A district may be organized pursuant to this part. A district may include any contiguous territory in one or more counties, contiguous to a navigable river or to any channel connected with a navigable river, but a municipal corporation shall not be divided in the formation of a district, and territory situated in a county in which there is located a duly organized and existing port district, created pursuant to Part IV of this division, may not be included. Territory situated within the boundaries of any port or harbor district, organized or designated and existing under the provisions of any city charter, shall not be included. Any territory, annexed to a municipal corporation, which is in a district, becomes a part of the district.
FormationPetition and Hearing
Section § 6810
This section explains how a district can be formed near a navigable river, including parts of one county or several counties as long as the areas are next to each other. However, it cannot divide a city when forming the district. Areas in a county with an existing port district can't be part of a new district. Also, areas within a port or harbor district defined by a city charter are excluded. If a city annexes territory that is in a district, that territory automatically becomes part of the existing district.
district formation contiguous territory navigable river
Section § 6811
If people want to form a new district, they can start by gathering signatures from at least five percent of voters in the area who voted in the last Governor's election. This petition can be presented at a regular meeting held by the board of supervisors in each county that the land for the new district would cover. The petition can be broken into different documents, but a certified copy of the complete petition must be filed with the board of supervisors for each county involved.
Whenever the formation of a district is desired, a petition may be presented at a regular meeting of the board of supervisors of each county in which is located any portion of land within the proposed district. The petition may consist of any number of instruments and shall be signed by not less than five per cent of the registered voters residing within the district, who voted at the last preceding general election at which a Governor was elected. The original petition need not be filed with the board of supervisors of each county, but a certified copy of the original shall be filed.
district formation petition process board of supervisors
Section § 6812
This section explains how the process for creating a district should follow certain existing guidelines. It says the rules in the District Organization Act Chapters I and II must be used when submitting and hearing a petition to create a district, as well as in the final stages of setting it up.
The 'supervising authority' in this context refers to the board of supervisors of each county where the land for the new district would be. Every county involved must follow these procedures. Also, land in any county won't be part of the district unless the majority of voters in that county agree.
The provisions of Chapters I and II of Division I of the District Organization Act shall govern and control the proceedings for the filing and hearing of the petition and the proceedings for final hearing of the petition and the formation of the district. The “supervising authority” as used in the District Organization Act means the board of supervisors of each county in which is located any portion of land within the proposed district.
All proceedings necessary for the formation of the district, as provided in Chapters I and II of Division I of the District Organization Act, shall be had in each county in which is located any portion of land within the proposed district. Land lying within any county within the proposed district shall not be included unless a majority of the electors in that portion of the district within the county vote in favor thereof.
district formation process District Organization Act petition hearing
