Sec. 1203. (a) ADVISORY. If a township wants to join a municipality for planning and zoning purposes, a petition, signed by fifty (50) freeholders, must be filed with the township executive. The township executive and the township legislative body shall hold a hearing within thirty (30) days after the date of the filing of the petition. Public notice, giving the place, date, and time of the hearing, shall be given in accordance with IC 5-3-1.
(b) ADVISORY. If a remonstrance duly signed by a majority of the freeholders of the township residing outside the corporate boundaries of any municipality is filed on or before the date of the hearing, no action may be taken on the petition. If no such remonstrance is filed, the township executive and legislative body shall send the petition requesting joinder immediately to the municipal plan commission. If a petition for joinder is rejected under remonstrance as provided in this section, it may be refiled not earlier than one (1) year after that remonstrance.