CHAPTER 3. Powers [56375. - 56386.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 3.
in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 56375. Section 56375.

The commission shall have all of the following powers and duties subject to any limitations upon its jurisdiction set forth in this part: (a) (1) To review and approve with or without amendment, wholly, partially, or conditionally, or disapprove proposals for changes of organization or reorganization, consistent with written policies, procedures, and guidelines adopted by the commission. (2) The commission may initiate proposals by resolution of application for any of the following: (A) The consolidation of a district, as defined in Section 56036. (B) The dissolution of a district. (C) A merger. (D) The establishment of a subsidiary district. (E) The formation of a new district or districts. (F) A reorganization that includes any of the changes specified in subparagraph (A), (B), (C), (D), or (E). (G) The dissolution of an inactive district pursuant to Section 56879. (H) The dissolution of a district pursuant to Section 56375.1. (3) A commission may initiate a proposal described in paragraph (2) only if that change of organization or reorganization is consistent with a recommendation or conclusion of a study prepared pursuant to Section 56378, 56425, or 56430, and the commission makes the determinations specified in subdivision (b) of Section 56881. (4) A commission shall not disapprove an annexation to a city, initiated by resolution, of contiguous territory that the commission finds is any of the following: (A) Surrounded or substantially surrounded by the city to which the annexation is proposed or by that city and a county boundary or the Pacific Ocean if the territory to be annexed is substantially developed or developing, is not prime agricultural land as defined in Section 56064, is designated for urban growth by the general plan of the annexing city, and is not within the sphere of influence of another city. (B) Located within an urban service area that has been delineated and adopted by a commission, which is not prime agricultural land, as defined by Section 56064, and is designated for urban growth by the general plan of the annexing city. (C) An annexation or reorganization of unincorporated islands meeting the requirements of Section 56375.3. (5) As a condition to the annexation of an area that is surrounded, or substantially surrounded, by the city to which the annexation is proposed, the commission may require, where consistent with the purposes of this division, that the annexation include the entire island of surrounded, or substantially surrounded, territory. (6) A commission shall not impose any conditions that would directly regulate land use density or intensity, property development, or subdivision requirements. (7) The decision of the commission with regard to a proposal to annex territory to a city shall be based upon the general plan and prezoning of the city. When the development purposes are not made known to the annexing city, the annexation shall be reviewed on the basis of the adopted plans and policies of the annexing city or county. A commission shall require, as a condition to annexation, that a city prezone the territory to be annexed or present evidence satisfactory to the commission that the existing development entitlements on the territory are vested or are already at build-out, and are consistent with the city’s general plan. However, the commission shall not specify how, or in what manner, the territory shall be prezoned. (8) (A) Except for those changes of organization or reorganization authorized under Section 56375.3, and except as provided by subparagraph (B), a commission shall not approve an annexation to a city of any territory greater than 10 acres, or smaller as determined by commission policy, where there exists a disadvantaged unincorporated community that is contiguous to the area of proposed annexation, unless an application to annex the disadvantaged unincorporated community to the subject city has been filed with the executive officer. (B) An application to annex a contiguous disadvantaged unincorporated community shall not be required if either of the following apply: (i) A prior application for annexation of the same disadvantaged unincorporated community has been made in the preceding five years. (ii) The commission finds, based upon written evidence, that a majority of the registered voters within the affected territory are opposed to annexation. (C) This paragraph shall also apply to the annexation of two or more contiguous areas that take place within five years of each other and that are individually less than 10 acres but cumulatively more than 10 acres. (b) With regard to a proposal for annexation or detachment of territory to, or from, a city or district or with regard to a proposal for reorganization that includes annexation or detachment, to determine whether territory proposed for annexation or detachment, as described in its resolution approving the annexation, detachment, or reorganization, is inhabited or uninhabited. (c) With regard to a proposal for consolidation of two or more cities or districts, to determine which city or district shall be the consolidated successor city or district. (d) To approve the annexation of unincorporated, noncontiguous territory, subject to the limitations of Section 56742, located in the same county as that in which the city is located, and that is owned by a city and used for municipal purposes and to authorize the annexation of the territory without notice and hearing. (e) To approve the annexation of unincorporated territory consistent with the planned and probable use of the property based upon the review of general plan and prezoning designations. No subsequent change may be made to the general plan for the annexed territory or zoning that is not in conformance to the prezoning designations for a period of two years after the completion of the annexation, unless the legislative body for the city makes a finding at a public hearing with written notice provided no less than 21 days to the commission that a substantial change has occurred in circumstances that necessitate a departure from the prezoning in the application to the commission. (f) With respect to the incorporation of a new city or the formation of a new special district, to determine the number of registered voters residing within the proposed city or special district or, for a landowner-voter special district, the number of owners of land and the assessed value of their land within the territory proposed to be included in the new special district. The number of registered voters shall be calculated as of the time of the last report of voter registration by the county elections official to the Secretary of State prior to the date the first signature was affixed to the petition. The executive officer shall notify the petitioners of the number of registered voters resulting from this calculation. The assessed value of the land within the territory proposed to be included in a new landowner-voter special district shall be calculated as shown on the last equalized assessment roll. (g) To adopt written procedures for the evaluation of proposals, including written definitions consistent with existing state law. The commission may adopt standards for any of the factors enumerated in Section 56668. Any standards adopted by the commission shall be written. (h) To adopt standards and procedures for the evaluation of service plans submitted pursuant to Section 56653 and the initiation of a change of organization or reorganization pursuant to subdivision (a). (i) To make and enforce regulations for the orderly and fair conduct of hearings by the commission. (j) To incur usual and necessary expenses for the accomplishment of its functions. (k) To appoint and assign staff personnel and to employ or contract for professional or consulting services to carry out and effect the functions of the commission. ( l ) To review the boundaries of the territory involved in any proposal with respect to the definiteness and certainty of those boundaries, the nonconformance of proposed boundaries with lines of assessment or ownership, and other similar matters affecting the proposed boundaries. (m) To waive the restrictions of Section 56744 if it finds that the application of the restrictions would be detrimental to the orderly development of the community and that the area that would be enclosed by the annexation or incorporation is so located that it cannot reasonably be annexed to another city or incorporated as a new city. (n) To waive the application of Section 22613 of the Streets and Highways Code if it finds the application would deprive an area of a service needed to ensure the health, safety, or welfare of the residents of the area and if it finds that the waiver would not affect the ability of a city to provide any service. However, within 60 days of the inclusion of the territory within the city, the legislative body may adopt a resolution nullifying the waiver. (o) If the proposal includes the incorporation of a city, as defined in Section 56043, or the formation of a district, as defined in Section 2215 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, the commission shall determine the property tax revenue to be exchanged by the affected local agencies pursuant to Section 56810. If the proposal includes the disincorporation of a city, as defined in Section 56034, the commission shall determine the property tax revenue to be exchanged by the affected local agencies pursuant to Section 56813. (p) To authorize a city or district to provide new or extended services outside its jurisdictional boundaries pursuant to Section 56133. (q) To enter into an agreement with the commission for an adjoining county for the purpose of determining procedures for the consideration of proposals that may affect the adjoining county or where the jurisdiction of an affected agency crosses the boundary of the adjoining county. (r) To approve with or without amendment, wholly, partially, or conditionally, or disapprove pursuant to this section the annexation of territory served by a mutual water company formed pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 14300) of Division 3 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code that operates a public water system to a city or special district. Any annexation approved in accordance with this subdivision shall be subject to the state and federal constitutional prohibitions against the taking of private property without the payment of just compensation. This subdivision shall not impair the authority of a public agency or public utility to exercise eminent domain authority.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 56375.1. Section 56375.1.

