153A-316.3. Extension of URSD.

(a) Standards. - A board of commissioners may by resolution annex territory to a URSD upon finding that:

(1) The conditions, covenants, restrictions, and reservations required by G.S. 153A-312(a)(8) that apply to all real property in the URSD also apply or will apply to the property to be annexed, provided that such covenants, restrictions, and reservations shall not be effective against the United States as long as it owns or leases property in the URSD but shall apply to any subsequent owner or lessee of such property.

(2) One hundred percent (100%) of the owners of real property in the area to be annexed have petitioned for annexation.

(3) The URSD, following the annexation, will continue to meet the standards set out in G.S. 153A-316.1(a).

(4) The area to be annexed requires the services, facilities, or functions financed, provided, or maintained for the URSD.

(5) The area to be annexed is contiguous to the URSD.

(b) Report. - Before the public hearing required by subsection (c) of this section, the board shall cause to be prepared 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 URSD and the adjacent territory proposed to be annexed, showing the present and proposed boundaries of the URSD.

(2) A statement showing that the area to be annexed meets the standards and requirements of subsection (a) of this section.

(c) Hearing and Notice. - The board shall hold a public hearing before adopting any resolution extending the boundaries of a URSD. Notice of the hearing shall state the date, hour, and place of the hearing and its subject, and shall include a statement that the report required by subsection (b) of this section is available for inspection in the office of the clerk to the board. The notice shall be published at least once not less than four weeks before the hearing. In addition, the notice 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 area to be annexed. The person designated by the board to mail the notice shall certify to the board that the mailing has been completed, and the certificate shall be conclusive in the absence of fraud.

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