Preliminary Report And Survey - County Drainage Districts - Water Code - CA

Section § 56050

Before a district in California can start a construction project or hold an election to issue bonds, the district board must hire engineers to assess the area's needs for protecting land from water-related issues like storms or flooding. The engineers will prepare a detailed report that includes a description of the planned work, plans and specifications, property impacts, a district map outlining the project, and estimated costs.

Before constructing any project and before calling any election for the issuance of bonds as hereinafter provided, the district board shall by resolution employ one or more engineers to make a survey of the problems of the district concerning the protection of the lands within the district from storm, overflow or waste waters and especially with reference to the construction of a drainage system or systems. The resolution shall direct the engineer or engineers to prepare and file with the district board a report setting forth:

(a) A general description of the work proposed to be done to carry out the objects of the district;

(b) A general plan and general specifications of the work;

(d) A map showing the boundaries of the district and in general the location and extent of the work proposed to be done, property taken or damaged, and any other information useful to the understanding of the proposed work;

(e) An estimate of the cost of the proposed work including acquisition, engineer and construction costs.

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Section § 56051

Engineers, under the guidance of the district board, can hire surveyors and other necessary personnel to help prepare a report.

The engineer or engineers may, subject to the direction of the district board, employ such surveyors and others as may be necessary to prepare the report.

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Section § 56052

Once an engineer's report is submitted, the district board has a few options. They can reject the report and ask for a new one, suggest revisions, or if the report meets all requirements and they are satisfied with it, they will schedule a hearing. This hearing is for any objections about the report or the proposed work outlined in it.

When the engineer’s report is filed, the district board shall examine it and may thereupon:

(a) Reject it and direct that a new report be prepared;

(b) Direct that changes be made in it; or

(c) If it complies with the provisions of this chapter and is satisfactory to the district board, it shall fix a time and place for hearing objections to the report and to doing all or any of the work referred to in the report.

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Section § 56053

The district board must publish a notice about a hearing in a local newspaper as required by a specific government code. At the set time and place, or if rescheduled, the board will listen to any objections people have, whether spoken or written.

Notice of the hearing shall be published by the district board pursuant to Section 6066 of the Government Code in a newspaper circulated in the district. At the time and place so fixed, or at the time and place to which the hearing may be from time to time continued, the board shall hear all objections. Said objections may be oral or in writing.

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Section § 56054

After a hearing, the district board has two options: they can change the report to address specific objections, or they can approve the report as it is. If they decide to make changes, additional hearings will be held on the amended report. This process continues until the district board is satisfied and officially approves the report.

At the conclusion of the hearing the district board shall either order the report changed to conform to some or all the objections made or shall approve and adopt the report as made. If changes in the report are ordered, a further hearing shall be had upon it as amended and further hearings shall be had until the district board approves and adopts the report.

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Section § 56055

If the district board approves the engineer's report, they must direct the engineers to draft detailed plans and specifications that match the approved general plans in the report. However, if a four-fifths majority of the board believes the public interest requires changes to the general plans, they can pass a resolution to make those changes, explaining how they should be made.

If the district board approves and adopts the report of the engineer or engineers, the board shall order the engineer or engineers to prepare precise plans and specifications for the work contained in said report. Said precise plans and specifications shall be in conformity with the general plans and specifications contained in said report as approved by the district board unless the district board by a four-fifths vote adopts a resolution declaring that the public interest requires a modification of or departure from the general plans and specifications, which resolution shall contain a statement of the manner in which the modification is required or departure is to be made.

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Section § 56059

This law states that any engineers hired by the district board to create detailed plans and specifications must also oversee the execution of the work described in those plans.

The engineer or engineers employed by the district board to prepare the precise plans and specifications shall be directed by the district board to superintend the doing of the work contained in said precise plans and specifications.

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Section § 56060

This law gives a district the right to use any public highway, street, or property for their projects if the district board decides it's needed. However, if their project means moving or changing any public facilities, the district has to cover the costs of those changes.

A right of way in or across any public highway, street or property in the district is hereby granted to the district wherever the right of way is found by the district board to be necessary or convenient for the doing of any of the work; provided, that if the exercise of the rights herein granted require the alteration or relocation of any facilities devoted to a public use, the district shall pay the cost of such alteration or relocation.

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Section § 56061

If before a district is formed, a county board of supervisors already got a report about protecting land from water issues, and it has the necessary details similar to what's usually required, the district board doesn't need to create a new report. Instead, they can use this existing report for any hearings, and then all usual rules will apply.

Notwithstanding any other provision in this chapter to the contrary, in the event that prior to the formation of a district a report has been secured by the board of supervisors of the county in which the district is formed pursuant to the provisions of Section 4.2 of the Drainage District Improvement Act of 1919 concerning the protection of lands and other property within the district from storm or waste waters and containing substantially the same data and matter required by Section 56050 of this chapter, and if copies of said report are made available to the district board by the board of supervisors of such county, a new report need not be prepared by the district board under said Section 56050 and the hearing or hearings referred to in this chapter may be held on such report furnished by the board of supervisors of such county, and thereafter all of the provisions of this chapter shall be applicable to such report.

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