36-42-1 Citation. This chapter may be referred to as the "Downtown Development Authorities Law." 36-42-2 Legislative purpose. The revitalization and redevelopment of the central business districts of the municipal corporations of this state develop and promote for the public good and general welfare trade, commerce, industry, and employment opportunities and promote the general welfare of this state by creating a climate favorable to the location of new industry, trade, and commerce and the development of existing industry, trade, and commerce within the municipal corporations of this state. Revitalization and redevelopment of central business districts by financing projects under this chapter will develop and promote for the public good and general welfare trade, commerce, industry, and employment opportunities and will promote the general welfare of this state. It is, therefore, in the public interest and is vital to the public welfare of the people of this state, and it is declared to be the public purpose of this chapter, so to revitalize and redevelop the central business districts of the municipal corporations of this state. No bonds, notes, or other obligations, except refunding bonds, shall be issued by an authority under this chapter unless its board of directors adopts a resolution finding that the project for which such bonds, notes, or other obligations are to be issued will promote the foregoing objectives. 36-42-3 Definitions. As used in this chapter, the term: (1) "Authority" means each public body corporate and politic created pursuant to this chapter. (2) "Cost of the project" or "cost of any project" means and includes: (A) All costs of acquisition (by purchase or otherwise), construction, assembly, installation, modification, renovation, or rehabilitation incurred in connection with any project or any part of any project; (B) All costs of real property, fixtures, or personal property used in or in connection with or necessary for any project or for any facilities related thereto, including, but not limited to, the cost of all land, estates for years, easements, rights, improvements, water rights, connections for utility services, fees, franchises, permits, approvals, licenses, and certificates; the cost of securing any such franchises, permits, approvals, licenses, or certificates; and the cost of preparation of any application therefor and the cost of all fixtures, machinery, equipment, furniture, and other property used in or in connection with or necessary for any project; (C) All financing charges and loan fees and all interest on revenue bonds, notes, or other obligations of an authority which accrues or is paid prior to and during the period of construction of a project and during such additional period as the authority may reasonably determine to be necessary to place such project in operation; (D) All costs of engineering, surveying, and architectural and legal services and all expenses incurred by engineers, surveyors, architects, and attorneys in connection with any project; (E) All expenses for inspection of any project; (F) All fees of fiscal agents, paying agents, and trustees for bondholders under any trust agreement, indenture of trust, or similar instrument or agreement; all expenses incurred by any such fiscal agents, paying agents, and trustees; and all other costs and expenses incurred relative to the issuance of any revenue bonds, notes, or other obligations for any project; (G) All fees of any type charged by an authority in connection with any project; (H) All expenses of or incidental to determining the feasibility or practicability of any project; (I) All costs of plans and specifications for any project; (J) All costs of title insurance and examinations of title with respect to any project; (K) Repayment of any loans made for the advance payment of any part of any of the foregoing costs, including interest thereon and any other expenses of such loans; (L) Administrative expenses of the authority and such other expenses as may be necessary or incidental to any project or the financing thereof or the placing of any project in operation; and (M) The establishment of a fund or funds for the creation of a debt service reserve, a renewal and replacement reserve, or such other funds or reserves as the authority may approve with respect to the financing and operation of any project and as may be authorized by any bond resolution, trust agreement, indenture of trust, or similar instrument or agreement pursuant to the provisions of which the issuance of any revenue bonds, notes, or other obligations of the authority may be authorized. Any cost, obligation, or expense incurred for any of the foregoing purposes shall be a part of the cost of the project and may be paid or reimbursed as such out of proceeds of revenue bonds, notes, or other obligations issued by the authority. (3) "Downtown development area" means the geographical area within a municipal corporation designated as such by the resolution of the governing body activating the authority for such municipal corporation as modified by any subsequent resolution of the governing body of such municipal corporation. (4) "Governing body" means the elected or duly appointed officials constituting the governing body of any municipal corporation in the State of Georgia. (5) "Municipal corporation" means any city or town in this state. (6) "Project" means the acquisition, construction, installation, modification, renovation, or rehabilitation of land, interests in land, buildings, structures, facilities, or other improvements located or to be located within the downtown development area, and the acquisition, installation, modification, renovation, rehabilitation, or furnishing of fixtures, machinery, equipment, furniture, or other property of any nature whatsoever used on, in, or in connection with any such land, interest in land, building, structure, facility, or other improvement, any undertaking authorized by Chapter 43 of this title as part of a city business improvement district, any undertaking authorized in Chapter 44 of this title, the "Redevelopment Powers Law," when the downtown development authority has been designated as a redevelopment agency, or any undertaking authorized in Chapter 61 of this title, the "Urban Redevelopment Law," when the downtown development authority has been designated as an urban redevelopment agency, all for the essential public purpose of the development of trade, commerce, industry, and employment opportunities in its authorized area of operation. A project may be for any industrial, commercial, business, office, parking, public, or other use, provided that a majority of the members of the authority determine, by a duly adopted resolution, that the project and such use thereof would further the public purpose of this chapter. Such term shall include any one or more buildings or structures used or to be used as a not for profit hospital, not for profit skilled nursing home, or not for profit intermediate care home subject to regulation and licensure by the Department of Human Resources and all necessary, convenient, or related interests in land, machinery, apparatus, appliances, equipment, furnishings, appurtenances, site preparation, landscaping, and physical amenities. (7) "Revenue bonds" or "bonds" means any bonds of an authority which are authorized to be issued under the Constitution and laws of Georgia, including refunding bonds but not including notes or other obligations of an authority. 36-42-4 Downtown development authority. There is created in and for each municipal corporation in this state a public body corporate and politic to be known as the downtown development authority of such municipal corporation, which shall consist of a board of seven directors. The governing body of the municipal corporation shall appoint two members of the first board of directors for a term of two years each, two for a term of four years each, and three for a term of six years each. The governing body of the municipal corporation may appoint one of its elected members as a member of the downtown development authority. After expiration of the initial terms, except for the director who is also a member of the governing body of the municipal corporation, the terms of all directors shall be six years; provided, however, that the terms shall be four years for those directors appointed or reappointed on or after July 1, 1994. The term of a director who is also a member of the governing body of a municipal corporation shall end when such director is no longer a member of the governing body of the municipal corporation. If at the end of any term of office of any director a successor to such director has not been elected, the director whose term of office has expired shall continue to hold office until a successor is elected. A majority of the board of directors shall constitute a quorum. 36-42-5 Authority to transact business by resolution. (a) No authority shall transact any business or exercise any powers under this chapter until the governing body of the municipal corporation shall, by proper resolution, declare that there is a need for an authority to function in such municipal corporation, thereby activating the authority. In its resolution, the governing body shall designate as the downtown development area that geographical area within the municipal corporation which, in the judgment of the governing body, constitutes the central business district and shall appoint the initial directors of the authority. (b) A copy of the governing body's resolution shall be filed with the Secretary of State, who shall maintain a record of all authorities activated under this chapter, and with the Department of Community Affairs. The Department of Community Affairs may, but shall not be required to, furnish written comments to any authority within 30 days after the governing body's resolution is filed with the Department of Community Affairs. Any such comments shall be furnished by the authority to the governing body of the municipal corporation which activated the authority.