Chapter 2. Formation of California Government Code >> Division 3. >> Title 6. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 2.

A new district may be formed pursuant to this chapter.

(a) A proposal to form a new district may be made by petition. The petition shall do all of the things required by Section 56700. In addition, the petition shall do all of the following:
  (1) State which of the services listed in Section 61100 it is proposed that the district be authorized to provide upon formation.
  (2) Set forth the proposed methods, including, but not limited to, special taxes, benefit assessments, and fees, by which the district will finance those services.
  (3) Propose a name for the district.
  (4) Specify the method of selecting the initial board of directors, as provided in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 61020) of Part 2.
  (b) The petitions, the proponents, and the procedures for certifying the sufficiency of the petitions shall comply with Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 56700) of Part 3 of Division 5. In the case of any conflict between that chapter and this chapter, the provisions of this chapter shall prevail.
  (c) The petition shall be signed by not less than 25 percent of the registered voters residing in the area to be included in the district, as determined by the local agency formation commission.

(a) Before circulating any petition, the proponents shall publish a notice of intention which shall include a written statement not to exceed 500 words in length, setting forth the reasons for forming the district, the proposed services that the district will provide, and the proposed methods by which the district will be financed. The notice shall be published pursuant to Section 6061 in one or more newspapers of general circulation within the territory proposed to be included in the district. If the territory proposed to be included in the district is located in more than one county, publication of the notice shall be made in at least one newspaper of general circulation in each of the counties.
  (b) The notice shall be signed by one or more of the proponents, and shall be in substantially the following form: "Notice of Intent to Circulate Petition "Notice is hereby given of the intention to circulate a petition proposing to form the ______________ [name of the district]. The reasons for forming the proposed district are: __________________. The proposed service(s) that the district will provide are: ____________. The proposed method(s) by which the district will finance those services are: ______________."
  (c) Within five days after the date of publication, the proponents shall file with the executive officer of the local agency formation commission of the principal county a copy of the notice together with an affidavit made by a representative of the newspaper or newspapers in which the notice was published certifying to the fact of the publication.
  (d) After the filing required by subdivision (c), the petition may be circulated for signatures.

(a) A proposal to form a new district may also be made by the adoption of a resolution of application by the legislative body of any county, city, or special district that contains any of the territory proposed to be included in the district. Except for the provisions regarding the signers, the signatures, and the proponents, a resolution of application shall contain all of the matters specified for a petition in Section 61011.
  (b) Before adopting a resolution of application, the legislative body shall hold a public hearing on the resolution. Notice of the hearing shall be published pursuant to Section 6061 in one or more newspapers of general circulation within the county, city, or special district. At least 20 days before the hearing, the legislative body shall give mailed notice of its hearing to the executive officer of the local agency formation commission of the principal county. The notice shall generally describe the proposed formation of the district and the territory proposed to be included in the district.
  (c) The clerk of the legislative body shall file a certified copy of the resolution of application with the executive officer of the local agency formation commission of the principal county.

(a) Once the proponents have filed a sufficient petition or a legislative body has filed a resolution of application, the local agency formation commission shall proceed pursuant to Part 3 (commencing with Section 56650) of Division 3 of Title 5.
  (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a local agency formation commission shall not approve a proposal that includes the formation of a district unless the commission determines that the proposed district will have sufficient revenues to carry out its purposes.
  (c) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), a local agency formation commission may approve a proposal that includes the formation of a district where the commission has determined that the proposed district will not have sufficient revenue provided that the commission conditions its approval on the concurrent approval of special taxes or benefit assessments that will generate those sufficient revenues. In approving the proposal, the commission shall provide that, if the voters or property owners do not approve the special taxes or benefit assessments, the proposed district shall not be formed.
  (d) If the local agency formation commission approves the proposal for the formation of a district, then the commission shall proceed pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 57000) of Division 3 of Title 5.
  (e) Notwithstanding Section 57075, the local agency formation commission shall take one of the following actions:
  (1) If a majority protest exists in accordance with Section 57078, the commission shall terminate proceedings.
  (2) If no majority protest exists, the commission shall do either of the following:
  (A) Order the formation subject to the approval by the voters.
  (B) Order the formation subject to the approval by the voters of a special tax or the approval by the property owners of a special benefit assessment, pursuant to subdivision (c).
  (f) If the local agency formation commission orders the formation of a district pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (e), the commission shall direct the board of supervisors to direct county officials to conduct the necessary elections on behalf of the proposed district.

Notwithstanding Section 61014, in the case of the proposed formation of the East Garrison Community Services District, if the Local Agency Formation Commission of Monterey County finds that the affected territory contains no registered voters and no landowners that are not public agencies, the Local Agency Formation Commission of Monterey County may, as a term and condition of approving the formation, dispense with an election, complete the proceedings for the formation of the East Garrison Community Services District, and order the Board of Supervisors of the County of Monterey to designate the members of the initial board of directors pursuant to Section 61029.5.