made to a housing authority or urban renewal agency which has been vested with urban renewal project powers by the municipality pursuant to the provisions of section 3219 of this title. No commissioner or other officer of any housing authority, urban renewal agency, board, or commission exercising powers pursuant to this chapter shall hold any other public office under the municipality other than his or her commissionership or office with respect to such housing authority, urban renewal agency, board, or commission. Any violation of the provisions of this section shall constitute misconduct in office.