42-703. Proposed district; notice of hearing; protest against application; withdrawal of name from petition; review of action on application. Upon receipt of the application of the proposed irrigation district by the chief engineer, the chief engineer shall cause to be published at applicant's expense, once each week for three consecutive weeks, in a newspaper or newspapers of general circulation in the vicinity of the watercourse or source of supply from which water is sought for the land to be included in the proposed irrigation district, a notice of hearing upon such application. The published notice shall be directed to all persons concerned, without specifically naming any person. Such notice shall contain among other matters a general description of boundaries of the district as proposed; the purpose of the district as proposed; the source of the water supply sought for use and the approximate point of diversion proposed; and the date and place of hearing. Incorporated cities shall be excluded from such district. Any person interested, at any time after first publication of such notice and prior to the expiration of 60 days after the first publication of such notice, may file in duplicate with the chief engineer, a verified written protest against the approval of such application, stating therein all reasons relied upon in objection thereto, which objections shall be duly considered by the chief engineer.

A person who signs a petition and application for the organization and incorporation of a proposed irrigation district shall be permitted to withdraw such person's name as a signer only if the chief engineer determines that the signature was obtained by fraud, undue influence or mutual mistake of fact. All applications for withdrawal of a signature from the petition must be filed with the chief engineer, within 30 days after the first publication of the notice of hearing. The chief engineer may hear and determine any such application for withdrawal of a signature in advance of the hearing for approval of the petition for establishment and organization of the proposed irrigation district.

Any action of the chief engineer upon an application of a proposed irrigation district is subject to review in accordance with the provisions of K.S.A. 2018 Supp. 82a-1901, and amendments thereto. Any action upon such review is subject to review in accordance with the Kansas judicial review act.

History: L. 1941, ch. 262, § 3; L. 1947, ch. 284, § 2; L. 1986, ch. 318, § 52; L. 1999, ch. 130, § 1; L. 2010, ch. 17, § 70; July 1.