The owner or owners of any area of farm land consisting of 1 or more tracts, lying within the corporate limits of any city or village, may have the same disconnected from such city or village under the provisions of this act if such area of land

    (1) Contains 10 or more acres;

    (2) Is not subdivided into city or village lots and blocks;

    (3) Is located on the border or boundary of the city or village: Provided, however, That such disconnection shall not result in the isolation of any part of the said city or village from the remainder of such city or village;

    (4) Shall have been for a period of 3 years next preceding the filing of the petition provided for in section 2 hereof, used for agricultural purposes only.

     The owner or owners of any such area of land who desire such disconnection shall file a petition in the circuit court of the county where the land, or the greater part thereof, is situated, and in such petition shall allege facts in support of such disconnection. The particular city or village shall be made defendant, and it, or any taxpayer resident in such municipality, may appear and defend against such petition. If the court finds that the allegations of the petition are true and that the petitioner has met the qualifications as set forth in section 1 hereof, then such area of land shall be entitled to disconnection under the provisions of this act, and the court shall order said land disconnected from such city or village. In case of the disconnection from a city of any land which previously constituted a part of 1 or more townships, such land shall thereupon attach to and become a part of such township or townships, which shall be specified in the judgment. In case of the disconnection of any other land, the court shall determine and specify in the judgment what township or townships such land shall attach to and become a part of: Provided, however, That if by reason of city or village owned sewers, sidewalks, highways, water mains, gas mains, or other public improvements, upon or abutting said property, it would be inequitable to such city or village to grant said petition, in such case only may the court in its discretion deny the same even though petitioner has met the qualifications set forth in section 1 hereof.

     The disconnection of any such area of land shall not exempt it from taxation for the purpose of paying any bonded indebtedness contracted prior to the filing of such petition by the corporate authorities of the city or village, but such land shall be assessed and taxed for this purpose until such indebtedness is completely paid, the same as though not disconnected. The division of said indebtedness as between the municipalities involved shall be according to the provisions of Act No. 38 of the Public Acts of 1883, as amended, being sections 123.1 to 123.11, inclusive, of the Compiled Laws of 1948. Such disconnection shall not affect the lien upon any property for taxes for county, township, school, city or village purposes, or special assessments which have been levied thereon prior to such disconnection. Such disconnection shall not prevent the sale of any such land or parcels of land for delinquent taxes due to such county, township, school district, city or village at any regular state tax sale held in the manner provided by law, or at any regular tax sale of a city or village which, by its charter, has the right to sell lands for unpaid taxes or special assessments.

     The owner or owners of the land shall record or cause the judgment, or a certified copy of the judgment, to be recorded in the office of the register of deeds of the county or counties where the land is situated, and shall deliver a certified copy of the judgment to the secretary of state by registered mail.

     The provisions of this act shall not apply in the case of proposed disconnection of any land from cities of over 5,000 population. The provisions of this act shall not apply in the case of proposed disconnection of any land from incorporated villages under 400 population according to the latest or each succeeding federal decennial census. The provisions of this act shall not apply in the case of proposed disconnection of any lands from any city or village the population of which has increased more than 18 per cent during the interval between the federal census of 1940 and the federal census of 1950.

     The provisions of this act shall not apply to territory which has been annexed to an incorporated city under the provisions of Act No. 279 of the Public Acts of 1909, as amended, being sections 117.1 to 117.38, inclusive, of the Compiled Laws of 1948, or Act No. 215 of the Public Acts of 1895, as amended, being sections 81.1 to 113.20, inclusive, of the Compiled Laws of 1948, or to territory which has been annexed to villages under the provisions of Act No. 278 of the Public Acts of 1909, as amended, being sections 78.1 to 78.27, inclusive, of the Compiled Laws of 1948, or Act No. 3 of the Public Acts of 1895, as amended, being sections 61.1 to 75.12, inclusive, of the Compiled Laws of 1948.