Title 5, Municipal Corporations

(A) The governing body of a municipality or county may upon the request of another governing body or of another political subdivision of the State, including school districts, designate certain officers to be assigned to the duty of a school resource officer and to work within th…

(A) The governing body of any municipality may upon the request of the governing body of any other political subdivision of the State, send any law enforcement officers to the requesting political subdivision in cases of emergency. A complete record of the request, together with …

Any municipal officer or employee who has a substantial financial interest in any business which contracts with the municipality for sale or lease of land, materials, supplies, equipment or services or who personally engages in such matters shall make known that interest and refr…

(A) The corporate limits of any municipality bordering on the high-tide line of the Atlantic Ocean are extended to include all that area lying between the high-tide line and one mile seaward of the high-tide line. These areas are subject to all the ordinances and regulations that…

(A) Each municipality bordering on the Atlantic Ocean is authorized to provide lifeguard and other safety related services on and along the public beaches within its corporate limits. A coastal municipality may enact and enforce regulations it determines necessary for the safety …

Every coastal municipality has criminal jurisdiction over piers and other structures and the waters of the ocean, a sound, or an inlet within one mile of those portions of the strand within the corporate limits. The corporate limits of the municipality are extended in a straight …

If any portion of a street or highway is within the boundary of a municipality, the right of way of the street or highway not within the municipal boundary but touching the boundary is nevertheless considered to be within the boundary of that municipality for purposes of its poli…

All powers of the municipality are vested in the council, except as otherwise provided by law, and the council shall provide for the exercise thereof and for the performance of all duties and obligations imposed on the municipality by law. A majority of the total membership of th…

The council may determine the annual salary of its members by ordinance; provided, that an ordinance establishing or increasing such salaries shall not become effective until the commencement date of the terms of two or more members elected at the next general election following …

Except where authorized by law, no mayor or councilman shall hold any other municipal office or municipal employment while serving the term for which he was elected.

Immediately after any general election for the municipal council, the council shall elect from its membership a mayor pro tempore for a term of not more than two years. The mayor pro tempore shall act as mayor during the absence or disability of the mayor. If a vacancy occurs in …

The corporate name of every city or town incorporated under this title shall be 'the city of "__________"' or 'the town of "__________"', and in such corporate name the municipality shall have all powers granted to municipalities by the Constitution and the general law of this St…

(a) A mayor or councilman shall forfeit his office if he (1) lacks at any time during his term of office any qualification for the office prescribed by the general law and the Constitution; (2) violates any express prohibition of Chapters 1 to 17; or (3) is convicted of a crime i…

The council shall be the judge of the election and qualifications of its members and of the grounds for forfeiture of their office and for that purpose shall have power to subpoena witnesses, administer oaths and require the production of evidence. A member charged with conduct c…

The council under the council and mayor-council forms of government or city manager under the council-manager form shall appoint an officer of the municipality who shall have the title of municipal clerk. The municipal clerk shall give notice of council meetings to its members an…

The city council may elect or appoint a municipal attorney and a judge or judges of the municipal court, whose duties shall be as prescribed by law. No mayor or councilman shall be so elected or appointed to serve as municipal judge during his term of office. The provisions of th…

(A) The council of each municipality having total recurring revenues at or above the threshold in Section 5-7-240(D) shall provide for an annual audit of financial statements. The council may, without requiring competitive bids, designate a certified public accountant or public a…

(a) The council, after public notice shall meet regularly at least once in every month at such times and places as the council may prescribe by rule. Special meetings may be held on the call of the mayor or of a majority of the members. (b) The council shall determine its own rul…

In addition to other acts required by law to be done by ordinance, those acts of the municipal council shall be by ordinances which: (1) Adopt or amend an administrative code or establish, alter or abolish any municipal department, office or agency; (2) Provide for a fine or othe…

Every proposed ordinance shall be introduced in writing and in the form required for final adoption. Each municipality shall by ordinance establish its own rules and procedures as to adoption of ordinances. No ordinance shall have the force of law until it shall have been read tw…

The council may adopt any standard code or technical regulations authorized under SECTION 6-9-60 by reference thereto in the adopting ordinance; provided, that the council shall hold at least one public hearing before the adoption of any such standard code or technical regulation…

Each municipal council shall provide by ordinance for the codification and indexing of all ordinances, either typewritten or printed, and the maintenance of ordinances in a current form reflecting all amendments and repeals. All ordinances as codified shall be available for publi…

Each municipality of the State, in addition to the powers conferred to its specific form of government, may enact regulations, resolutions, and ordinances, not inconsistent with the Constitution and general law of this State, including the exercise of powers in relation to roads,…

(A) All municipalities of the State may provide by ordinance a procedure for the collection of delinquent real and personal property taxes, except taxes on motor vehicles. The municipal governing body may provide for a penalty not exceeding fifteen percent of the taxes levied for…

The provisions of Section 4-9-55 apply to general laws enacted by the General Assembly which affect municipalities.

