Petition and Hearing Process for Harbor Improvement Districts

Division 8, Part 2, Chapter 1, Article 1 deals with the petition and hearing processes in the formation of a harbor improvement district.

Section 5820 specifies that any portion of a county in this state, the exterior boundaries of which include a bay, harbor, inlet, or navigable water of the Pacific Ocean, may be formed into a district for the improvement or development of a harbor.

Section 5821 provides that, whenever fifty or more persons in any county of this State, the exterior boundaries of which include a harbor, desire to form a district within the county for the improvement or development of a harbor, they may present a petition in writing signed by them to the board of supervisors of the county.

Section 5822 requires the petition to show six specified items.

Section 5823 requires the petition to contain a request that the territory included within the boundaries be formed into a harbor district for the purpose of the improvement or development of the harbor.

Section 5824 requires each signer of the petition to be a registered voter, resident, and freeholder within the proposed district.

Section 5825 requires the petition to be published for at least two weeks preceding the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation printed in the county, together with a notice signed by not exceeding three of the petitioners. The notice is required to specify certain information.