[Rev. 6/29/2024 3:39:54 PM--2023]
CHAPTER 320 - DISTRICTS FOR MAINTENANCE OF ROADS
NRS 320.010 Definitions.
NRS 320.020 “Board” defined.
NRS 320.030 “District” defined.
NRS 320.040 “Maintenance” defined.
NRS 320.050 “Road” defined.
NRS 320.060 Creation of district.
NRS 320.070 Board of directors: Appointment of initial members.
NRS 320.080 Board of directors: Election of members; term of office; qualification for office.
NRS 320.090 Board of directors: Election of officers; quorum; meetings; service without compensation; vacancies.
NRS 320.100 Board of directors: General powers and duties.
NRS 320.110 Apportionment and collection of assessments; submission of annual reports by board of directors to board of county commissioners.
NRS 320.120 Establishment of special account for deposit of assessments; restrictions on use of money in account; payment of claims against account.
NRS 320.130 Sale of real property within district prohibited without notice to purchaser of existence of district and amount of assessments.
NRS 320.140 Dissolution of district; assessment of real property to pay outstanding expenses of district.
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NRS 320.010 Definitions. As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, the words and terms defined in NRS 320.020 to 320.050, inclusive, have the meanings ascribed to them in those sections.
(Added to NRS by 1999, 2084)
NRS 320.020 “Board” defined. “Board” means the board of directors of a district.
(Added to NRS by 1999, 2084)
NRS 320.030 “District” defined. “District” means a district for the maintenance of roads created by NRS 320.060.
(Added to NRS by 1999, 2084)
NRS 320.040 “Maintenance” defined. “Maintenance” means any activity necessary to preserve the useful life of a road, including, without limitation, painting, repairing, grading, oiling, patching, resurfacing, sanding, sweeping, washing and removing ice and snow.
(Added to NRS by 1999, 2084)
NRS 320.050 “Road” defined. “Road” means any road, highway or thoroughfare that:
1. Is used for vehicular traffic; and
2. Is partially or entirely located within a district.
(Added to NRS by 1999, 2084)
NRS 320.060 Creation of district.
1. The owners of real property within an unincorporated area of a county whose population is less than 100,000 may initiate the creation of a district by filing a petition signed by at least 66 2/3 percent of the owners with the board of county commissioners of the county where the proposed district is located. A district may not include territory located within more than one county.
2. A petition filed pursuant to subsection 1 must include:
(a) The name, address and signature of each person named in the petition;
(b) The total acreage of the area proposed to be included within the district;
(c) The number of owners of real property in that area;
(d) A detailed map of that area;
(e) A description of any proposed contract for the maintenance of roads in the district; and
(f) The estimated annual cost to perform the proposed contracts to maintain roads in the district.
3. If a petition is filed pursuant to subsection 1, the board of county commissioners with whom the petition is filed shall hold a hearing to consider the petition at its next regularly scheduled meeting held after the date the petition is filed.
4. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, if a board of county commissioners decides to create a district after holding a hearing pursuant to subsection 3, it shall, at its next regularly scheduled meeting held after the hearing is conducted, adopt a resolution creating the district. A board of county commissioners shall not adopt a resolution pursuant to this subsection if, within 60 days after a hearing is held pursuant to subsection 3, 51 percent or more of the owners of real property within the proposed district file a petition with the board of county commissioners opposing the creation of the district.
5. A resolution adopted pursuant to subsection 4 must include a procedure to allow a person who owns real property within the district to apply for a hardship determination that would exempt the person from paying the fees assessed pursuant to this chapter. The procedure must include, without limitation:
(a) A method for allowing a person who owns real property within the district to submit to the board a written application for a hardship determination at least 90 days before the due date of an assessment;
(b) A method for determining whether such a person qualifies for a hardship exemption;
(c) A requirement for the periodic renewal of the hardship determination;
(d) A requirement that the board make a decision on the application within 30 days after the filing of the application;
(e) A requirement that the board notify the board of county commissioners in writing of the denial of an application and the reason for denying the application; and
(f) A procedure for appealing the denial of an application by the board to the board of county commissioners.
