§ 135.215 RSMo — Real property improvements exemption from assessment and ad valorem taxes — procedure — maximum period granted — abatement or exemption ceases, when

1. Improvements made to "real property" as such term is defined in section 137.010 , which are made in an enterprise zone subsequent to the date such zone or expansion thereto was designated, may upon approval of an authorizing resolution by the governing authority having jurisdiction of the area in which the improvements are made, be exempt, in whole or in part, from assessment and payment of ad valorem taxes of one or more affected political subdivisions, provided that, except as to the exemption allowed under subsection 3 of this section, at least fifty new jobs that provide an average of at least thirty-five hours of employment per week per job are created and maintained at the new or expanded facility. Such authorizing resolution shall specify the percent of the exemption to be granted, the duration of the exemption to be granted, and the political subdivisions to which such exemption is to apply and any other terms, conditions or stipulations otherwise required. A copy of the resolution shall be provided the director within thirty calendar days following adoption of the resolution by the governing authority.

2. No exemption shall be granted until the governing authority holds a public hearing for the purpose of obtaining the opinions and suggestions of residents of political subdivisions to be affected by the exemption from property taxes. The governing authority shall send, by certified mail, a notice of such hearing to each political subdivision in the area to be affected and shall publish notice of such hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the area to be affected by the exemption at least twenty days prior to the hearing but not more than thirty days prior to the hearing. Such notice shall state the time, location, date and purpose of the hearing.

3. Notwithstanding subsection 1 of this section, at least one-half of the ad valorem taxes otherwise imposed on subsequent improvements to real property located in an enterprise zone shall become and remain exempt from assessment and payment of ad valorem taxes of any political subdivision of this state or municipality thereof, if said political subdivision or municipality levies ad valorem taxes, for a period of not less than ten years following the date such improvements were assessed, provided the improved properties are used for assembling, fabricating, processing, manufacturing, mining, warehousing or distributing properties.

4. No exemption shall be granted for a period more than twenty-five years following the date on which the original enterprise zone was designated by the department except for any enterprise zone within any home rule city with more than one hundred fifty-one thousand five hundred but less than one hundred fifty-one thousand six hundred inhabitants provided in any instance the exemption shall not be granted for a period longer than twenty-five years from the date on which the exemption was granted.

5. The provisions of subsection 1 of this section shall not apply to improvements made to real property which have been started prior to August 28, 1991.

6. The mandatory abatement referred to in this section shall not relieve the assessor or other responsible official from ascertaining the amount of the equalized assessed value of all taxable property annually as required by section 99.855 and shall not have the effect of reducing the payments in lieu of taxes referred to in subdivision (2) of section 99.845 unless such reduction is set forth in the plan approved by the governing body of the municipality pursuant to subdivision (1) of section 99.820 .

7. Effective August 28, 2004, any abatement or exemption provided for in this section on an individual parcel of real property shall cease after a period of thirty days of business closure, work stoppage, major reduction in force, or a significant change in the type of business conducted at that location. For the purposes of this subsection, "work stoppage" shall not include strike or lockout or time necessary to retool a plant, and "major reduction in force" is defined as a seventy-five percent or greater reduction. Any owner or new owner may reapply, but cannot receive the abatement or exemption for any period of time beyond the original life of the enterprise zone.