Title 11, PLANNING, ZONING AND HOUSING PROGRAMS

A municipality shall not approve an urban renewal project for an urban renewal area unless the governing body has, by resolution, determined such area to be a slum area or a blighted area or a combination thereof and designated such area as appropriate for an urban renewal projec…

The municipality may itself prepare or cause to be prepared an urban renewal plan, or any person or agency, public or private, may submit such a plan to a municipality. Prior to its approval of an urban renewal project, the local governing body shall submit such plan to the plann…

The local governing body shall hold a public hearing on an urban renewal plan after public notice thereof. Such notice shall be given by publication once each week for two consecutive weeks, not less than ten nor more than thirty days prior to the date of the hearing in a legal n…

Following such hearing, the local governing body may approve an urban renewal project and the plan therefor if it finds that: (1) A feasible method exists for the location of families who will be displaced from the urban renewal area in decent, safe, and sanitary dwelling accommo…

If the urban renewal area consists of an area of open land to be acquired by the municipality, such area shall not be so acquired unless: (1) If it is to be developed for residential uses, the local governing body shall determine that a shortage of housing of sound standards and …

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, where the local governing body certifies that an area is in need of redevelopment or rehabilitation as a result of a flood, fire, hurricane, earthquake, storm, or other catastrophe respecting which the Governor of the state ha…

An urban renewal plan may be modified at any time by the governing body: provided that if modified after the lease or sale by the municipality of real property in the urban renewal project area, such modification may be conditioned upon such approval of the owner, lessee, or succ…

Wherever used or referred to in this chapter, unless a different meaning is clearly indicated by the context, "slum area" shall mean an area in which there is a predominance of buildings or improvements, whether residential or nonresidential, which by reason of dilapidation, dete…

Upon the approval by the local governing body of an urban renewal plan or of any modification thereof, such plan or modification shall be deemed to be in full force and effect for the respective urban renewal area and the municipality may then cause such plan or modification to b…

Every municipality shall have all the powers necessary or convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of this chapter, including the powers granted by §§ 11-8-22 to 11-8-33 , inclusive, in addition to others herein granted. Source: SL 1966, ch 149 , § 8.

Every municipality shall have the power to undertake and carry out urban renewal projects and related activities within its area of operation; and to make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of its powers under this chapter; and to …

Every municipality shall have the power, within its area of operation, to enter into any building or property in any urban renewal area in order to make inspections, surveys, appraisals, soundings, or test borings, and to obtain an order for this purpose from a court of competent…

Every municipality shall have the power, within its area of operation, to make or have made all surveys and plans necessary to the carrying out of the purposes of this chapter and to contract with any person, public or private, in making and carrying out such plans and to adopt o…

Every municipality shall have the power, with the approval of the local governing body, prior to approval of an urban renewal plan, or approval of any modifications of the plan, to acquire real property in an urban renewal area, demolish and remove any structures on the property,…

Every municipality shall have the power to prepare plans for and assist in the relocation of persons, including individuals, families, business concerns, nonprofit organizations and others, displaced from an urban renewal area, and to make relocation payments to or with respect t…

Every municipality shall have the power to close, vacate, plan or replan streets, roads, sidewalks, ways or other places; and to plan or replan any part of the municipality. Source: SL 1966, ch 149 , § 8 (10).

Every municipality shall have the power to provide or to arrange or contract for the furnishing or repair by any person or agency, public or private, of services, privileges, works, streets, roads, public utilities, or other facilities for or in connection with an urban renewal p…

A municipality may appropriate funds and make expenditures as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter, and levy assessments for such purposes; zone or rezone any part of the municipality or make exceptions from building regulations; and enter into agreements wi…

A municipality may appropriate funds to finance the undertaking of any urban renewal project authorized by this chapter. Source: SL 1969, ch 193 ; SL 1978, ch 62 , § 24.

Wherever used or referred to in this chapter, unless a different meaning is clearly indicated by the context, "blighted area" shall mean an area which by reason of the presence of a substantial number of slum, deteriorated or deteriorating structures, predominance of defective or…

Every municipality shall have the power to borrow money and to apply for and accept advances, loans, grants, contributions, and any other form of financial assistance from the federal government, the state, county, or other public body, or from any sources, public or private, for…

Every municipality shall have the power to invest any urban renewal funds held in reserves or debt service funds or any such funds not required for immediate disbursement, in property or securities in which savings banks may legally invest funds subject to their control; to redee…

Every municipality shall have the power, within its area of operation, to organize, coordinate, and direct the administration of the provisions of this chapter as they apply to such municipality in order that the objective of remedying slum and blighted areas and preventing the c…

Every municipality shall have the power to exercise all or any part or combination of powers granted in §§ 11-8-21 to 11-8-32 , inclusive. Source: SL 1966, ch 149 , § 8 (12).