(a) A commission may initiate a proposal for the dissolution of a district that is eligible for the protest threshold under Section 57093 if both of the following conditions are satisfied: (1) At a public hearing for which notice has been published and posted, the commission approves, adopts, or accepts a study prepared pursuant to Section 56430 that includes a finding, based on a preponderance of the evidence, that one or more of the following conditions is met: (A) The district has one or more documented chronic service provision deficiencies that substantially deviate from industry or trade association standards or other government regulations and its board or management is not actively engaged in efforts to remediate the documented service deficiencies. (B) The district spent public funds in an unlawful or reckless manner inconsistent with the principal act or other statute governing the district and has not taken any action to prevent similar future spending. (C) The district has shown willful neglect by failing to consistently adhere to the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1) and other public disclosure laws to which the agency is subject. (D) The district has failed to meet the minimum number of times required in its principal act in the prior calendar year and has taken no action to remediate the failures to ensure future meetings are conducted on a timely basis. (E) The district has consistently failed to perform timely audits in the prior three years, or failed to meet minimum financial requirements under Section 26909 over the prior five years as an alternative to performing an audit. (F) The district’s recent annual audits show chronic issues with the district’s fiscal controls and the district has taken no action to remediate the issues. (2) (A) At a public hearing for which notice has been published and posted, the commission adopts a resolution of intent to initiate dissolution based on one or more of the required findings in paragraph (1). The resolution shall provide a remediation period of not less than 12 months during which the district may take steps to remedy the specified deficiencies and also specify a date upon which the district shall provide the commission a mid-point report on such remediation efforts at a regularly scheduled commission meeting. (B) At the conclusion of the remediation period, at a public hearing for which notice has been published and posted, the commission shall take one of the following actions: (i) If the commission finds the district has adequately remedied the deficiencies, the commission shall rescind the notice of intent to initiate dissolution and no further action is required. (ii) If the commission finds that the district has failed to remedy the deficiencies, the commission may adopt a resolution to dissolve the district making the determinations in paragraph (1) and in subdivision (b) of Section 56881. (b) (1) Any public notice required pursuant to this section shall be published and posted pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 56150) of Part 1. (2) The public hearings required under subdivision (a) may be combined into a single public hearing for which notice has been published and posted. (c) The commission’s power to initiate dissolution of a district pursuant to this section is separate from and in addition to the commission’s power to initiate dissolution pursuant to subparagraphs (B) and (G) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 56375.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 56375.3. Section 56375.3.

