§174.  Suit to contest reasonableness of proposed extension of corporate limits

A.  Any interested citizen of the municipality or of the territory proposed to be annexed thereto may, within the thirty-day period before the ordinance becomes effective, file suit in the district court having jurisdiction over the municipality, to contest the proposed extension of the corporate limits.  "Interested", as used in this Section, means a real and actual personal stake in the outcome of the contest of the extension of the corporate limits.

B.  The sole questions to be presented to the court in a contest of a proposed extension of the corporate limits shall be as follows:

(1)  Whether the proposed extension is reasonable.

(2)  Whether, prior to the adoption of an ordinance enlarging the boundaries of a municipality, a petition was presented to the governing body of a municipality, and prior to the adoption of said ordinance, certificates were obtained from the parish assessor and parish registrar of voters showing that the said petition contained the written assent of a majority of the registered voters and a majority in number of the resident property owners as well as twenty-five percent in value of the property of the resident property owners within the area proposed to be included in the corporate limits.

(3)  Whether the municipality complied with its own requirements for the adoption of ordinance in adopting the annexation ordinance.

C.  If the extension of boundaries is adjudged reasonable, the ordinance shall go into effect ten days after the judgment is rendered and signed unless a suspensive appeal therefrom has been taken within the time and manner provided by law.  If the proposed extension is adjudged invalid, the ordinance shall be vacated and the proposed extension shall be denied, and no ordinances proposing practically the same extension shall be introduced for one year thereafter.  A similar right of appeal from the judgment of the district court annulling the ordinance shall be granted the municipality or any interested citizen as hereinabove provided.

D.  Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Section, the provisions of this Subsection shall apply to Jefferson Parish*.  Any interested citizen of the municipality or of the territory proposed to be annexed thereto may, within the thirty-day period before the ordinance becomes effective, file suit in the district court having jurisdiction over the municipality, to contest the proposed extension of the corporate limits and the question shall be whether the proposed extension is reasonable.  If the extension of boundaries is adjudged reasonable, the ordinance shall go into effect ten days after the judgment is rendered and signed unless a suspensive appeal therefrom has been taken within the time and manner provided by law.  If the proposed extension is adjudged unreasonable, the ordinance shall be vacated and the proposed extension shall be denied, and no ordinances proposing practically the same extension shall be introduced for one year thereafter.  A similar right of appeal from the judgment of the district court annulling the ordinance shall be granted the municipality or any interested citizen as hereinabove provided.

Acts 1993, No. 995, §1, eff. June 25, 1993.

*AS APPEARS IN ENROLLED BILL.