2023 Code of Alabama › Title 11 - Counties and Municipal Corporations. › Title 3 - Provisions Applicable to Counties and Municipal Corporations. › Chapter 88 - Water, Sewer and Fire Protection Authorities. › Article 1 - General Provisions. › Section 11-88-3 - Filing of Application for Incorporation of Authority; Adoption of Resolution Approving or Denying Application by County Governing Body.

Section 11-88-3
Filing of application for incorporation of authority; adoption of resolution approving or denying application by county governing body.
(a) In order to incorporate an authority under this chapter, any number of natural persons, not less than three, shall first file a written application with the governing body of that county in which the area or areas to be served by the proposed authority is located. Such application shall contain:
(1) A statement that the authority proposes to render water service, sewer service, and fire protection service, or any one or more thereof;
(2) A concise legal description of the area or areas in which the authority proposes to render water service, sewer service, and fire protection service, or any thereof;
(3) A statement that there is no public water system adequate to serve any area in which it is proposed that the authority will render water service, that there is no public sewer system adequate to serve any area in which it is proposed that the authority will render sewer service, and that there are no public fire protection facilities adequate to serve any area in which it is proposed that the authority will render fire protection service; provided, that in lieu of the statement required by the foregoing provisions of this subdivision, the said application may state that the board of directors or similar governing or managing body of the owner of the legal or equitable title to an existing public water system, public sewer system, or public fire protection facility, as the case may be, has adopted a resolution either (i) declaring its intention to convey to the authority its interest in such existing system or facility, or both, or a leasehold estate therein, or (ii) consenting to the incorporation of the authority and its proposed service area;
(4) A statement that the establishment of an adequate water system, adequate sewer system, and adequate fire protection facility, or any thereof, will promote the public health, convenience, and welfare;
(5) A statement, that each of the applicants is a resident of and owner of real property in the area or areas of the county in which the authority proposes to render water service, sewer service, and fire protection service, or any thereof, and that each of them is a duly qualified elector of said county; and
(6) A request that the said governing body adopt a resolution declaring that it has reviewed the contents of the application and has found and determined as a matter of fact that the statements contained in the application are true.
The proposed service area described in any such application shall lie wholly within the boundaries of the county with whose governing body the application is filed and may lie either within or without or partly within and partly without the boundaries of any municipality in the said county. Every such application shall be accompanied by such supporting documents or evidence as the applicants may consider appropriate.
(b) As promptly as may be practicable after the filing of the application with it pursuant to the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the governing body with which the application was filed shall review the contents of the application and shall find and determine whether the statements contained in the application are true. If said governing body finds and determines that the said statements are not true, it shall deny the application, but if it finds and determines that the said statements are true, the said governing body shall adopt a resolution declaring that it has reviewed the contents of the application and has found and determined as a matter of fact that the statements in the application are true. In determining whether the statements in the application are true, the governing body with whom such application is filed may, without any investigation or further consideration, assume that the statement therein made pursuant to the provisions of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section is true and may, without any investigation or further consideration, so find and determine in such resolution.
(Acts 1965, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 107, p. 132, §3; Acts 1966, Ex. Sess., No. 436, p. 581; Acts 1967, No. 410, p. 1049, §2; Acts 1982, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 82-761, p. 232, §1.)