PART IV. STATE CERTIFIED SITES PROGRAM.

§31-21-9. State certified sites program.

(a) This article hereby authorizes the establishment of a statewide certified sites program. The program shall consist of the development and preparation of certain site specific decision ready documentation or reports that will enable the expedited property transaction for sites that participate in the certified sites program.

(b) The objectives of the certified sites program include, but are not limited to:

(1) Establishing an inventory of identified sites that are ready for development or redevelopment and construction within twelve months or less from the date of acquisition and certify these properties as "project-ready" for specific industry profiles and other categories of developable properties available that can increase economic development efforts within the state;

(2) Improving the state's competitive edge by giving more certainty in time, steps and costs to businesses expanding or locating within the state;

(3) Developing standard criteria that most real estate developers or businesses need when selecting a site for development;

(4) Developing a central source of certified sites and assisting local governments in identifying potential redevelopment properties; and

(5) Demonstrating that the state is committed to promoting and expediting economic development projects for the benefit of its citizenry.

(c) The corporation shall issue a site certification if it determines that the decision ready document has been prepared and completed in accordance with the requirements set forth by the corporation. The corporation may require some or all of the following information set forth in section ten of this article based on the site specific circumstances of the property to be certified.

(d) The issuance of a site certification shall be based on the review and approval of the information submitted to the corporation in an application for the site certification.