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SPECIAL DISTRICTS
(70 ILCS 1205/) Park District Code.

70 ILCS 1205/Art. 3

 
    (70 ILCS 1205/Art. 3 heading)
ARTICLE THREE. ANNEXATION--DISCONNECTION

70 ILCS 1205/3-1

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-1) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-1)
    Sec. 3-1. Annexation by petition. Any territory adjoining a park district, or separated therefrom only by a river, stream or other body of water, street, alley, roadway, highway, toll road, or railroad, may become a part of the district if a majority of the legal voters residing in and a majority of the property owners of record within the territory proposed to be annexed to the district petition the board of the district to be annexed. The board may, in its discretion, by ordinance, annex the territory to the district, and the territory shall then become and be a part of the district the same as though originally included in the district. No tract of land, however, exceeding 20 acres in area shall be included in an annexation petition without the written consent of the owner of record unless the tract is (1) subdivided into lots or blocks or (2) bounded on at least 3 sides by lands subdivided into lots or blocks. A certified copy of the annexing ordinance shall be filed in the offices of the county clerk and Recorder of each county in which the annexation takes place. The new boundary shall extend to the far side of any adjacent highway and shall include all of every highway within the area annexed. These highways shall be considered to be annexed even though not included in the legal description set forth in the annexation ordinance.
(Source: P.A. 89-458, eff. 5-24-96; 89-536, eff. 7-19-96.)

70 ILCS 1205/3-2

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-2) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-2)
    Sec. 3-2. Territory adjoining any Park District, or separated therefrom only by a river, stream, drainage canal or ditch or other body of water, street, alley, roadway, highway, toll road, or railroad, may be annexed to and become a part of such district in the manner following: The board of any park district may initiate the proceedings by enacting an ordinance expressing its desire to annex such territory or any 100 or more legal voters residing within the territory proposed to be annexed, may petition to initiate such annexation proceedings. Such ordinance or petition shall be filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court of the County wherein such Park District or greater or greatest portion thereof lies, which ordinance or petition shall set forth the name of the Park District to which annexation is proposed, define the limits of the territory proposed to be annexed, and request the Judge of the Circuit Court to order the question initiated by the petition or ordinance to be submitted to the legal voters of such Park District and of the territory proposed to be annexed; provided, however, if the legal voters residing within the territory proposed to be annexed are fewer than 200 in number, a majority of such legal voters, may petition in like manner as above; provided, further, that if there are no legal voters residing within the territory proposed to be annexed a majority of the adult owners of record of lands within the territory proposed to be annexed, and who represent a major portion in area of land within such territory, may petition in the manner above provided; provided further, that no tract of land exceeding 20 acres in area shall be included in such petition or ordinance without the written consent of the owners of record unless the same (1) is subdivided into lots or blocks, (2) is bounded on 3 sides by lands subdivided into lots or blocks, or (3) is used for commercial or industrial purposes. The petitioners or corporate authorities, as the case may be, shall give notice of the annexation petition or ordinance, as the case may be, not more than 45 or less than 30 days prior to the passage of such ordinance or the filing of the petition with the Clerk of the Circuit Court. This notice shall state that a petition or ordinance for annexation, as the case may be, will be filed and give the substance of the petition or ordinance, including a description of the territory to be annexed, the date of filing and the name of the annexing park district. This notice shall be given by publishing a notice once in a newspaper published in the annexing park district, or, if no newspaper is published in the annexing park district, then in a newspaper with a general circulation within the annexing park district. A copy of this notice shall be filed with the clerk of the annexing park district. Upon the filing of such petition the court shall determine its validity and if it is in conformity with law shall order said proposition submitted to referendum as provided in Section 3-3 hereof.
(Source: P.A. 85-1440.)

