reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
AL Code § 45-41-260.04 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 41 - Lee County.|Article 26 - Zoning and Planning.|Section 45-41-260.04 - Staff and Finances.

Section 45-41-260.04Staff and finances. The county commission may appoint, promote, demote, and remove employees of the commission as it deems necessary. The county commission may also contract with county or city planners, engineers, architects, and other consultants and with any local, state, or federal agency for such services as the commission may require. The county commission may cooperate with and accept funds from federal, state, and local public or semipublic agencies, private individuals, or corporations, and may expend such funds and carry out such cooperative undertakings and contracts for necessary planning studies. The expenditures of the commission, exclusive of gifts, grants, or contract receipts, shall be within the amounts appropriated for the purpose by the county commission. (Act 2007-401, p. 800, §5; Act 2007-477, p. 998, §5.)
AL Code § 45-41-260.06 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 41 - Lee County.|Article 26 - Zoning and Planning.|Section 45-41-260.06 - Purposes to Be Kept in View.

Section 45-41-260.06Purposes to be kept in view. In the preparation of the master plan and zoning regulations, the commission shall make careful and comprehensive surveys and studies of the present conditions existing within the county with due regard to existing agricultural uses, to land by virtue of its fertility, proximity to water supplies, and other geographical features particularly suited to agricultural uses, to neighboring municipalities, towns, and villages, to the growth of subdivisions, to the general population growth of the county, and make adequate provision for traffic, recreational areas, and industry, and other public requirements. The plan and zoning regulations should be made with the general purpose of guiding and accomplishing a coordinated, adjusted, and harmonious development of the county, which will, in accordance with present and future needs, best promote health, safety, morals, order, convenience, prosperity, and general welfare, as well as efficiency and economy in the process of development, and should promote safety from fire, flood, and other dangers, the healthful and convenient distribution of population, and the wise and efficient expenditure of public funds. The plan and regulations shall be a public record, but its purpose and effect shall be to aid the planning commission in the performance of its duties, including making recommendations to the county governing body and assisting cooperating with other federal, state, and local agencies so as to achieve coordinated, adjusted, and harmonious development. (Act 2007-401, p. 800, §7; Act 2007-477, p. 998, §7.)
AL Code § 45-41-260.07 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 41 - Lee County.|Article 26 - Zoning and Planning.|Section 45-41-260.07 - Election for Coverage.

Section 45-41-260.07Election for coverage. Except where jurisdiction has been obtained by the commission pursuant to Section 45-41-260.02, the master plan and zoning regulations provided by the commission shall not be applicable in any beat of Lee County until the majority of the qualified electors of the beat voting in a special election have signified by their vote that they desire the authority of the commission, its master plan, and the zoning regulations to apply to their beat. The election must be held not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days after a petition seeking the election is filed in the office of the judge of probate. The petition shall be signed by at least 15 percent of the electors who reside within the beat and who own real estate located in the beat. Notice of the election shall be given by three weeks' publication and posting notice in two public places within the beat. The cost of the election shall be paid from the General Fund of Lee County. The ballot shall be so worded as to give the voter the opportunity to vote either Yes or No as to whether the voter wishes the authority of the commission, its master plan, and the zoning regulations to apply to the beat. Only those qualified electors residing outside of the municipal limits and in the unzoned portion of a beat may vote or sign a petition calling for the election in the beat concerned. If a statement to this fact is not on the ballot and the petition, the ballot and petition shall be invalid. Boundaries of the established area approved for zoning by the qualified electors shall not be changed. Any property which is legally zoned as provided herein shall remain zoned and subject to the zoning authority of Lee County and the Lee County Planning Commission even if beat lines are changed to remove the property from the beat in which it was located at the time zoning became effective. Elections for the same beat shall not be held any more often than every 730 days. Notwithstanding the approval at any election of the extension of the authority of the commission and its zoning regulations to the beat, applications for preliminary subdivision plats which substantially comply with subdivision regulations and which were filed and pending prior to the certification by the judge of probate of a petition for a zoning election as provided for herein shall vest in the applicant the right to proceed with the application process before the commission, and upon approval of the preliminary plat, the right to develop and complete the subdivision according to the plat without application of the zoning regulations to the plat; and any successor in interest to the land made the subject of the plat shall have the right to use and develop the land in accordance with the plat and subdivision restrictions without the application of the zoning regulations to the land. (Act 2007-401, p. 800, §8; Act 2007-477, p. 998, §8.)
AL Code § 45-41-260.08 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 41 - Lee County.|Article 26 - Zoning and Planning.|Section 45-41-260.08 - Subdivision Regulations.

