Montana Title 7. Local Government § 7-2-4314. Hearing on question of annexation-- election on annexation--resolution of annexation

(1)(a) The city or town clerk shall, at the next regular meeting of the city or town council after the expiration of the 20-day period provided for in 7-2-4313, forward all written communication received by the clerk for the city or town council's consideration.

(b) Except as provided in subsection (1)(d), if the city or town council, after considering all written communication, adopts a resolution approving the annexation, the implementation of the resolution must be approved by the vote of the registered voters residing in the area proposed for annexation. The resolution must state the date on which the proposed annexation is intended to take effect.

(c) Except as provided in subsection (1)(d), no sooner than 85 days after adopting the resolution for annexation, the city or town council shall submit the question of approving the resolution to the registered voters residing in the area proposed for annexation. A notice of election must be mailed to all registered voters residing in the area proposed for annexation.

(d) If the area to be annexed contains fewer than 300 recorded parcels, the city or town council, after considering all written communication, may adopt a resolution approving the annexation without an election and the boundaries of the city or town must be extended to include the platted tracts or parcels of land or unplatted land for which a certificate of survey has been filed. An area annexed pursuant to this subsection may include land used for railroad purposes. However, a city or town council may not annex by resolution an area containing fewer than 300 recorded parcels if the resolution is disapproved in writing by a majority of real property owners of the area proposed to be annexed. If the resolution is disapproved by a majority of the landowners, the city or town council may not on its own initiative propose further resolutions relating to the annexation of the area or any portion of the area, without petition, for a period of 1 year.