(A) Except as otherwise provided in § 157.130 and subject to the provisions of § 157.140, if a newly- incorporated municipality or newly-annexed area comprises territory that was formerly unincorporated, any development agreement entered into by a local government before the effective date of the incorporation or annexation remains valid for the duration of the agreement, or eight years from the effective date of the incorporation or annexation, whichever is earlier. The parties to the development agreement and the municipality may agree that the development agreement remains valid for more than eight years; provided, that the longer period may not exceed 15 years from the effective date of the incorporation or annexation. The parties to the development agreement and the municipality have the same rights and obligations with respect to each other regarding matters addressed in the development agreement as if the property had remained in the unincorporated territory of the country.
(B) After incorporation or annexation the municipality may modify or suspend the provisions of the development agreement if the municipality determines that the failure of the municipality to do so would place the residents of the territory subject to the development agreement, or the residents of the municipality or both, in a condition dangerous to their health or safety, or both.
(C) This section applies to any development agreement which meets all of the following:
(1) The application for the development agreement is submitted to the local government operating within the unincorporated territory before the date that the first signature was affixed to the petition for incorporation or annexation or the adoption of an annexation resolution pursuant to Chapter 1 or 3 or Title 5 of the South Carolina Code; and
(2) The local government operating within the unincorporated territory enters into the development agreement with the developer before the date of the election on the question of incorporation or annexation, or, in the case of an annexation without an election before the date that the municipality orders the annexation.
(Ord. 99056, passed 12-14-99)