70 ILCS 1205/3-3

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-3) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-3)
    Sec. 3-3. Whenever the annexation of other districts or additional territory to any park district requires a referendum under the provisions of this Article, the referendum shall be conducted in the manner provided by the general election law in the territory or district proposed to be annexed and in the park district to which annexation is proposed, (provided, that if there are no legal voters residing within the territory proposed to be annexed no election need be held in such territory; but the election shall be ordered to be held only in the park district to which annexation is proposed) the court shall certify the proposition to the proper election officials who shall submit the proposition at an election in accordance with the general election law. The proposition shall be in substantially the following form:
        Shall (name of park district) annex (description of
    
the territory or name of the district) for park purposes?
    The circuit judge shall cause a statement of the result of the election to be entered of record in the circuit court, a certified copy of which statement shall be filed by the board of the district in the records of the district, and recorded in the offices of the county clerk and recorder of each county in which the district lies.
    If a majority of the votes cast upon that question at such election in the territory proposed to be annexed shall be for annexation, or if no votes whatever are cast for or against the question at such election in the territory proposed to be annexed, or if no election is held in such territory because there are no legal voters residing therein, and, also, if a majority of the votes cast upon the question in the annexing district shall be for annexation, then the adjoining territory shall thenceforth be a part of such district.
    Upon annexation, whether by petition or referendum, all the taxable property in the territory or in the district annexed shall be subject to all of the tax rates of the annexing district.
(Source: P.A. 87-1052.)

70 ILCS 1205/3-3a

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-3a) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-3a)
    Sec. 3-3a. Annexation; municipal territory. Where territory to be annexed includes any part of a municipality not currently a part of any park district, that territory must include the municipality in its entirety. The board of any park district may initiate the proceedings by enacting an ordinance expressing its desire to annex the territory, or any 100 or more legal voters residing within the municipality proposed to be annexed may petition to initiate annexation proceedings. The ordinance or petition shall be filed with the clerk of the circuit court where the park district or a greater or greatest portion lies. The ordinance or petition shall set forth the name of the park district to which annexation is proposed and define the limits of the territory proposed to be annexed. Upon the filing of the petition, the court shall determine its validity and, if it is in conformity with law, shall order the proposition submitted to referendum as provided in Section 3-3. The changes made to this Section by this amendatory Act of 1991 clarify the language and make no substantive changes.
(Source: P.A. 87-847.)

70 ILCS 1205/3-4

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-4) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-4)
    Sec. 3-4. Any park districts, may be annexed to and become a part of any other adjoining park district in the manner following:
    Upon the filing of a petition in the office of the circuit clerk of the county in which the annexing district or the greater or greatest portion thereof is located, signed by voters in number equal to at least 5% of the legal voters voting at the last general election in the district proposed to be annexed and by voters in number equal to at least 5% of the legal voters voting at the last general election in the district to which such annexation is proposed to be made, the circuit court for such county shall order the question of such annexation to be submitted to the legal voters of both park districts, in the manner prescribed in Section 3-3 hereof. The debts and obligations of the annexed district shall be transferred as provided in Section 3-5 hereof.
(Source: P.A. 81-1489.)

70 ILCS 1205/3-5

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-5) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-5)
    Sec. 3-5. In case of annexation of an entire park district by another park district under Section 3-4 hereof, any indebtedness, contract or liability of the park district so annexed shall be assumed and paid by the district so annexing and said district so annexing shall be vested with the title and ownership of all the property of the district annexed. Upon such annexation the commissioners and officers of the annexed district shall immediately close up the business of said district and transfer to the annexing district all books, records, property, and revenues collectible, of the district so annexed, whereupon their terms of office shall expire.
(Source: Laws 1951, p. 113.)

