Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5782. Section 5782.
A new district may be formed pursuant to this article.
ARTICLE 3. Formation [5782. - 5782.7.]
Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC 3.
in effectCal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5782.1. Section 5782.1.
(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 do all of the following:
(1)
Set forth the methods by which the district will be financed, including, but not limited to, special taxes, benefit assessments, and fees.
(2)
Propose a name for the district.
(3)
Specify the method of selecting the initial board of directors, as provided in Article 4 (commencing with Section 5783).
(4)
Specify whether the district will have the power of eminent domain.
(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 article, the provisions of this article 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. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5782.3. Section 5782.3.
(a)
Before circulating any petition, the proponents shall publish a notice of intention that 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 notice 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 proponent 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. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5782.5. Section 5782.5.
(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 5782.1.
(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. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5782.7. Section 5782.7.
(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) and, notwithstanding Section 57007 of the Government Code, pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 57000) 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 that the proposed district will have sufficient revenues to carry out its purposes.
(c)
Notwithstanding 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 its approval on the concurrent approval of special taxes or benefit assessments that will generate those sufficient revenues. The commission shall provide that if the voters or property owners do not approve the special taxes or benefit assessments, the proposed district shall not be formed.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026