Section 45-41-260.08Subdivision regulations. The commission, with the approval of the county commission, shall adopt a code of regulations applicable to the subdivision of land and plats of subdivisions which, after the adoption of the code of regulations, shall not be accepted for filing and recording in the office of the judge of probate until they have been approved in a manner to be designated by the commission. This section shall apply within the jurisdiction of the commission as specified in Section 45-41-260.02. (Act 2007-401, p. 800, §9; Act 2007-477, p. 998, §9.)
AL Code § 45-41-260.09 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 41 - Lee County.|Article 26 - Zoning and Planning.|Section 45-41-260.09 - Zoning; Grant of Power.

Section 45-41-260.09Zoning; grant of power. For the purpose of promoting the health, safety, morals, convenience, order, prosperity, and general welfare of the county, the commission, with the approval of the county commission, may divide the portion of the county within its zoning jurisdiction into districts of the number, shape, and area as may be found best suited to carry out the purposes of this article, and to provide within the districts for standards relating to the use of the land and the types and kinds of structures that may be erected in the districts, and all home remodeling or modification in the districts. The provision shall be made in accordance with a comprehensive plan for the area involved and shall be designed to lessen congestion in the streets and highways; to secure safety from fire, flood, panic, and other dangers; to provide for health and the general welfare; to provide adequate light and air; to prevent the overcrowding of land; to avoid undue mixed use of land; to facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water supply, sewerage, schools, parks, and other public requirements. The provision shall be made with reasonable consideration, among other things, of the character of the land and district and its peculiar suitability for particular uses and with a view of promoting desirable living conditions, sustaining the stability of neighborhoods, protecting property against blight and depreciation, securing economy in governmental expenditures, conserving the value of buildings, and encouraging the most appropriate use of land and buildings and structures throughout the jurisdiction of the commission. For the purpose of providing for the division of the territory into districts, consonant with the conditions provided in this section, the commission may make a single zoning plan for all the territory of the area which lies within its jurisdiction or may make and certify separate and successive zoning plans for parts of the territory which it deems suitable for urban and suburban development or for which other reasons it deems to have appropriate territorial unity for a zoning plan; and correspondingly any zoning regulations enacted by the commission may cover and include the whole territory lying within its jurisdiction or the territory as the commission deems to be an appropriate territorial unit for a zoning plan. (Act 2007-401, p. 800, §10; Act 2007-477, p. 998, §10.)
AL Code § 45-41-260.10 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 41 - Lee County.|Article 26 - Zoning and Planning.|Section 45-41-260.10 - Proposed Change in Zoning Regulations.

Section 45-41-260.10Proposed change in zoning regulations. After zoning regulations have become applicable to a beat as provided by Section 45-41-260.07, the regulations shall not be changed until the proposed change has been published for three weeks in a newspaper of general circulation within the county together with a notice stating the time and place that the change in regulations will be considered by the commission, and stating further that at such time and place all persons who desire shall have an opportunity to be heard in favor of or in opposition to the change in the zoning regulations. The change must be approved by the commission and the county commission. (Act 2007-401, p. 800, §11; Act 2007-477, p. 998, §11.)
AL Code § 45-41-260.11 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 41 - Lee County.|Article 26 - Zoning and Planning.|Section 45-41-260.11 - Zoning Regulations Not to Be Restrictive.

Section 45-41-260.11Zoning regulations not to be restrictive. No zoning regulation adopted by the commission and county commission shall change any use to which land is being made at the time the zoning regulations become applicable in any beat. (Act 2007-401, p. 800, §12; Act 2007-477, p. 998, §12.)
AL Code § 45-41-260.12 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 41 - Lee County.|Article 26 - Zoning and Planning.|Section 45-41-260.12 - Remedies.

Section 45-41-260.12Remedies. In case any building or structure is erected, constructed, reconstructed, altered, repaired, converted, or maintained, or any subdivision is established, or land used in violation of this article or of any regulation made under the authority conferred by this article, the county attorney shall initiate any appropriate action or proceeding to prevent the unlawful erection, construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, conversion, maintenance, or subdivision of the land or use of the land to restrain, correct, or abate the violation, or to prevent the occupancy of the building, structure, subdivision, or land or to prevent any illegal act, conduct, business, or misuse in or upon any premises regulated under the authority conferred by this article. If the county attorney is successful in the proceeding, then, all court costs and reasonable attorney fees for time spent by the county attorney shall be assessed against the losing violator. (Act 2007-401, p. 800, §13; Act 2007-477, p. 998, §13.)
AL Code § 45-41-260.13 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 41 - Lee County.|Article 26 - Zoning and Planning.|Section 45-41-260.13 - Exemptions to Zoning Regulations.

