(a) An ordinance establishing a special services district shall not take effect unless, within sixty days of the adoption of such ordinance: (1) If such district is not divided into subdistricts pursuant to subsection (b) of section 7-339r, a referendum is held among all the holders of record of taxable interests in real property within such district on the question of whether such ordinance shall take effect, and unless a majority of such owners shall respond affirmatively and unless the holders of such taxable interests of real property the assessments of which shall constitute more than one-half of the total of assessments for all taxable interests in real property within such district shall respond affirmatively; or (2) if such district is divided into subdistricts pursuant to subsection (b) of section 7-339r, a separate referendum is held among all the holders of record of taxable interests in the real property within each such subdistrict on the question of whether such ordinance shall take effect, and unless a majority of such holders in each such subdistrict shall respond affirmatively and unless the holders of such taxable interests in real property within each such subdistrict the assessments of which shall constitute more than one-half of the total of assessments for all taxable interests in real property within each such subdistrict shall respond affirmatively; (3) if the ordinance establishing such district creates different categories of land use within such district pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of section 7-339r, a separate referendum is held among all the holders of record of taxable interests in real property in each such land use category in such district on the question of whether such ordinance shall take effect, and unless a majority of such holders in each such land use category shall respond affirmatively and unless the holders of taxable interests in real property in each such land use category the assessments of which shall constitute more than one-half of the total of assessments for all taxable interests in real property in each such land use category within such district shall respond affirmatively; and (4) if such district is divided into subdistricts pursuant to subsection (b) of section 7-339r, and if the ordinance establishing such district creates different categories of land use within such district pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of section 7-339r, and if such ordinance also provides a different basis for the determination of the levies on the same land use category in different subdistricts pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of section 7-339r, a separate referendum is held among all the holders of taxable interests in real property in each such land use category in each such subdistrict on the question of whether such ordinance shall take effect, and unless a majority of such holders in each such land use category in each such subdistrict shall respond affirmatively and unless the holders of such taxable interests in real property in each such land use category in each such subdistrict the assessments of which shall constitute more than one-half of the total of assessments for all taxable interests within each such land use category within each such subdistrict shall respond affirmatively. For the purposes of this section, any tenant in common of any freehold interest in real property shall have a vote equal to the fraction of his ownership in said interest. Any joint tenant of any freehold interest in real property shall vote as if each tenant owned an equal, fractional share of such real property. A corporation shall have its vote cast by the chief executive officer of such corporation or his designee. No owner shall have more than one vote.

(b) The ordinance establishing a special services district shall prescribe the method and manner in which any such referendum shall be conducted, and shall provide the qualifications for those participating in any such referendum. Any such referendum may be conducted by mail.

(c) No holder of record of a taxable interest in real property, whether such record holder is a corporation, partnership, unincorporated association, trustee, fiduciary, guardian, conservator, or other form of entity, or any combination thereof, and whether such record holder is an individual who holds interests jointly, or in common with another individual or individuals, or with any one or more of the foregoing, shall be precluded from participating in any such referendum because of the form of entity which holds such record interest.

(P.A. 73-621, S. 4; P.A. 88-306, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 88-306 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provisions re voting by a tenant in common or a joint tenant of a freehold interest in real property or a corporation and prohibiting an owner from having more than one vote.