(A) In addition to other methods of annexation authorized by this chapter, any area which is contiguous to a municipality may be annexed to the municipality by the filing of a petition with the council signed by twenty-five percent or more of the qualified electors who are residents within the area proposed to be annexed.

(B) The petition must contain a description of the area to be annexed, the signature of the qualified elector, the address of residence, and the act or code section pursuant to which the proposed annexation is to be accomplished.

(C) If the municipal council finds that the petition has been signed by twenty-five percent or more of the qualified electors resident within the area proposed to be annexed, the council may certify that fact to the county election commission of the county in which the area is situated. Upon receipt of a written resolution certifying that the petition meets the requirements of this section, the county election commission shall order an election to be held within the area proposed to be annexed to the municipality on the question of extension of the corporate limits of the municipality by annexation of the area proposed to be annexed.

(D) The election ordered pursuant to this section is a special election and not a municipal election and must be held, regulated, and conducted with the provisions prescribed by Chapters 13 and 17 of Title 7, except as otherwise provided in this section. The county election commission shall give at least thirty days' notice in a newspaper of general circulation within the area proposed to be annexed to the municipality. Registered qualified electors residing within the area proposed to be annexed to the municipality shall have the same qualifications to vote in this election as are required of registered qualified electors to vote in state and county general elections. At the election, the registered qualified electors residing within the area proposed to be annexed shall vote in a box or boxes to be provided for the purpose within the area proposed to be annexed by the county election commission. The county election commission shall certify the result of the election to the municipal council of the municipality. If a majority of the votes cast by the qualified electors of the area proposed to be annexed are in favor of the annexation, the council by written resolution must publish the result of the election.

(E) After publishing the result of the election, the municipal council shall publish in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipality a notice which must contain:

(1) a description of the area to be annexed;

(2) the act or code section pursuant to which the proposed annexation is to be accomplished;

(3) a statement that the qualified electors of the area to be annexed voted to be annexed to the municipality; and

(4) a statement that the municipal council will approve the annexation of the area unless a petition signed by five percent or more of the qualified electors within the municipality is presented to the municipal council within thirty days from the date of the notice requesting that the municipal council order an election to be held within the municipality on the question of extension of the corporate limits by annexation of the area proposed to be annexed.

(F) The municipal council may give final reading approval to an ordinance declaring the area annexed not less than thirty days from the date of the publication of the notice required by subsection (E). However, if within thirty days from the date of the publication of the notice required by subsection (E), a petition signed by five percent or more of the qualified electors within the municipality is presented to the municipal council requesting an election to be held within the municipality on the question of extension of the corporate limits by annexation of the area proposed to be annexed, the municipal council shall delay final reading approval of the ordinance declaring the area annexed until the results of the election within the municipality are published.

(G) If within thirty days from the date of the publication of the notice required by subsection (E), a petition is presented to the municipal council requesting an election to be held within the municipality on the question of extension of the corporate limits by annexation of the area proposed to be annexed, the municipal council, after verifying that at least five percent of the qualified electors within the municipality have signed the petition, shall certify that fact to the municipal election commission and order an election. The election ordered pursuant to this subsection is a municipal election and must be held, regulated, and conducted by the municipal election commission pursuant to provisions prescribed by Chapters 13 and 17 of Title 7, except as otherwise provided in this subsection. The municipal election commission shall give at least thirty days' notice prior to the date set for the election by publishing the notice in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipality. Registered qualified electors residing within the municipality shall have the same qualifications to vote in this election as are required of registered qualified electors to vote in the state and county general elections. The municipal election commission shall certify the result of the election to the municipal council.

(H) If a majority of the votes cast by the qualified electors of the municipality are in favor of the annexation, the council shall give final reading approval to the ordinance declaring the area annexed. If a majority of the votes cast by the qualified electors of the municipality are in opposition to the annexation, the municipal council shall publish the result of the election and table the proposed ordinance.

(I) When the procedure for annexation provided for in this section is followed, any freeholder owning real property in the area to be annexed equal to twenty-five percent or more of the total assessed value of all real property of the area proposed to be annexed and any freeholder owning agricultural real property in the area to be annexed shall receive written notice of the proposed annexation by certified mail, return receipt requested, from the municipal clerk. Unless the freeholder files written notice with the municipal clerk at least ten days before the election provided for in subsection (D), the freeholder's property must be considered as part of the area proposed to be annexed for the purposes of the annexation election. If the freeholder files written notice objecting to the inclusion of his property in the area to be annexed with the municipal clerk at least ten days before the election provided for in subsection (D), the freeholder's property must be excluded from the area to be annexed. For purposes of this section, "agricultural real property" means:

(1) land used to grow timber, if the size of the tract is ten acres or more. Tracts of timberland of less than ten acres which are contiguous to or are under the same management system as a tract of timberland which meets the minimum acreage requirement are treated as part of the qualifying tract. Tracts of timberland of less than ten acres are agricultural real property when they are owned in combination with other tracts of nontimberland agricultural real property that qualify as agricultural real property. For purposes of this item, tracts of timberland must be actively devoted to growing trees for commercial use;

(2) all other agricultural real property, if the size of the tract is ten acres or more. Tracts of other than timberland of less than ten acres which are contiguous to a tract which meets the minimum acreage requirement are treated as part of the qualifying tract;

(3) tracts of other than timberland not meeting the acreage requirement qualify if the freeholder reported at least one thousand dollars of gross farm income on his federal income tax return Schedule E or F for at least three of the five taxable years preceding the year of the annexation. The municipal clerk may require the freeholder (a) to give written authorization consistent with privacy laws allowing the clerk to verify farm income from the South Carolina Department of Revenue or the Internal Revenue Service and (b) to provide the Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) farm identification number of the tract and allow verification with the ASCS office.

HISTORY: 1988 Act No. 626, Section 1; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 613; 2000 Act No. 250, Section 3.