Mississippi § 65-23-201 - Creation of interstate bridge districts on petition.

§ 65-23-201. Creation of interstate bridge districts on petition.

When fifty or more owners of real property within a proposed district shall file a petition with the chancery court of the county in which the largest portion of the lands of the proposed district are situated, seeking to establish a bridge district for the purpose of constructing, maintaining, and operating an interstate bridge and the approaches thereto embracing their property, said petition shall describe the region or area to be embraced within said district and describe generally the location of said bridge, the proposed plan of financing the construction, maintenance, and operation of said bridge, together with a general idea of its character and expenses, accompanied by a certificate or resolution from the Mississippi State Highway Commission showing the need and necessity for the construction of such bridge; then it shall be the duty of the clerk of the chancery court to enter upon its records an evidence of having filed the petition. After having filed said petition, said property owners or their representatives shall apply to the chancellor in vacation or term time for an order fixing a day and date for a hearing on said petition to determine whether or not the petition should be granted or denied. The chancery clerk, after having received the order fixing a day and date for such hearing, shall thereupon give notice by publication once each week for three consecutive weeks in some newspaper published and having a general circulation in the county or counties within which the lands of the proposed district are situated, notifying all persons owning property therein to appear before the chancery court on the day and date fixed by said court to show cause in favor of or against the establishment of said district. At the time named in said notice, the chancery court shall meet and hear all property owners within the proposed district who wish to appear for or against the establishment of the district. If it is deemed to the best interest of the owners of real property within said district that the same shall be created under the provisions of this article the court shall enter an order establishing the district as an interstate bridge district, which shall be subject to all of the terms and provisions of this article. Any landowner feeling aggrieved by the order of the court shall have the right of appeal within thirty days from the date the order was entered, and such appeal may be prosecuted in the manner now provided by law.