Chapter 2. Formation of California Streets And Highways Code >> Division 18. >> Part 8. >> Chapter 2.

(a) A multifamily improvement district may be established pursuant to this chapter.
  (b) A city may not form a multifamily improvement district on or after January 1, 2022, unless a later statute which is enacted on or before January 1, 2022, deletes or extends that date.

A county may not form a district within the territorial jurisdiction of a city without the consent of the city council of that city. A city may not form a district within the unincorporated territory of a county without the consent of the board of supervisors of that county. A city may not form a district within the territorial jurisdiction of another city without the consent of the city council of the other city.

(a) Upon the submission of a written petition, signed by either property owners paying more than two-thirds of the proposed assessment or by business owners paying more than two-thirds of the proposed assessment, the city council may initiate proceedings to form a district by the adoption of a resolution expressing its intention to form a district.
  (b) The petition of the property owners or the business owners required pursuant to subdivision (a) shall include all of the following:
  (1) A map showing the general boundaries of the proposed district.
  (2) A general description of the proposed activities and improvements to be carried out by the district.
  (3) A general description of how the proposed district will be financed, and whether bonds are proposed to be issued.
  (c) The resolution of intention described in subdivision (a) shall contain all of the following:
  (1) A brief description of the proposed activities and improvements, the amount of the proposed assessment, a statement as to whether the assessment will be levied on property or on businesses within the district, a statement as to whether bonds will be issued, and a description of the exterior boundaries of the proposed district. The descriptions and statements do not need to be detailed and shall be sufficient if they enable an owner to generally identify the nature and extent of the improvements and activities and the location and extent of the proposed district.
  (2) Order the preparation of a management district plan by a registered professional engineer certified by the state.

The management district plan shall contain all of the following:
  (a) A map of the proposed district in sufficient detail to locate each parcel of property and, if businesses are to be assessed, each business within the district.
  (b) The name of the proposed district.
  (c) A description of the boundaries of the proposed district, including the boundaries of any benefit zones, proposed for establishment or extension in a manner sufficient to identify the affected lands and businesses included. Under no circumstances shall the boundaries of a proposed district overlap with the boundaries of another existing district created pursuant to this part. Nothing in this part prohibits the boundaries of a district created pursuant to this part to overlap with other assessment districts.
  (d) The improvements and activities proposed for each year of operation of the district and the maximum cost thereof.
  (e) The total annual amount proposed to be expended for improvements, maintenance and operations, and debt service in each year of operation of the district.
  (f) The proposed source or sources of financing including the proposed method and basis of levying the assessment in sufficient detail to allow each property owner or each business owner to calculate the amount of the assessment to be levied against his or her property or business. The plan shall also state whether bonds will be issued to finance improvements.
  (g) The time and manner of collecting the assessments.
  (h) The specific number of years in which assessments will be levied. In a new district, the maximum number of years shall be five. Upon renewal, a district shall have a term not to exceed 10 years. Notwithstanding those time limitations, a district that finances improvements with bonds may levy assessments until the maximum maturity of those bonds, not to exceed 20 years. The management district plan may set forth specific increases in assessments for each year of operation of the district.
  (i) The proposed time for implementation and completion of the management district plan.
  (j) Any proposed rules and regulations to be applicable to the district.
  (k) A list of the properties or the businesses to be assessed, including the assessor's parcel numbers for any properties to be assessed, and a statement of the method or upon benefited real property or businesses, in proportion to the benefit received by the property or the business, to defray the cost thereof, including operation and maintenance. The plan may provide that all or any class or category of real property which is exempt by law from real property taxation may nevertheless be included within the boundaries of the district but shall not be subject to assessment on real property.
  (l) Any other item or matter required to be incorporated therein by the city council.

(a) If a city council proposes to levy a new or increased property assessment, the notice and protest and hearing procedures shall comply with Section 53753 of the Government Code. Notwithstanding subdivision (e) of Section 53753 of the Government Code, the city may not establish the district or levy assessments if the assessment ballots submitted, and not withdrawn, in opposition to the proposed assessment exceed one-third of the total assessment ballots submitted, and not withdrawn, weighting those assessment ballots by the amount of the proposed assessment to be imposed upon the identified parcel for which each assessment ballot was submitted.
  (b) If a city council proposes to levy a new or increased business assessment, the notice and protest and hearing procedure shall comply with Section 54954.6 of the Government Code, except that notice shall be mailed to the owners of the businesses proposed to be assessed.