Section 45-41-260.13Exemptions to zoning regulations. The commission, in appropriate cases and subject to appropriate conditions and safeguards, may make special exceptions to the terms of the zoning regulations in harmony with its general purposes and interests and in accordance with general or specific rules adopted by the commission. Anyone wishing to appeal from an existing zoning regulation may file a written petition stating the basis for the appeal, whereupon the commission shall fix a date for such hearing, giving notice as to the commission may seem appropriate, and on such hearing the commission shall have the following powers: (1) To hear and decide appeals where it is alleged there is error in any order, requirement, decision, or determination made by the commission or official in the enforcement of this article or any regulation adopted pursuant to this article. (2) To hear and decide on requests for special exceptions to the term of provisions of the regulations upon which the commission is required to pass. (3) To authorize upon appeal in special cases a variance from the yard, open space, land use, bulk, and height requirements of the regulation as will not be contrary to the public interest, where, owing to special conditions of the building site or land, a literal enforcement of the provisions of the regulation will result in unnecessary hardship, all in order that the spirit of the regulations shall be observed and substantial justice done. (Act 2007-401, p. 800, §14; Act 2007-477, p. 998, §14.)
AL Code § 45-41-260.14 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 41 - Lee County.|Article 26 - Zoning and Planning.|Section 45-41-260.14 - Appeals.

Section 45-41-260.14Appeals. Any party aggrieved by any final judgment or decision of the commission, within 15 days, may request a review of the record by a five member review board appointed by the Lee County Commission, one member being the county planning director, one member being the county public works director, two members who are experts in related fields of planning, and one public member. This review board may require that the planning commission reconsider its earlier decision. If such reconsideration is ordered, the planning commission may reconsider the previous record and any additional material which the planning commission considers relevant. If upon reconsideration by the planning commission, any party remains aggrieved by any final judgment of the planning commission, any party, within 30 days thereafter, may appeal therefrom to circuit court as provided below. If no review by the five member review board is requested by any party aggrieved by any final judgment or decision of the commission, or reconsideration is not granted by the five member review board, then the aggrieved party, within 30 days thereafter, may appeal therefrom. The appeal shall specify the judgment or decision from which the appeal is taken and shall rest upon the contention that the zoning regulations or subdivision regulations in question are unreasonable, discriminatory, unconstitutional, or otherwise invalid, and the appeal shall be filed with and addressed to the circuit court having jurisdiction within the county where the affected property of the aggrieved party is located. In case of an appeal, the commission shall cause a transcript of the proceedings in the case to be certified to the court to which the appeal is taken. (Act 2007-401, p. 800, §15; Act 2007-477, p. 998, §15.)
AL Code § 45-42-50 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 42 - Limestone County.|Article 5 - Contables.|Section 45-42-50 - Office of Constable Abolished.

Section 45-42-50Office of constable abolished. In Limestone County, effective at the end of the current term of office, the office of constable provided for in each election precinct pursuant to Chapter 23, Title 36, is abolished. (Act 96­288, p. 332, § 1.)
AL Code § 45-42-140 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 42 - Limestone County.|Article 14 - Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services.|Section 45-42-140 - Applicability.

Section 45-42-140Applicability. This article shall apply only to those portions of Limestone County located outside the corporate boundaries of any municipality having a municipal fire department. (Act 2008­123, p. 161, § 1; Act 2008­414, p. 814, § 1.)
AL Code § 45-42-140.01 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 42 - Limestone County.|Article 14 - Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services.|Section 45-42-140.01 - Legislative Findings.

Section 45-42-140.01Legislative findings. The Legislature declares that volunteer fire departments and associations which receive funds pursuant to this article are organizations which are public in nature, as they protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of the county. (Act 2008­123, p. 161, § 2.)
AL Code § 45-42-140.02 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 42 - Limestone County.|Article 14 - Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services.|Section 45-42-140.02 - Fire Protection Service Fee - Levy; Definitions; Exemptions.

