A county and one or more cities within the county are hereby authorized to create a separate and distinct body corporate and politic to be known as the joint redevelopment commission by the passage of a resolution by the board of county commissioners and the governing body of one or more cities within the county creating such a commission to function within the territorial limits of such participating units of government; provided, however, that notice of the intent to consider passage of such a resolution or ordinance shall be published at least 10 days prior to the meeting of the affected governing boards for such purposes, and further provided that a joint redevelopment commission created hereunder shall have authority to operate in an area where there presently exists a redevelopment commission upon the approval of the municipality or county concerned. The governing body of each participating local government shall appoint one or more commissioners as such governing bodies shall determine; such persons may be appointed at or after the time of adoption of the resolution creating the joint redevelopment commission. The appointing authority shall have the authority to appoint successors or to remove persons for misfeasance, malfeasance or nonfeasance who are appointed by them. Each commissioner shall serve for a term designated by the governing bodies of not less than one nor more than five years. The appointed members as commissioners shall constitute the joint redevelopment commission and certification  of appointment shall be filed with the Secretary of State as part of the application for charter.

All provisions of the “Urban Redevelopment Law” as defined in Article 22 of Chapter 160A of the N.C. Gen. Stat. shall apply to the creation and operation of a joint redevelopment commission and where reference is made to municipality, it shall be interpreted to apply to the units of government creating a joint redevelopment commission. (1975, c. 407.)