(a) The authority shall consider adoption of the plan at three public hearings that shall take place at least 30 days apart. At the first public hearing, the authority shall hear all written and oral comments but take no action. At the second public hearing, the authority shall consider any additional written and oral comments and take action to modify or reject the plan. If the plan is not rejected at the second public hearing, then the authority shall conduct a protest proceeding at the third public hearing to consider whether the property owners and residents within the plan area wish to present oral or written protests against the adoption of the plan.

(b) The draft plan shall be made available to the public and to each property owner within the area at a meeting held at least 30 days prior to the notice given for the first public hearing. The purposes of the meeting shall be to allow the staff of the authority to present the draft plan, answer questions about the plan, and consider comments about the plan.

(c) (1) Notice of the meeting required by subdivision (b) and the public hearings required by this subdivision shall be given in accordance with subdivision (j). The notice shall do all of the following, as applicable:

(A) Describe specifically the boundaries of the proposed area.

(B) Describe the purpose of the plan.

(C) State the day, hour, and place when and where any and all persons having any comments on the proposed plan may appear to provide written or oral comments to the authority.

(D) Notice of second public hearing shall include a summary of the changes made to the plan as a result of the oral and written testimony received at or before the public hearing and shall identify a location accessible to the public where the plan proposed to be presented and adopted at the second public hearing can be reviewed.

(E) Notice of the third public hearing to consider any written or oral protests shall contain a copy of the final plan adopted pursuant to subdivision (a), and shall inform the property owner and resident of his or her right to submit an oral or written protest before the close of the public hearing. The protest may state that the property owner or resident objects to the authority taking action to implement the plan.

(2) At the third public hearing, the authority shall consider all written and oral protests received prior to the close of the public hearing and shall terminate the proceedings or adopt the plan subject to confirmation by the voters at an election called for that purpose. The authority shall terminate the proceedings if there is a majority protest. A majority protest exists if protests have been filed representing over 50 percent of the combined number of property owners and residents in the area who are at least 18 years of age. An election shall be called if between 25 percent and 50 percent of the combined number of property owners and residents in the area who are at least 18 years of age file a protest.

(d) An election required pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) shall be held within 90 days of the public hearing and may be held by mail-in ballot. The authority shall adopt, at a duly noticed public hearing, procedures for this election.

(e) If a majority of the property owners and residents vote against the plan, then the authority shall not take any further action to implement the proposed plan. The authority shall not propose a new or revised plan to the affected property owners and residents for at least one year following the date of an election in which the plan was rejected.

(f) At the hour set in the notice required by subdivision (a), the authority shall consider all written and oral comments.

(g) If less than 25 percent of the combined number of property owners and residents in the area who are at least 18 years of age file a protest, the authority may adopt the plan at the conclusion of the third public hearing by ordinance. The ordinance adopting the plan shall be subject to referendum as prescribed by law.

(h) For the purposes of Section 62005, the plan shall be the plan adopted pursuant to this section.

(i) The authority shall consider and adopt an amendment or amendments to a plan in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(j) The authority shall post notice of each meeting or public hearing required by this section in an easily identifiable and accessible location on the authority’s Internet Web site and shall mail a written notice of the meeting or public hearing to each owner of land and each resident at least 10 days prior to the meeting or public hearing.

(1) Notice of the first public hearing shall also be published not less than once a week for four successive weeks prior to the first public hearing in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county in which the area lies.

(2) Notice of the second public hearing shall also be published not less than 10 days prior to the second public hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the area lies.

(3) Notice of the third public hearing shall also be published not less than 10 days prior to the third public hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the area lies.

(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 524, Sec. 3. (AB 2492) Effective January 1, 2017.)