Fire Districts
Fire District Creation
A district impact statement must be prepared and shall contain:
- A legal description of boundaries and a detailed, accurate map;
- An estimate of the assessed valuation within the proposed district;
- An estimate of the change in the property tax liability, as a result of the proposed district, of a typical resident of the proposed district;
- A list and explanation of the benefits resulting from the proposed district;
- A list and explanation of the injuries that will result from the proposed district;
- The names, addresses, and occupations of the proposed members of the district’s organizing board of directors.
The clerk of the Board of Supervisors shall mail notifications of the hearing to all property owners and qualified electors. The Clerk shall also publicly post and publish notices.
Hearing – The Board of Supervisors is to decide if the district will promote the public health, comfort, convenience, necessity, or welfare of the citizens. If approved, then the district organizers may circulate petitions. If not, the district may be proposed again after 6 months. Within 15 days, the clerk shall determine the minimum number of signatures requires, and the number is fixed at that amount.
Petitioners have one year from the Board of Supervisors approval date to collect the minimum number of signatures on the petition. Upon receipt of the petition, the Board of Supervisors shall set a date for a hearing on the petition no less than 10 days and no more than 30 days from its receipt.
The validation of petition signatures is completed during this time. If the signatures are valid, then the district is formed. The district is officially established 30 days later. All costs are charged against the district.
The district shall have an organizing Board of Directors of three as named in the district impact statement until a Board of Directors is elected.