[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 13, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 13CFR302.3]

[Page 485-486]
 
                TITLE 13--BUSINESS CREDIT AND ASSISTANCE
 
CHAPTER III--ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
 
PART 302--ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS; STANDARDS FOR DESIGNATION, MODIFICATION AND TERMINATION--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 302.3  District organizations.

    (a) The district shall be organized in one of the following ways:
    (1) As a public organization through an intergovernmental agreement 
for the joint exercise of local government powers; or
    (2) As a public organization established under State enabling 
legislation for the creation of multi-jurisdictional area wide planning 
organizations; or
    (3) As a non-profit organization incorporated under the laws of the 
State in which it is located.
    (b) Each district organization must meet EDA requirements concerning 
membership composition [Sec. 302.3(c)], the maintenance of adequate 
staff support to perform its economic development functions 
[Sec. 302.3(d)], and its authorities and responsibilities for carrying 
out economic development functions [Sec. 302.4]. Such requirements must 
also be met by the board of directors (or other governing body of the 
organization) as a whole.
    (c) The district organization shall demonstrate that its governing 
body meets all of the following requirements:
    (1) It is broadly representative of the principal economic interests 
of the district area including the interests of its minority and low-
income populations;
    (2) There is at least a simple majority of its membership who are 
elected officials and/or employees of a general purpose unit of local 
government who have been appointed to represent the government; and
    (3) At least 20 percent of its membership who are private citizens, 
i.e., neither elected officials of a general purpose unit of local 
government nor employees of such a government who have been appointed to 
represent that government.
    (d) The district organization shall be assisted by a professional 
staff drawn from qualified persons in economic development, planning or 
related disciplines. EDA may provide planning grants to Economic 
Development Districts to employ professional staff in accordance with 
part 306 of this chapter.
    (e) The governing bodies of district organizations shall provide 
access for persons who are not members to make their views known 
concerning ongoing

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and proposed district activities in accordance with the following 
requirements:
    (1) The economic development district organization must hold 
meetings open to the public at least once a year and shall also publish 
the date and agenda of the meeting enough in advance to allow the public 
a reasonable time to prepare to participate effectively.
    (2) The district organization shall adopt a system of parliamentary 
procedures to assure that board members and others have access to and an 
effective opportunity to participate in the affairs of the district.
    (3) Information should be provided sufficiently in advance of public 
decisions to give the public adequate opportunity to review and react to 
proposals. District organizations should seek to relate technical data 
and other material to the public so they may understand the impact of 
public programs, available options and alternative decisions.