(Added to NRS by 1999, 2084)
NRS 320.070 Board of directors: Appointment of initial members.
1. After adopting a resolution creating a district, the board of county commissioners shall appoint five persons to serve as the initial members of the board. A member of the board appointed pursuant to this subsection:
(a) Must be a qualified elector of the district; and
(b) Serves in that office until his or her successor is elected pursuant to NRS 320.080.
2. Each member of the board must qualify for appointment by filing in the office of the county clerk where the district is located:
(a) A written oath of office signed by the member; and
(b) A bond in an amount of not more than $10,000 as determined by the board of county commissioners. The bond must be filed in a form approved by the board of county commissioners and be conditioned upon the satisfactory performance of the duties of the member filing the bond. The board of county commissioners may, from time to time, increase or decrease the amount of the bond.
(Added to NRS by 1999, 2085)
NRS 320.080 Board of directors: Election of members; term of office; qualification for office.
1. A biennial election for the district must be held simultaneously with the first general election in the county held after the district is created and simultaneously with each general election held thereafter.
2. The office of a member of the board is a nonpartisan office. The general election laws of this State govern the candidacy, nominations and election of a member of the board. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, the term of office of a member of the board is 4 years.
3. At the first biennial election of the district, there must be elected by the qualified voters of the district:
(a) Two qualified electors as members of the board to serve for terms of 2 years; and
(b) Three qualified electors as members of the board to serve for terms of 4 years.
4. The secretary of the board shall provide notice of the election by publication and take any other action concerning the election as the county clerk or the registrar of voters may direct.
5. A member of the board who is elected must qualify in the same manner as a member of the initial board pursuant to NRS 320.070.
(Added to NRS by 1999, 2085)
NRS 320.090 Board of directors: Election of officers; quorum; meetings; service without compensation; vacancies.
1. After taking oaths and filing bonds, the members of the board shall, by a majority vote, elect a chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer from among the members. The secretary and treasurer may be one person. After the initial election, the chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer serve in that office for a term of 1 year beginning on July 1 of each year. If a vacancy occurs in any of those offices, the members of the board shall elect a member of the board to serve in that office for the remainder of the unexpired term.
2. Three members of the board constitute a quorum, and except as otherwise provided in NRS 241.0355 a quorum may exercise all the powers and duties of the board.
3. The board shall:
(a) Meet at such times and places specified by a call of the chair or by a majority of the members of the board;
(b) Adopt bylaws prescribing its management and government; and
(c) Comply with the provisions of chapter 241 of NRS.
4. The members of the board serve without compensation and are not entitled to the per diem and travel expenses provided for state officers and employees generally.
5. If a vacancy occurs in the membership of the board, the remaining members of the board shall appoint a person to serve on the board until his or her successor is elected and qualified. A person appointed to serve on the board pursuant to this subsection must qualify in the manner provided in NRS 320.070. If the board fails to fill a vacancy within 30 days after the vacancy occurs, the board of county commissioners where the district is located shall appoint a person to serve on the board in the manner provided in this subsection.
(Added to NRS by 1999, 2086; A 2001, 1128)
NRS 320.100 Board of directors: General powers and duties. The board:
1. Shall enter into any contract it determines is necessary to maintain any road; and
2. May take any other action it determines is necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter.
(Added to NRS by 1999, 2086)
NRS 320.110 Apportionment and collection of assessments; submission of annual reports by board of directors to board of county commissioners.
