For the purposes of section 214D(3) of the Act, the Board may make a recommendation relating to the declaration of a municipal area or part of a municipal area as a city if all of the following circumstances exist:

(a) for 5 years immediately preceding the Board's review, the municipal area had a population of at least 20 000 persons;

(b) at least 60% of the population of the municipal area lives in an urban area;

(c) an elector poll conducted on behalf of the council has indicated that the majority of electors favour the recommendation.