§ 3217. Cooperation by public bodies
(a)(1) For the purpose of aiding in the planning, undertaking, or carrying out of an urban
renewal project located within the area in which it is authorized to act, any public
body may, upon such terms, with or without consideration, as it may determine:
(A) dedicate, sell, convey, or lease any of its interest in any property or grant easements,
licenses, or other rights or privileges therein to a municipality;
(B) incur the entire expense of any public improvements made by such public body in exercising
the powers granted in this section;
(C) do any and all things necessary to aid or cooperate in the planning or carrying out
of an urban renewal plan;
(D) lend, grant, or contribute funds to a municipality;
(E) enter into agreements that may extend over any period, notwithstanding any provisions
or rule of law to the contrary, with a municipality or other public body respecting
action to be taken pursuant to any of the powers granted by this chapter, including
the furnishing of funds or other assistance in connection with an urban renewal project;
and
(F) cause public buildings and public facilities, including parks, playgrounds, recreational,
community, educational, water, sewer or drainage facilities, or any other works that
it is otherwise empowered to undertake to be furnished; furnish, dedicate, close,
vacate, pave, install, grade, regrade, plan or replan streets, roads, sidewalks, ways,
or other places; plan, replan, zone, or rezone any part of the public body or make
exceptions from building regulations; and cause administrative and other services
to be furnished to the municipality.
(2) If at any time title to or possession of any urban renewal project is held by any
public body or governmental agency, other than the municipality, that is authorized
by law to engage in the undertaking, carrying out, or administration of urban renewal
projects, including any agency or instrumentality of the United States of America,
the provisions of the agreements referred to in this section shall inure to the benefit
of and may be enforced by such public body or governmental agency.
(3) As used in this subsection, the term “municipality” shall also include an urban renewal
agency or a housing authority vested with all of the urban renewal project powers
pursuant to the provisions of section 3219 of this title.
(b) Any sale, conveyance, lease, or agreement provided for in this section may be made
by a public body without appraisal, public notice, advertisement, or public bidding.
(c) For the purpose of aiding in the planning, undertaking, or carrying out of an urban
renewal project of an urban renewal agency or a housing authority hereunder, a municipality
may, in addition to its other powers and upon such terms, with or without consideration,
as it may determine, do and perform any or all of the actions or things which, by
the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, a public body is authorized to do
or perform, including the furnishing of financial and other assistance.
(d)(1) For the purposes of this section, or for the purpose of aiding in the planning, undertaking,
or carrying out of an urban renewal project of a municipality, that municipality may,
in addition to any authority to issue bonds pursuant to section 3214 of this title, issue and sell its general obligation bonds.
(2) Any bonds issued by a municipality pursuant to this section shall be issued in the
manner and within the limitations prescribed by the laws of this state for the issuance
and authorization of bonds by that municipality for public purposes generally. However,
bonds so issued:
(A) shall not be considered as indebtedness of the municipality limited by the provisions
of section 1762 of this title or any other general or special law; and
(B) may be authorized by a majority of all the voters present and voting on the question
at a meeting of such municipality held for the purpose pursuant to subchapter 1 of
chapter 53 of this title or pursuant to the provisions of any special law that governs
the authorization of indebtedness by the municipality.
(3)(A) So long as any such bonds of the municipality are outstanding the local governing
body may deduct, in any one or more years from any net increase in the aggregate taxable
valuation of land and improvements in all areas covered by urban renewal plans the
amount necessary to produce tax revenues equal to the current debt service on such
bonds, assuming the previous year’s total tax rate and full collection.
(B) Only the balance, if any, of such net increase shall be taken into account in computing
the sums that may be appropriated for other purposes under applicable tax rate limits.
(C) All the taxable property in all areas covered by urban renewal plans, including the
whole of such net increase, shall be subject to the same total tax rate as other taxable
property, except as may be otherwise provided by law.
(D) The net increase shall be computed each year by subtracting, from the current aggregate
valuation of the land and improvements in all the areas covered by urban renewal plans,
the sum of the aggregate valuations of land and improvements in each such area on
the date the urban plan for such area was approved under subsection 3207(f) of this title. An area shall be deemed to be covered by an urban renewal plan until the date shown
in the plan as its expiration date or until the date all the indebtedness incurred
by the municipality to finance the applicable project has been paid, whichever date
is later.
(4) All the provisions of this subsection shall apply to all municipalities, notwithstanding
any provision of general or special law to the contrary that specifies a different
debt limit, that requires a greater vote to authorize bonds, that prescribes a different
computation of appropriations under tax rate limits, or that is otherwise inconsistent
with this subsection. (Amended 1963, No. 2, § 1, eff. Feb. 14, 1963; 2017, No. 74, § 108.)