70 ILCS 605/ Illinois Drainage Code.

(70 ILCS 605/Art. XI heading) ARTICLE XI. CLAIMS AGAINST AND CONTRACTS WITH OTHER DISTRICTS AND MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS EXERCISING DRAINAGE POWERS

(70 ILCS 605/11-1) (from Ch. 42, par. 11-1)

Sec. 11-1. Right to connect drains and levees. Any drainage district may connect its drains, in the course of natural drainage, or its levees to the drains or levees of another district or to the storm drains or levees of a municipal corporation exercising drainage powers. Any municipal corporation exercising drainage powers may connect its storm drains, in the course of natural drainage, or its levees to the drains or levees of a drainage district. If, by reason of such connection, lands or other property in the district or municipal corporation making the connection receive benefits from work theretofore or thereafter constructed by the other public body, then the district or municipal corporation making the connection shall be liable to the district or municipal corporation conferring the benefits for the just proportion of the cost of such work and of the cost of the enlargement, improvement, maintenance, repair and operation thereof based upon the relation which the benefits to the lands in the district or municipal corporation making the connection bear to the entire benefits from such work. Whenever the connection is made for the purpose of obtaining an outlet, such connection in itself shall be prima facie evidence of the fact that lands and other property in the district or municipal corporation making the connection are benefited by such work.

Any district may, by a contract in writing with another district or with a municipal corporation exercising drainage powers approved in the manner provided in Sections 11-5, 11-6 and 11-7, obtain the right to connect its drains other than in the course of natural drainage to the drains of the other districts or to the storm drains of the municipal corporation. Any municipal corporation exercising drainage powers may in like manner obtain the right to connect its drains other than in the course of natural drainage to the drains of a drainage district. If a drainage district or municipal corporation exercising drainage powers, by reason of connecting its drains other than in the course of natural drainage, causes damage to any lands or other property by flooding or otherwise, it is liable for such damage to the owners thereof or other persons interested therein and such liability shall not be avoided by the terms of any contract between the two bodies.

(Source: Laws 1955, p. 512.)

(70 ILCS 605/11-2) (from Ch. 42, par. 11-2)

Sec. 11-2. Liability for benefits conferred by districts.

Whenever any work constructed or ordered to be constructed by any drainage district has benefited or will benefit lands outside of that district but within the boundaries of another district or within the boundaries of a municipal corporation exercising drainage powers, the other district or the municipal corporation is liable to the district conferring such benefits for the just proportion of the cost of such work and of the cost of the enlargement, improvement, maintenance, repair and operation thereof based upon the relation which the benefits to the lands in the other district or the municipal corporation bear to the entire benefits from such work.

(Source: Laws 1955, p. 512.)

(70 ILCS 605/11-3) (from Ch. 42, par. 11-3)

Sec. 11-3. Liability for benefits conferred by municipal corporations.

Whenever any drainage or levee work constructed or ordered to be constructed by any municipal corporation exercising drainage powers has benefited or will benefit lands outside of such municipal corporation but within the boundaries of a drainage district, the district is liable to the municipal corporation constructing such work for its just proportion of the cost of such work and the enlargement, improvement, maintenance, repair and operation thereof, based upon the relation which the benefits to the lands in the district bear to the entire benefits from such work.

(Source: Laws 1955, p. 512.)

(70 ILCS 605/11-4) (from Ch. 42, par. 11-4)

Sec. 11-4. Contracts adjusting claims for benefits.

Whenever a drainage district has a claim against another district or against a municipal corporation exercising drainage powers, or a municipal corporation exercising drainage powers has a claim against a drainage district for a portion of the cost of constructing, enlarging, improving, maintaining, repairing or operating any drainage or levee work, the commissioners of the 2 districts or the commissioners and the corporate authorities of the municipal corporation, as the case may be, may enter into a written contract settling and adjusting the claim for benefits and fixing the proportionate share of the cost of future maintenance and repair work and operating expenses to be borne by the benefited district or municipal corporation.

(Source: Laws 1955, p. 512.)

(70 ILCS 605/11-5) (from Ch. 42, par. 11-5)

Sec. 11-5. Petition for approval of contracts adjusting claims for benefits.

Before a contract adjusting a claim for benefits becomes effective it must be approved by the court or courts having jurisdiction over the drainage district or districts. The commissioners of any district entering into such a contract shall petition the court having jurisdiction over that district for the approval of the contract. A copy of the contract shall be attached to the petition. If the contract is between 2 drainage districts under the jurisdiction of the same court the commissioners of the 2 districts may join in the same petition.

