12-519. Definitions.
12-519
12-519. Definitions.
As used in this act: (a) "Tract" means a single unit of real property
under one ownership, outside the corporate limits of a city, which may
be platted or unplatted, title to which is publicly or privately held by an
owner as defined by subsection (c).
(b) "Land" means a part of a tract or one or more tracts.
(c) "Owner" means the one who has record title to a tract. In the event
two or more persons have record title to a tract, "owner" shall be defined as follows:
(1) If joint tenants, "owner" means a majority of the number of joint
tenants; (2) if tenants in common, "owner" means both a majority of the
number of tenants in common and the holders of a majority of the undivided
interests in the tract; (3) if the tract is held by a life tenant and a
remainderman, "owner" means the life tenant; (4) if the tract is held by a
tenant under a recorded lease providing for a lease term of 10 years
or longer and a remainderman, "owner" means both such tenant and
remainderman; (5) if one holds title to the surface and another holds title
to the minerals, "owner" means the surface title holder.
(d) "Adjoins" means to lie upon or touch (1) the city boundary line; or
(2) a highway, railway or watercourse which lies upon the city boundary
line and separates such city and the land sought to be annexed by only the
width of such highway, railway or watercourse.
(e) "Platted" means a tract or tracts mapped or drawn to scale, showing
a division or divisions thereof, which map or drawing is filed in the
office of the register of deeds by the owner of such tract.
(f) "Land devoted to agricultural use" means land which is devoted to
the production of plants, animals or horticultural products, including but
not limited to: Forages; grains and feed crops; dairy animals and dairy
products; poultry and poultry products; beef cattle, sheep, swine and
horses; bees and apiary products; trees and forest products; fruits, nuts
and berries; vegetables; or nursery, floral, ornamental and greenhouse
products. Land devoted to agricultural use shall not include those lands
which are used for recreational purposes, suburban residential acreages,
rural home sites or farm home sites and yard plots whose primary function
is for residential or recreational purposes even though such properties may
produce or maintain some of those plants or animals listed in the foregoing definition.
(g) "Watercourse" means a natural or manmade course where water may
flow on a regular or intermittent basis; a watercourse shall not include a
natural or manmade lake, pond or other impoundment of five or more acres of
surface area.
History: L. 1967, ch 98, § 1; L. 1974, ch. 56, § 1; L. 1987, ch. 66, § 1; April 9.