Section 45-42-140.02Fire protection service fee - Levy; definitions; exemptions. (a) There is levied on the owner of each dwelling and business located in those portions of Limestone County located outside the corporate boundaries of any municipality having a municipal fire department a fire protection service fee of two dollars fifty cents ($2.50) monthly on each dwelling and five dollars ($5) monthly on each business to be collected annually. (b) For the purposes of this article a dwelling shall be defined as any building, structure, or other improvement to real property used or expected to be used as a dwelling or residence for one or more human beings, including specifically and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (i) such a building, structure, or improvement assessed, for purposes of state and county ad valorem taxation, as Class III single-family owner-occupied residential property, (ii) a duplex or an apartment building, and (iii) any mobile home or house trailer. A building, structure, or other improvement shall be classified as a dwelling for purposes of this article notwithstanding: (1) That it is wholly or partially vacant or uninhabited at any time during the year for which a fire protection service fee with respect thereto is or is to be levied; or (2) That it is also used or expected to be used simultaneously for a purpose, whether or not commercial in nature, other than as a dwelling or residence as aforesaid. (c) The fees shall not be construed as a tax on property. The fees shall be levied for the purpose of funding fire protection services to dwellings and businesses under this article. (d) Any person who is 65 years of age or older having a net annual taxable income of seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) or less, as shown on the person's and spouse's latest United States income tax return shall be exempted from paying the fee levied by this article. In the event that the person and spouse are not required to file a United States income tax return, then an affidavit indicating that the net taxable income of the person and spouse for the preceding taxable year was seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) or less shall be sufficient proof. Proof of age shall be furnished when the exemption provided herein is claimed. (Act 2008­123, p. 161, § 3; Act 2008­414, p. 814, § 1.)
AL Code § 45-42-140.03 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 42 - Limestone County.|Article 14 - Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services.|Section 45-42-140.03 - Fire Protection Service Fee ­ Collection, Administration, and Enforcement.

Section 45-42-140.03Fire protection service fee ­ Collection, administration, and enforcement. The fire protection service fee shall be collected, administered, and enforced as closely as possible at the same time, in the same manner, and under the same requirements and laws as are the ad valorem taxes of the state. In the case of mobile homes, the fee shall be collected, administered, and enforced as closely as possible at the same time, in the same manner, and under the same requirements and laws as the annual registration fee for manufactured homes provided in Section 40­12­255. The proceeds of the fee shall be paid into a special county fund. Within 30 days of payment into the special fund, the county commission shall divide the funds equally among all eligible volunteer fire departments and the Limestone County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments. The county commission may establish rules and procedures regarding the transfer, investing, accounting, and handling of the funds and may retain an administrative fee. (Act 2008­123, p. 161, § 4.)
AL Code § 45-42-140.04 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 42 - Limestone County.|Article 14 - Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services.|Section 45-42-140.04 - Eligible Volunteer Fire Department.

Section 45-42-140.04Eligible volunteer fire department. An eligible volunteer fire department, for the purposes of this article, shall mean a volunteer fire department located in Limestone County and is a member of the Limestone County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments. (Act 2008­123, p. 161, § 5.)
AL Code § 45-42-140.05 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 42 - Limestone County.|Article 14 - Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services.|Section 45-42-140.05 - Disposition of Funds.

Section 45-42-140.05Disposition of funds. Funds paid to eligible volunteer fire departments shall only be expended for fire protection purposes, including training, supplies, and equipment. The funds may also be expended to purchase liability insurance to insure coverage of acts or omission which are directly related to the functions of a volunteer fire department which are committed by a volunteer fire department or the personnel of a volunteer fire department, or both. The funds may not be expended for salaries, food, drink, social activities, or fundraising activities. After receiving funds, the volunteer fire departments shall keep accurate records to verify that the funds were properly expended. By September 15th of each year, the department shall file a form with the county commission detailing the expenditure of all funds during the previous 12 months. The filing shall also account for all unspent funds and whether the unspent funds have been obligated. The county commission shall supply the accounting forms to each eligible volunteer fire department. (Act 2008­123, p. 161, § 6.)
AL Code § 45-42-140.06 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 42 - Limestone County.|Article 14 - Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services.|Section 45-42-140.06 - Transfer of Funds Upon Dissolution or Abandonment of Volunteer Fire Department.

Section 45-42-140.06Transfer of funds upon dissolution or abandonment of volunteer fire department. Upon dissolution or abandonment of any eligible volunteer fire department, any remaining funds derived from this article or any assets purchased with funds derived from this article, after all indebtedness has been satisfied, shall be transferred to the county commission. The funds and assets shall be reallocated by the county commission to other volunteer fire departments. In the event there are no volunteer fire departments, the funds or assets shall be placed in the county general fund. (Act 2008­123, p. 161, § 7.)
AL Code § 45-42-140.07 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 45 - Local Laws.|Chapter 42 - Limestone County.|Article 14 - Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services.|Section 45-42-140.07 - Liability of Personnel.

Section 45-42-140.07Liability of personnel. The personnel of volunteer fire departments provided for in this article shall not be considered as employees, servants, or agents of the county and the members of the county commission and the employees of the county shall not be liable in either their official capacity or in a private capacity for the actions of the personnel of volunteer fire departments. (Act 2008­123, p. 161, § 8.)