Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 9010. Section 9010.
A new district may be formed pursuant to this chapter.
CHAPTER 2. Formation [9010. - 9014.]
Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC 2.
in effectCal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 9011. Section 9011.
(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 of the Government Code. In addition, the petition shall:
(1)
Set forth the methods by which the district will be financed, including but not limited to special taxes, special benefit assessments, and fees.
(2)
Propose a name for the district.
(3)
Specify the size of the initial board of trustees and the method of their appointment.
(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 3 of Title 5 of the Government Code. 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.
Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 9012. Section 9012.
(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 and the methods by which the district will be financed. The notice shall be published pursuant to Section 6061 of the Government Code 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 following shall be signed by a representative of the proponent, 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 method(s) by which the proposed district will be financed 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 in which the notice was published certifying to the fact of the publication.
(d)
After the filing required pursuant to subdivision (c), the petition may be circulated for signatures.
Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 9013. Section 9013.
(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 or city that contains the territory proposed to be included in the district. Except for the provisions regarding the signers, signatures, and the proponents, a resolution of application shall contain all of the matters specified for a petition in Section 9011.
(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 of the Government Code in one or more newspapers of general circulation within the county or city. 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)
At the hearing, the legislative body shall give any person an opportunity to present his or her views on the resolution.
(d)
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.
Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 9014. Section 9014.
(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 of the Government Code.
(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 both of the following:
(1)
That the public interest requires the formation of the proposed district.
(2)
That the proposed district will have sufficient revenues to carry out its purposes.
(c)
Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of 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 the approval on the approval by the voters of special taxes or approval by the property owners of special benefit assessments that will generate those sufficient revenues. The commission shall provide that if the voters do not approve the special taxes or if the property owners do not approve the special 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, notwithstanding Section 57007 of the Government Code, the commission shall proceed pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 57000) of Division 3 of Title 5 of the Government Code.
(e)
Notwithstanding Section 57075 of the Government Code, the local agency formation commission shall take one of the following actions:
(1)
If a majority protest exists in accordance with Section 57078 of the Government Code, the commission shall terminate proceedings.
(2)
If no majority protest exists, the commission shall either:
(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.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026