A municipality may appoint and commission as many code enforcement officers as may be necessary for the proper security, general welfare, and convenience of the municipality. These officers are vested with all the powers and duties conferred by law upon constables in addition to …

No ordinance of a municipality which affects the operation of any railroad, as defined by SECTION 58-17-10, is effective until a certified copy of the ordinance has been sent to the division superintendent or local agent of the railroad company affected, by certified mail, return…

No assessment for the Improvement District improvements may be made on residential property for additional police, fire, and garbage services therein which are part of the plan. Provided, further, no assessment may be assessed against real property which qualifies for exemption f…

All municipalities of this State may own and possess property within and without their corporate limits, real, personal or mixed, without limitation, and may, by resolution of the council adopted at a public meeting and upon such terms and conditions as such council may deem advi…

Any municipality desiring to become the owner of any land or to acquire any easement or right-of-way therein for any authorized corporate or public purpose shall have the right to condemn such land or right-of-way or easement, subject to the general law of this State, within and …

Any municipality may perform any of its functions, furnish any of its services, except services of police officers, and make charges therefor and may participate in the financing thereof in areas outside the corporate limits of such municipality by contract with any individual, c…

(1) Any municipality is authorized to provide by ordinance that the owner of any lot or property in the municipality shall keep such lot or property clean and free of rubbish, debris and other unhealthy and unsightly material or conditions which constitute a public nuisance. (2) …

The municipal judge or judges of a municipality shall speedily try all persons arrested and incarcerated with violations of the ordinances of the municipality or the laws of the State within their jurisdiction in a summary manner without a jury unless jury trial is demanded by th…

Except as specifically provided for in this chapter, the structure, organization, powers, duties, functions and responsibilities of municipal government under the mayor-council form shall be as prescribed in Chapter 7.

(a) Under the mayor-council form of government there shall be a municipal council composed of a mayor and not less than four council members. (b) The members of council shall be elected in accordance with Chapter 15.

The mayor shall be the chief administrative officer of the municipality. He shall be responsible to the council for the administration of all city affairs placed in his charge by or under Chapters 1 through 17. He shall have the following powers and duties: (1) to appoint and, wh…

The council may establish municipal departments, offices, and agencies in addition to those created by Chapters 1 through 17 and may prescribe the functions of all departments, offices and agencies, except that no function assigned by law to a particular department, office or age…

Except as specifically provided for in this chapter, the structure, organization, powers, duties, functions and responsibilities of municipal government under the council form shall be as prescribed in Chapter 7.

(a) Under the council form of government there shall be a municipal council composed of five, seven or nine members including the mayor. (b) The mayor and members of the council shall be elected in accordance with Chapter 15.

All legislative and administrative powers of the municipality and the determination of all matters of policy shall be vested in the municipal council. Each member of council, including the mayor, shall have one vote.

(a) The council may establish municipal departments, offices or agencies in addition to those created by Chapters 1 through 17 and may prescribe the functions of all departments, offices and agencies. The council may hire an administrator to assist the council. (b) All department…

Except as specifically provided for in this Chapter the structure, organization, powers, duties, functions and responsibilities of municipal government under the council-manager form shall be as prescribed in Chapter 7.

Municipal council may, by ordinance, create, change and abolish offices, departments or agencies of municipal government upon the recommendation of the manager or may, in accordance with such recommendations, assign additional functions and duties to such offices. The head of eac…

(a) Under the council-manager form of government there shall be a municipal council composed of a mayor and four, six or eight councilmen. (b) The members of council and the mayor shall be elected in accordance with Chapter 15.

All legislative powers of the municipality and the determination of all matters of policy shall be vested in the municipal council, each member, including the mayor, to have one vote. Without limitation of the foregoing, the council shall: (1) Employ a manager; (2) Establish othe…

(a) Except where authorized by law, no councilman shall hold any other municipal office or municipal employment while serving the term for which he was elected to the council. (b) Neither the council nor any of its members shall in any manner be involved in the appointment or rem…