1. On or before April 1 of each year, the board shall:
(a) Determine the total cost for each contract entered into pursuant to NRS 320.100 for the next ensuing fiscal year;
(b) Apportion that cost among the owners of real property by parcel number within the district:
(1) Based upon the relative special benefit received by each parcel of land; and
(2) Using a method of apportionment that is fair and equitable and is approved by the board of county commissioners of the county where the district is located;
(c) Submit a written report to the board of county commissioners specifying the total cost determined pursuant to paragraph (a) and the amount apportioned for each parcel of land within the district pursuant to paragraph (b); and
(d) Submit a written report to the board of county commissioners:
(1) Specifying the total cost for performing contracts for the maintenance of roads in the district for the preceding year; and
(2) Addressing whether the goals and objectives of the district relating to the maintenance of such roads have been accomplished.
2. Upon receipt of the report, the board of county commissioners shall collect the assessments specified in the report for the next ensuing fiscal year. The assessments must be collected at the same time and in the same manner, and with like interest and penalties, as any taxes on real property are collected by the county. Any such assessment, until paid, is a lien upon the real property assessed equal in priority to a lien for general taxes, and may be collected in the same manner.
(Added to NRS by 1999, 2086)
NRS 320.120 Establishment of special account for deposit of assessments; restrictions on use of money in account; payment of claims against account.
1. The board of county commissioners shall establish, with the county treasurer, a special account in the general fund of the county for money collected pursuant to NRS 320.110. The account is a separate and continuing account and no money in the account reverts to the general fund of the county at any time. Any money collected by the board of county commissioners pursuant to NRS 320.110 must be deposited in the account. The interest and income earned on the money in the account, after deducting any applicable charges, must be credited to the account.
2. Any money in the account must be used only to carry out the provisions of this chapter.
3. The county treasurer shall pay any claim against the account that is:
(a) Submitted by the board to pay for a contract entered into pursuant to NRS 320.100; and
(b) Signed by the chair and vice chair of the board.
(Added to NRS by 1999, 2087)
NRS 320.130 Sale of real property within district prohibited without notice to purchaser of existence of district and amount of assessments. An owner of real property that is located within a district shall not sell that real property unless the owner provides a written notice to the purchaser of the real property:
1. Stating that the real property is located within the district; and
2. Specifying the amount of the assessments paid for that real property pursuant to this chapter for:
(a) The immediately preceding 2 years, if the district has been in existence for 2 years or more before the date the notice is provided to the purchaser; or
(b) The period since the district was created, if the district has been in existence for less than 2 years before the date the notice is provided to the purchaser.
(Added to NRS by 1999, 2088)
NRS 320.140 Dissolution of district; assessment of real property to pay outstanding expenses of district.
1. A district may be dissolved:
(a) If 51 percent or more of the owners of real property within the district file a petition with the board of county commissioners requesting the dissolution of the district; or
(b) If the board of county commissioners adopts a resolution on its own motion dissolving the district.
Ę If a petition is filed pursuant to this subsection, the board of county commissioners shall, at its next regularly scheduled meeting after the petition is filed, adopt a resolution dissolving the district. A resolution adopted pursuant to this subsection becomes effective after all contracts for the maintenance of a road entered into by the board pursuant to NRS 320.100 have expired.
2. If a resolution is adopted by a board of county commissioners pursuant to subsection 1, the board of county commissioners shall, within 30 days after the date the resolution becomes effective, determine whether:
(a) Any expenses of the district have not been paid; and
(b) The money in the account created pursuant to NRS 320.120 is sufficient to pay those expenses.
3. If the board of county commissioners determines pursuant to subsection 2 that the money in the account:
(a) Is sufficient to pay the expenses specified in that subsection, the board of county commissioners shall, within 10 days after making that determination, pay those expenses from that account and, if any money remains in the account after paying those expenses, refund that money to the owners of real property within the district in a manner that is fair and equitable; or
(b) Is insufficient to pay those expenses, the board of county commissioners shall, within 10 days after making that determination, assess each of those owners equally.
4. If the board of county commissioners assesses an owner of real property pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection 3, it shall, within 30 days after making the assessment, provide a written notice of the amount of the assessment to the owner. The owner shall, within 30 days after receiving the notice, pay to the board of county commissioners the amount specified in the notice.
(Added to NRS by 1999, 2087)