South Carolina § 4-19-20 - Prerequisites to creation of fire protection district; ad valorem taxes within district.

§ 4-19-20. Prerequisites to creation of fire protection district; ad valorem taxes within district.

Before the establishment of a fire protection district pursuant to this chapter, the governing body must comply with the following requirements:

(1) The governing body shall, by resolution, order a public hearing to be held on the question of the establishment of the district.

(2) Notice of the hearing must be published once a week for three successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county and the notice must state:

(a) the time and place of the public hearing, provided that the date of the public hearing must not be less than sixteen days following the first publication of the notice;

(b) a description of the area to be included within the proposed fire protection district;

(c) whether there must be levied within the proposed fire protection district ad valorem taxes for the operation and maintenance of it;

(d) whether there must be imposed rates and charges within the proposed fire protection district for the operation and maintenance of it; and

(e) whether the governing body is empowered to issue general obligation bonds of the county, payable from an ad valorem tax levied within the district, for the purpose of providing fire protection service in it.

(3) The hearing must be conducted publicly and both proponents and opponents of the proposed action must be given full opportunity to be heard.

(4) Following the hearing, the governing body, by ordinance, may establish the fire protection district and, in order to provide for the operation and maintenance of it, authorize the levy of an annual ad valorem tax on all taxable property within the fire protection district or the imposition of rates and charges for fire protection services within the fire protection district, or both. The governing body shall specifically find by ordinance that the establishment of the fire protection district satisfies the requirements and conditions set forth in Section 4-19-10 and in this section. The governing body also shall provide for the administration of the fire protection district. The fire protection district may be operated as an administrative division of the county, or the governing body may appoint a commission consisting of three to seven members and provide for their duties and terms of office.

(5) The governing body shall give notice of its action by publishing it once a week for two successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation within the county, which shall state:

(a) the boundaries of the fire protection district;

(b) whether there must be levied within the proposed fire protection district ad valorem taxes for the operation and maintenance of it;

(c) whether there must be imposed rates and charges within the proposed fire protection district for the operation and maintenance of it; and

(d) whether the governing body is empowered to issue general obligation bonds of the county, payable from an ad valorem tax levied within the district for the purpose of providing fire protection service in it.

(6) A person affected by the action of the governing body taken in accordance with this section, by action de novo instituted in the court of common pleas for the county, within twenty days following the last publication of the notice prescribed by item (5) of this section, but not afterwards, may challenge the action of the governing body.

HISTORY: 1962 Code SECTION 14-700.202; 1974 (58) 2681; 1984 Act No. 408, SECTION 2; 1992 Act No. 519, SECTION 3, eff thirty days after September 3, 1992.

Effect of Amendment

The 1992 amendment revised the procedure for the establishment of a fire protection district and limit challenges to the establishment of a district.