(a) In addition to those powers enumerated in Section 56375, a commission shall approve, after notice and hearing, the change of organization or reorganization of a city, and waive protest proceedings pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 57000) entirely, if all of the following are true: (1) The change of organization or reorganization is initiated on or after January 1, 2000. (2) The change of organization or reorganization is proposed by resolution adopted by the affected city. (3) The commission finds that the territory contained in the change of organization or reorganization proposal meets all of the requirements set forth in subdivision (b). (b) Subdivision (a) applies to territory that meets all of the following requirements: (1) It does not exceed 150 acres in area, and that area constitutes the entire island. (2) The territory constitutes an entire unincorporated island located within the limits of a city, or constitutes a reorganization containing a number of individual unincorporated islands. (3) It is surrounded in either of the following ways: (A) Surrounded, or substantially surrounded, by the city to which annexation is proposed or by the city and a county boundary or the Pacific Ocean. (B) Surrounded by the city to which annexation is proposed and adjacent cities. (4) It is substantially developed or developing. The finding required by this paragraph shall be based upon one or more factors, including, but not limited to, any of the following factors: (A) The availability of public utility services. (B) The presence of public improvements. (C) The presence of physical improvements upon the parcel or parcels within the area. (5) It is not prime agricultural land, as defined by Section 56064. (6) It will benefit from the change of organization or reorganization or is receiving benefits from the annexing city. (7) This subdivision does not apply to any unincorporated island within a city that is a gated community where services are currently provided by a community services district. (8) Notwithstanding any other law, at the option of either the city or the county, a separate property tax transfer agreement may be agreed to between a city and a county pursuant to Section 99 of the Revenue and Taxation Code regarding an annexation subject to this subdivision without affecting any existing master tax sharing agreement between the city and county. (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subdivision, this subdivision shall not apply to all or any part of that portion of the development project area referenced in subdivision (e) of Section 33492.41 of the Health and Safety Code that as of January 1, 2000, meets all of the following requirements: (1) Is unincorporated territory. (2) Contains at least 100 acres. (3) Is surrounded or substantially surrounded by incorporated territory. (4) Contains at least 100 acres zoned for commercial or industrial uses or is designated on the applicable county general plan for commercial or industrial uses. (d) The Legislature finds and declares that the powers set forth in subdivision (a) for territory that meets all the specifications in subdivision (b) are consistent with the intent of promoting orderly growth and development pursuant to Section 56001 and facilitate the annexation of disadvantaged unincorporated communities, as defined in Section 56033.5.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 56375.4. Section 56375.4.

