1. (a) When a petition for the incorporation of a city, signed by 50 or more electors of the territory described therein, and containing the information hereafter required, is filed with the county clerk if all the territory is within one county, or the county clerk of the county in which the greater or greatest area lies if the territory lies in two or more counties, the requirements and proceedings shall be as hereinafter stated.

   The petition shall: (1) Be addressed to the board of county commissioners, or where the territory lies in two or more counties, to the board of commissioners of the county having the greater or greatest area; (2) describe the territory by metes and bounds; and (3) request the incorporation of the territory as a city by the name of "the city of ______________" (giving name).

   Each page of signatures shall bear the following heading:

   "I, whose name appears as one of the signers below, state that I reside in and am an elector of the territory petitioned to become the city of ______________; that I signed my name in my own handwriting; that I read the description of the metes and bounds of said territory or saw the map of the territory attached as an exhibit to the petition.

   Signatures Addresses"

   The signatures of signers shall be checked against the voter registration books by the county election officer. Any person desiring to withdraw their name from the petition may do so by filing in person with the county clerk of the county where the petition will be filed, and before the petition is filed, a statement substantially as follows: "I the undersigned, hereby withdraw my name as a signer of the petition for the incorporation of the territory proposed to be called the city of ______________." The county clerk shall sign and endorse on the face of the statement the month, day, year and hour of the filing and, if and when the petition is filed, shall attach such withdrawal statement thereto.

   The sufficiency of the number of petitioners shall be determined as of the day of the filing of the petition by registration books, if any, and as of the date of the affidavit as to persons in nonregistration area.

2. (b) No territory shall be incorporated as a city except as provided in subsection (d)(2) unless it has 250 or more inhabitants or has 250 or more platted lots each of which is served by water and sewer lines owned by a nonprofit corporation. The number of inhabitants shall be determined by an enumeration by a qualified signer of the petition who shall make an affidavit that an enumeration has been made of the inhabitants of the territory after the beginning of the circulation of the petition, and stating the number of inhabitants found, and specifying the dates when it was begun and when completed. The number of platted lots served by water and sewer lines owned by a nonprofit corporation shall be determined by the county engineer, who shall state the findings by affidavit. The affidavits shall be attached to the petition before it is filed. The board of county commissioners may cause another enumeration to be made if it believes the number of inhabitants may be less than 250.

3. (c) The petition shall have attached thereto a statement containing the following information regarding the proposed city: (1) Quantity of land embraced, platted and unplatted; (2) a brief description of existing facilities and services currently received by the area, including water supply, sewage disposal, fire and police protection; and (3) reasons for desiring city government and services.

   There shall also be attached to the petition a map of the territory showing the location of the proposed city within the county or counties and the more densely built-up area or areas and designating in general the platted and unplatted areas.

   There shall also be attached a statement of the assessed valuation of the platted real property and improvements and unplatted real property and improvements and the assessed valuation or an estimate thereof of the tangible personal property for each county in which any area lies, certified by the county clerk or county assessor.

4. (d) No territory shall be incorporated as a city unless:

   1. (1) The inhabitants of the territory number 250 or more and 50 or more electors of the territory have signed a petition;
   2. (2) the territory contains 250 or more platted lots each served by water and sewer lines owned by a nonprofit corporation, and 50 or more electors of the territory have signed a petition; or
   3. (3) the territory has been designated a national landmark by the congress of the United States.

L. 1963, ch. 509, § 2; L. 1967, ch. 113, § 1; L. 1981, ch. 86, § 1; L. 2011, ch. 101, § 1; June 2.