70 ILCS 1205/3-6

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-6) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-6)
    Sec. 3-6. Any territory, within any park district, which (1) is upon the border of the park district, and (2) if disconnected from the park district would not separate any part of the park district from any other part, may be disconnected from the park district, in the discretion of its corporate authorities as follows:
    A written petition, signed by the majority of the owners of record of land and the owners of record of more than one-half of the area of land in the territory described in the petition, shall be filed with the secretary of the governing board of the park district, requesting that the specified territory be disconnected from the park district. The petition shall be filed at least 30 days before it is considered by the corporate authorities. The petition shall be accompanied with the certificate of the proper county clerk, or county clerks as the case may be, showing that all park district assessments due up to the time of presenting the petition are fully paid. The corporate authorities may, in their discretion, disconnect the territory from the park district by an ordinance passed by a majority of the members of the governing board.
(Source: Laws 1957, p. 2271.)

70 ILCS 1205/3-6a

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-6a) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-6a)
    Sec. 3-6a. Within one year of the organization of any park district under the provisions of Article 2 of this Act, any territory which has been included therein may be disconnected from such park district if the territory sought to be disconnected is (1) upon the border, but within the boundary of the park district, (2) contains 20 or more acres, (3) if disconnected will not result in the isolation of any part of the park district from the remainder of the park district, (4) if disconnected will not be a territory wholly bounded by one or more park districts or wholly bounded by one or more park districts and a river or lake, and (5) is adjoining another park district, the board of which has on file a petition for annexation of the territory pursuant to the provisions of Article 3-1 of this Act and has enacted an ordinance stating that the park district will annex said territory within 30 days of the entry of an order of disconnection by the Circuit Court, in the following manner:
    A written petition filed in the Circuit Court of the county in which the territory proposed to be disconnected is located or if such territory is located in more than one county then in the Circuit Court of the county in which the greater part of such territory may be located, which petition shall be signed by a majority of the electors, if any, residing within the territory, and also signed by a majority of the owners of record of land in such territory, and also representing a majority of the area of land in such territory, shall be filed with the clerk of the Circuit Court within one year of the organization of any park district under the provisions of Article 2 of this Act. The petition shall set forth the description of the territory to be detached from such park district, shall allege the pertinent facts in support of the disconnection of such territory, shall include a certified copy of an ordinance of the adjoining park district with which has been filed a petition for the annexation of the territory, stating that the park district will annex the territory within 30 days after the entry of an order of disconnection by the Circuit Court and shall pray the Circuit Court to detach the territory from the park district.
    Upon the filing of the petition, the Circuit Court judge shall set the same for public hearing which date of public hearing shall be within 30 days of the date of the filing of the petition, and the clerk of the Circuit Court shall give at least 20 days notice of such hearing by publishing notice thereof once in a newspaper having a general circulation within such park district. The notice shall refer to the petition filed with the Circuit Court, shall describe the territory proposed to be disconnected, shall indicate the prayer of the petition and the date, time and place at which the public hearing will be held and shall further indicate that the park district and any and all persons residing in or owning property in the territory involved or in the park district from which such territory is sought to be disconnected shall have an opportunity to be heard on the prayer of the petition. Notice of the filing of the petition, the substance of which shall be as hereinabove prescribed for the published notice, shall also be mailed to the commissioners of the park district from which the territory is sought to be disconnected.
    The public hearing may be continued from time to time by the Circuit Court. After such public hearing and having heard any and all persons desiring to be heard, including the park district and any and all persons residing in or owning property in the territory involved or in the park district from which such territory is sought to be disconnected, if the Circuit Court finds that the allegations of the petition are true, the court shall grant the prayer of the petition and shall enter a judgment disconnecting the territory from the park district, which judgment shall be filed of record in the Circuit Court and the clerk of the Circuit Court shall cause to be delivered a certified copy of such judgment to the commissioners of the park district from which such territory has been detached. If the Circuit Court finds that the allegations contained in the petition are not true then the court shall enter a judgment dismissing the same.
(Source: P.A. 83-1362.)