At the conclusion of the public hearing to establish the district, the city council may adopt, revise, change, reduce, or modify the proposed assessment or the type or types of improvements and activities to be funded with the revenues from the assessments. Proposed assessments may only be revised by reducing any or all of them. At the public hearing, the city council may only make changes in, to, or from the boundaries of the proposed district that will exclude territory that will not benefit from the proposed improvements or activities. Any modifications, revisions, reductions, or changes to the proposed assessment district shall be reflected in the notice and map recorded pursuant to Section 36718.

(a) If the city council, following the public hearing, decides to establish the proposed district, the city council shall adopt a resolution of formation that shall contain all of the following:
  (1) A brief description of the proposed activities and improvements, the amount of the proposed assessment, a statement as to whether the assessment will be levied on property or businesses within the district, a statement about whether bonds will be issued, and a description of the exterior boundaries of the proposed district. The descriptions and statements do not need to be detailed and shall be sufficient if they enable an owner to generally identify the nature and extent of the improvements and activities and the location and extent of the proposed district.
  (2) The number, date of adoption, and title of the resolution of intention.
  (3) The time and place where the public hearing was held concerning the establishment of the district.
  (4) A determination regarding any protests received. The city shall not establish the district or levy assessments if the assessment ballots submitted, and not withdrawn, in opposition to the proposed assessment exceed one-third of the total assessment ballots submitted, and not withdrawn, weighting those assessment ballots by the amount of the proposed assessment to be imposed upon the identified parcel for which each assessment ballot was submitted.
  (5) A statement that the properties or businesses in the district established by the resolution shall be subject to any amendments to this part.
  (6) A statement that the improvements and activities to be provided in the district will be funded by the levy of the assessments. The revenue from the levy of assessments within a district shall not be used to provide improvements or activities outside the district or for any purpose other than the purposes specified in the resolution of intention, as modified by the city council at the hearing concerning establishment of the district.
  (7) A finding that the property or the businesses within the area of the district will be benefited by the improvements and activities funded by the assessments proposed to be levied.
  (b) The adoption of the resolution of formation and recordation of the notice and map pursuant to Section 36718 shall constitute the levy of an assessment in each of the fiscal years referred to in the management district plan.

If the city council, following the public hearing, desires to establish the proposed district, and the city council has not made changes pursuant to Section 36715, or has made changes that do not substantially change the proposed assessment, the city council shall adopt a resolution establishing the district. The resolution shall contain all of the information specified in paragraphs (1) to (8), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 36716, but need not contain information about the preliminary resolution if none has been adopted.

Following the adoption of the resolution establishing the district pursuant to Section 36716 or 36717, the clerk shall record a notice and an assessment diagram pursuant to Section 3114. If the assessment is levied on businesses, the text of the recorded notice shall be modified to reflect that the assessment will be levied on businesses, or specified categories of businesses, within the area of the district. No other provision of Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 3100) applies to an assessment district created pursuant to this part.

The city council may establish one or more separate benefit zones within the district based upon the degree of benefit derived from the improvements or activities to be provided within the benefit zone and may impose different assessments within each benefit zone. If the assessment is to be levied on businesses, the city council may also define categories of businesses based upon the degree of benefit that each will derive from the improvements or activities to be provided within the district and may impose different assessments or rates of assessment on each category of business, or on each category of business within each zone.

The city council may levy assessments on businesses or on property owners, or a combination of the two, pursuant to this part. The city council shall structure the assessments in whatever manner it determines corresponds with the distribution of benefits from the proposed improvements and activities.

All provisions of this part applicable to the establishment, modification, or disestablishment of a district apply to the establishment, modification, or disestablishment of benefit zones or categories of business. The city council shall, to establish, modify, or disestablish a benefit zone or category of business, follow the procedure to establish, modify, or disestablish a district.

If a district expires due to the time limit set pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 36713, a new management district plan may be created and a new district established pursuant to this part.