ARTICLE III TOWNSHIP LINES AND BOUNDARIES

Section 301. Stream Boundaries.-When any township is bounded by the nearest margin of any navigable stream and the opposite municipal corporation is also bounded by the nearest margin of the same stream, the middle of the stream is the boundary between the township and the opposite municipal corporation. This section does not repeal any local or special law.

Section 302. Ascertainment of Boundaries.--(a) The courts of common pleas may upon the presentation of a petition: (1) require the lines or boundaries of townships to be ascertained and
(2) ascertain disputed lines and boundaries between two or more townships or between townships and any municipal corporation.
(b) When any petition is presented, the court may require the petitioners to file a bond in a sufficient sum to secure the payment of all costs of the proceeding.

Section 303. Petition to Court; Commissioners' Report.-Upon application by petition, the court shall appoint three impartial citizens as commissioners, One of whom shall be a registered surveyor or engineer, to inquire into the request of the petition. After giving notice to parties interested as directed by the court, the commissioners shall hold a hearing and view the lines or boundaries; and they shall make a plot or draft of the lines and boundaries proposed to be ascertained and established if they cannot be fully designated by natural lines or boundaries. The commissioners shall make a report to the court, together with their recommendations. Upon the filing of the report it shall be confirmed nisi, and the court may require notice to be given by the petitioners to the parties interested.

Section 304. Exceptions and Procedure.-Exceptions to the report may be filed by any interested person or municipal corporation or school district within thirty days after the filing of the report, and the court shall set a day for the hearing of the exception. Notice of the hearing shall be given as the court may direct. After hearing, the court may sustain the exceptions or dismiss them and confirm the report or refer the report back to the same or new commissioners with authority to make another report. If no exceptions are filed within thirty days after the filing of the report, the court shall confirm the report absolutely. When any report is confirmed absolutely, the court shall enter a decree establishing the lines and boundaries as shown in the report.

Section 305. Costs.-The compensation and expenses of commissioners appointed to ascertain and establish township lines shall be in the amount approved by the court. The court shall ascertain how the costs of the proceeding, including the furnishing and placing of markers, shall be paid and may assess them against the petitioners, any affected township or municipal corporations and school districts affected.

Section 306. Adjustment of Indebtedness.-When the boundaries of any township are ascertained and established, the court of common pleas may adjust the taxes, debts and expenses for township, municipal and school purposes between the townships, municipal corporations and school districts affected.

Section 307. Adjustment for Costs or Values of Improvements.- (a) When the boundaries of any townships have been ascertained and established or when an annexation procedure is consummated with the result that a portion of a township is determined to be within the boundaries of another municipal corporation the township shall be paid by the municipal corporation the following costs or value of improvements located within the portion of the township affected:
(1) The value of all improvements to roads by the township within five years.
(2) The cost of sanitary sewer systems constructed by the township within fifteen years.
(3) The value of public buildings and all improvements other than roads and sewers.
(b) All costs or values shall be paid within one year after the final confirmation by the court or before the completion of the annexation process. This section does not apply to the cost of any road, sanitary sewer systems or facilities which have been assessed against the real property within the affected territory.
(c) If any present indebtedness of the township losing the affected area exists by reason of any improvements located in the affected area and the municipal corporation gaining the affected area assumes a portion of the indebtedness, any payment on account of the indebtedness shall be a credit to the municipal corporation gaining the affected area on account of the cost of the improvement.
(d) When an amicable settlement cannot be made on the amount to be paid under this section, the court of common pleas, upon application by any one of the municipal corporations involved, shall determine the amount to be paid.