70 ILCS 1205/3-6b

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-6b) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-6b)
    Sec. 3-6b. The owner or owners of record of any area of land consisting of one or more tracts located in a county or counties having a population of less than 1,000,000 lying within the corporate limits of any park district which (1) is not contiguous in whole or in part to any other park district; (2) contains 20 or more acres; (3) is not subdivided into municipal lots and blocks; (4) is located on the border of the park district, (5) which, if disconnected will not result in the isolation of any part of the park district from the remainder of the park district, and (6) which, if disconnected will not result in reducing the assessed valuation, as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue, of all of the taxable property within the park district to be ascertained by the last assessment for state and county taxes prior to the filing of the petition, to less than $20,000,000, may have the area disconnected as follows:
    The owner or owners of record of any such area shall file a petition in the circuit court of the county in which the land is situated, alleging facts in support of the disconnection. If such area of land is located in 2 or more counties, such petition shall be filed in the circuit court of the county in which the largest portion of such area of land is located. The park district from which disconnection is sought shall be made a defendant and it or any taxpayer residing in the park district may appear and defend against the petition. If the court finds that the allegations of the petition are true, and that the area of land is entitled to disconnection, it shall order the designated land disconnected from the designated park district. Such petition shall be filed within one year after the park district is organized.
    This Section shall apply only to park districts which are organized after the effective date of this amendatory Act.
(Source: P.A. 81-1509.)

70 ILCS 1205/3-6c

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-6c) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-6c)
    Sec. 3-6c. Any territory which: (1) is within the corporate limits of a municipality which, as an incident of its municipal government and under the Illinois Municipal Code, is operating and maintaining a system of parks consisting of 2 or more park areas within its corporate limits, and (2) is also within the limits of a park district, 90% or more of the area of which lies outside the boundaries of such municipality, and (3) was not annexed to the municipality subsequent to the organization of the park district, and (4) comprises all the area of the park district within the municipality; may be disconnected from the park district.
    Such disconnection shall be initiated by a written petition signed by a majority of the owners of record of all land within the territory and the owners of record of not less than 2/3 of the land contained within the territory. The petition shall be filed with the clerk of the circuit court of the county in which the municipality and park district are situated. The circuit court shall thereupon fix a date and time not less than 30 days nor more than 180 days after the date of filing of such petition for a public hearing on the subject of the petition. Notice of the time and place of the hearing shall be given by the clerk of the circuit court at least 20 days prior to the date fixed for the hearing by at least one publication thereof in one or more daily or weekly newspapers having a general circulation within the park district.
    If the circuit court finds upon such hearing that the petition meets the requirements of this Section; that the territory to be disconnected fulfills the conditions of this Section; it may enter an order of disconnection ordering that the territory described in the petition be disconnected from the park district. No disconnection of territory under this Section shall be permitted if the park district has ownership of a park located in the territory to be disconnected. All questions of indebtedness and the tax obligations between the district and the territory affected shall be adjusted in the manner provided for in Section 3-7 of this Act.
(Source: P.A. 78-457.)

70 ILCS 1205/3-6d

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-6d) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-6d)
    Sec. 3-6d. (a) This Section applies only in a park district located in whole or in part within a county with a population of more than 250,000 but less than 1,000,000.
    (b) A contiguous area of land containing one or more tracts may be disconnected from the district if (1) the area contains 20 acres or more in the aggregate, (2) the area is located on the border of the district, (3) disconnection will not cause any part of the district to be isolated from the rest of the district, and (4) the district has levied taxes in a total amount of less than $10,000 for each of the 5 previous years.
    (c) The owner or owners of record of the area must file a petition in the circuit court of the county in which the land is situated alleging facts in support of the disconnection. If the area is located in 2 or more counties, the petition must be filed in the circuit court of the county in which the largest portion of the area is located. The district from which disconnection is sought shall be made a defendant, and it or any taxpayer residing in the district may appear and defend against the petition. If the court finds that the allegations of the petition are true and that the area is entitled to disconnection, it shall order the area disconnected from the district.
(Source: P.A. 86-132.)