The authority to initiate, conduct, and complete any proceeding pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 56375.3 does not apply to any territory that, after January 1, 2014, became surrounded or substantially surrounded by the city to which annexation is proposed, except for islands that were created after January 1, 2014, as a result of boundary adjustments between two counties.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 56375.5. Section 56375.5.

Every determination made by a commission regarding the matters provided for by subdivisions (a), (m), and (n) of Section 56375 and by subdivision (a) of Section 56375.3 shall be consistent with the spheres of influence of the local agencies affected by those determinations.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 56377. Section 56377.

In reviewing and approving or disapproving proposals which could reasonably be expected to induce, facilitate, or lead to the conversion of existing open-space lands to uses other than open-space uses, the commission shall consider all of the following policies and priorities: (a) Development or use of land for other than open-space uses shall be guided away from existing prime agricultural lands in open-space use toward areas containing nonprime agricultural lands, unless that action would not promote the planned, orderly, efficient development of an area. (b) Development of existing vacant or nonprime agricultural lands for urban uses within the existing jurisdiction of a local agency or within the sphere of influence of a local agency should be encouraged before any proposal is approved which would allow for or lead to the development of existing open-space lands for non-open-space uses which are outside of the existing jurisdiction of the local agency or outside of the existing sphere of influence of the local agency.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 56378. Section 56378.

(a) In addition to its other powers, the commission shall initiate and make studies of existing governmental agencies. Those studies shall include, but shall not be limited to, inventorying those agencies and determining their maximum service area and service capacities. In conducting those studies, the commission may request land use information, studies, joint powers agreements, and plans of cities, counties, districts, including school districts, community college districts, joint powers agencies and joint powers authorities, regional agencies, and state agencies and departments. Cities, counties, districts, including school districts, community college districts, joint powers agencies and joint powers authorities, regional agencies, and state agencies and departments, shall comply with the request of the commission for that information and the commission shall make its studies available to public agencies and any interested person. In making these studies, the commission may cooperate with the county planning commissions. (b) The commission, or the board of supervisors on behalf of the commission, may apply for or accept, or both, any financial assistance and grants-in-aid from public or private agencies or from the state or federal government or from a local government.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 56379. Section 56379.

Any person may, prior to any meeting, request the commission to cause a stenographic or electromagnetic record to be made of a meeting. If the cost of making that record is borne by that person, the commission shall cause the record to be made. The commission may require any person requesting the record to be made to deposit the estimated cost of making the record with the commission prior to the hearing.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 56380. Section 56380.

The commission shall make its own provision for necessary quarters, equipment, and supplies as well as personnel. The commission may choose to contract with any public agency or private party for personnel and facilities.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 56381. Section 56381.

