§ 101-29. Downtown Development Authority.

(a)

There is hereby determined and declared to be a present and future need for a Downtown Development Authority (as more fully described and defined in the Downtown Development Authorities Law, O.C.G.A. § 36-42-1 et seq.) to function in the city.

(b)

There is hereby activated in the city the public body corporate and politic known as the Downtown Development Authority of Norcross, Georgia, which was created upon the adoption and approval of the Downtown Development Authorities Law (O.C.G.A. § 36-42-1 et seq.).

(c)

The authority shall consist of a Board of Directors having seven members appointed by the Mayor and City Council. The Directors shall be either:

(1)

A taxpayer residing in the City;

(2)

An owner or operator of a business located within the downtown development geographic area and a taxpayer residing in the county; or

(3)

A person having a combination of the qualifications specified in subsections (c)(1) and (2) of this section, provided however, that no sitting Mayor or Councilmember shall be a member of the board.

(d)

Not less than four of the board members having the qualifications specified in subsections (c)(1) through (3) of this section shall be a person who, in the judgment of the Mayor and City Council, either have or represent a party who has an economic interest in the redevelopment and revitalization of the downtown development district.

(e)

After the Directors have served their term of office of either two, four, or six years, the terms for all Directors appointed or reappointed shall be four years. Members shall not receive a salary but they may be reimbursed for their expenses. Successors to the Directors shall be appointed by the Mayor and Council.

(f)

The Board of Directors hereinbefore appointed shall organize itself, carry out its duties and responsibilities and exercise its powers and prerogatives in accordance with the terms and provisions of the Downtown Development Authorities Law (O.C.G.A. § 36-42-1 et seq.) as it now exists and as it might hereafter be amended or modified.

(g)

The Mayor and Council, having found that in their judgment the city historic district is no longer representative of a central business district as contemplated by the Downtown Development Authorities Law, hereby changes its designation of the downtown development district of the Downtown Development Authority to the geographic area represented by all parcels within the corporate boundaries of the city which are included in the Norcross Town Center Study prepared by Jordan, Jones and Goulding in 2001 and all parcels having any part of said parcel within 600 feet of the eastern boundary of the right-of-way of Buford Highway and hereby designates this area as the downtown development district.

(h)

The action taken by the Mayor and Council of the city is not intended in any way to affect any public cooperation, industrial development or payroll authority previously created by legislative act or constitutional amendment including, without limitation, its existence, purpose, organization, powers or function.

(i)

The Mayor and Council do hereby appoint the person who holds the Office of City Attorney from time to time and/or the person who holds the Office of City Clerk from time to time to act as the hearing officer duly empowered to conduct such public hearings (on the issuance of tax exempt revenue bonds) regarding matters involving the Downtown Development Authority, and empowers either of them to take such actions as may be necessary or appropriate in the conduct of such office. The Mayor is authorized to approve the issuance of revenue bonds of the issuer.

(Code 1979, § 8-1-4; Code 1998, § 82-4; Ord. No. 21-2003, 12-5-2003; Ord. No. 02-2004, 2-2-2004; Ord. No. 05-2004, 7-6-2004; Ord. No. 10-2011, pt. I, 9-12-2011)

State law reference

Downtown Development Authorities Law, O.C.G.A. § 36-42-1 et seq.