(a) The General Assembly recognizes as planning and development districts the boundaries of the following eight (8) economic development districts:
(1) Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District, Inc., consisting of Benton, Washington, Madison, Carroll, Boone, Newton, Marion, Searcy, and Baxter counties;
(2) North Central Arkansas Economic Development District, Inc., consisting of Fulton, Izard, Sharp, Stone, Independence, Jackson, Van Buren, Cleburne, White, and Woodruff counties;
(3) Northeast Arkansas Economic Development District, Inc., consisting of Randolph, Clay, Lawrence, Greene, Craighead, Mississippi, Poinsett, Cross, Crittenden, St. Francis, Lee, and Phillips counties;
(4) Southeast Arkansas Economic Development District, Inc., consisting of Grant, Jefferson, Arkansas, Cleveland, Lincoln, Desha, Bradley, Drew, Chicot, and Ashley counties;
(5) Southwest Economic Development District of Arkansas, Inc., consisting of Sevier, Howard, Little River, Hempstead, Nevada, Ouachita, Dallas, Calhoun, Miller, Lafayette, Columbia, and Union counties;
(6) Western Arkansas Economic Development District, Inc., consisting of Crawford, Franklin, Sebastian, Logan, Scott, and Polk counties;
(7) West Central Arkansas Economic Development District, Inc., consisting of Johnson, Pope, Conway, Yell, Perry, Montgomery, Garland, Pike, Clark, and Hot Spring counties; and
(8) Central Arkansas Economic Development District, Inc., consisting of Faulkner, Saline, Pulaski, Lonoke, Prairie, and Monroe counties.
(b)
(1) If a municipality is located in two (2) or more counties which are situated in different planning and development districts, then if the governing body of the municipality so determines by ordinance, the entire area of the municipality may be deemed attached to the planning and development district which has the county with the highest proportion of the population of the municipality.
(2) The population of the municipality shall be based upon the most recent federal decennial or special census data available for the municipality.
(c)
(1) Nothing in this subchapter is intended to change or conflict with the status of regional and metropolitan planning commissions or councils of governments established under § 14-17-301 et seq. and § 14-56-501 et seq.
(2) This subchapter does not change the designation of urban and metropolitan planning organizations presently recognized by the Department of Finance and Administration for programs of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development or any other department of the United States Government.