(a) Petition.--The following shall apply:

(1) The application for incorporation shall be by a petition signed by a majority of the freeholders residing within the limits of the proposed borough and by the freeholders of a majority of the territory within the limits of the proposed borough, if all parts of the proposed borough are in the same township.

(2) If portions of the proposed borough are in different townships, the petition shall be signed by a majority of the freeholders residing in each of the separate portions and by the freeholders of a majority of the territory in each of the separate portions. The following shall apply:

(i) The signatures must be secured within three months immediately preceding the presentation of the signatures to the court.

(ii) The petition shall be subscribed by and sworn to by at least one of the signers.

(iii) The number of signers required to sign the petition shall be ascertained as of the date the petition was presented to court.

(b) (Reserved).

(c) (Reserved).

(d) (Reserved).

(e) Filing and notice.--Upon presentation to the court, a petition shall be filed with the clerk of court, and notice of the petition shall be published under section 109 (relating to publication of notices) once a week for four consecutive weeks immediately following the filing of the petition, during which time exceptions may be filed to the petition by any person interested. The notice shall state when and where the petition was filed and the time during which exceptions may be filed to the petition.

(f) Contents of petition.--The petition under subsection (e) shall indicate the name of the proposed borough with a particular description of the boundaries of the borough and be accompanied with a plot of the proposed borough. The following shall apply:

(1) If the boundaries of the proposed borough are not the same as an existing township, the description shall contain the courses and distances of the boundaries.

(2) If the boundaries of the proposed borough are the same as an existing township, the description:

(i) may contain the courses and distances of the boundaries; and

(ii) shall refer to the name and location of the existing township.

Special Provisions in Appendix. See section 4(3)(ii) of Act 37 of 2014 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to continuation of prior law.