70 ILCS 1205/3-7

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-7) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-7)
    Sec. 3-7. The disconnection of any territory from a park district shall not exempt it from taxation for the purpose of paying any indebtedness contracted by the corporate authorities of the park district prior to the filing of the petition for disconnection. On the contrary, the territory shall be assessed and taxed to pay such indebtedness until this indebtedness is completely paid, the same as though the territory had not been disconnected. Except for this purpose, no county clerk shall include disconnected territory within the limits of the park district from which the territory has been disconnected.
(Source: Laws 1955, p. 252.)

70 ILCS 1205/3-8

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-8) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-8)
    Sec. 3-8. Annexation of surrounded territory. Upon a written petition, signed by a majority of the owners of record of land in any contiguous territory not incorporated within a park district, wholly bounded by 2 or more park districts, the specified territory may be annexed by any one of the specified park districts by the passage of an ordinance providing therefor. The ordinance shall describe the territory annexed, which shall not exceed one-third of the area of the annexing park district before the annexation. The park district to which the territory is to be annexed shall send a copy of the proposed annexing ordinance, by certified mail, at least 30 days before the annexing ordinance takes effect, to the last known addresses, if any, ascertained upon diligent search, of the owners of record of land in that territory. A certified copy of the annexing ordinance and an accurate map of the annexed territory shall be filed in the offices of the county clerk and recorder of each county in which annexation takes place.
(Source: P.A. 87-368; 87-895.)

70 ILCS 1205/3-9

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-9) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-9)
    Sec. 3-9. Whenever any territory, containing 80 acres or less, not incorporated within a park district is wholly bounded by one or more park districts, or is wholly bounded by one or more park districts and a river, lake, railroad or arterial street, such territory may be annexed by any park district by which it is bounded in whole or in part, by the passage of an ordinance to that effect after notice is given as provided in this Section The corporate authorities shall cause notice, stating that annexation of the territory described in the notice is contemplated under this Section, to be published once, in a newspaper published in the annexing park district, or, if no newspaper is published in the annexing park district, then in a newspaper with a general circulation within the annexing park district not more than 45 nor less than 30 days before the passage of the annexation ordinance. The ordinance shall describe the territory annexed and a certified copy thereof together with an accurate map of the annexed territory shall be filed in the offices of the County Clerk and Recorder of each county in which said annexation takes place.
    As used in this Section, "arterial street" means any U.S. or State numbered route, controlled access highway, or other major radial or circumferential street or highway designated by local authorities within their respective jurisdictions as part of a major arterial system of streets or highways.
(Source: P.A. 90-89, eff. 1-1-98.)

70 ILCS 1205/3-10

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-10) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-10)
    Sec. 3-10. Whenever a Park District operating within territory predominately in a city or village or 2 or more cities or villages would become coterminous or nearly coterminous with such city or village or 2 or more cities or villages upon the annexation of additional territory within such municipalities but not incorporated within a park district, such Park District may annex such additional territory by the passage of an ordinance to that effect. However, no territory may be annexed under this Section more than one year after it has first been included in such municipality unless such territory so annexed is 120 acres or less.
    The ordinance shall describe the territory annexed and a certified copy thereof together with an accurate map of the annexed territory shall be filed in the offices of the county clerk and recorder of each county in which the annexation takes place.
(Source: P.A. 87-368.)

70 ILCS 1205/3-10.1

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-10.1) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-10.1)
    Sec. 3-10.1. Territory which is not contiguous to a park district but is separated therefrom only by a forest preserve district may be annexed to the park district in the manner provided in Section 3-1, 3-2, 3-4 or 3-10, but the territory of the forest preserve district shall not be annexed to the park district nor shall the territory of the forest preserve district be subject to rights-of-way for access or services between the parts of the park district separated by the forest preserve district without the consent of the governing body of the forest preserve district.
(Source: P.A. 85-157.)

