SECTIONS 26550-26560

26550.  The provisions of this chapter shall be inoperative as to alegislative body unless and until the legislative body adopts aresolution declaring that it is subject to its provisions and hasforwarded a copy of such resolution to the State Controller.26550.5.  Proceedings for the formation of a district may beinitiated by either of the following methods: (a) A petition signed by owners of not less than 10 percent of thereal property to be included within the proposed district. (b) By resolution of the legislative body.26551.  If the territory proposed to be included within a districtis located in more than one local agency, the legislative body of thelocal agency wherein lies the greater amount of assessed valuationof real property as shown on the assessment roll last equalized bythe county, shall initiate and conduct the proceedings to form adistrict.26552.  A petition initiating proceedings for formation of adistrict may be presented to the clerk of the legislative body, andshall contain substantially all of the following: (a) A statement that the petition is made pursuant to thisdivision. (b) An indication, opposite each signature, of the lot, tract, andmap number or other legal description sufficient to identify suchsignature as that of the owner of land within the territory includedwithin the proposed district. (c) An indication, opposite each signature, of the date eachsignature was affixed to the petition. (d) A legal description and map of the boundaries of the territoryto be included within the proposed district.26553.  A plan of control shall be attached to the petition.26554.  Upon receipt of a petition in the form described in Sections26550.5, 26551, and 26553, the clerk of the legislative body shallplace such petition on the agenda for the regular meeting of thelegislative body next following the clerk's determination that suchpetition is substantially in the form described in Sections 26551 and26552 and upon verification that the signatures affixed to thepetition represent owners of not less than 10 percent of the realproperty to be included within the proposed district.26555.  No petition shall be accepted by the clerk of thelegislative body unless the signatures thereon shall have beensecured within 120 days of the date on which the first signature onthe petition was affixed and such petition is submitted to the clerkwithin 30 days after the last signature was affixed.26556.  The clerk of the legislative body shall notify the personwhose signature first appears on the petition of any irregularity inthe petition. Such notification shall be by certified mail withreturn receipt requested. Within 10 days of the date of such mailing,a supplemental petition curing any irregularity may be submitted tothe clerk.26557.  Upon presentation to the legislative body of a petition inthe form prescribed by Sections 26551 and 26552, the legislative bodyshall adopt a resolution setting a public hearing on such petitionand directing notice thereof to be mailed to all owners of realproperty to be included within the proposed district as shown on theassessment roll last equalized by the county.26558.  A resolution of the legislative body intiating proceedingsfor the formation of a district shall contain substantially thefollowing: (a) A statement that the resolution is made pursuant to thisdivision. (b) A statement that the legislative body has been presented withand has reviewed a plan of control, and has determined that thehealth, safety, and welfare require formation of a district. (c) The setting of a public hearing on such determination anddirecting that notice be mailed to all owners of real propertyincluded within the proposed district.26559.  All activities of a local agency taken pursuant to thisdivision for the formation of a district or the annexation ofterritory thereto are specific actions necessary to prevent ormitigate an emergency within the meaning of paragraph (4) ofsubdivision (b) of Section 21080.26560.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, proceedings forthe formation of a district pursuant to this division are exclusive.