§ 1278. Definitions.

As used herein, the term:

(1)

"Agricultural" means the growing of crops for sale or raising of animals for sale or use, including the growing of field crops, fruit or nut trees, the raising of livestock or poultry, and the operation of dairies, horse-boarding facilities, and riding stables.

(2)

"Board" means the governing body created for the governance of each community improvement district authorized by this act [division].

(3)

"Bonds" or "general obligation bonds" means any bonds of a district which are authorized to be issued under the Constitution and laws of Georgia, including refunding bonds but not including notes or other obligations of a district.

(4)

"Caucus of electors" means for each district the meeting of electors at which the elected board members of the district are elected. A quorum at such caucus shall consist of those electors present, and a majority of those present and voting is necessary to elect board members. No proxy votes may be cast.

(5)

"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 including all transportation equipment and rolling stock, 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 bonds, notes, or other obligations of a district which accrue or are paid prior to and during the period of construction of a project and during such additional period as the board 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 issuances of any bonds, notes, or other obligations for any project;

(G)

All expenses of or incidental to determining the feasibility or practicability of any project;

(H)

All costs of plans and specifications for any project;

(I)

All costs of title insurance and examinations of title with respect to any project;

(J)

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;

(K)

Administrative expenses of the board 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

(L)

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 board 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 bonds, notes, or other obligations of the district 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 bonds, notes, or other obligations issued by the district.

(6)

"District" means the geographical area designated as such by the resolution of the governing body or bodies consenting to the creation of the community improvement district or as subsequently modified by any subsequent resolution of the governing body or bodies within which the district is or is to be located, or a body corporate and politic being a community improvement district created and activated pursuant to this act [division], as the context requires or permits.

(7)

"Electors" means the noncontiguous owners of real property within the district which real property is then subject to taxes, fees, and assessments levied by the board; the appearance of owners on the most recent ad valorem real property tax records of DeKalb County shall be prima-facie proof of ownership.

(8)

"Equitably apportioned among the properties subject to such taxes, fees, and assessments according to the need for governmental services and facilities created by the degree of density of development of each such property," with reference to taxes, fees, and assessments levied by the board, means that the burden of the taxes, fees, and assessments may be apportioned among the properties subject to such taxes, fees, and assessments based upon the values established in the most recent ad valorem tax reassessment of such properties certified by the chairperson of the DeKalb County Board of Tax Assessors or may be apportioned among the subject properties in direct or approximate proportion to the receipt of services or benefit derived from the improvements or other activities for which the taxes, fees, or assessments are to be expended or may be apportioned in any other manner or combination of manners deemed equitable by the board, including but not limited to the recognition of differential benefit which may reasonably be expected to accrue to new land development in contrast to lands and improvements already in existence at the time of creation of the community improvement district.

(9)

"Equity electors" means electors who cast votes equal to one vote for each one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or fraction thereof in assessed value of all owned real property within the district which real property is then subject to taxes, fees, and assessments levied by the board. Value of real property shall be the assessed value. In the event the owner shall be a corporation, trust, partnership, multiple owners, or any other entity, one (1) person shall be designated as elector and such designation shall be made in writing.

(10)

"Forestry" means the planting and growing of trees for sale in a program which includes reforestation of harvested trees, regular underbrush and undesirable growth clearing, fertilizing, pruning, thinning, cruising, and marking which indicate an Active tree-farming operation; it does not include the casual growing of trees on land otherwise idle or held for investment, even though some harvesting of trees may occur thereon.

(11)

"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 district or in another community improvement district immediately adjoining the district as to directly benefit the district, such benefit to be determined by the board, 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, for all the essential public purposes set forth n section 2 of this Act.

(12)

"Property owner" or "owner of real property" means any entity or person owning one or more noncontiguous parcels of real estate on the most recent ad valorem tax records of DeKalb County within the district. Ownership as shown by the most recent ad valorem real property tax records of DeKalb County shall be prima-facie proof of ownership. Multiple owners of one (1) parcel shall constitute one (1) property owner and shall designate in writing one (1) of their number to represent the whole.

(13)

"Property used nonresidentially" means property or any portion of property used for neighborhood shopping, planned shopping center, general commercial, hotel or motel, tourist services, office or institutional, office services, light industry, heavy industry, central business district, parking, or other commercial or business use, as well as vacant land zoned or approved for any of the aforementioned uses.

(14)

"Taxpayer" means any entity or person paying ad valorem taxes on real property, whether on one (1) or more parcels of property within the district. Multiple owners of one (1) parcel shall constitute one (1) taxpayer and shall designate in writing one (1) of their number to represent the whole.

(Acts 1999, p. 4786, § 3; Acts 2007, pp. 4064, 4065, §§ 1, 2)