CHAPTER 4. Powers and Duties [22551. - 22559.]

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC 4.
in effect

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 22553. Section 22553.

A district may do all of the following: (a) Sue and be sued, except as otherwise provided by law, in all actions and proceedings in all courts and tribunals of competent jurisdiction. (b) Adopt a seal and alter it at pleasure. (c) Provide and maintain public airports, spaceports, and landing places for aerial and space reentry traffic. (d) Acquire by purchase, condemnation, donation, lease, or otherwise, real or personal property necessary to the full or convenient exercise of any of its powers or purposes. (e) Improve, construct or reconstruct, lease, furnish or refurnish, use, repair, maintain, control, sell, or dispose of the property of the district, including any buildings, structures, lighting equipment, and all other equipment and facilities necessary for those purposes.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 22553.5. Section 22553.5.

(a) The board of directors may, from time to time, cause to be sold or leased property of the district which in its opinion is not needed for the district’s affairs. (b) Such sales, at the discretion of the board of directors, may be on time, provided at least 20 percent of the total consideration be paid in cash at the time of the transaction and the remainder thereto be paid within 10 years and evidenced by a promissory note payable to the order of the district bearing interest at the rate of at least 5 percent per annum secured by a first mortgage, first deed of trust, or other prior encumbrance upon the property being sold. (c) Property may be leased for any purpose and to any party whenever the board of directors finds that such lease does not interfere with use of such property for the purposes of the district or with the operations of the district. All rents and other consideration received by the district shall be paid into its general fund for the use of the district.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 22554. Section 22554.

A district may also: (a) Employ legal counsel, in addition to its district counsel, and provide all necessary custodians, employees, engineers, and attendants for the proper maintenance of the property of the district and the conduct of the affairs of the district, for any of its purposes. (b) Borrow money, incur indebtedness, issue bonds or other evidence of the indebtedness, and refund or retire any indebtedness of the district. (c) Cause to be levied and collected, taxes for the purpose of maintaining and carrying on the operations of the district and paying its obligations. (d) Make contracts, employ labor, and do all acts necessary or convenient for the full exercise of any of the powers of the district.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 22555. Section 22555.

The board shall make all rules governing the use of the airports and spaceports, landing places for aerial traffic, and other aerial facilities of the district that the board determines to be necessary.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 22556. Section 22556.

The board may charge and collect fees, tolls, and rentals for the use of all or a part of the aerial facilities of the district in such amounts and at such rates as, so far as possible, will produce revenues sufficient to pay the operating expenses of the district, provide for repairs and depreciation of the properties of the district, pay the interest on the bonded indebtedness of the district, and provide a sinking or other fund for the payment of the principal of the indebtedness as it becomes due.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 22557. Section 22557.

(a) The district may issue temporary negotiable notes bearing interest at a rate not exceeding 8 percent per annum. However, these notes shall be general obligations of the district payable from revenues and taxes, unless paid from other available funds of the district, in the same manner as bonds of the district. The maturity of the notes shall not be later than 20 years from the date thereof, and the total aggregate amount of the notes outstanding at any one time shall not exceed 2 percent of the assessed valuation of the taxable property in the district, or if the assessed valuation is not obtained, 2 percent of the county auditor’s estimate of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of the district evidenced by his or her certificate. The total aggregate amount of these notes outstanding at any one time shall further not exceed the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000). (b) Any note proposed to be issued pursuant to subdivision (a) with a term longer than five years shall not be issued until after a public hearing is conducted with respect to the issuance and a resolution is adopted approving the issuance. At least 15 days prior to the public hearing, the board shall cause notice of the hearing to be published pursuant to Section 6061 of the Government Code in a newspaper published in the principal county. The resolution shall be subject to referendum pursuant to Section 9340 of the Elections Code and shall so provide. Within 15 days after adoption of the resolution of issuance, the board shall cause the resolution to be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation published in the principal county, or if there is none, posted in at least three public places in the district.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 22557.5. Section 22557.5.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 22557, the Big Bear Airport District may issue temporary negotiable notes bearing interest at a rate not exceeding the maximum rate permitted pursuant to Section 53531 of the Government Code. These notes shall be general obligations of the district payable from revenues and taxes, unless paid from other available funds of the district, in the same manner as bonds of the district. The notes shall mature not later than 20 years from the date thereof, and the total aggregate amount of notes outstanding at any one time shall not exceed 2 percent of the assessed valuation of the taxable property in the district, or if the assessed valuation is not obtained, 2 percent of the county auditor’s estimate of the assessed valuation of the taxable property of the district evidenced by the auditor’s certificate. The total aggregate amount of notes outstanding at any one time shall further not exceed one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000). (b) Any note proposed to be issued pursuant to subdivision (a) with a term longer than five years shall not be issued until after a public hearing is conducted with respect to the issuance and a resolution is adopted approving the issuance. At least 15 days prior to the public hearing, the board shall cause notice of the hearing to be published pursuant to Section 6061 of the Government Code in a newspaper published in the principal county. The resolution is subject to referendum pursuant to Section 9340 of the Elections Code and shall so provide. Within 15 days after adoption of the resolution of issuance, the board shall cause the resolution to be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation published in the principal county, or if there is none, posted in at least three public places in the district.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 22558. Section 22558.

In addition to all other powers authorized by this part, the Santa Maria Public Airport District may do both of the following: (a) Employ airport police officers in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 830.33 of the Penal Code. (b) Pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 6300) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, apply for, establish, operate, and maintain a foreign trade zone and subzones thereto, and allow in the foreign trade zone and the subzones thereto any properties and businesses that are located either within or outside the geographic boundaries of the district and that are located within either the County of Santa Barbara or the County of San Luis Obispo.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 22559. Section 22559.

The board may by resolution change the name of the district. Certified copies of such resolution shall be recorded in each county within which some portion of the territory of the district is situated and shall be transmitted to the Secretary of State and to the clerk of each such county.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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