County Commission | The Magazine June 2017 | Page 17

FROM THE COVER
How to Get Limited Self-Governance
L
imited Self-Governance is all
about local decision-
making, so it follows
that the choice to access
it can be made entirely
within county lines. That’s
right, you can leave the
Statehouse out of it.
Voters in unincorporated
areas of the county can turn
Limited Self-Governance “on”
or switch it “off,” and they express
their will by referendum.
The act, codified at Ala. Code
§ 11-3A-1 et seq., established a
framework for this process. Right
off the bat, the act limits costs,
because the referendum can only
be conducted at the same time as a
primary election, a general election
or a special election that has already been called for
another purpose.
The ballot question is straightforward
too: “whether the powers authorized under
the act shall be effective in the county.”
For citizens, it is an all-or-nothing
decision. Separate votes are not
taken on each one of the powers
granted in the act.
Limited Self-Governance cannot
be the only thing on a ballot, and rural
voters do not have to worry about their voice
le
tSty
being drowned out by large precincts of townsfolk.
Ou
o /
hot
P
ck
Sto
n
Limited
Self-Governance only allows counties to abate
a
© C
nuisances in unincorporated areas, unless a county reaches a
special agreement with a municipality. For this reason, the referendum
is limited to voters living in areas that would be subject to any ordinances.
Residents of unincorporated areas are the only voters to say “yay” or “nay”
on this question.
As for calling the referendum, there are two routes to get there – a citizen
petition or a vote by the county commission. As noted previously, neither of
Limited Self-Gov Online
www.Selfgov.net is a special website devoted to limited self-governance in Alabama,
with information and communication tools for county leaders and interested citizens.
What you can find:
• Definitions of terms such as
“nuisance” and “junkyard” as
established in Alabama law
• Full text of the Alabama Limited
Self-Governance Act
• Overview of the Act (PowerPoint
presentation)
• Listing of counties where limited
self-governance is in effect
• A sample animal control
ordinance drafted by ACCA
• Actual county ordinances
regarding animal control,
junkyards, litter/rubbish
and sewage
COUNTY COMMISSION | 17