(a) The commission shall adopt annually, following noticed public hearings, a proposed budget by May 1 and final budget by June 15. At a minimum, the proposed and final budget shall be equal to the budget adopted for the previous fiscal year unless the commission finds that reduced staffing or program costs will nevertheless allow the commission to fulfill the purposes and programs of this chapter. The commission shall transmit its proposed and final budgets to the board of supervisors, to each city, and to each independent special district. (b) After public hearings, consideration of comments, and adoption of a final budget by the commission pursuant to subdivision (a), the auditor shall apportion the net operating expenses of a commission in the following manner: (1) (A) In counties in which there is city and independent special district representation on the commission, the county, cities, and independent special districts shall each provide a one-third share of the commission’s operational costs. (B) The cities’ share shall be apportioned in proportion to each city’s total revenues, as reported in the most recent edition of the Cities Annual Report published by the Controller, as a percentage of the combined city revenues within a county, or by an alternative method approved by a majority of cities representing the majority of the combined cities’ populations. (C) The independent special districts’ share shall be apportioned in proportion to each district’s total revenues as a percentage of the combined total district revenues within a county. Except as provided in subparagraph (D), an independent special district’s total revenue shall be calculated for nonenterprise activities as total revenues for general purpose transactions less intergovernmental revenue and for enterprise activities as total operating and nonoperating revenues less intergovernmental revenue, as reported in the most recent edition of the “Special Districts Annual Report” published by the Controller, or by an alternative method approved by a majority of the agencies, representing a majority of their combined populations. For the purposes of fulfilling the requirement of this section, a multicounty independent special district shall be required to pay its apportionment in its principal county. It is the intent of the Legislature that no single district or class or type of district shall bear a disproportionate amount of the district share of costs. (D) (i) For purposes of apportioning costs to a health care district formed pursuant to Division 23 (commencing with Section 32000) of the Health and Safety Code that operates a hospital, a health care district’s share, except as provided in clauses (ii) and (iii), shall be apportioned in proportion to each district’s net from operations as reported in the most recent edition of the hospital financial disclosure report form published by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, as a percentage of the combined independent special districts’ net operating revenues within a county. (ii) A health care district for which net from operations is a negative number may not be apportioned any share of the commission’s operational costs until the fiscal year following positive net from operations, as reported in the most recent edition of the hospital financial disclosure report form published by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. (iii) A health care district that has filed and is operating under public entity bankruptcy pursuant to federal bankruptcy law, shall not be apportioned any share of the commission’s operational costs until the fiscal year following its discharge from bankruptcy. (iv) As used in this subparagraph “net from operations” means total operating revenue less total operating expenses. (E) Notwithstanding the requirements of subparagraph (C), the independent special districts’ share may be apportioned by an alternative method approved by a majority of the districts, representing a majority of the combined populations. However, in no event shall an individual district’s apportionment exceed the amount that would be calculated pursuant to subparagraphs (C) and (D), or in excess of 50 percent of the total independent special districts’ share, without the consent of that district. (F) Notwithstanding the requirements of subparagraph (C), no independent special district shall be apportioned a share of more than 50 percent of the total independent special districts’ share of the commission’s operational costs, without the consent of the district as otherwise provided in this section. In those counties in which a district’s share is limited to 50 percent of the total independent special districts’ share of the commission’s operational costs, the share of the remaining districts shall be increased on a proportional basis so that the total amount for all districts equals the share apportioned by the auditor to independent special districts. (2) In counties in which there is no independent special district representation on the commission, the county and its cities shall each provide a one-half share of the commission’s operational costs. The cities’ share shall be apportioned in the manner described in paragraph (1). (3) In counties in which there are no cities, the county and its special districts shall each provide a one-half share of the commission’s operational costs. The independent special districts’ share shall be apportioned in the manner described for cities’ apportionment in paragraph (1). If there is no independent special district representation on the commission, the county shall pay all of the commission’s operational costs. (4) Instead of determining apportionment pursuant to paragraph (1), (2), or (3), any alternative method of apportionment of the net operating expenses of the commission may be used if approved by a majority vote of each of the following: the board of supervisors; a majority of the cities representing a majority of the total population of cities in the county; and the independent special districts representing a majority of the combined total population of independent special districts in the county. However, in no event shall an individual district’s apportionment exceed the amount that would be calculated pursuant to subparagraphs (C) and (D) of paragraph (1), or in excess of 50 percent of the total independent special districts’ share, without the consent of that district. (c) After apportioning the costs as required in subdivision (b), the auditor shall request payment from the board of supervisors and from each city and each independent special district no later than July 1 of each year for the amount that entity owes and the actual administrative costs incurred by the auditor in apportioning costs and requesting payment from each entity. If the county, a city, or an independent special district does not remit its required payment within 60 days, the commission may determine an appropriate method of collecting the required payment, including a request to the auditor to collect an equivalent amount from the property tax, or any fee or eligible revenue owed to the county, city, or district. The auditor shall provide written notice to the county, city, or district prior to appropriating a share of the property tax or other revenue to the commission for the payment due the commission pursuant to this section. Any expenses incurred by the commission or the auditor in collecting late payments or successfully challenging nonpayment shall be added to the payment owed to the commission. Between the beginning of the fiscal year and the time the auditor receives payment from each affected city and district, the board of supervisors shall transmit funds to the commission sufficient to cover the first two months of the commission’s operating expenses as specified by the commission. When the city and district payments are received by the commission, the county’s portion of the commission’s annual operating expenses shall be credited with funds already received from the county. If, at the end of the fiscal year, the commission has funds in excess of what it needs, the commission may retain those funds and calculate them into the following fiscal year’s budget. If, during the fiscal year, the commission is without adequate funds to operate, the board of supervisors may loan the commission funds. The commission shall appropriate sufficient funds in its budget for the subsequent fiscal year to repay the loan.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 56381.6. Section 56381.6.

