(a) This section applies to the Alta Irrigation District.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 21550, the board of directors of the district may adopt a resolution that increases the number of directors and the divisions from which they are elected from five to seven in accordance with this section.

(c) Notwithstanding Section 21383, if the number of district directors is increased from five to seven pursuant to this section, the number of directors required to constitute a quorum of the board and to concur on all questions, except a motion to adjourn or a motion to adjourn to a stated time, is four.

(d) (1) The board of directors shall, by resolution, adjust the boundaries of any divisions so that the divisions are, as far as practicable, equal in population and comply with the applicable provisions of Section 1973 of Title 42 of the United States Code, as amended. In establishing the boundaries of the district, the board may give consideration to all of the following factors:

(A) Topography.

(B) Geography.

(C) Cohesiveness, contiguity, integrity, and compactness of territory.

(D) Community of interest of the district.

(2) The resolution requires the vote of not less than a majority of the directors for adoption.

(3) At the time of, or after, any annexation of territory to the district, the board of directors shall designate, by resolution, the division of which the annexed territory shall be a part.

(4) No change in division boundaries may be made within 180 days preceding the election of any director.

(5) (A) A change in division boundaries shall not affect the term of office of any director.

(B) If division boundaries are adjusted, the director of the division whose boundaries have been adjusted, shall continue to be the director of the division bearing the number of his or her division as formerly comprised until the office becomes vacant by means of term expiration or otherwise, whether or not the director is a resident within the boundaries of the division as adjusted.

(6) The successor to the office in a division whose boundaries have been adjusted shall be a resident and voter of that division.

(7) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit or restrict the district from adjusting the boundaries of any divisions whenever the governing body of the district determines that a sufficient change in population has occurred that makes it desirable in the opinion of the governing body to adjust the boundaries of any divisions, or whenever any territory is added to or excluded from the district.

(e) (1) Before considering the adoption of a resolution pursuant to subdivision (b), the board of directors shall provide at least 45 days notice of the public hearing at which the board proposes to act on the resolution. The notice of the public hearing shall be provided by placing a display advertisement of at least one-eighth page in a newspaper of general circulation in each county and incorporated city in which territory of the district is located for three weeks pursuant to Section 6063 of the Government Code. The public hearing shall be held at least 45 days after the first publication of the notice.

(2) The notice required by paragraph (1) shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(A) A statement that the board of directors will consider a resolution to change from five to seven the number of directors of the district and the divisions from which they are elected.

(B) The phone number and address of an individual that interested persons may contact to receive additional information about the resolution.

(C) The date, time, and location of the public hearing.

(D) Notice that the resolution will be effective for the next district elections occurring at least 180 days after adoption of the resolution unless a petition protesting the resolution containing the signatures of not less than 10 percent of the registered qualified voters of the district is filed with the secretary of the district within 30 days from the date of the adoption of the resolution in the same manner and subject to the same requirements as are set forth in Sections 3754, 3755, and 3755.5 of the Elections Code, except that all elections referred to in those sections and officers of the county mentioned in those sections shall be construed to refer to general or special district elections and to comparable officers of the district; and the heading of the proposed referendum shall be in substantially the following form: “Referendum Against a Resolution Passed by the Board of Directors of the Alta Irrigation District Changing From Five to Seven the Number of Directors of the District and the Divisions From Which They Are Elected.”

(f) This section shall become operative only if Assembly Bill 2536 of the 1993–94 Regular Session is not enacted or does not become operative.

(Added by Stats. 1994, Ch. 1134, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 1995. Note: The operational condition in subd. (f) was satisfied (before Jan. 1, 1995).)