Applicability Recent Urban Renewal Legislation

The bill clarifies the applicability provisions of legislation enacted in 2015 and 2016 to promote an equitable financial contribution among affected public bodies in connection with urban redevelopment projects allocating tax revenues in the following respects:

• The bill clarifies that a substantial modification of an urban renewal plan (plan) is a proposed modification that substantially changes provisions of the plan regarding land area, land use, authorization to collect incremental tax revenue, the extent of the use of tax increment financing, the scope or nature of the urban renewal project, the scope of method of financing, design, building requirements, timing, or procedure, as previously approved, or where the modification will substantially clarify a plan that, when approved, was lacking in specificity as to the urban renewal project or financing. If the modification is substantial, the modification is subject to pertinent requirements of the urban renewal law addressing modifications. For plans to which a pledge of the revenues deposited into the special fund was made by an indenture or other legally binding document that is separate from the plan itself prior to January 1, 2016, a pledge to secure the payment of refunding bonds is not a substantial modification and is not subject to the modification requirements of the urban renewal law.
• Not less than 30 days prior to approving any modification of a plan, the bill requires the governing body or an urban renewal authority (authority) to provide a detailed written description of the proposed modification to each taxing entity that levies taxes on property located within the urban renewal area and a notice of the date and time of the meeting at which the governing body will consider the modification. Any taxing entity that levies taxes on property located within the urban renewal area may file an action in the state district court exercising jurisdiction over the county in which the urban renewal area is located for an order determining, under a de novo standard of review, whether the modification is a substantial modification. Further, if requested by the taxing entity, the court is required to enjoin any action by the authority pursuant to the modification until the court has determined whether the modification is a substantial modification and, if so, the court is required to further enjoin any action by the authority until there has been compliance with statutory provisions addressing the sharing of incremental property tax revenues.
• The bill prohibits any action from being brought to enjoin any undertaking or activity of the authority to a plan, including the issuance of bonds, the incurrence of other financial obligations, or the pledge of revenue, unless the action is commenced within 45 days after the date the authority provided notice of its intention regarding such undertaking or activity. The notice must describe the undertaking or activity proposed to be engaged in by the authority and specify that any action to enjoin the undertaking or activity must be brought within 45 days from the date of the notice. The notice must be published one time in a newspaper of general circulation within the county. On or before the date of publication of the notice, the bill also requires the authority to mail a copy of the notice to each taxing entity that levies taxes on property within the urban renewal area.
• Finally, the bill clarifies that legislation enacted in 2015 to promote an equitable financial contribution among affected public bodies in connection with urban redevelopment projects allocating tax revenues, legislation adopted in 2016 to clarify such 2015 legislation, and the bill apply to municipalities, authorities, and any plans created on or after January 1, 2016, and to any substantial modification of any plan approved on or after January 1, 2016.
  (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)