Chapter 2. Proceedings For The Formation Of The District of California Streets And Highways Code >> Division 14. >> Part 4. >> Chapter 2.

In accordance with the provisions of this part any unincorporated area in this State may be established as a highway lighting district for the purpose of installing and maintaining a street lighting system on public highways within the district for the better protection of the public traveling thereon.

Proceedings for the formation of a highway lighting district may be instituted by filing, at a regular meeting of the board of supervisors of the county in which the proposed district to be benefited thereby is situated, a petition signed by 15 or more taxpayers thereof or by the owners of taxable property representing 60 percent or more of the total assessed valuation of all taxable property within the proposed district.

The petition shall contain the name of the proposed district, a description of its boundaries, and a statement that the provisions of this part shall govern the proceeding.

The name of the proposed district shall be in the following form: ____ lighting district (using the name of the district), of ____ County (using the name of the county in which the district is situated), and if the district is established it shall be thereafter designated by that name.

Upon the presentation of a petition requesting that the District Investigation Law of 1933 be declared inapplicable to the proceedings, the clerk of the board of supervisors shall immediately refer the same to an appropriate county officer, who shall certify to the board the number of owners of taxable property within the boundaries of the proposed district whose names appear on said petition, together with the percentage of the total assessed valuation of all taxable property within the boundaries of the proposed district, which said signatures represent.

If the certifying officer certifies that the petition bears the signatures of owners of taxable property within the proposed district, representing 60 percent or more of the total assessed valuation of all taxable property therein, the board of supervisors may determine and order, by a four-fifths vote, that the proceedings required by the District Investigation Law of 1933 are unnecessary and that said law shall not apply. The petition shall thereupon be filed without an accompanying bond or other undertaking. If said determination and order is made, the notice of hearing on the petition shall so state.

The county assessment roll last equalized at the time the petition is first presented shall be conclusive evidence as to ownership of taxable property and the assessed value thereof.

The affidavit of the person who circulated and obtained the signatures on the petition, stating that to the best of his knowledge and belief said signatures are genuine and are the signatures of taxpayers within the proposed district, shall be prima facie evidence of the facts recited.