For the purpose of aiding in the planning, undertaking, or carrying out of an urban renewal project and related activities authorized by this chapter, any public body may, upon such terms, with or without consideration, as it may determine: (1) Dedicate, sell, convey, or lease an…

For the purpose of aiding in the planning, undertaking, or carrying out of any urban renewal project and related activities 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 consid…

Any sale, conveyance, lease, or agreement provided for in § 11-8-34 may be made by a public body without appraisal, public notice, advertisement, or public bidding. Source: SL 1966, ch 149 , § 14 (2).

For the purposes of §§ 11-8-34 to 11-8-36 , inclusive, or for the purpose of aiding in the planning, undertaking, or carrying out of an urban renewal project and related activities of a municipality, the municipality may in addition to any authority to issue bonds pursuant to § 1…

A municipality may itself exercise its urban renewal powers, as defined in § 11-8-39 , or may, if the local governing body by resolution determines such action to be in the public interest, elect to have such powers exercised by the urban renewal agency, created by § 11-8-40 , or…

As used in § 11-8-38 , the term "urban renewal powers" shall include the rights, powers, functions, and duties of a municipality under this chapter, except the following: (1) The power to determine an area to be a slum or blighted area or combination thereof and to designate such…

Wherever used or referred to in this chapter, unless a different meaning is clearly indicated by the context, "urban renewal area" means a slum area or a blighted area or a combination thereof which the local governing body designates as appropriate for an urban renewal project. …

There is hereby created in each municipality a public body corporate and politic to be known as the "urban renewal agency" of the municipality; provided, however, that such agency shall not transact any business or exercise its powers hereunder until or unless the local governing…

If the urban renewal agency is authorized to transact business and exercise powers hereunder, the mayor, by and with the advice and consent of the local governing body, shall appoint a board of commissioners of the urban renewal agency which shall consist of not less than five, n…

No commissioner or other officer of any housing authority, urban renewal agency, board, or commission exercising powers pursuant to this chapter shall hold any other public office under the municipality other than his commissionership or office with respect to such housing author…

A commissioner shall receive no compensation for his services but shall be entitled to the necessary and actual expenses, including traveling expenses, incurred in the discharge of his duties. Each commissioner shall hold office until his successor has been appointed and has been…

For inefficiency or neglect of duty or misconduct in office, a commissioner may be removed only after a hearing and after he shall have been given a copy of the charges at least ten days prior to such hearing and have had an opportunity to be heard in person or by counsel. Source…

The powers of an urban renewal agency shall be exercised by the commissioners thereof. A majority of the commissioners shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business and exercising the powers of the agency and for all other purposes. Action may be taken by the a…

The mayor shall designate a chairman and vice - chairman from among the commissioners. An agency may employ an executive director, technical experts, and such other agents and employees, permanent and temporary, as it may require, and determine their qualifications, duties and co…

An agency authorized to transact business and exercise powers under this chapter shall file, with the local governing body, on or before March thirty - first of each year a report of its activities for the preceding calendar year, which report shall include a complete financial s…

Each agency shall keep an accurate account of all its activities and of all its receipts and expenditures and shall annually on or before March thirty - first, make a report thereof to the auditor - general, and to the governing body of the municipality, such reports to be in a f…

The auditor - general may investigate the affairs of agencies and their dealings, transactions, and relationships. He shall have the power to examine into the properties and records of agencies and to prescribe methods of accounting and the rendering of periodic reports in relati…

Wherever used or referred to in this chapter, unless a different meaning is clearly indicated by the context, "urban renewal project" may include undertakings and activities of a municipality in an urban renewal area for the elimination and for the prevention of the development o…

A municipality shall have the right to acquire by condemnation any interest in real property, including a fee simple title thereto, which it may deem necessary for or in connection with an urban renewal project and related activities under this chapter. A municipality may exercis…

In any proceeding to fix or assess compensation for damages for the taking of property, or any interest therein, through the exercise of the power of eminent domain or condemnation, evidence or testimony bearing upon the following matters shall be admissible and shall be consider…

No public official or employee of a municipality, or board or commission thereof, and no commissioner or employee of a housing authority or urban renewal agency, which has been vested by a municipality with urban renewal powers under §§ 11-8-38 and 11-8-39 , shall voluntarily acq…

If any official, commissioner, or employee referred to in § 11-8-52 presently owns or controls or owned or controlled within the preceding two years, any interest, direct or indirect, in any property which he knows is included or planned to be included in an urban renewal project…