153A-316.1. Urban research service district (URSD).

(a) Standards. - The board of commissioners of a county may establish one or more urban research service districts ("URSD" as used in this Part) that meets the following standards:

(1) The URSD is wholly within a county research and production service district located partly within that county.

(2) The URSD is located wholly within that county.

(3) The URSD is not contained within another URSD.

(4) A petition requesting creation of the URSD signed by at least fifty percent (50%) of the owners of real property in the URSD who own at least fifty (50%) of total area of the real property in the URSD has been presented to the board of commissioners.

(b) Report. - Before the public hearing required by subsection (c) of this section, the board of commissioners shall cause to be prepared and adopted by it a report. The report shall be available for public inspection in the office of the clerk to the board for at least four weeks before the date of the public hearing. The report shall contain the following:

(1) A map of the proposed URSD, showing its proposed boundaries.

(2) A statement showing that the proposed URSD is for the purpose of providing urban services, facilities, or functions to a greater extent than (i) in the entire county and (ii) in the county research and production service district.

(3) A plan for providing one or more services, facilities, or functions to the URSD.

(c) Hearing and Notice. - The board of commissioners shall hold a public hearing before adopting any resolution defining a URSD under this section. Notice of the hearing shall state the date, hour, and place of the hearing and its subject, and shall include a map of the proposed URSD and a statement that the report required by subsection (b) of this section is available for public inspection in the office of the clerk to the board. The notice shall be published at least once not less than one week before the date of the hearing. In addition, it shall be mailed at least four weeks before the date of the hearing by any class of U.S. mail that is fully prepaid to the owners, as shown by the county tax records as of the preceding January 1, of all property located within the proposed URSD. The person designated by the board to mail the notice shall certify to the board that the mailing has been completed, and the designated person's certificate is conclusive in the absence of fraud.

(d) Effective Date. - The resolution defining a URSD shall take effect at the beginning of a fiscal year commencing after its passage, as determined by the board of commissioners.