(A) Any neighborhood association may request designation as a recognized neighborhood association by submitting a request to the Office of Neighborhood Coordination (the "ONC") on forms provided by the ONC, together with a copy of the neighborhood association's most current bylaws.
(B) The city shall recognize each neighborhood association requesting status as a recognized neighborhood association under this Part where the neighborhood association conducts itself fairly, openly, and democratically. Neighborhood associations will be deemed to satisfy this obligation when their bylaws demonstrate, or their conduct is not otherwise inconsistent with, the following criteria:
(1) The geographic boundaries of a recognized neighborhood association must be reasonable. Boundaries will be considered reasonable when:
(a) They are contiguous; and
(b) They encompass an area of the city that is greater than 15 acres, but not more than one square mile; and
(c) They do not overlap with the boundaries of any other recognized neighborhood association; or
(d) The boundaries were in existence and recognized by the city as of October 20, 2017 and the neighborhood association is still in recognized status as of the date this Part is enacted.
(2) Membership must be open to all adult persons residing within the boundaries, and to each place of business within the boundaries. Membership shall not be limited by race, creed, religion, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, heritage, national origin, or income. The recognized neighborhood association shall in good faith take all reasonable steps to have its membership evenly distributed throughout its boundary, and all members must be eligible to hold any officer position within the association.
(3) The bylaws must expressly identify the process of succession when an officer steps down voluntarily or is removed, and how vacant positions will be filled.
(4) Only those persons within the boundaries of the association who have affirmatively joined the neighborhood association may be counted as members. The bylaws must clearly identify how membership is established. Dues may be collected, however payment of dues cannot be a prerequisite of membership or voting rights in the association.
(5) The association shall hold an annual meeting. It shall notify the ONC of this meeting and make a reasonable attempt to give written notice to all households and businesses within its boundaries at least two weeks in advance through placement of one or more signs at prominent locations within the neighborhood association boundaries and one or more of the following:
(a) U.S. mail; or
(b) Delivered flyers; or
(c) Website or social media posting; or
(d) E-mall, text message, direct message through social media, or other form of electronic messages delivered to the known address of each member.
(6) The association shall not hold a vote of the general membership on any question or candidate(s) unless it is advertised through the methods described in subsection (5) above, at least seven days in advance.
(7) Bylaws should be reviewed regularly, but no less frequently than at least once every ten years, and revised and resubmitted to the ONC only as may be necessary to reflect changes in election processes, organizational structure, or communication processes. If none of these changes have taken place, the association is not required to revise its bylaws.
(8) The recognized neighborhood association shall identify an orderly and democratic process for making representative determinations and decisions on behalf of the association. For the purposes of this section, a recognized neighborhood association's process shall be deemed orderly and democratic if decisions are made via a majority of the total votes cast by association's officers, directors, or members. If an election or vote of the membership is held, it will satisfy the requirements of this paragraph where:
(a) Members are given advance notice as prescribed by § 14-8-2-3(B)(6), above; and
(b) Each member is afforded the ability to vote using at least one of the following methods: in-person, mailed paper ballot, or electronic means (except that elections held at the annual meeting must be voted on in person consistent with subsection (9) below); and
(c) If a virtual online meeting is used for an in-person vote, votes must be recorded via a roll call vote.
(d) When voting occurs by paper ballot, results are tallied by a committee consisting of two or more members of the association and reported to association members in writing either electronically or hard copy. Electronic ballots must be canvassed in the same method, or through other reasonable methods.
(9) With the exception of elections held at the annual meeting, a recognized neighborhood association must hold votes by at least one of the following mechanisms: in person, electronically or by mail-in or paper ballot.
(C) Officers of recognized neighborhood associations shall submit an annual report to the ONC within 60 days of their annual meeting. This annual report shall be submitted via U.S. Mail or via an e-mail from the neighborhood board. The annual report must at a minimum contain the following information:
(1) Number of members for the previous year; and
(2) Two designated points of contacts, who shall be responsible to receive notices, including e-mail addresses, phone numbers, and mailing addresses; and
(3) Names, addresses, e-mail addresses, and available phone numbers of current neighborhood association officers and/or board members; and
(4) An updated copy of the bylaws only if they have been amended since last submitted; and
(5) Evidence of how the annual meeting was noticed pursuant to § 14-8-2-3(B)(6), above, for example a copy of the flyer that was used.
(D) Failure to comply with any of the preceding criteria will result in a notification of noncompliance being sent to the recognized neighborhood association officers and/or board members from the ONC. Upon receipt of this notice, a recognized neighborhood association must offer evidence of compliance within 60 days; if it does not comply, the association will be removed from the list of recognized neighborhood associations.