(Source: Laws 1955, p. 512.)

(70 ILCS 605/11-6) (from Ch. 42, par. 11-6)

Sec. 11-6. Setting petition for hearing-Notice.

Upon the filing of a petition for the approval of a contract settling and adjusting a claim for benefits it shall be presented to the court, which shall fix the date and hour for hearing. If the contract is between a drainage district and a municipal corporation exercising drainage powers and such municipal corporation was made a party to the proceeding in which the performance of the work was authorized, then the petition may be heard without notice or upon such notice as the court may direct. If the contract is between 2 drainage districts, or if the contract is between a drainage district and a municipal corporation and the municipal corporation was not a party to that proceeding, then the clerk of the court shall publish notice of the hearing on the petition in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county in which the petitioning district is situated. The notice shall be entitled "Drainage Notice", shall be addressed "To All Persons Interested" and must state (a) in what court and on what date the petition was filed, (b) in summary form, the terms of the contract, including the names of the parties to the contract and (c) the place, date and hour the petition will be heard. The notice shall be published once each week for 2 successive weeks and the first publication of the notice shall be at least 2 weeks prior to the date fixed for hearing. When a petitioning district is situated in 2 or more counties then such notice shall be given as aforesaid by publishing the same in a newspaper of general circulation published in each of said counties. If no newspaper of general circulation is published in any such county, then publication of the notice shall be in a newspaper having general circulation in that county. Notice by mailing shall not be required.

(Source: Laws 1955, p. 512.)

(70 ILCS 605/11-7) (from Ch. 42, par. 11-7)

Sec. 11-7. Hearing on petition-Appeals.

At such hearing all persons interested shall have the right to appear and be heard. The court may approve or disapprove the contract or, with the consent of the parties to the contract, may modify it. Separate or joint appeals may be taken from the final order of the court as in other civil cases.

(Source: Laws 1967, p. 3809.)

(70 ILCS 605/11-8) (from Ch. 42, par. 11-8)

Sec. 11-8. Fixing proportionate share of costs when unable to agree. Whenever a drainage district has a claim against another district or against a municipal corporation exercising drainage powers, or a municipal corporation exercising drainage powers has a claim against a drainage district for a portion of the cost of constructing, enlarging, improving, maintaining, repairing or operating any drainage or levee work, and the commissioners of the 2 districts or the commissioners and the corporate authorities of the municipal corporation, as the case may be, are unable to agree upon any or all of the terms of a written contract settling and adjusting the claim for benefits, then the proportionate share of the cost of such work to be borne by the benefited body shall be fixed by a court.

If the claim is made by a drainage district and the other district or the municipal corporation, as the case may be, was made a party to the proceeding authorizing the performance of the work, then the amount of such benefits shall be fixed in the assessment proceeding at the time and as a part of the hearing on the assessment roll. If the claim is made by a drainage district and the other district or the municipal corporation, as the case may be, was not made a party to the proceeding authorizing the performance of the work or if the claim is made by a municipal corporation, then the commissioners of the district performing the work or the corporate authorities of the municipal corporation performing the work, shall file a complaint in the circuit court of the county in which the defendant, or any part thereof, is situated or in any other court of competent jurisdiction. The pleadings and practice shall be as provided by the Civil Practice Law. A copy of the plans, profiles and specifications, together with a summary of the cost of the work done or an estimate of the cost of the work ordered to be done shall be attached to or filed with the complaint.

(Source: P.A. 82-783.)

(70 ILCS 605/11-9) (from Ch. 42, par. 11-9)

Sec. 11-9. Counterclaims-Annual benefits.

In any such proceeding, the defendant may, by counterclaim, set off or recoup any benefits which the defendant may have conferred upon the lands or other property in the plaintiff district or municipal corporation. If the plaintiff district has levied an annual maintenance assessment or if the plaintiff municipal corporation levies an annual tax for the purpose of repairing, maintaining or operating the drainage or levee work conferring such benefits, then, in such proceeding, the plaintiff may inquire into and determine the amount of the annual benefits which the defendant will receive from the repair, maintenance or operation of such work and the defendant may likewise set off or recoup the amount of annual benefits which the plaintiff will receive from the repair, maintenance or operation of drainage or levee work of the defendant.

(Source: Laws 1955, p. 512.)

