§ 9-10A-8 — Notice of Hearing; Right of Interested Parties; Record of Final Determination

(a) Within 30 days after said petition has been filed with the board of supervisors, it shall cause due notice to be given of a proposed hearing upon the practicability and feasibility of creating said watershed management authority. All interested parties shall have the right to attend such hearing and be heard. If it shall appear at the hearing that other lands should be included or that lands included in the petition should be excluded, the board of supervisors may permit such inclusion or exclusion, provided the land area involved still meets the requirements of Section 9-10A-5.
(b) If it appears upon the hearing that it may be desirable to include within the proposed authority territory outside of the area within which due notice of the hearing has been given, the hearing shall be adjourned and due notice of a further hearing shall be given throughout the entire area considered for inclusion in the authority and a further hearing shall be held.
(c) If a majority of the board of supervisors after final hearing determines from the facts presented at the hearing and upon the available information that there is need in the interest of the public health, safety and welfare for such an authority to function in the territory considered, it shall make and record the determination and shall define, by description, the boundaries of the authority. Said territory shall constitute a watershed management authority. If a majority of the board of supervisors after final hearing determines need does not exist for the authority, it shall make and record said determination and shall deny the petition.

Legislative History

(Acts 1991, No. 91-602, p. 1119, §8.)