WATER CODE
SECTION 20840-20850
20840.  The board of supervisors not later than its first regularmeeting after the occurrence of any one of the following shall set atime for the final hearing of the formation petition: (a) Receipt of a favorable report from the department. (b) Modification of the project by the board to conform to therecommendations made by the department. (c) Receipt of the requisite petition after an adverse report bythe department. (d) Expiration of the time allowed for the making of a report bythe department when the report has not been received within the timeallowed.20841.  The time set for the final hearing shall not be less thanone week from the meeting at which the time is set.20842.  Notice of the time of the final hearing shall be giveneither by: (a) Registered mail to the person designated for that purpose inthe petition. (b) Publication for at least three days in one daily newspaperpublished in the principal county.20843.  Failure to give notice of the final hearing shall not affectthe validity of subsequent proceedings.20844.  On a final hearing the board of supervisors may adjourn fromtime to time, but at no time for a longer period than three days,until a determination of the matter is reached.20845.  At the final hearing the board of supervisors shalldetermine the land to be formed into the proposed district: (a) Land shall be excluded which will not in the judgment of theboard of supervisors be benefited by the project. (b) No land included by the petition in the proposed district orin the modified project as the case may be which is susceptible ofirrigation from any of the proposed, or if modified, the modifiedsources shall be excluded unless the owner consents to the exclusion. (c) Riparian land and land already subject to irrigation may beincluded if in the judgment of the board of supervisors, it willeither be benefited or the rights to the water used on it should beacquired by the proposed district. (d) Land not included in the original formation petition,susceptible of irrigation from any of the proposed sources, may inthe discretion of the board of supervisors be included on applicationby its owner.20846.  At the final hearing no evidence shall be heard against thegenuineness or sufficiency of the petition or notice unless it isshown to the satisfaction of the board of supervisors that newevidence which if uncontradicted would disprove the genuineness orsufficiency of the petition or notice has been discovered since theboard adopted the preliminary formation resolution. In case any newevidence is admitted, full opportunity shall be given for theintroduction of evidence in rebuttal.20847.  At the conclusion of the final hearing on the petition theboard of supervisors shall make an order containing all of thefollowing: (a) Reaffirmance, when it is consistent with its conclusions, ofthe sufficiency of the petition and of the notice of the preliminaryhearing. (b) Recital that a report on the proposed district has been madeby the department if it was in fact made, and if that be so, that itis on file in the records of the board. (c) Description of the land as determined by the board. (d) Name for the proposed district.20848.  The order on final hearing shall also contain all of thefollowing: (a) Division of the district into the following number ofdivisions, which shall be as nearly equal in size as may bepracticable: (1) Five divisions unless otherwise requested, numbered from oneto five respectively. (2) Three divisions when requested in the petition, numbered fromone to three respectively. (b) Statement, when requested in the petition, that the directorsof the proposed district are to be elected at large. (c) Statement, when and as requested in the petition, of theconsolidated district offices.20849.  The order on final hearing shall be entered in full upon theminutes of the board of supervisors.20850.  A finding of the board of supervisors in favor of thegenuineness and sufficiency of the petition and notice shall beconclusive against all persons except the State upon suit by theAttorney General commenced within one year after the order of theboard of supervisors declaring the district formed.