Section 929.03. Agricultural district land exempt from assessments

(A)

(1) No public entity with authority to levy special assessments on real property shall collect an assessment for purposes of sewer, water, or electrical service on real property that is within an agricultural district as described in division (A)(2) of this section without the permission of the owner, except that any assessment may be collected on a lot surrounding a dwelling or other structure not used in agricultural production that does not exceed one acre or the minimum area required by local zoning or subdivision rules, whichever is the greater area.

(2) For purposes of division (A)(1) of this section, an agricultural district is such a district that is established:

(a) In the case of counties, prior to the adoption of a resolution of necessity by a board of county commissioners, pursuant to section 6103.05 or 6117.06 of the Revised Code;

(b) In the case of municipal corporations, prior to whichever of the following occurs first:

(i) The adoption of the resolution of necessity by the municipal legislative authority, pursuant to section 727.12 or 729.02 of the Revised Code;

(ii) The service of notice on all or some of the owners to be assessed pursuant to section 729.06 of the Revised Code;

(iii) The adoption of the resolution or ordinance by the municipal legislative authority declaring the necessity for the improvement, the costs of which are to be assessed under procedures authorized by a municipal charter adopted pursuant to Section 7 of Article XVIII, Ohio Constitution, or, if no such ordinance or resolution is required under the charter, the service of the first notice on all or some of the owners of lands to be assessed, or the adoption of the first ordinance or resolution by the municipal legislative authority pertaining to the assessment proceedings under the charter.

(c) In the case of a regional water and sewer district established pursuant to Chapter 6119. of the Revised Code, prior to the adoption of a resolution of necessity by the board of trustees of the district under section 6119.25 of the Revised Code.

(B) For each special assessment levied by a public entity on real property within an agricultural district for purposes of sewer, water, or electrical service, the county auditor shall make and maintain a list showing:

(1) The name of the owner of each lot, tract, or parcel of land that is exempt from the collection of the special assessment under this section;

(2) A description of the exempt land;

(3) The purpose of the special assessment;

(4) The amount of the uncollected assessment on the exempt land.

In the case of a county project constructed under Chapter 6103. or 6117. of the Revised Code, the county auditor may use a list provided for in those chapters in lieu of the list required by division (B) of this section. The auditor shall also record in the water works record required by section 6103.16 of the Revised Code or the sewer improvement record required by section 6117.33 of the Revised Code those assessments not collected under this section. The recording of the assessments does not permit the collection of the assessments until such time as exempt lands are withdrawn from agricultural districts or converted to nonagricultural use.

(C) If at any time any of the owner's exempt land, other than a lot sold or transferred to a son, daughter, brother, sister, mother, or father for the purpose of constructing a dwelling in which the relative will reside for at least three years, is withdrawn from an agricultural district or if the owner of the exempt land uses on that land the service for which the special assessment was assessed, the public entity may collect the entire uncollected assessment, except as otherwise provided in this division, in addition to an amount equal to the rate of interest that any bonds or notes issued for the project for which the assessment was made did bear for the number of years the land was exempted, not to exceed twenty-five or the number of years for which the bonds or notes were issued, whichever is the lesser number. The owner shall notify the county auditor of any withdrawal from a district or use of the service within ninety days following the withdrawal or use of the service. The charge shall constitute a lien of the public entity upon the land and shall continue until discharged. All liens shall be recorded in the appropriate county recorder's office. Moneys collected as a result of the charge shall be deposited in the appropriate fund of the public entity that levied the special assessment.

If the owner of exempt land sells or transfers a lot to the owner's son, daughter, brother, sister, mother, or father for the purpose of constructing a dwelling in which the relative will reside for at least three years, and if the owner or the buyer of the lot uses the service for which the special assessment was assessed only to provide service to that lot, the owner of the lot shall pay only that portion of the uncollected assessment and interest that applies to the lot.

If at any time any part of an owner's exempt land is appropriated, the owner shall pay only that portion of the uncollected assessment and interest that applies to the appropriated parcel of land.

In lieu of immediate payment of the uncollected assessment and interest, the board of county commissioners, legislative authority of a municipal corporation, or other governing board of any other public entity may, upon the request of the owner, establish an extended repayment schedule for the owner. If the board, legislative authority, or other governing board establishes such a schedule, it shall notify the county auditor of the schedule.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.129, SB 314, §1, eff. 9/28/2012.

Effective Date: 09-26-1996