Sec. 5.5. (a) This section applies to an area that meets the following conditions:
(1) Contains not more than seven hundred (700) acres.
(2) Has a river along at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the perimeter of the area.
(3) Abuts a different township from the township in which the area is situated.
(b) An area is transferred from the township in which the area is situated to the township that the area abuts if the following conditions are met:
(1) The transfer results in a rectangular shape for the boundaries of both of the affected townships.
(2) A petition:
(A) containing a legal description of the area; and
(B) signed by at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the freeholders in the area;
is filed with the circuit court clerk and the office of the secretary of state.
(c) Section 5(c) of this chapter applies to the alteration of township boundaries under this section.
(d) Except as provided in subsection (e), if the conditions specified in this section are met, the transfer occurs when the filing requirements of subsection (b) are met.
(e) The transfer may not take effect during the year preceding a year in which a federal decennial census is conducted. A transfer that would otherwise take effect during the year preceding a year in which a federal decennial census is conducted takes effect January 2 of the year in which a federal decennial census is conducted.
As added by P.L.259-1993, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.3-1997, SEC.468; P.L.123-2000, SEC.15.