(a) Every county and municipality is hereby empowered and authorized, in addition to any other rights, powers and authority conferred upon it elsewhere in this code, to:

(1) Create, modify and expand assessment districts in the manner hereinafter set forth in such county or municipality, and to develop, construct, extend or improve, or assist in the development, construction, extension or improvement of, a project located in such county or municipality;

(2) Acquire, by purchase, lease, right of eminent domain, gift or otherwise, such lands, public ways and other interests in real estate, or any other property, as may be necessary or incident to the completion of a project, and to convey such real estate and other property to an assessment district;

(3) Appoint the members of the community improvement board for each assessment district created by it hereunder;

(4) Enter into agreements with any person or governmental agency necessary or incident to the development, planning, construction or improvement of a project, or for the operation, maintenance or disposition of a project or for any other services required by a project;

(5) Expend funds to acquire, or construct part of a project on, property located outside of an assessment district but within the boundaries of such county or municipality, as the case may be, and for any work undertaken thereon, as may be necessary or incident to the completion of a project;

(6) Enter into agreements with one or more counties or municipalities to plan, develop, construct or improve a project jointly;

(7) Merge two or more assessment districts into one assessment district: Provided, That all such districts are located within the boundaries of the county or municipality, as the case may be; and

(8) Take any and all other actions consistent with the purpose of this article and not in violation of the Constitution of this state, as may be necessary or incident to the construction and completion of a project.

(b) Unless agreed to by a municipality, the power and authority hereby conferred on a county shall not extend into territory within the boundaries of any municipality: Provided, That notwithstanding any provision in this code to the contrary, the power and authority hereby conferred on counties may extend within the territory of a public service district created under section two, article thirteen-a of this chapter.