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 56381, for counties whose membership on the commission is established pursuant to Sections 56326, 56326.5, 56327, or 56328, the commission’s annual operational costs shall be apportioned among the classes of public agencies that appoint members to the commission in proportion to the number of members appointed by each class. The classes of public agencies that may be represented on the commission are the county, the cities, and independent special districts. Any alternative cost apportionment procedure may be adopted by the commission, subject to a majority affirmative vote of the commission that includes the affirmative vote of at least one of the members appointed by the county, one of the members appointed by the cities, and one of the members appointed by districts, if special districts are represented on the commission. (b) Allocation of costs among individual cities and independent special districts and remittance of payments shall be in accordance with the procedures of Section 56381. Notwithstanding Section 56381, any city that has permanent membership on the commission pursuant to Sections 56326, 56326.5, 56327, or 56328 shall be apportioned the same percentage of the commission’s annual operational costs as its permanent member bears to the total membership of the commission, excluding any public members selected by all the members. The balance of the cities’ portion of the commission’s annual operational costs shall be apportioned to the remaining cities in the county in accordance with the procedures of Section 56381.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 56382. Section 56382.

The commission may authorize the destruction of any duplicate record, paper, or other document if the original or a photographic or electronic copy of the record, paper, or other document is retained in the files of the commission, and the commission may authorize the destruction of original records more than two years old if a photographic or electronic copy of the original record is made and preserved, provided that the following conditions are met: (a) The record is reproduced on a medium that does not permit additions, deletions, or changes to the original document, or reproduced in compliance with the minimum standards or guidelines, or both, as recommended by the American National Standards Institute or the Association for Information and Image Management for recording of permanent records or nonpermanent records, whichever applies. (b) The device used to reproduce the record is one that accurately and legibly reproduces the original thereof in all details and that does not permit additions, deletions, or changes to the original document images. (c) The reproductions are made as accessible for public reference as the original records were. (d) A true copy of archival quality of the reproductions shall be kept in a safe and separate place for security purposes.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 56383. Section 56383.

(a) The commission may establish a schedule of fees and a schedule of service charges pursuant to this division, including, but not limited to, all of the following: (1) Filing and processing applications filed with the commission. (2) Proceedings undertaken by the commission and any reorganization committee. (3) Amending or updating a sphere of influence. (4) Reconsidering a resolution making determinations. (b) The fees shall not exceed the estimated reasonable cost of providing the service for which the fee is charged and shall be imposed pursuant to Section 66016. The service charges shall not exceed the cost of providing the service for which the service charge is charged and shall be imposed pursuant to Section 66016. (c) The commission may require that an applicant deposit some or all of the required amount that will be owed with the executive officer before any further action is taken. The deposit shall be made within the time period specified by the commission. No application shall be deemed filed until the applicant deposits the required amount with the executive officer. The executive officer shall provide the applicant with an accounting of all costs charged against the deposited amount. If the costs are less than the deposited amount, the executive officer shall refund the balance to the applicant after the executive officer verifies the completion of all proceedings. If the costs exceed the deposited amount, the applicant shall pay the difference prior to the completion of all proceedings. (d) The commission may reduce or waive a fee, service charge, or deposit if it finds that payment would be detrimental to the public interest. The reduction or waiver of any fee, service charge, or deposit is limited to the costs incurred by the commission in the proceedings of an application. (e) Any mandatory time limits for commission action may be deferred until the applicant pays the required fee, service charge, or deposit. (f) The signatures on a petition submitted to the commission by registered voters shall be verified by the elections official of the county and the costs of verification shall be provided for in the same manner and by the same agencies which bear the costs of verifying signatures for an initiative petition in the same county. (g) For incorporation proceedings that have been initiated by the filing of a sufficient number of voter signatures on petitions that have been verified by the county registrar of voters, the commission may, upon the receipt of a certification by the proponents that they are unable to raise sufficient funds to reimburse fees, service charges, or deposits for the proceedings, take no action on the proposal and request a loan from the General Fund of an amount sufficient to cover those expenses subject to availability of an appropriation for those purposes and in accordance with any provisions of the appropriation. Repayment of the loan shall be made a condition of approval of the incorporation, if successful, and shall become an obligation of the newly formed city. Repayment shall be made within two years of the effective date of incorporation. If the proposal is denied by the commission or defeated at an election, the loan shall be forgiven.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 56383.5. Section 56383.5.

