IC 36-7.6-3
Chapter 3. Development Authority Powers and Duties
IC 36-7.6-3-1
Duties
Sec. 1. A development authority shall do the following:
(1) Assist in the coordination of local efforts concerning
projects that are of regional importance.
(2) Assist a county, a municipality, a commuter transportation
district, an airport authority, and a regional transportation
authority in coordinating regional transportation and economic
development efforts.
(3) Fund projects that are of regional importance, as provided
in this article.
As added by P.L.232-2007, SEC.7.
IC 36-7.6-3-2
Powers
Sec. 2. (a) A development authority may do any of the following:
(1) Finance, improve, construct, reconstruct, renovate,
purchase, lease, acquire, and equip land and projects that are of
regional importance.
(2) Lease land or a project to an eligible political subdivision.
(3) Finance and construct additional improvements to projects
or other capital improvements owned by the development
authority and lease them to or for the benefit of an eligible
political subdivision.
(4) Construct or reconstruct highways, roads, and bridges.
(5) Acquire land or all or a part of one (1) or more projects from
an eligible political subdivision by purchase or lease and lease
the land or projects back to the eligible political subdivision,
with any additional improvements that may be made to the land
or projects.
(6) Acquire all or a part of one (1) or more projects from an
eligible political subdivision by purchase or lease to fund or
refund indebtedness incurred on account of the projects to
enable the eligible political subdivision to make a savings in
debt service obligations or lease rental obligations or to obtain
relief from covenants that the eligible political subdivision
considers to be unduly burdensome.
(7) Make loans, loan guarantees, and grants or provide other
financial assistance to or on behalf of the following:
(A) A commuter transportation district.
(B) An airport authority.
(C) A regional transportation authority. A loan, a loan
guarantee, a grant, or other financial assistance under this
clause may be used by a regional transportation authority for
acquiring, improving, operating, maintaining, financing, and
supporting the following:
(i) Bus services (including fixed route services and
flexible or demand-responsive services) that are a
component of a public transportation system.
(ii) Bus terminals, stations, or facilities or other regional
bus authority projects.
(D) A county.
(E) A municipality.
(8) Provide funding to assist a railroad that is providing
commuter transportation services in a county containing
territory included in the development authority.
(9) Provide funding to assist an airport authority located in a
county containing territory included in the development
authority in the construction, reconstruction, renovation,
purchase, lease, acquisition, and equipping of an airport facility
or airport project.
(10) Provide funding for intermodal transportation projects and
facilities.
(11) Provide funding for regional trails and greenways.
(12) Provide funding for economic development projects.
(13) Hold, use, lease, rent, purchase, acquire, and dispose of by
purchase, exchange, gift, bequest, grant, condemnation, lease,
or sublease, on the terms and conditions determined by the
development authority, any real or personal property.
(14) After giving notice, enter upon any lots or lands for the
purpose of surveying or examining them to determine the
location of a project.
(15) Make or enter into all contracts and agreements necessary
or incidental to the performance of the development authority's
duties and the execution of the development authority's powers
under this article.
(16) Sue, be sued, plead, and be impleaded.
(17) Design, order, contract for, construct, reconstruct, and
renovate a project or improvements to a project.
(18) Appoint an executive director and employ appraisers, real
estate experts, engineers, architects, surveyors, attorneys,
accountants, auditors, clerks, construction managers, and any
consultants or employees that are necessary or desired by the
development authority in exercising its powers or carrying out
its duties under this article.
(19) Accept loans, grants, and other forms of financial
assistance from the federal government, the state government,
a political subdivision, or any other public or private source.
(20) Use the development authority's funds to match federal
grants or make loans, loan guarantees, or grants to carry out the
development authority's powers and duties under this article.
(21) Except as prohibited by law, take any action necessary to
carry out this article.
(b) Projects funded by a development authority must be of
regional importance.
(c) If a development authority is unable to agree with the owners,
lessees, or occupants of any real property selected for the purposes
of this article, the development authority may proceed under
IC 32-24-1 to procure the condemnation of the property. The
development authority may not institute a proceeding until it has
adopted a resolution that:
(1) describes the real property sought to be acquired and the
purpose for which the real property is to be used;
(2) declares that the public interest and necessity require the
acquisition by the development authority of the property
involved; and
(3) sets out any other facts that the development authority
considers necessary or pertinent.
The resolution is conclusive evidence of the public necessity of the
proposed acquisition.
As added by P.L.232-2007, SEC.7.
IC 36-7.6-3-3
Agreements for joint actions
Sec. 3. A development authority may enter into an agreement with
another development authority or any other entity to:
(1) jointly equip, own, lease, and finance projects and facilities;
or
(2) otherwise carry out the purposes of the development
authority;
in any location.
As added by P.L.232-2007, SEC.7.
IC 36-7.6-3-4
Reports
Sec. 4. A development authority shall before April 1 of each year
issue a report to the legislative council, the budget committee, and
the governor concerning the operations and activities of the
development authority during the preceding calendar year. The report
to the legislative council must be in an electronic format under
IC 5-14-6.
As added by P.L.232-2007, SEC.7.
IC 36-7.6-3-5
Development plan
Sec. 5. (a) A development authority shall prepare a comprehensive
strategic development plan that includes detailed information
concerning the following:
(1) The proposed projects to be undertaken or financed by the
development authority.
(2) The following information for each project included under
subdivision (1):
(A) Timeline and budget.
(B) The return on investment.
(C) The projected or expected need for an ongoing subsidy.
(D) Any projected or expected federal matching funds.
(b) The development authority shall, not later than January 1 of
the second year following the year in which the development
authority is established, submit the comprehensive strategic
development plan for review by the budget committee and approval
by the director of the office of management and budget.
As added by P.L.232-2007, SEC.7.