13-1121.

Designation; review by county board; notice; hearing; burden of proof; removal of designation.

Beginning in 1980 and every even-numbered year thereafter during the month of March, the appropriate county board may, of its own volition or shall, at the request of the municipal governing body having zoning jurisdiction over the designated industrial tract, review any or all industrial areas in its jurisdiction. When the review is at the request of the municipal governing body having zoning jurisdiction over the designated industrial tract, the county board shall give notice of a hearing by registered or certified mail to the municipal governing body and the owners of the tract, if such owners are known, within ninety days prior to the hearing, and if the owners are not known or cannot be located, then by publishing a notice three successive weeks in some newspaper published and of general circulation in the county or counties in which the real estate is located, and if no newspaper is published in the county, such notice shall be published in some newspaper having a general circulation in such county. The burden of proving that the tract continues to be used for industry as defined in section 13-1111 shall be on the owners of the tract. If the owners of the tract do not attend the hearing, the county board shall remove the designation of the industrial area from such tract. If after the hearing the county board finds that the industrial area or a portion thereof is no longer suitable for industrial purposes, or is being used for nonindustrial enterprises, or has had no improvements or industrial buildings thereon within seven years from the date of original industrial designation, or is not in compliance with the zoning ordinances of any city or village exercising zoning control of it, or is not platted in accordance with such zoning ordinances or is no longer in compliance with the definition of industry as set forth in section 13-1111, such county board shall remove the designation of industrial area from such tract or portion of such tract. Any tract or portion of such tract used or reserved for industry prior to August 24, 1979, shall not be removed from the industrial area designation against the wishes of its owners as long as the use of such tract or portion continues to be in compliance with the definition of industry as set forth in section 13-1111. A certified copy of such order shall be filed with the register of deeds and the county assessor of the county or counties in which the real estate is located.