(1) A county that is not included in a public transit region and is not a participant in an authority may petition an authority to become a part of the public transit region and the authority, subject to approval of the petition by resolution of the governing body of the petitioning county.

    (2) A petitioning county shall be added to a public transit region and an authority if both of the following conditions are satisfied:

    (a) The petitioning county is adjacent to a county that is, at the time of the petition, included in the public transit region.

    (b) The addition of the petitioning county to the public transit region and the authority is approved by the board.

    (3) If an authority is levying an assessment under section 10(2) or a motor vehicle registration tax under section 10(3), or both, a petitioning county that satisfies the conditions under subsection (2) is a provisional member of the authority without voting power or transportation service from the authority until the assessment levied by the authority under section 10(2) or the motor vehicle registration tax under section 10(3), or both, is approved by a majority of the electors of the petitioning county at the first general or special election held on a regular date as provided in the Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.1 to 168.992, to occur at least 71 days after appointment of a board member representing the petitioning county under section 5(12).