While the bill explicitly states that a "township" would not be a municipality, the definitions set forth in the law make it nearly identical in function to villages or hamlets in some other states, including neighboring North Carolina and Florida, where they are the lowest level of a three-tiered system of municipalities. One major factor in this comparison is that, unlike most minor civil divisions, the proposed areas would be very small in size, and together would not cover the entire or even a large part of a county.
The bill's explicit statement that a "township" would not be a municipality contrasts with the definitions established in the law, which render it almost indistinguishable from villages or hamlets in other states, including neighboring North Carolina and Florida, where they are the lowest level of a three-tiered municipal system. A key factor in this comparison is that townships would be extremely small in size, unlike most minor civil divisions, and together would not cover the entire or even a significant portion of a county.