C.R.S.
Section 31-12-114
Conflicting annexation claims of two or more municipalities
(1)
At any time during a period of notice given by a municipality pursuant to section 31-12-108, any other municipality may, subject to compliance with section 30 of article II of the state constitution, receive a petition for annexation or a petition for an annexation election pursuant to section 31-12-107 with the area partly or wholly overlapping the area proposed for annexation by the first municipality. If this occurs, the respective rights of the several municipalities shall be determined in accordance with an election as provided in this section.(2)
All further proceedings for the annexation of the area claimed by both municipalities shall be held in abeyance pending the holding of an election of the landowners and the registered electors within such area as described in subsection (4) of this section for the purpose of determining to which municipality such electors prefer to annex. This election shall be held pursuant to the provisions of section 31-12-112, except as provided in this section.(3)
The second municipality indicating its intent to annex shall petition the district court of the county in which the area proposed to be annexed is located for the election provided for in subsection (2) of this section. Such petition shall be filed within thirty days after the effective date of the resolution of intent or the date of the filing of the petition described in subsection (1) of this section.(4)
All of the landowners and the registered electors in the area claimed by both municipalities shall be entitled to vote at said election. Any corporate landowner may by resolution designate one of its officers to cast its vote.(5)
Intentionally left blank —Ed.(a)
If the disputed area has less than two-thirds boundary contiguity with either municipality, the ballot shall contain two questions:(I)
“For Annexation” and “Against Annexation”; and(II)
"For annexation to(name of municipality first starting proceedings)
and "For annexation to(b)
If more than two municipalities dispute the same area, the ballot shall list each municipality in order of the date when it started proceedings under this part 1 and in the same form as specified in this section. If the disputed area does have more than two-thirds boundary contiguity with one of the municipalities, only the question in subparagraph (II) of paragraph (a) of this subsection (5) shall appear on the ballot. If both questions are to appear on the ballot, the notice of the election shall contain a statement that all of the landowners and the registered electors may vote on the second question irrespective of their votes on the first question.(6)
If, upon a canvass of the votes, it is found that a majority of the votes cast were against annexation, or that the vote on the issue of annexation is tied, or that the vote on which municipality should annex is tied, the court shall declare all annexation proceedings of both municipalities insofar as they relate to the disputed area to be void and of no effect, and both municipalities shall be barred from continuing with the current annexation proceedings insofar as they relate to such disputed area.(7)
If the vote is in favor of annexation, the municipality to which the landowners and the registered electors indicate their intention to annex may proceed to hold a hearing as provided in this part 1 and to comply with the other provisions of this part 1 with respect to the area claimed by both municipalities; if such area is found to comply with the applicable provisions of sections 31-12-104 and 31-12-105 and if the entire area proposed to be annexed has been in dispute, the subject election shall be deemed to comply with the provisions of sections 31-12-107 and 31-12-112 relative to an election of the landowners and the registered electors for areas having less than two-thirds boundary contiguity with the annexing municipality.(8)
If more than two municipalities claim a disputed area and a majority of the votes are cast in favor of one municipality, that municipality may proceed to hold a hearing as provided in this part 1 and to comply with the other provisions of this part 1 with respect to the area claimed by the several municipalities; but the subject election shall be deemed to comply with the provisions of sections 31-12-107 and 31-12-112 relative to an election of the landowners and the registered electors for areas having less than two-thirds boundary contiguity with the annexing municipality. If no municipality receives a majority, a runoff election between the two municipalities receiving the largest pluralities shall be held no sooner than four weeks and no longer than seven weeks after the date of the initial election to determine to which municipality the landowners and the registered electors desire to annex. Notice of such second election shall be given in the manner directed by the court. This election shall have the same effect as if it were the original election between the two municipalities involved.(9)
Notwithstanding any provision in this part 1 to the contrary, if the total area proposed for annexation or the disputed part thereof has more than two-thirds boundary contiguity with one of the municipalities, that municipality shall have the right to annex the disputed area unless three-fourths of the total votes cast at the election favor annexation to another municipality.(10)
Unless the area claimed by more than one municipality constitutes more than one-third of the area proposed for annexation, inclusive of streets, to the first annexing municipality, nothing in this part 1 shall prevent a municipality from proceeding with the annexation of that part of the area described in its resolution which is not claimed by another municipality without waiting for the holding of the election described in this section. In the hearing required by sections 31-12-108 and 31-12-109 and the findings required by section 31-12-110, the issue shall be the compliance of the undisputed portion of the area proposed for annexation with the requirements and limitations of sections 31-12-104 and 31-12-105. If the annexation was initiated by petition under section 31-12-107 and if the requirements of said sections 31-12-104 and 31-12-105 are met, the annexing municipality shall submit the issue of annexation with the changed boundaries to an election of the landowners and the registered electors to be held in accordance with section 31-12-112.(11)
The costs of the election shall be paid by the municipalities which are disputing the annexation by the first annexing municipality. If more than one municipality is disputing such annexation, the costs shall be apportioned among such disputing municipalities on a just and equitable basis by the court supervising the election.
Source:
Section 31-12-114 — Conflicting annexation claims of two or more municipalities, https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2023-title-31.pdf (accessed Oct. 20, 2023).
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