(a) The commission may require, as a condition for processing a change of organization or reorganization, a sphere amendment or a sphere update, or any other action or determination requested from the commission, that the applicant agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the commission, its agents, officers, and employees from any claim, action, or proceeding against the commission, its agents, officers, or employees to attack, set aside, void, or annul an approval by the commission. (b) (1) An agreement to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless entered into pursuant to subdivision (a) shall require the commission to promptly notify the applicant of any claim, action, or proceeding to attack, set aside, void, or annul an approval by the commission and shall require the commission to cooperate fully in the defense. (2) An applicant who is a party to an agreement to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless entered into pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not be responsible to defend, indemnify, or hold harmless if the commission fails to notify the applicant or cooperate fully in the defense pursuant to paragraph (1). (c) An applicant who is a party to an agreement to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless entered into pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not be required to pay or perform any settlement relating to the agreement, unless the applicant approves the settlement. (d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the commission from participating in the defense of any claim, action, or proceeding to attack, set aside, void or annul an approval by the commission if both of the following conditions are met: (1) The commission bears its own attorney’s fees and costs of the claim, action, or proceeding. (2) The commission defends the claim, action, or proceeding in good faith.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 56384. Section 56384.

(a) The commission shall appoint an executive officer who shall conduct and perform the day-to-day business of the commission. If the executive officer is subject to a conflict of interest on a matter before the commission, the commission shall appoint an alternate executive officer. The commission may recover its costs by charging fees pursuant to Section 56383. (b) The commission shall appoint legal counsel to advise it. If the commission’s counsel is subject to a conflict of interest on a matter before the commission, the commission shall appoint alternate legal counsel to advise it. The commission may recover its costs by charging fees pursuant to Section 56383. (c) The commission may appoint staff as it deems appropriate. If staff for the commission is subject to a conflict of interest on a matter before the commission, the commission shall appoint alternate staff to assist it. The commission may recover its costs by charging fees pursuant to Section 56383. (d) (1) For purposes of this section, the term “conflict of interest” shall be defined as it is for the purpose of the Political Reform Act of 1974 (Title 9 (commencing with Section 81000)) and shall also include matters proscribed by Article 4 (commencing with Section 1090) of Chapter 1 of Division 4 of Title 1. (2) For the purposes of subdivision (b), the term “conflict of interest” shall also include matters addressed by Rule 3-310 of the Rules of Professional Conduct promulgated by the State Bar of California, pertaining to representation of adverse interests.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 56385. Section 56385.

The commission may contract for retirement benefits for the executive officer or staff personnel pursuant to the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937, Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 31450) of Part 3 of Division 4 of Title 3 or the Public Employees’ Retirement Law, Part 3 (commencing with Section 20000) of Division 5 of Title 2. It may also provide for health and medical benefits. The commission shall preserve accrued vacation, sick leave, compensatory time, and retirement benefits of persons hired from within the employment of their respective county.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 56386. Section 56386.

(a) The officers and employees of a city, county, or special district, including any local agency, school district, community college district, and any regional agency, or state agency or department, as may be necessary, or any other public agency shall furnish the executive officer with any records or information in their possession which may be necessary to assist the commission and the executive officer in their duties, including, but not limited to, the preparation of reports pursuant to Sections 56665 and 56800. (b) Upon request by the commission or the executive officer, the county surveyor, or any other county officer, county official, or employee as the board of supervisors may designate, shall examine and report to the commission or the executive officer upon any application or other document involving any of the matters specified in subdivision ( l ) of Section 56375.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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