Water Code, 1943

Zones may be established within the drainage service area to set assessment rates based on the benefits each zone receives from services to the land.

The board must adopt a resolution, give public notice, hold a hearing, and then decide the benefit zones and percentages.

The board must adopt an annual resolution estimating the money needed for the drainage service area, hold and notice a public hearing, mail the resolution to land title holders, and then levy the assessment by zone.

The secretary must send certified copies of the assessment resolution to specified district officers, and the district assessor must calculate and record the assessment amounts for the affected parcels.

The district may use assessment proceeds to pay lawful district obligations tied to care, operation, or management of its works for the assessed drainage service area.

The powers and procedures in Section 35520.3 include whatever is necessary, useful, or desirable to carry out this chapter.

The board may issue bonds secured by benefit assessments and, if it does, must define a drainage service area and give it the required name.

If the board decides to issue bonds secured by benefit assessments, it must hire a civil engineer by resolution, and that engineer must not have any direct or indirect interest in land in the district.

After cost apportionment, the engineer must prepare and certify an assessment roll to the board.

When the roll is completed, the engineer must attach a detailed written report, certify the roll, and file it with the board.

The former irrigation district is dissolved and a new water district is formed, with its assets, obligations, and voting rules carried over.

The former Vandalia Irrigation District is dissolved and replaced by the Vandalia Water District, which takes over the former district’s powers, duties, liabilities, assets, and pending matters.

This chapter applies only to the named water districts and to improvement districts formed within them.

The district may adopt a water allocation plan, set surface-delivery areas and quantities, enter long-term water service contracts, and provide short-term allocation without further notice and hearing.

A plan adopted under this section may be changed, supplemented, or amended in the same way as the original plan was adopted.

Before a plan is adopted, the board must make or have made a report describing the proposed plan.

Before adopting a water distribution plan, the board must pass a resolution stating its intent, where the proposed plan is available, and when and where the hearing will be held.

Before the hearing, notice must be published in a Kern County newspaper and mailed to each landowner of record in the district; the first publication must be at least 14 days before the hearing.

The board must hold the hearing, let interested people be heard, then adopt and publish the water allocation plan by resolution.

The district may contract with a private utility to waive certain Public Utilities Code provisions, but those contracts need Public Utilities Commission approval.

The district’s board of directors may levy and collect groundwater charges, using the same manner and purposes as the Kern County Water Agency under the cited Act.

Zones may be established within the district to set assessment rates that vary by the benefits each zone receives from district services.

The board must use a resolution, public hearing notice, publication, and mailed copies before establishing a zone or changing assessment rates under Section 35534.

An annual expense statement must include the amount each zone must bear, calculated from total expenses and each zone’s percentage of benefits.

The board of supervisors must set or levy assessments on lands in each zone so the amount raised matches the district board’s estimate, and assessments in zones of benefit must be levied on all lands in the zone on an ad valorem basis.

The district may use assessment proceeds to pay its lawful obligations.

The board may resolve to levy an equal special assessment on developed land, undeveloped land, or both, within the district or certain zones, and the resolution must set a public hearing time and place.

The resolution must be published and mailed to land title holders, and the board may adjourn the hearing and later set and levy a special assessment.

This chapter applies only to the Irvine Ranch Water District and Santa Margarita Water District.

The districts may acquire, build, operate, maintain, and provide facilities related to urban runoff diversion, treatment, return to drainage courses, or beneficial use.

The districts may convey water in a drainage course within each district to treat and reuse it, if the conveyance, treatment, and reuse comply with state and federal law.

The districts may use other powers granted to a district by this division, if those powers can be made applicable.

The districts must still obtain any permit required by law for activities carried out under this chapter.

A district may not levy an assessment under this article unless the hearing resolution is properly made and entered in the district’s records at least 31 days before the levy date.

If enough landowners petition in time, the board must call an election and send the special assessment resolution to district voters.

The resolution or election proposition must set the due date for a special assessment, and it may allow payment in two equal installments.

This chapter applies only to the Lost Hills Water District as a member unit of the Kern County Water Agency.

The district may adopt a water allocation plan that can limit future water allocations and assessments for lands in a designated area, while preserving certain agency, creditor, and bond rights.

A plan approved under this chapter may later be changed, supplemented, amended, or rescinded using the same process used to adopt and approve the original plan.

Before adopting a plan, the board must make or cause a report to be made that sets out the proposed plan.

Before adopting the plan, the board must pass a resolution of intention listing required details about the proposed water allocation plan.

Notice of the hearing must be given by publication, posting, and certified-mailing of the resolution of intention, with each step timed at least 14 days before the hearing.

A landowner whose water delivery would be cut back under the proposed plan may file a written protest before the hearing time.

The board must hear and decide protests at the scheduled hearing, may adjourn the hearing, and a title holder may withdraw a written protest before the hearing ends or before an adjournment ends.

If a qualifying written protest is filed and the board finds it exceeds half the assessed value of the affected lands, the proceedings must end and no further proceedings on the plan or a modification may be taken for one year.

If the required protest is filed and meets the stated ownership-value range, the board may adopt the plan only if it is approved at a special election by the title holders of the affected lands.

The board may adopt and approve the proposed plan by resolution if there is no written protest, or if a protest is filed but it is under 10% of the assessed value of the lands affected, after the hearing.

For the proposed water plan, the district must use the district’s last equalized assessment book to determine land values, or the County of Kern’s last equalized assessment roll if no district assessment was made for that year.

If voters approve the plan, the board must approve it by resolution within 30 days after the election is canvassed. If voters reject the plan, the proceedings end and no further action may be taken on the plan or any modification for one year.

If the plan is approved under Section 35550 or 35552, a certified copy of the board’s approving resolution must be recorded with the Kern County Recorder, and then the plan is effective for all purposes.

The district may make long-term water service contracts with land title holders for apportioning all or part of its water supply.

This chapter applies only to the Westside Water District and certain districts, zones, or improvements formed within it.