70 ILCS 1205/3-11

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-11) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-11)
    Sec. 3-11. Any 2 or more contiguous park districts may be consolidated and become a single park district in the manner following: The park commissioners of each of the park districts desiring to consolidate shall adopt an ordinance by a vote of not less than 2/3 of the commissioners of each district, which ordinance shall duly set forth the intent of the park districts to consolidate with the contiguous park district or districts as therein set forth, shall designate the park district which shall be the survivor of the consolidation, and shall designate the names of the commissioners thereof, which commissioners shall, at the time of the consolidation be duly elected and acting commissioners of the districts concerned in the consolidation. A certified copy of said ordinances shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the county, or counties, within which any part of the consolidated park district shall be located.
    Upon the adoption of the ordinances by the park districts concerned the park district designated in the ordinances as the survivor of the consolidation shall assume the functions previously performed by the park districts and the surviving park district shall have the power and authority to levy and collect such taxes at such rates as shall have been previously authorized, levied and collected by the designated survivor district.
    All parks and other property owned by the districts adopting such ordinances shall thereupon be vested in the newly consolidated park district and the newly consolidated park district shall succeed to all of the outstanding rights and obligations of the districts concerned.
(Source: P.A. 78-435.)

70 ILCS 1205/3-13

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-13) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-13)
    Sec. 3-13. If 2 park districts have a common boundary and more than 1/2 the population of each such park district consists of any one municipality, then any property owner whose property is located within the incorporated limits of a municipality, and in a park district more than 1/2 the population of which consists of a different municipality, may disconnect from the park district not representative of his municipality and annex to the park district that is representative of his municipality by filing a notice of such intention with the county clerk as provided in this Section. A property owner may not file such notice to disconnect and annex unless (a) his property is contiguous with the boundary of the park district to which annexation is sought, and (b) he personally resides upon the parcel which he proposes to have disconnected, and the parcel which he proposes to disconnect is not more than one acre in size and is used exclusively for residential purposes.
    Any number of property owners may join in filing a single notice of their intent to disconnect and annex all of their respective properties under this Section if the property of every owner involved complies with the requirements set forth in (a) above and borders on the property of another owner who joins in the filing of such notice, and if the property of at least one of the owners so filing is contiguous to the boundary of the park district to which annexation is sought.
    Copies of the notice of intention filed by the property owner shall be forwarded by the county clerk to each park district involved in the disconnection and annexation not more than 5 days following the date of filing. The notice shall be subject to review by all interested parties for 90 days from the date of filing. If any interested party objects to such disconnection and annexation and the boards of the respective park districts cannot agree, then the matter shall be determined by the circuit court of the county in which the district from which disconnection is sought is situated upon the petition of either district or of any taxpayer in either municipality. The court shall hear and determine the matter and shall enter judgment as the right and equity of the matter may demand. If judgment is entered by the court a certified copy of such judgment shall be made by the clerk of the court and filed with the secretary of each of the park districts and with the county clerks of the counties involved and by such county clerks certified to the Department of Revenue. If the notice of intention is found in compliance with this Section and no petition is filed as herein provided the disconnection and annexation shall become effective January 1 following the expiration of the 90 day period, and shall be so recorded with the county clerk and recorder.
    The disconnection of any property from a park district under this Section shall not exempt such property from taxation for the purpose of paying any bonded indebtedness incurred by such park district prior to the effective date of the disconnection. Where any property is annexed to a park district under this Section, such property shall be subject to taxation for indebtedness incurred by such park district prior to the effective date of the annexation.
(Source: P.A. 83-358.)

70 ILCS 1205/3-14

    (70 ILCS 1205/3-14) (from Ch. 105, par. 3-14)
    Sec. 3-14. Neither the People of the State of Illinois nor any person, firm or corporation, public or private, nor any association of persons shall commence an action contesting either directly or indirectly the annexation of any territory to a park district unless initiated within one year after the date such annexation becomes final or within one year of October 1, 1975, whichever date occurs later. This amendatory Act of 1975 shall apply to annexations made prior to the effective date of the Act as well as those made on or after the effective date. Where a limitation of a shorter period is prescribed by statute such shorter limitation applies.
(Source: P.A. 86-820.)