Section 11-44C-29
Grant of franchise, lease, or right to use streets, etc., by ordinance or resolution.
No resolution or ordinance granting to any person, firm, or corporation any franchise, lease, or right to use the streets, public highways, thoroughfares or public way of said city, either in, under, upon, along, through or over same shall take effect and be enforced until 30 days after the final enactment of same by the council and publication of said resolution or ordinance in full once a week for three consecutive weeks in one or more newspapers of general circulation published in said city or, if no such newspaper exists then by posting notices in three public places, which publication shall be made at the expense of the persons, firm, or corporation applying for said grant. Pending the passage of any such resolution or ordinance or during the time intervening between its final passage, and the expiration of the 30 days during which publication shall be made as above provided, the qualified voters of said city may, by written petition addressed to said council, object to such grant, and if during such period such written petition signed by at least 10 percent of the qualified voters of the city shall be filed with said council, said council shall forthwith order an election, which shall be conducted by the election commission of the city or official charged with the duty of conducting elections therein, at which election the qualified voters of said city shall vote for or against the proposed grant as set forth in the said resolution or ordinance. In the call for said election, the said resolution or ordinance making such grant shall be published at length and in full at the expense of the city in one or more newspapers of general circulation published in said city by one publication, or if no such newspaper exists then by posting said notice in three public places. If a majority of the votes cast at such election shall be against the passage of said resolution or ordinance, then said resolution or ordinance shall not become effective, nor shall it confer any rights, powers, or privileges of any kind; otherwise, said resolution or ordinance and said grant shall thereupon become effective as fully and to the same extent as if said election had not been called or held. If, as the result of said election, said resolution or ordinance shall not become effective, then it shall be the duty of said council, after the results of said election shall be determined, to pass a resolution or ordinance to that effect. No grant of any franchise or lease or right of user, or any other right, in, under, upon, along, through or over the streets, public highways, thoroughfares, or public ways of any such city, shall be made or given, nor shall any such rights of any kind whatever be conferred upon any person, firm, or corporation, except by resolution or ordinance duly passed by the council at some regular or special meeting and published as above provided for in this section; nor shall any extension or enlargement of any such rights or powers previously granted be made or given except in the manner and subject to all the conditions herein provided. It is expressly provided, however, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to the grant of side track or switching privileges to any railroad for the purpose of reaching and affording railway connections, and switch privileges to the owners or users of any industrial plant, store or warehouse; provided, further, that said track or switch shall not extend for a greater distance than 1,320 feet.
(Acts 1985, No. 85-229, p. 96, §29.)