(70 ILCS 605/11-10) (from Ch. 42, par. 11-10)

Sec. 11-10. Procedure at trial - View by jury. The issues arising on a complaint filed under Section 11-8 shall be tried as in an action under the Civil Practice Law. If tried before a jury, the jury may view the work and premises if a request for such a view is made in the manner provided in Section 5-11.

(Source: P.A. 82-783.)

(70 ILCS 605/11-11) (from Ch. 42, par. 11-11)

Sec. 11-11. Judgment. Upon the conclusion of the hearing, the court shall enter judgment according to its findings or according to the verdict of the jury, as the case may be. If judgment is entered for the payment of money, then the court shall also order the district or municipal corporation against which judgment is entered to pay, or to take such steps as may be necessary to pay, such judgment. Appeals may be taken as in other civil cases.

(Source: P.A. 84-547.)

(70 ILCS 605/11-12) (from Ch. 42, par. 11-12)

Sec. 11-12. Effect of judgment fixing annual benefits.

A judgment fixing the amount of annual benefits between the parties constitutes the measure of liability between them for the repair, maintenance and operation of the work for which such judgment was given and any amounts coming due thereunder shall be payable at such times as the court may direct. The judgment for such benefits may, however, be modified or set aside upon the application of either the plaintiff or the defendant when circumstances have so changed as to make the judgment inequitable or unjust as to either party.

(Source: Laws 1955, p. 512.)

(70 ILCS 605/11-13) (from Ch. 42, par. 11-13)

Sec. 11-13. Limitation of action for benefits.

No complaint or counterclaim seeking to establish liability for or to recoup or set off benefits under this Article may be filed more than 5 years after the completion of the work or the making or enlarging of the connection.

(Source: Laws 1955, p. 512.)

(70 ILCS 605/11-14) (from Ch. 42, par. 11-14)

Sec. 11-14. Joint systems.

Any 2 or more adjoining drainage districts may by contract establish joint systems of drains, levees, pumping plants or other works and provide for the construction, reconstruction, repair, maintenance and operation thereof. For the purposes of this Article, districts shall be considered as adjoining when any portion of their boundaries are contiguous or overlap. When the joint system is established by more than two districts it shall not be necessary for each of the districts to adjoin each of the other districts but it shall be sufficient if each district adjoins one of the other districts.

(Source: Laws 1955, p. 512.)

(70 ILCS 605/11-15) (from Ch. 42, par. 11-15)

Sec. 11-15. Approval of contract establishing joint system.

The contract establishing the joint system shall be reduced to writing and before it becomes effective it must be approved by the court or courts having jurisdiction over the drainage districts. The commissioners of any district entering into such a contract shall petition the court having jurisdiction over that district for approval of the contract. A copy of the contract shall be attached to the petition. If the contract is between 2 or more districts under the jurisdiction of the same court the commissioners of such districts may join in the same petition.

(Source: Laws 1955, p. 512.)

(70 ILCS 605/11-16) (from Ch. 42, par. 11-16)

Sec. 11-16. Setting petition for hearing-Notice.

Upon the filing of a petition for the approval of a contract establishing a joint system, it shall be presented to the court, which shall fix the date and hour for hearing. The clerk of the court shall publish notice of the hearing on the petition in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county in which the petitioning district is situated. The notice shall be entitled "Drainage Notice", shall be addressed "To All Persons Interested" and must state (a) in what court and on what date the petition was filed, (b) in summary form, the terms of the contract, including the names of the parties to the contract, and (c) the place, date and hour the petition will be heard. The notice shall be published once each week for 2 successive weeks and the first publication of the notice shall be at least 2 weeks prior to the date fixed for hearing. When a petitioning district is situated in 2 or more counties, then such notice shall be given as aforesaid by publishing the same in newspapers of general circulation published in each of said counties. If no newspaper of general circulation is published in any such county, then publication of the notice shall be in a newspaper having general circulation in that county. Notice by mailing shall not be required.

(Source: Laws 1955, p. 512.)

(70 ILCS 605/11-17) (from Ch. 42, par. 11-17)

Sec. 11-17. Hearing on Petition-Appeals.

At such hearing, all persons interested shall have the right to appear and be heard. The court may approve or disapprove the contract or, with the consent of the parties to the contract, may modify it. Separate or joint appeals may be taken from the final order as in other civil cases.

(Source: Laws 1967, p. 3809.)