(a) If a board desires to divest a county service area of the authority to provide a service or facility, the board shall adopt a resolution of intention. The resolution of intention shall:

(1) State the number or name of the county service area.

(2) Generally describe the territory within the county service area.

(3) Specify the services and facilities that the board proposes to terminate.

(4) Identify the public agency, if any, that would be required to provide a new or higher level of services and facilities if the board divests the power to provide those services and facilities.

(5) Fix the date, time, and place for a hearing on the question of divesting the power to provide those services and facilities. The hearing date shall be not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days from the adoption of the resolution of intention.

(b) The clerk of the board of supervisors shall publish notice of the hearing pursuant to Section 6061. The clerk of the board shall also mail the notice of the hearing at least 15 days before the hearing to the local agency formation commission and to any public agency that would be required to provide a new or higher level of services and facilities.

(c) At the hearing, the board shall consider all written and oral testimony. At the conclusion of the hearing, the board shall take one of the following actions:

(1) Adopt a resolution to abandon the proceedings.

(2) If the proposed divestiture would not require another public agency other than the county to provide a new or higher level of services or facilities, the board may adopt a resolution that divests the county service area of the power to provide those services or facilities.

(3) If the proposed divestiture would require another public agency to provide a new or higher level of services or facilities, the board shall first seek the approval of the local agency formation commission. To the extent feasible, the local agency formation commission shall proceed pursuant to Article 1.5 (commencing with Section 56824.10) of Chapter 5 of Part 3 of Division 3. After receiving the approval of the local agency formation commission, the board may adopt a resolution that divests the county service area of the power to provide those services or facilities.

(d) If the board adopts a resolution that divests a county service area of the power to provide a service or facility, the clerk of the board of supervisors shall mail a copy of that resolution to the local agency formation commission within 30 days of the date of adoption of the resolution.

(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 158, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2009.)